Winter Demon Volume 1 (Yaoi) (v. 1)
by Yamila Abraham, Studio Kosaru
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Book Summary Information
Author: Studio Kosaru, Yamila AbrahamEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-10-31
ISBN: 1933664037
Number of pages: 192
Publisher: Yaoi Press
Book Reviews of Winter Demon Volume 1 (Yaoi) (v. 1)
Book Review: Winter Demon, vol. 1 - So excellent I can hardly wait for the next volume
Summary: 5 Stars
When my local store had a sale on all of its in-store items, I rushed over as quickly as I could and scanned the yaoi shelf for any items on my "Must Have" list. Imagine my delight and surprise at seeing "Winter Demon." Having read the preview in "Enslaved by the Dragon", I had eagerly awaited this story.
The title story is everything I could have wished. I like the illustrations for this story much better than in the original preview (in that story, the characters looked too angular and skinny for my taste). In this tale, there is an appealing roundness to their forms. The details are artfully drawn without detracting from the written story.
As in "Offered to a Demon" the reader is again presented with the notion that demons are not one-dimensional creatures of appetite and evil but are capable of honor and compassion. The fire demon Ratsu has his standards as well, even if he does not extend kindness towards humans. His refusal to take sexual advantage of his demon charges displays a moving tenderness that makes his anguish over losing them all the more convincing.
As always, there are surprises in store. Fuyu's puzzlement about and acceptance of his altered feelings towards Hakuin are rather endearing. He realizes he cares deeply for the monk and the only surprising thing is that he comes to the knowledge so easily without fighting it. He doesn't understand completely why his emotions are changing (although the reader is let in on the secret). But he learns to accept it.
Hakuin's feelings towards Fuyu remain mostly unchanged. But then he's been trained to despise and fight demons all his life. Becoming friendly with one--especially the one who raped him--isn't something he can bring himself to do at this point. If he's excited about being in Fuyu's company, it's because of the more altruistic urge to do good...admittedly a nobler feeling than Fuyu's selfish attraction towards him.
A touch of humor in an otherwise somber story comes from Fuyu's obvious obtuseness about the outside world. He's been cloistered for so long that he's nervous and unsure in dealing with mankind and nature. In this case, at least, Hakuin clearly has the advantage, a fact that is emphasized in his occasionally offhand behavior towards Fuyu.
I was happy to read that there will be another volume of Winter Demon! It's almost certain Hakuin will experience changes in his emotions towards Fuyu in future stories. I look forward to buying and reading that book.
The tale "Figaru" is a wonderful epilogue. Again, we have a sympathetic and rather handsome demon taking pity on an unhappy mortal.
When Ichiro weeps over his loneliness, you genuinely feel for him. He's been harshly ostracized by humans and the demon has been nothing but kind to him. It's easy to see why he would succumb to any show of affection. As his own mother unfeelingly points out, who else would have him?
Figaru offers love and shows courtesy, loyalty, nobility and kindness. His attraction towards Ichiro is genuine and returned without too much of a fight by the lonely boy although Ichiro is initially rather frightened by his appearance.
It is the monk who traps Figaru who comes off as being sly, deceitful, cruel and hardhearted. The old man wishes for a demon servant to help him and you get the feeling he doesn't particularly care about the boy he's supposedly saving. He's more interested in getting free labor.
I found the illustrations for this story to be very pleasing as well. Although he is smaller than Figaru (the usual case with demons being the semes), Ichiro is agreeably muscular without the usual effete slenderness you see in ukes. He's very handsome, too; you can understand why Figaru fell for him. Also, his face shows an engaging sweetness that emphasizes his youth, naïveté and emotional vulnerability. Figaru is beautiful with his dark skin, flowing hair and powerful body. (If this is an example of Le Peruggine's work, I will be on the lookout for more of them in the future.)
"Pinfeathers" is an awful title although it carries certain subtle hidden connotations beyond its obvious meaning. The story is moving and deeply sad since, in spite of the obvious sexual attraction between the two men, they remain separated by their radically differing beliefs on the way life should be lived.
Radik doesn't understand that the Aviani's way of living isn't a philosophy (which is merely a school of thought) but who they are, what they are as a race. He also doesn't see that this is what makes their fates so similar. Because they both cling blindly to their ways, both he and his guide wind up alone. The winged creature (who is never given a name) watches his people die and Radik is forced into combat and kills his own people.
They are the classic pairing of not just seme and uke but yang and yin. But, in any pairing, both people must possess aspects of the other quality to be in balance--yin having yang, yang having yin. Such compromise is what promotes harmony and equilibrium. Since the two men cannot compromise without annihilating who they are as people, they ultimately destroy each other.
I loved every story in this book and that isn't always the case although I've learned to take the rough with the smooth. Winter Demon will remain a treasured part of my growing collection of yaoi.
Summary of Winter Demon Volume 1 (Yaoi) (v. 1)
When three ruthless fire demons come to terrorize the monk Hakuin's village he's forced to seek help from Fuyu, the snow demon who tormented him a year ago. Fuyu is thrilled to see his beautiful monk again. He'll defeat the demons only if Hakuin becomes his willing slave. Fuyu realizes too late that the fire demons are out of his league. Even worse, the lead demon thinks the fey Fuyu would make a nice slave in his own right. When Fuyu is put in the same position he put Hakuin a year ago he starts to realize the error of his ways. Maybe, in time, he can even be redeemed to his beloved monk. Also, a pacifist is forced to bring an assassin to a rival lord. It doesn't help that the assassin is part of the group who wiped out the pacifist's race. So why are they sleeping together?Graphic Novels Books
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