Beauty And The Beast: True love

I don’t want to start reading until the book is finished. Trust me this is very tough on my patience to not read. I want to binge read in one go. I don’t think I have the energy to wait for updates. I hope I can hold on.

I'm not what you'd call a yaoi fangirl. In fact, this is only the third yaoi fandom I've ever gotten involved in, and it's the only one I've really enjoyed. Here's my opinion as someone who has seen both anime adaptations and is relatively new to yaoi in general.

First off, I have to say that at first, I was surprised by the lack of reviews for this series. It seemed rather popular as an anime and somewhat notorious in yaoi circles from what I could tell, but there's only one other review so far. I didn't realize why until I decided to read the light novels on my own. These novels are nearly legendary, being as hard to find as they are. They don't seem to be published anymore, and they're not really available online either. Regardless, I was persistent enough to get my hands on copies and managed to go through the series. Well, 'go through' is a vague term to describe it. To be specific, I watched both anime adaptations and read all the books in the series within the past 24 hours. Obsessed? Perhaps.

Let's get started. The story is the main focus of this work. While it may seem to people who haven't really delved into this fandom that it's just a kinky BDSM fanservice piece, it really isn't. (Trust me, I thought the same before I started it.) There is a lot of world-building going on, and while there are sex scenes and fan-servicey elements (I just think all the readers like to see Riki in pain, tbh), it is mostly about power dynamics, prejudice, and the heavy weight of societal expectations. Don't be fooled, this isn't just a Romeo and Juliet fairytale. Everything about the story is twisted and disturbing, which is what makes it so appealing. Some might ship Riki and Iason, but it's also controversial because of how unbalanced and abusive their relationship is. In another world, where Riki wasn't a mongrel from the slums and where Iason wasn't a Blondie of the highest rank, in a world where everyone had free will and Iason was flesh and bone instead of somewhat of a robot with human-like feelings, maybe they would have worked. Maybe they could have been together. But we'll honestly never know, because that's just how this series is. It's turbulent and fast-paced, with every character making mistakes and having their fate sealed because of the way the world is turned upside down, imprisoning people and controlling their lives. I loved the story so much that I was considering giving it a perfect score, if not for the ending. The ending, being pretty tragic in a bitter way (not a bittersweet way), was fitting to the story, but still made me annoyed. Just personal preference.

Since this is a light novel, there wasn't very much art. I didn't like the illustrations in the first volume very much, but from then on, it only improved. By the third or fourth volume, I was honestly so enchanted by some of the art that it was impossible to flip past it, especially with how beautiful Riki is.

The characters are also a massive selling point for this series. Every character is completely strange and unique, but also realistic and humane in their motivations. They're all making mistakes left and right, but we can't even reprimand them or hate them for it because they're still right in doing what they do. I was worried that Guy's character would be the typical jealous ex, but he turned out to be a wild card that just broke after his best friend and ex-lover was 'tamed,' which is all understandable. Out of context, it would be easy to hate any of these characters, but when taking into account the circumstances surrounding their actions, it's hard to find much wrong with any of them, even Iason.

Overall, I enjoyed this a lot. Just a fair warning that the story skips around a lot and is hard to follow at times, but if you've seen either of the anime adaptations, a lot of the scenes are pretty true to the novels, so that makes it easier. Personally, I wished some of the scenes from the novel had been included in the anime adaptations, including Kirie's full transformation into a seme and Riki getting discovered as a pet by the Bison when they barge into his apartment in Apatia, which is by far my favorite scene. Somehow, his friends seeing him with Iason really made me all fangirl-giddy, though I'm not exactly sure why.

I would recommend this if you: liked either of the anime adaptations, enjoy reading books in general (this isn't a manga!!!! remember that!!!), are willing to put a lot of effort into finding these books, like tragic endings, enjoy BDSM relationships, like pet play, like love triangles.

I would NOT recommend this if you: didn't like the anime adaptations, don't want to put effort into getting your hands on these books, are big on consent, can't handle rape/violence, don't like pedophilia (many of the other pets are children aged 10-15, Riki is 15-16 in the beginning and 19-21 at the end, all paired with much older people, some 'immortal'), are disturbed by pet play and BDSM, like romances that are actually pure and romantic, prefer happier endings/handle tragic endings poorly.

Have a great day everyone!!

Ai No Kusabi is one book I never imagined myself reading, as it marks my first experience with yaoi. I'm glad I gave it a chance, because it's truly a page-turner. This book series serves as an excellent precursor to the OVA, which omits quite a bit of crucial plot information. The narrative is intricate, dark, and somewhat twisted. The books frequently shift between past and present, yet I never found the storyline confusing to the point where I lost track of what was happening. The characters are just as complex as the story itself, each driven by unique motivations, hopes, and dreams.  

Riki defies the stereotype of the weak male lead, which is incredibly refreshing. Iason is equally unconventional, with his intense obsession for Riki that deeply influences their relationship. Katze remains the enigmatic figure with a shadowy past. Guy is Riki's lover, while Kirie is the slum kid who will betray anyone to escape poverty. You'll grow attached to these characters and genuinely care about their fates. The sexual content is graphic, but rest assured, the story itself remains the focal point of the series. My only critique is that the translation in the initial books isn't top-notch. If you're seeking a compelling yaoi with a richly detailed plot and fascinating characters, this is the book for you.  

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Any update on when the next book in this series will be our author? It’s been 11 months since I finished the last book, but there’s been no update since then on the next. These are some of my favorite books on here, so the wait has sucked lol any update would be amazing author! ...️

You asked for it and it's finally here. The Sequel to My Marriage is a Contract is finally here. Messed with my Arrogant boss is the title. I hope you come on this journey as well

Not so sure myself but I believe she would be our enigmatic player Rose, whom I believe holds an important identity