insaneneko

Tadashii shinshi no otoshikata by Minazuki Sarara and illustrated Nagato Saichi is an odd novel. I struggled to think of a good way to describe it until I read the lone amazon japan review and things clicked. The reviewer commented that the writing and the dialogue were old-fashioned. It tries to achieve an old-style coolness that works (more or less, except when it doesn't) but is just so unlike the genre it feels almost wrong.

Honjou Takashi is a divorcee in his late thirties, successful and very hot. Shiina Yoshiaki is a handsome young salaryman 11 years younger who loves to have affairs with bored older married women. They first meet in a bar when Shiina's current lover tries to come on to Honjou. They run into each other twice more and end up attracted to each other...

Their love affair runs rather smoothly because the author doesn't throw random plot devices at them and the two are quite honest about their attraction and their feelings. No conflict for conflict's sake. That's not saying that it isn't full of cliches (some of them rather lame). The words that come out of their mouths are at times gag-worthy (old-style does not always equal "classic", unfortunately) but the smoothness of the novel was rather refreshing. I also likes the switching of POVs between the two so you can get the full picture (and a lot less of the navel-gazing angsting about what the other dude is thinking/feeling/doing that can get really irritating).


( the summary )

( the pics )

I like the play on words the title is--you can either take it as "the proper way to catch a gentleman" or "the way to catch a proper gentleman." XDXD