The Shape of Sympathy

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

TL;DR: Enjoyable story building, disappointing wrap-up and ending.

SLIGHT spoiler review on this (currently) un-reviewed piece. I will be discussing why I do not recommend but that has to do with the later part of the series. So with that, the breakdown:

Story & Characters: 4 - This story started out with characters than I enjoyed seeing as they learned of their problems, learned about each other, and learned how to tackle it all together. Being able to see people heal is a wonderful thing. I would like to explain why I would give this story and it's parts a 4 when I just said it was ... enjoyable. Around the later chapters (roughly the last 30~ chapters) there is a period where the author decides to cause a trauma to a main character, and then portray that character as becoming somewhat mentally unstable. While this is not uncommon in a person, what makes it bad is that the author decided to then normalise the emotional and sometimes physical abuse to the character's partner. The story even wraps up and finishes with the abused partner accepting it and taking it in stride without trying to find a way of healing. Their excuse is such things as "he helped me through all the bad" and "he's really a good person". I don't mind if you wish to write/read a story on an abusive relationship, but if you spent the WHOLE story about healing and finding a comforting place, why would you write in that one of the characters then develops extreme trauma and becomes abusive. And then end it.

Perhaps I am missing something.

Art & Design: 9 - So this is a manwha and we often get to see fantastic coloured works with this piece being no exception. The character design and careful details put in to help show strain and stress help show the stages of trauma and relief in the characters. I also enjoy being able to see characters that look a bit more their age, and not super young or handsome as a lot of comics do. Well done, and no further comments.

Overall: 4 - I will be keeping the score low as I am still quite disappointed in the choice of story direction contradicting itself and trying to show how to accept abuse without trying to heal.

Final (personal) note: Please make sure you remember that abuse comes in different forms. And none of them are okay. Sometimes the person doing the abuse may not be aware or able to heal and become better, but I hope they try and I hope people around them are able to help them try. If you aren't sure about your situation or someone else's who's close to you, talk to people.

Be safe. Be healthy. Put your well-being first.