For some barebones background, I have at this point in time read all 6 released volumes in Japanese.
Koiiji's unique achievement, personally, is it's ability to take what is traditionally a tragic and often frustrating series of tropes, and imbue them with a humanity and warmness. Nothing is as simple as it may initially seem, and even 6 volumes in I often don't know what to think about many of the characters.
For example, the daughter of the deceased mother immediately after the funeral asking the protagonist to become her new Mother might seem callous, as I've seen it described by other reviewers, but it is clear it comes from a place of worrying for her own Father and because it never occurs to her that this is disrespecting her Mother. In fact, insinuations that she is doing just that by another character later in the series leads to her changing her initial opinion, though how firmly remains to be seen.
Mame's character could easily be pathetic, as unmarried female protagonists in josei manga are often at risk of, but she is self-aware, and is striving to improve herself no matter how circumstances impede her.
In fact, the entire cast is. What truly endears me to this series is that everyone has a three-dimensionality and everyone is struggling to reach their own happiness without hurting those around them.
It still remains to be seen whether this series ends happily or as a tragedy, but I care enough about their fates to see them through.
Content Warning: There is an adulterous relationship between a high school girl and an adult man within the series. Which is unfortunately rather typical for Shimura's work. It is not a major couple, they have already ended the relationship when the series begins, and it appears around 3 to 4 volumes in.
