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REVIEW: New York, New York Omnibus 1




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wolf10



Joined: 23 Jan 2016
Posts: 906
PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2022 11:30 am Reply with quote
This series is definitely one of those embarrassing gaps in my BL reading history. Japanese authors' takes on America always amuse me, and help me imagine what it might look like if I ever decide write something set in Japan: quaint, well-intended, and a merciful few stops short of overtly offensive.

My takeaway from the review is, it's no Seaside Stranger, but still deserves points for effort? (Especially for existing 20 years earlier.) Culture shock and reconciling all the various flavors of homophobia are definitely a genuine part of the experience.

Review wrote:
Language is also very outdated, although Yen Press makes a note of that in the beginning of the book; “bisexual” is used where we would use “pansexual” now and there are a few other terms that stand to bring modern readers up short.
Now I'm confused about what's dated about the word "bisexual," since you've been known to use it yourself plenty. I guess it's strictly an in-this-context thing?
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2612
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2022 12:11 pm Reply with quote
wolf10 wrote:
Now I'm confused about what's dated about the word "bisexual," since you've been known to use it yourself plenty. I guess it's strictly an in-this-context thing?


Yes, completely a context thing - it's a case where the story is assuming a strict gender binary but the character who's speaking isn't, if that makes sense. There's nothing dated about "bisexual" in any other context.
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wolf10



Joined: 23 Jan 2016
Posts: 906
PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2022 1:02 pm Reply with quote
Princess_Irene wrote:
wolf10 wrote:
Now I'm confused about what's dated about the word "bisexual," since you've been known to use it yourself plenty. I guess it's strictly an in-this-context thing?

Yes, completely a context thing - it's a case where the story is assuming a strict gender binary but the character who's speaking isn't, if that makes sense. There's nothing dated about "bisexual" in any other context.
Oh, by that definition. I've already had both bi friends and family members correct my understanding to "male, female and everything in-between," (that's the purple stripe!) but yeah, it is one of those words. It seems like "bisexual" has made it into Japanese as a loanword, but "pansexual" hasn't. Thanks for the clarification!
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 16 Dec 2008
Posts: 2612
Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City
PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2022 1:23 pm Reply with quote
You're welcome! Languages are fun, aren't they? Smile

And I forgot to say before (because I am having a day), but yes - it's no Seaside Stranger but it's trying harder than other BL of the time.
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musouka



Joined: 09 Sep 2003
Posts: 707
PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2022 8:29 pm Reply with quote
Fun Fact (?): IIRC from some of Ragawa's free talks, Kain and Mel were also the names of her cats at the time. I'm preeeetty sure they predate the series, but don't quote me on that.

As for NYNY itself, I'll always have a fond place for it in my heart. I never thought it would be published in English, so it was interesting to revisit it. Some things still hold up for me, some things definitely don't, but I'm still happy it exists overall.
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