Nicholas (nwhyte) wrote,
Nicholas
nwhyte

With The Light... Vol 8, by Keiko Tobe

Sadly the last of the series of manga about bringing up an autistic son in today's Japan, curtailed by the untimely death of the writer Keiko Tobe in 2010. At this stage, the setting of wrestling with Hikaru's special education needs was sometimes becoming background scenery for other dramas to play out in the foreground - a younger work colleague's crush on Hikaru's father, for instance, or an abusive relationship between two of his classmates. But the tricky family dynamics are still there, particularly between Hikaru's mother and her mother-in-law, cooped up in a rather small house together and trying to find a modus vivendi. And the book ends, or would have ended, on a note of reconciliation between the generations which is rather sweet.

We also get as a bonus two of Keiko Tobe's earlier stories for the monthly For Mrs. magazine where With the Light was published, one fairly slight piece about a teacher and a difficult class, the other more accomplished about an elderly man who befriends a young neighbouring child. It's good to have all of the stories together, though it's a shame that there won't be any more.
Tags: bookblog 2015, comics, life: autism, writer: keiko tobe
Subscribe

  • The Necropolis at Grimde

    I took B to a new place yesterday near where she lives, somewhere I've only just found: the Necropolis at Grimde It's a 13th century church…

  • Doctor Who and Belgium: the complete(ish) list

    Tomorrow is the 57th anniversary of the first Doctor Who episode. To commemorate the occasion, I've updated my list of all the times Belgium is…

  • Jean-Michel Folon at Villers Abbey

    A couple of months ago, Anne and I went to the Fondation Folon in La Hulpe to see the art of Jean-Michel Folon on display. Like all other indoor…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
    Help
  • 0 comments