nattalonzo's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
elegory's review against another edition
1.0
Did you enjoy Tomie but wish it had worse characterisation, more unnecessary nudity and gratuitous sexual violence? Do you like your manga to reflect the misogyny of 1970's Japan? Then look no further, this is the manga for you.
picking_back_up's review
i got a bit angry at the mc, will come back later to this
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Toxic relationship
jroberts3456's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sonjbean's review
2.0
the artwork in this book is amazing. however, the story is strange, and not really in a good way. i found myself constantly abandoning it to read more enthralling things ...
roxanamalinachirila's review
4.0
I'm starting to fall in love with Osamu Tezuka; after reading MW, I wonder if he has more evil geniuses in the rest of his works, more clever plots and intrigues.
"The Book of Human Insects" is about a single human insect, really, despite the title: Toshiko Tomura, a woman whose sole talent is to imitate others until she steals their identities. When she becomes an actress, she effectively takes on a successful actress's mannerisms, style and personality until she becomes that particular actress. When she becomes a designer, she imitates her then-lover with incredible accuracy. When she becomes a writer, she steals another woman's novel.
Thus, Toshiko doesn't become a writer, designer, actress or photographer in the same way another person would. Instead, she becomes another writer, designer, actress or photographer, stealing their lives from them and leaving them broken behind her. She metaphorically grows in them as if they were cocoons, then breaks from the inside.
The book wasn't perfect (I still have no idea why the writer whose life she steals happens to have the same name as her, for example), but it was compelling through the deviousness, evilness and strange, childlike fragility of Toshiko Tomura. Sometimes it's hard to tell what she's really thinking, but it's only to be expected with a character who's talent is deceit.
I also like Tezuka's clear drawing style - strong lines, clear images. I'll be looking for more of his work in the future.
"The Book of Human Insects" is about a single human insect, really, despite the title: Toshiko Tomura, a woman whose sole talent is to imitate others until she steals their identities. When she becomes an actress, she effectively takes on a successful actress's mannerisms, style and personality until she becomes that particular actress. When she becomes a designer, she imitates her then-lover with incredible accuracy. When she becomes a writer, she steals another woman's novel.
Thus, Toshiko doesn't become a writer, designer, actress or photographer in the same way another person would. Instead, she becomes another writer, designer, actress or photographer, stealing their lives from them and leaving them broken behind her. She metaphorically grows in them as if they were cocoons, then breaks from the inside.
The book wasn't perfect (I still have no idea why the writer whose life she steals happens to have the same name as her, for example), but it was compelling through the deviousness, evilness and strange, childlike fragility of Toshiko Tomura. Sometimes it's hard to tell what she's really thinking, but it's only to be expected with a character who's talent is deceit.
I also like Tezuka's clear drawing style - strong lines, clear images. I'll be looking for more of his work in the future.
sydyurk's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
bluenicorn's review against another edition
4.0
This was brilliant. And featured a surprisingly strong female character, which is a first for a Tezuka.