Warning! This is a Yaoi novel. Yaoi is a Japanese art form depicting romances between men, written for and by women. They range from sweet romances to quite racy and graphic. If this is not your cup of tea, well, you have been warned.
In Incubus, we met Judas, the neurotic art student, and Lenniel, the otherworldly half ifrit who loves him. Judas' soul is unique in that it is lacking the protection that most souls possess, making it a hot commodity for the linil (half-ifrits) and ifrit, immortal beings who live among us. Judas was the product of an abusive home, and as such he believes himself to be unlovable. He has great abandonment issues. He is also obsessed with a professor, Richard Belgium, who is unaware he exists on a romantic level.
As the story unfolds through the first two volumes, we pick up that Lenniel and Judas were lovers five years ago, but Judas has no memory of it. Lenniel can not let it go, just as Judas is unwilling to trade in his infantile crush on Professor Belgium. Further, Judas is in danger from an ifrit named Kent who desires his soul to revive his lover, the young master of the household where Kent has served as butler for generations. Alex is comatose, and Kent wants a soul to revive him. Lenniel objects to him trying to take Judas'. Kent is not a villain, just desperate, and Lenny can relate to that "do anything for the man you love" motivation, so it is no surprise that volume 3 opens with Lenniel paying a visit to the ifrit and his young ward.
Like most ifrit, Kent is not motivated to hurry. Immortality breeds complacency. Alex, his young master had to work hard to seduce him. In fact, he sent Kent two years worth of letters that Kent has never opened, but has faithfully kept. Lenniel, being more human, has a bit more gumption. He has several skills the ifrit do not bother to develop, including the ability to enter a person's dream, something he used to good effect on Judas. Now, it has a more pragmatic use. He enters Alex's comatose dreams, and discovers something important.
Alex is not alone. Azazel is a Grigori (fallen angel) one of fifty who rebelled. The Grigori are the font of the ifrit race. 49 Grigori bred with human women, and thus the ifrit were born. When ifrit mate with humans, linil like Lenniel are born. Only one Grigori does not have descendants; Azazel, because his lover was another man.
Now Azazel wants Judas' soul, and this tragedy that befell Alex was nothing more than a manipulation to have Kent do the dirty work of getting it for him. Azazel is assisted by Leon, a mortal boy. Like Azazel, he is pretty, effeminate, and amoral. His goal in helping the Grigori is that Azazel will give him the power to control the man he loves; a certain Professor Richard Belgium!
This story, while moving the Kent/Alex plot forward considerably, does not really significantly develop the Judas/Lenniel arc. Judas is still a sulky neurotic, and Lenniel is still is being driven insane by his stubborn refusal to accept his love. This book, while a bit of a holding pattern on the main story, is a notable step forward. The writing is clearer in terms of grasp of idiom, and eloquence (perhaps becoming a bit too florid in the more metaphysical discussions). And the art shows a clear progression as well, showing as much of an improvement over the art of volume two did over the first volume. And when you compare Incubus 3 with the original, the progress leaps off the page. Shading, subtlety of line, portraiture, backgrounds, even anatomy has moved forward considerably, showing that Ms Yayoi has progressed greatly as an artist.
While the sparse line and uncluttered panels gave Incubus a nice crispness, this latest development is far more enjoyable, particularly when we get down to the nitty gritty of the love scenes. The graphic depiction of these acts has moved forward as well, enhanced by the artist's greater skill and confidence as a story teller. These books are definitely NOT for kids!
And there is no such thing as censoring anymore. Already hot and steamy, this Yaoi is now scalding!
My main objections remain the same as well; too much angst. Japanese women love angsty stories with a Uke (passive partner) who resists vigorously but is overcome by passion and the determination of the Seme (active partner). Judas takes this to the point of stupidity.
That's just the story as it is written, and it is necessary to the plot, and true to the genre; I just want to b*tch slap him. My problem entirely. I have enjoyed each of these novels more and more. There will be a fourth one; though it may be delayed...the author has suffered a depression because the long distance unrequited love affair she was carrying on has ended.
How angsty. How very life imitating art. How very, very Yaoi.
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