Immoral Darkness by Matsuda & Jissohji BL Novel Review

Being molested in the back of Sasagawa’s car?

Title:  Immoral Darkness

Written by:  Miyu Matsuda

Illustrated by: Yukariko Jissohji

Publisher: Junè

ISBN:  9781569707135

May Contain Spoilers

This was painful to read.  Shiina Jun is one messed up kid, but that’s ok, considering everyone in that book is messed up, too.  Except for the mild-mannered teacher Nakahara, who was too boring to be a prominent character.  He actually had a relatively normal life, with a cute wife at home and a baby on the way.  Living a life a contentment.  Everyone else should have been taking notes.

Jun is ignored and unloved by his family, while his younger brother rules the roost.  His family even goes out of town to visit granny, leaving him to fend for himself.  So sad that he’s conveniently left his house key and his debit card in his room, locked up the house he can’t get into.  When his lover, an older married woman who serves as a stand-in for his cold and emotionless  mother,  doesn’t reply his frantic signal, he’s left with no choice but to signal his homeroom teacher, the kind Nakahara.  that turns out to be a great gig, as Nakahara and his wife are welcoming, making him feel like he’s

finally found a place where he can be comfortable.  Well, until Mrs Nakahara very rudely goes into labor, leaving Jun without a roof by his head until his parents return.

Enter the villain/love interest for Jun, the vile Sasagawa.  And I do mean vile.  that guy isn’t appealing in the least.  He constantly wears a filthy white coat, considering math teachers must not know what washing machines are.  He never washes that coat, (and that must be true, considering it’s mentioned every date Jun sees him in school) which means that it must have been pretty stinky, too.  But still, Jun is extraordinarily drawn to that smirking man, who just happened to rape him in the restroom at the train station.  Yes, indeed, he is a model citizen and the type of guy who should be instructing the wee lads and lassies of Japan. 

Predictably, Jun gets handed off by Nakahara to the cool and distant Sasagawa, to be sexually abused all the while being told that Sasagawa will “save” him.  From what? The translation was additionally stilted and painfully awkward.

Ok - now for the pluses - ummmmm….the illustrations weren’t too poor.

Grade:  D-

Review copy provided by Junè

Immoral Darkness seemed to drag on forever, as one inane plot device after another was introduced to further torment the lonely Jun.  There was no romance anywhere here, just an arrogant figure preying upon a powerless boy.  The sex was demeaning and had a definite “ick” factor.

[Source] Julie