When a lesbian office worker randomly reunites with her old office crush, a straight married woman, she thinks it’s a one-time catch-up. Little does she know, her former crush is about to ask her a question that will throw her entire world upside down.
About The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate
The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate is by Kodama Naoko and is published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. In it, Shigisawa Rei is an office worker who’s always the one picking up everyone’s slack at work. Because she’s a lesbian, she accepts that she’s not getting married and having kids. As a result, she always covers for all the others in her office who are. Still, she’s optimistic about one day finding a partner.
One day, Rei runs into a former co-worker, Goto Saya, who quit the job once she got married. Rei had an office crush on Saya, but let it go once she realized she was straight and was the office flirt. Saya ends up asking Rei if she can crash at her place because she is fighting with her husband. A one-day arrangement soon turns into a week, then a month, and more. Rei is at odds with herself and her feelings as she starts falling for Saya for real.
My Thoughts
Whew. This story is a lot heavier than I was expecting, in the best way possible. There’s a lot that Rei is dealing with, which is relevant to the queer experience, and also to people opting out of “traditional” roles. As someone who’s worked in an office, I definitely understand being the one expected to go “above and beyond” in comparison to colleagues who had kids. I can only imagine the additional pressure of that in a place like Japan, where LGBTQ+ relationships are not as widely accepted.
Something else Rei is struggling with in this volume is her crush on Saya. In the past, Rei’s been burned by dating a woman who ultimately left her for a man. Add in the fact that Saya is married, and this clearly spells trouble for Rei. There’s not a lot we know about Saya yet, but her actions are conflicting and confusing for Rei.
This first volume covers a lot of ground, especially for Rei. As she struggles with her growing feelings for Saya, we are completely in the dark about Saya. Rei initially makes a lot of assumptions about Saya, but we don’t really know what is true just yet. The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate is a lot more than what it seems on the surface, and this first volume proves you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Where to Buy The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate Vol 1
The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate Vol 1
Mangaka: Kodama Naoko
Translation: Sarah Burch
Lettering: Mercedes McGarry
Senior Editor: Shannon Fay
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
The Lying Bride and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate, Vol. 1, is available now.
Thank you, Seven Seas Entertainment, for the ARC.
