The Summer You Were There Vol. 5

The Summer You Were There Manga #5

by Yuama

LOVESICKWith Kaori stuck in the hospital, Shizuku is resolved to do whatever she can for her. Time is precious since they can only see each other during visitor hours, but Shizuku's writing helps keep Kaori in good spirits. As the two girls spend more time together, Kaori's young sister, Shiori, starts to resent how close they are. Accused by Shiori of stealing away her big sister, how will Shizuku handle Shiori's hurt and jealousy?

Genres: Manga, Yuri, Romance, LGBT, Graphic Novels, Drama, Lesbian

174 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 16, 2023

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shizuku and Kaori have been spending the entire summer in the hospital, with Shizuku delivering daily excerpts from her story. As Shizuku deals with Kaori’s sister and her own inadequacies, can she bring herself to conclude either of her stories?

This doesn’t need to be a dying girl story, honestly; there was plenty to work with from the beginning for a good manga. Thus, while that’s given it fodder for the last two volumes, the payoff only goes so far before it really starts to feel manipulative.

I mean, I get it, the way it works is that Shizuku needed/needs Kaori and it turns out that Kaori needs her just as much because she’s living out the last moments of her existence and wants to be with the person she loves.

Unfortunately, this narrative turn adequately conveys the monotony of being stuck in the hospital, combined with Shizuku’s continued internal torment over her feelings and what to do with them. Calling this a downer is polite.

I do like the contrast between Shiori, Kaori’s sister, wanting her sister to not push too hard and Kaori’s goal of doing everything she possibly can for the people she loves before she dies. There’s conflict there and also a clear reason why.

This has just become a lot more depressing than it started and that’s the problem with these ‘dying girl’ stories. Honestly, it’s kind of piled on when you consider both Shiori’s bullying and now Kaori’s imminent demise.

Shiori had always been a withdrawn and reluctant participant, so her struggle isn’t unexpected and that’s fine. But so much of this volume is an interior monologue punctuated with depression. It’s pretty much a feel-bad romance.

Shizuku’s novel being about their fake dating should have had more prominence in the story. It would work really well to have their fake adventures juxtaposed with what’s actually going on, but instead it’s a lot of wallowing.

Eh, I simply don’t enjoy stories that wind up taking this route for their emotional arc. It’s not getting a pass just because it’s yuri. I think it’s better than A Brief Moment of Ichika by a wide margin, but I have similar distaste for it.

So, that all being said, I think you’re fine if you like this sort of dying person drama, really. This will definitely check those boxes and do so with aplomb, the writing itself is quite solid, but it’s not my style of story and the more it shifts to that from its origins (and, to be fair, I knew this was coming) the less I’m enamoured with it.

3.5 stars - round up if you want the emotional sad party that is this genre and round down if you don’t like it. It’s really that simple. It’ll probably make me cry a little at the end, but I won’t be happy about it.

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating for whole series

Most whelmed I ever felt reading a story that is supposed to pull on your heartstrings. Maybe I'm too cold blooded but I knew exactly where this story was going to go and while the execution wasn't bad or anything it just felt a bit too simple to really get me

[lcvesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

apology video with tears right now. i will never recover.

[nhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

happy pride btw (bawling)

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know why I keep reading this, it’s such an odd “terminally ill manic pixie dream girl” story

[marcia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Vol. 1 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 2 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 3 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 4 ★★☆☆☆

This series is incredibly frustrating. The emotional beats don't work when Kaori is a blank slate that we know nothing about. To make matters worse, Shizuku clearly only likes Kaori because of how she makes her feel rather than having genuine romantic feelings for her. Doesn't work for me at all.

[Diana H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Medical romantic tragedy has to be the best romance sub genre, nothing reminds me I still have emotions that I can use more. 11/10

[Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not normally into tragic things, but sometimes they hit well, and I'm enjoying this one. I appreciated Kaori being a bit selfish at the end? But I do kinda wish she'd stop pretending to be fine, especially considering everyone knows. Also, minus a point for generic terminal manga disease.

[Dumb popcorn's manga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can she just die alredy please

[lux · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

[Reuben Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS HEARTBREAKING I’M NOT READY

[Farisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

im not ready for the next, im not ready for the next.

[Dara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every afterword feels like an attempt at after-care, but it's always too late...

I'm terrified of finishing this series.

[Tachan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A l’approche de la fin, l’autrice commence à associer, mélanger ses thèmes de prédilection : harcèlement et maladie pour encore mieux nous parler de l’humain, du repentir, de la seconde chance et de la peur de la solitude. Emouvant et réussi.

Il faut cependant avoir une certaine appétence pour le pathos pour réussir à lire ces chapitres assez pesant, car il y a question de jeune adolescente sur le point de mourir et tentant de faire le bien autour d’elle pour réparer un peu ce qui est « cassé » autour d’elle et prévenir la solitude de ses proches. C’est très émouvant mais demandant psychologiquement parlant. Et n’aimant pas trop tout ce qui tourne autour du sujet, je ne peux pas dire que j’ai entièrement apprécié ma lecture. Il y avait trop de pathos, trop de mélodrame pour moi. Mais je reconnais que c’est bien fait et que les amateurs seront sûrement charmés.

Comment ne pas trouver émouvant la façon dont Kaori, depuis sa chambre d’hôpital semble tirer les ficelles afin de pénaliser le moins possible les gens autour d’elle après sa disparition programmée. Elle cherche ainsi dans un premier temps à rapprocher Shizuku de sa soeur, puis dans un second à montrer la nouvelle Shizuku à celle qu’elle a harcelé autrefois, Ruri. Quel grand coeur elle a !

Émotion aussi avec juste la relation Shizuku-Kaori tandis que cette urgence médicale naît, car chacune prend ainsi conscience de la profondeur de ses sentiments pour l’autre. Alors bien sûr aucune ne le dit ouvertement à l’autre, c’est plein de pudeur pour ça, mais ça s’en ressent dans chaque fibre de leur être, et les écrits de Shizuku sont une sorte de catalyseur supplémentaire à ce phénomène. Il est frappant d’ailleurs de voir combien cette dernière a changé, et si elle n’est toujours pas la petite fille forte qu’on admirait autrefois, elle devient une jeune femme plus solide, qui sait s’ouvrir aux autres, partager leur peine et les aider en les accompagnant. Elle a bien pris modèle sur Kaori.

Tome très larmoyant et douloureux par moment, il fait s’entremêler les fils de l’intrigue pour proposer des derniers jours émouvants auprès d’une Kaori en mode « bonne fée » qui tente de montrer à nouveau l’importance des gens autour de soi quand on est dans la peine. Il faut aimer les titres plein de pathos, ce n’est pas totalement mon cas, mais je sais reconnaître les qualités de l’oeuvre et nul doute qu’elle en émouvra plus d’un !

Article complet : https://lesblablasdetachan.wordpress....

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS manga. Ugh. Bravo. It hooks you right from the start, keeps you on a tight leash while you devour page after page, and then knocks you down into a little crying heap in the second half. This was beautiful. Its relatively short as even though its 6 volumes, each one is only a few chapters. I liked the length and pace; there is no padding or fluff or pointless sections to this story as the author definitely had a clear vision and kept things concise. This was incredibly heartwarming and delightful, but also one of those devastating manga’s where the author probably wanted you to hurt a little.

Volume five just kept going where v4 left off. Kaori is simply the best character. Everything was so sweet and sad at the same time. I some of the choices the author made in terms of which things are clear to the reader and what’s left uncertain as it helped me to focus on the right things, if that makes sense without giving the extra info here that would be too spoiler-y.

[maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

- review für die ganze serie - süße und kleine story die sich sehr easy weglesen lässt. sobald die plots angedeutet werden, weiß man genau was passieren wird und wie es endet, was etwas die spannung nahm.
allerdings ist die geschichte wirklich schön geschrieben und die charaktere sind mir ans herz gewachsen, während des endes musst ich auch mehrere tränen fließen lassen. ich mag, dass auch mental health eine große rolle in dieser tragödie spielte und sie die backstory von nicht nur einem charakter war. es wirkte viel nahbarer dadurch

[Leila ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know amigo, estamos a un volumen del final y la verdad que toda la historia me tiene 😬 tipo calculo que se va a morir la prota e igual no me importa which ??? bastante problemático eso sjsjs quiere decir que claramente hay algo en la historia que no me termina de atrapar. De todas formas, el dibujo es muy lindo, así que al menos 1 bien.

3 de 5 estrellas.

[iretorta · Rating 4 out of 5]

me voy a matar (jk?)

1. menuda racha llevo de querer leer o ver cosas monas normales (la portada del volumen 1 me ha engañado) y traumatizarme en el proceso
2. me lo veía venir pero estaba en proceso de negación
3. las entiendo tanto me va a dar algo
4. el último cap. no puedo más

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

My heart broke when Kaori said "Don't leave me all alone." to Shizuku. We are getting to the pointy end of the series. We all know what's going to happen but just like the characters, I'm not ready for it.

[Noor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Même si c'est cliché, du vu et revu c'est le genre d'histoire qui me plaît. C'est très enfantin mais même temps ce sont des enfants donc je ne peux pas demander plus. C'est dramatique au possible mais n'est-ce pas ce que j'aime au final ?

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is doing such a wonderful job of exploring how an illness can affect one’s personality and mental wellbeing. I also appreciate how it explores how it feels to love someone experiencing an illness. I know I’ve set myself up for heartbreak with this series, but it’s just so darn good! 🥺

[maharani · Rating 3 out of 5]

chapter 21 starting off STRONG with shizuku finally realizing that she actually has feelings for kaori

[Winnejgalaktyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

One we dwie są takie kochane

[luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was just making this face :( the entire time goddamn

[Kayla Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Helena Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

fuck you man i thought we were in for a good silly gay time