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Nightmare Inspector: Yumekui Kenbun #2
Nightmare Inspector: Yumekui Kenbun, Vol. 2: The Lodger
Are you afraid your dreams will come true?
For those who suffer nightmares, help awaits at the Silver Star Tea House, where patrons can order much more than just Darjeeling. Hiruko is a special kind of private investigator. He's a dream eater. And he'll rid you of your darkest visions…for a price.
Dreams on the menu in this a telephone operator who may be the girl of another patron's dreams, a blind girl whose hearing is driving her mad, a missing fiancé who may be trapped in his own painting, and a mysterious lodger intent on discovering Hiruko's private past.
For those who suffer nightmares, help awaits at the Silver Star Tea House, where patrons can order much more than just Darjeeling. Hiruko is a special kind of private investigator. He's a dream eater. And he'll rid you of your darkest visions…for a price.
Dreams on the menu in this a telephone operator who may be the girl of another patron's dreams, a blind girl whose hearing is driving her mad, a missing fiancé who may be trapped in his own painting, and a mysterious lodger intent on discovering Hiruko's private past.
164 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 4, 2021
We get a little more back story. This was interesting enough that I enjoyed it, although I'm still not engrossed. Wasn't excited about the new character, but at least he suggests an possible plot arc.
July 31, 2023
TW/CW:blood & gore, self-harm
Yikes. That took a bad turn, didn’t it??? The first chapter is a continuation of the last volume’s case. I wasn’t expecting it to take a plunge that deep. Now I kinda feel bad for the narcissist.
Anyway, I find it so sweet when Hiruko smiles, especially around Mizuki. 😊 I think I prefer this volume much more because the case with the painting truly moved me. Also, they introduced a troublemaker into the mix and an adorable cat!!! I love them already. They’re going to be staying at the tea house. Yay!! It’s going to be even more chaotic.
What’s more, the readers get to learn how Hiruko came to be a baku. The backstory is interesting, but I still fail to find its wow factor. The execution can be flat at times, but something that is worth mentioning is that Hiruko doesn’t only help humans but also animals and inanimate things. Just like in the final case. I thought it was really lovely when it was finally revealed.
Yikes. That took a bad turn, didn’t it??? The first chapter is a continuation of the last volume’s case. I wasn’t expecting it to take a plunge that deep. Now I kinda feel bad for the narcissist.
Anyway, I find it so sweet when Hiruko smiles, especially around Mizuki. 😊 I think I prefer this volume much more because the case with the painting truly moved me. Also, they introduced a troublemaker into the mix and an adorable cat!!! I love them already. They’re going to be staying at the tea house. Yay!! It’s going to be even more chaotic.
What’s more, the readers get to learn how Hiruko came to be a baku. The backstory is interesting, but I still fail to find its wow factor. The execution can be flat at times, but something that is worth mentioning is that Hiruko doesn’t only help humans but also animals and inanimate things. Just like in the final case. I thought it was really lovely when it was finally revealed.
February 18, 2022
A woman who wants to enter a painting asks Hiruko for help.
I liked all the stories in this volume but my favorites are probably the ones where the person asking for help turns out to not really be a person. Hiruko's back story is given in this one along with a fairly annoying man who decides to be a boarder at the tea house.
I liked all the stories in this volume but my favorites are probably the ones where the person asking for help turns out to not really be a person. Hiruko's back story is given in this one along with a fairly annoying man who decides to be a boarder at the tea house.
June 28, 2018
Eh. *shrug*
February 2, 2019
In this book we start getting some background on the main characters.
March 30, 2014
Second volume, and while we're certainly sticking with the short one- or two-chapter stories for the most part, we're finally getting into something like an overarching plot. We start to get an idea who Hiruko might be and why he haunts - for lack of a better word - the Silver Star Tea House.
We also meet all but... one? I think there's one more recurring character to come yet, but in addition to Hiruko and Mizuki the proprietess, we get to meet Hifumi, a son of a rich family who decides to rent a room at the Tea House, as well as Kairi (proprietor of the Delerium, a place where people's wishes sort of come true, a place for people lost in fantasy) and his assistant Shima.
Kairi is about as you would suspect someone running a place called "Delerium" would be. He's not all together there, and has a little bit of a mean streak, but mostly he likes to spend his time in daydreams, which is why he needs Shima around to keep him from just drifting off entirely.
While they're in keeping with the mood of the book so far, Hifumi is a bit... different. He's blunt, he's over-the-top and he's mostly only there because he believes he's fallen in "love at first sight" with Mizuki. But at the same time, he's sort of the only person in this story who so far feels grounded in something like reality. It gave him somewhat the feel of an outsider, but I think it's a good dynamic.
And around all of this we have a pretty solid collection of stories acting as a backdrop. A couple whose love is expressed in a painting, but not the way they might think. A couple cases of questionable memories being warped in nightmares. And an episode where we get a glimpse into Mizuki's reasons for running the tea shop and being so okay with a renter who eats nightmares.
All in all, I thought it was a step up from the first volume, an entertaining read, and still managed to pull out a few unsettling moments, even if Mizuki's backstory felt like it was trying a little too hard.
We also meet all but... one? I think there's one more recurring character to come yet, but in addition to Hiruko and Mizuki the proprietess, we get to meet Hifumi, a son of a rich family who decides to rent a room at the Tea House, as well as Kairi (proprietor of the Delerium, a place where people's wishes sort of come true, a place for people lost in fantasy) and his assistant Shima.
Kairi is about as you would suspect someone running a place called "Delerium" would be. He's not all together there, and has a little bit of a mean streak, but mostly he likes to spend his time in daydreams, which is why he needs Shima around to keep him from just drifting off entirely.
While they're in keeping with the mood of the book so far, Hifumi is a bit... different. He's blunt, he's over-the-top and he's mostly only there because he believes he's fallen in "love at first sight" with Mizuki. But at the same time, he's sort of the only person in this story who so far feels grounded in something like reality. It gave him somewhat the feel of an outsider, but I think it's a good dynamic.
And around all of this we have a pretty solid collection of stories acting as a backdrop. A couple whose love is expressed in a painting, but not the way they might think. A couple cases of questionable memories being warped in nightmares. And an episode where we get a glimpse into Mizuki's reasons for running the tea shop and being so okay with a renter who eats nightmares.
All in all, I thought it was a step up from the first volume, an entertaining read, and still managed to pull out a few unsettling moments, even if Mizuki's backstory felt like it was trying a little too hard.
July 10, 2012
As I did a big review for the first volume I'm just going to touch on what I liked here. Introducing The Delirium really added a new dimension to this story. I'm not sure what Kairi is, but I'm very interested to find out.
Mizuki really came out with a bang in this book. Finding out about her brother and why Hiruko stays there was very sad and very wonderful at the same time. I'm looking forward to seeing that developed more.
The painting story was probably my favorite. Even though it was sad and heartwrenching, it was extremely poiginent and it is by far my favorite.
The one thing I wish desperatly had never happened was the introduction of Hifumi Misumi. Man this guy annoys me! I want to see him go away so bad. The only time I laugh when he's around is when Hiruko makes fun of him.
I read someone shelve it as horror. I guess it is, but I really didn't think about it like that. I don't read horror at all and though there's blood and stuff in this, I don't really see it as horror. More dark suspense or just supernatural.
Mizuki really came out with a bang in this book. Finding out about her brother and why Hiruko stays there was very sad and very wonderful at the same time. I'm looking forward to seeing that developed more.
The painting story was probably my favorite. Even though it was sad and heartwrenching, it was extremely poiginent and it is by far my favorite.
The one thing I wish desperatly had never happened was the introduction of Hifumi Misumi. Man this guy annoys me! I want to see him go away so bad. The only time I laugh when he's around is when Hiruko makes fun of him.
I read someone shelve it as horror. I guess it is, but I really didn't think about it like that. I don't read horror at all and though there's blood and stuff in this, I don't really see it as horror. More dark suspense or just supernatural.
June 9, 2011
The "Nightmare Inspector" series just keeps getting better and better! The two-part story of the man and his dream painting, was well done (with a couple of nice surprise "twists" that you really don't see coming). And I also greatly enjoyed the introduction of the "Delirium" place, where one goes to have ones fantasies fulfilled. If Hiruko and the Silver Tea House are there to investigate and cure customers of their dreams, then Delirium is there to indulge them in their wishes, with the catch that they are then stuck in their fantasies, for better or (usually) for worse.
Keep up the good work! I can't wait to read Volume 3!
Keep up the good work! I can't wait to read Volume 3!
August 18, 2014
Less of the psychologizing I found snotty and tedious in vol 1. More imaginative, ambitious stories this round, too. The introduction of The Delirium is intriguing, as its enigmatic resident invites comparison and contrast with the MC. Hope this angle is developed in vol 3.
October 13, 2017
Just got it this morning int he mail! Yay! I liked that we get to see a bit into how Hiroku came to be in the tea shop.
June 14, 2021
I forgot how fast this series became plot-heavy; this volume introduces a lot of characters and some very subtle foreshadowing for the finale.
August 13, 2015
The story is interesting but a bit difficult to follow - or maybe I was just sleepy. I liked the art
October 11, 2016
i loved it it was amazing im sad im done with it
December 15, 2016
i thought when i first found this series it was going to be a littel to wired but its turned out to be a Great a real picker up´er
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews