Alone In My King's Harem by Lily Hoshino

Alone In My King's Harem Reviews

• 
  Michelle

  I remember getting this manga as a gift when I was in high school (me and my group of friends were all about finding all the yaoi we could at the time lmao) and I remember even then I found the book really interesting.
  
  The art style is very nice to look at, some passages lovely. The stories themselves are all mostly contained and episodic. And while many will think these are seme/uke stories (I can see why someone would think that), a lot of the characters come off more nonbinary, now that I've come back to it years later. YMMV on that take but that's what I think.
  
  Wasn't a fan of all the chapters (and one was far too short) but I really enjoyed the 4 our of 6 so 4 stars. Canary and Lullus will always be bae to me with a special shoutout to Hanabishi for never giving up on his dumb king.
• 
  Mosley

  The best way I feel to review this manga is a breakdown.
  
  Art: beautiful and easy on the eyes
  
  Stories: Great concepts but short and a little lacking depth. The art is what helped these stories if it had been mediocre it probably wouldn't have been as good.
  
  Characters: I have no issue whatsoever with overly feminine characters in boy love manga but I felt like the author was just trying to leave it open so that it could go either way being a straight romance manga or a yaoi. The term "he" was only dropped here and there so it was very vague and I felt like it was kind of intentional.
• 
  TT

  This mangaka has a very distinctive style to her stories and for a long time I was a fan and read anything she put out but since I've read much more since then I realize that it doesn't hold up to the test of time. The ukes are very feminine, some practically women! But its pretty art and a cute story, lots of big eyes, snub noses and blushing semes.
• 
  Leigha

  I don't remember the details. I read it when I was younger. I think I wasn't very impressed.
• 
  Luru

  The stories are simple, short, and fairly uninteresting. The uke look like girls, and the art is pretty, so if you like that, and lack of steamy material, then you'll enjoy this more than I did.
• 
  Cat

  Lily Hoshino does some of the best work in BL manga I believe not because her artwork is perfect or her stories are complex and long but simply because she renders the emotion and theme/message of her stories together so well.
  
  This is a collection of short stories with a common theme which seems to be somewhat fantasy/fairy tale like. Each story surrounds a separate pair who have different challenges to being together. The whimsical and fantastical places and backgrounds to these stories make it feel like you're reading those sweet fairy tales from childhood that have a hidden meaning when looked at closely... just with BL and some adult scenes thrown in. It sounds like it wouldn't mesh very well but I feel it really works.
  
  The artwork attracts your eyes and Hoshino's use of imagery provoke the mood and emotion very nicely. Along with the storyline and situation, it makes it not only easy to enjoy each story but it brings you back for a re-read every once and awhile.
  
  Now, as with any title, there are some potential downsides. One I would say is that Hoshino's art style does make her uke characters look almost underage. Her characters tend to be thin, willowy men who give off a sense of "weakness" or femininity that might be a negative for some readers. (Though most times the characters who have the most internal strength are the most feminine ones in Hoshino's stories)
  
  I highly reccommend you give this title a chance if you have the opportunity. I don't think you'll regret it at all.
• 
  Nicole Bunge

  This collection is confusing as all heck. There are some manga that you just wonder "huh? was there something lost in translation or did they misprint the pages?" and at first, I thought that was what was going on here.
  But no. It's just BAD WRITING.
  It's like the author was selfish and desperate to get to the good part, she just skipped any linear story construction. The characters (especially the uke) aren't introduced, their motivations are taken for granted, and things just seem to happen randomly.
  It's like it was written by a 13 yr old girl.
  The only reason it gets one star is that the art is somewhat pretty.
  (though 'those scenes' are confusing and rushed. Again, like a 13 yr old...)
  Don't spend $$ on this.
  (copied from my review on paperbackswap.com)
• 
  kimberly_rose

  Review originally published at Mangaupdates.com on July 23, 2008.
  
  The art is intricate: It reminds me of the beautiful, flowing, detailed lines of the art nouveau style.
  
  The stories are all touching. They are the kind of short stories that I read once, wonder about, read again and have a sudden realization that there are tears forming at the edge of my eyes. All of them where about the devotion and pure love of unique characters. They are all very magical and surreal. The remind me of a dreamlike state, where the romantic, fantasy stories are ethereal and fading fast, but poignant and with a lesson to remember that touched my heart.
• 
  Sarah

  I think the first time I read this collection, I was unduly harsh on it but after a few years, my attitude towards it has taken a complete turn-around. It's a wonderful collection of BL short stories with some rather gorgeous artwork and nice fluffy endings that will make any heart feel lighter. My favorite story is probably the title story with Hanabishi; it managed to break my heart and then mend it again in the span of so many pages. I'm so glad I gave this Hoshino collection another try!
• 
  Kadie D♥

  A small collection of a few short strories. I liked the art but the stories were too short for me to like them. The genre says boyslove but I didn't really saw anything that made me think of it as yaoi. The ukes were exactly like girls unless a flatter chest and the other characters calling them him or he.
  The manga is drawn quite pretty and I would like to read more stories from this artist but they will need to have a better plot and romance.
• 
  Nikyta

  I liked this one. It's made up of a variety of stories ranging from fairytales to contemporary to fantasy. My only regret was that the stories seemed to end right when they were just getting very interesting. Still, I loved the art and I did enjoy the shorts.
• 
  #ReadAllTheBooks

  I've had this book for a while and recently re-read it. I absolutely love this manga. Hoshino has a real flair for storytelling and artwork. I could literally read and re-read this manga until it's in tatters.
• 
  Raven

  I was hoping after 3 years my opinion on this manga would have changed. Umm.. nope still don't like it. It's just my personal opinion but I like a story not just a couple of one shots shoved into book format.
• 
  Monika

  Krásná kresba, milé příběhy, ani nemuseli být jaoi, aby se mi líbili... popravdě jsem zpočátku podle obálky myslela, že čtu šódžo a jsem si docela jistá, že někteří si to uvědomí až u posledních dvou příběhů.
• 
  Lia

  Mmm, pretty! Lyrical shorts with much beauty and imagination! I want more!
• 
  Smalvina

  good but sad
• 
  Juanita Tejeda

  I was a bit put off by how girly the ukes were but over all it was cute.
  ^_^,
• 
  Anne Lee

  Love the art and the ultra-feminine ukes, but the individual stories themselves are nothing to write home about. Still, a fun read, and worth picking up if you like the art style.
• 
  小さな N (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)⊃ [_|_] ♡

  3.5 stars.
• 
  maha

  20160408