What do you think?
Rate this book
Maitsuki, Niwatsuki, Ooyatsuki [ Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord] #3
Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord, Vol. 3 (Volume 3)
Miyako's affections for Asako overflow as she blurts out, "I think I like you, Onee-san." After this outburst, she decides to aggressively try to win her housemate over--but to no avail! For some reason, everything she tries seems to fall short of Asako... And when she finally learns about Asako's baggage, Miyako lets out a shriek?! Will this newfound knowledge be what finally drives the two apart? Or will it bring them closer than ever before...?
178 pages, Paperback
Published August 27, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 9, 2024
Although the manga hasn't been formally serialized yet, I've read the chapters that have been unserialized and I enjoyed how the plot is developing. We learn more about the MC's idol group and other aspects of her life in this chapter. I'll wait for the official cover release and for it to be officially out.
September 3, 2024
Miyako sure said that at karaoke and Asako sure heard that, but didn’t seem to understand. Well, Miyako’s going to make darn sure she understands, but Asako’s move came with a lot of baggage and not all of it was physical.
As I write this, we have three fluffier yuri adult series being released: Cheerful Amnesia, I Married My Female Friend, and this one. And I would rank them in said order from least to most interesting.
It’s down to nuance. Cheerful Amnesia doesn’t have any to speak of, IMMFF just got some, and this one? Oh, it gets some and then some this time out. And that makes what would otherwise be okay, but forgettable, anything but.
Rather than just the usual arbitrary reasons for prolonging the leads getting together, rivals and miscommunications and such, this gives actual context to things and shows some insight into its characters. Sadness and joy both have their moments here.
This is all anchored by the karaoke confession, which pretty much anybody would count as a romantic one except, apparently, Asako. And you won’t be going wrong if you let ‘apparently’ do a lot of heavy lifting there.
You could make a pretty solid claim, backed up by a conversation with her sister in law later, that Asako has never had a real relationship before and has, instead, been involved in a string of infatuations that were more one-sided than they should have been.
So her misprocessing her own feelings about Miyako to the point that she doesn’t really know if she loves her, when she clearly does, is absolutely believable. Hato and Ruri say as much during their page time (these two make an adorable double act, it must be noted).
And Miyako is struggling not only because Asako is suddenly immune to her face game, but because she feels it’s wrong for them to continue functioning as ‘landlord and tenant’ when her feelings run far deeper.
Miyako is still drifting perilously close to ‘magic pixie dream girl’, but she has actual problems of her own and, while I think Asako gets the bulk of the best development, their respective characterization makes sense given their differing ages and maturity.
Then Miyako’s birthday strikes and this goes well beyond its previous strengths to something pretty special. And it’s all because of how tortured Asako is - the way the manga dives into her massive PTSD from endless indifferent or over-enthusiastic former partners is some emotionally charged stuff and informs so, so much.
And when Miyako realizes what’s happening and steps up to save Asako from her past obsessions, it’s a moment of amazing insight and such consideration for the woman she loves. It’s one of the best delivered outbursts I’ve read in ages.
The way the story deploys its little bits of humour to lighten the mood just a touch after all the heavy stuff is quite well done. I enjoyed the first couple volumes, but this one is a step up in terms of craft.
There’s a bit of a time jump after this, which lets the story move things along. It gets the job done with minimal waiting around, but I can’t truly say if this way of advancing the plot works versus drawing it out a smidgen more. Then again, if nothing was happening it would be a little dull.
Either way, things pay off with a shouted realization from Asako over tea that I felt wasn’t really earned, but the moments afterward and the date that end this volume are rife with such strong character moments that I can let it slide.
There are some really small details that keep this from perfection, but the times when it really sings just overcome them with such ease that I’m impressed. I wasn’t sure the mangaka had it in them, but when the story needs to hit it, it almost always does.
4.5 stars - as I said, the good parts here are so good that it’s not really fair to give this less than a rounded five stars. Establish the characters and then grow the characters? It’s so crazy it just might work.
As I write this, we have three fluffier yuri adult series being released: Cheerful Amnesia, I Married My Female Friend, and this one. And I would rank them in said order from least to most interesting.
It’s down to nuance. Cheerful Amnesia doesn’t have any to speak of, IMMFF just got some, and this one? Oh, it gets some and then some this time out. And that makes what would otherwise be okay, but forgettable, anything but.
Rather than just the usual arbitrary reasons for prolonging the leads getting together, rivals and miscommunications and such, this gives actual context to things and shows some insight into its characters. Sadness and joy both have their moments here.
This is all anchored by the karaoke confession, which pretty much anybody would count as a romantic one except, apparently, Asako. And you won’t be going wrong if you let ‘apparently’ do a lot of heavy lifting there.
You could make a pretty solid claim, backed up by a conversation with her sister in law later, that Asako has never had a real relationship before and has, instead, been involved in a string of infatuations that were more one-sided than they should have been.
So her misprocessing her own feelings about Miyako to the point that she doesn’t really know if she loves her, when she clearly does, is absolutely believable. Hato and Ruri say as much during their page time (these two make an adorable double act, it must be noted).
And Miyako is struggling not only because Asako is suddenly immune to her face game, but because she feels it’s wrong for them to continue functioning as ‘landlord and tenant’ when her feelings run far deeper.
Miyako is still drifting perilously close to ‘magic pixie dream girl’, but she has actual problems of her own and, while I think Asako gets the bulk of the best development, their respective characterization makes sense given their differing ages and maturity.
Then Miyako’s birthday strikes and this goes well beyond its previous strengths to something pretty special. And it’s all because of how tortured Asako is - the way the manga dives into her massive PTSD from endless indifferent or over-enthusiastic former partners is some emotionally charged stuff and informs so, so much.
And when Miyako realizes what’s happening and steps up to save Asako from her past obsessions, it’s a moment of amazing insight and such consideration for the woman she loves. It’s one of the best delivered outbursts I’ve read in ages.
The way the story deploys its little bits of humour to lighten the mood just a touch after all the heavy stuff is quite well done. I enjoyed the first couple volumes, but this one is a step up in terms of craft.
There’s a bit of a time jump after this, which lets the story move things along. It gets the job done with minimal waiting around, but I can’t truly say if this way of advancing the plot works versus drawing it out a smidgen more. Then again, if nothing was happening it would be a little dull.
Either way, things pay off with a shouted realization from Asako over tea that I felt wasn’t really earned, but the moments afterward and the date that end this volume are rife with such strong character moments that I can let it slide.
There are some really small details that keep this from perfection, but the times when it really sings just overcome them with such ease that I’m impressed. I wasn’t sure the mangaka had it in them, but when the story needs to hit it, it almost always does.
4.5 stars - as I said, the good parts here are so good that it’s not really fair to give this less than a rounded five stars. Establish the characters and then grow the characters? It’s so crazy it just might work.
September 5, 2024
I mean, eh?
The will-they-won’t-they was fun.
Now that it’s turning into something else I just don’t really care about it. Not a bad book. Wasn’t painful to read. Wasn’t exciting either. Just meh. Don’t know if I’ll keep reading. Was a good run- nothing bad to say. But think I’m over it!
The will-they-won’t-they was fun.
Now that it’s turning into something else I just don’t really care about it. Not a bad book. Wasn’t painful to read. Wasn’t exciting either. Just meh. Don’t know if I’ll keep reading. Was a good run- nothing bad to say. But think I’m over it!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews