Book description
It has Hikaru's face. It has Hikaru's voice. It even has Hikaru's memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn't Yoshiki's best friend. Whatever it is, it's dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed―as if Hikaru isn't gone―would be crazy...but…
Why read it?
1 author picked The Summer Hikaru Died as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I feel like the very premise of this book cuts right to the core of ‘what does it mean to be human’: the eponymous Hikaru dies on a mountain, but his body is consumed by a parasite that takes on his memories and identity. If this new version acts and thinks and looks like Hikaru, is he Hikaru? Do our memories make us ‘human,’ even when our bodies change? Can we learn to BE human?
As someone who’s experienced brain damage–and the memory loss and identity dissociation that came with it–this manga hit me deep in…
From Natalie's list on not-quite books for humans who are not-quite human.
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