Socrates in love by Kyoichi Katayama

Where do I start? I've read this book two times, both in spanish so I decided that I'd also tagged its name in spanish just as its exactly translation from spanish to english, because-not sure why- its translation to english they changed the title for Socrates in love-not quite sure about it, I believe it's cause the manga-

This book came to me in a really strange way, I was looking for something to read and out of nowhere I read the name, which reminded me to an anime I watched in my high school time, an anime that everysingle time I watched it-and were more than two, because I bought the DVDs-made me cry and made me feel that real love was actually something real, no matter how difficult the world could be or how hard everyone can make you think it would be. The anime was Saikano, which in spanish they added to the name the phrase: "The last love song in this little planet", and as you, my dear reader may realise, both phrases are quite similar-I mean to the book's title, of course- so thinking that maybe the manga was based on this book, I bought without even doubting-because come on! the manga was so damn good, that later was published the anime, the ova and the live action movie, so why would I think there was not possible to get a book as well , right ?

But great was my surprise when the principal character weren't even named like the anime-way more when there was no war or machines either, yeah I didn't even read the synopsis-but still I wasn't depressed I was just more curious, and kept reading, besides I bought it in spanish and was quite easier to read it, because the pace was pretty relaxed so I went on... and couldn't be more happier of doing so.

This book tells us the story of Aki Hirose and Sakutaro Matsumoto, both school partners know each other since kids, and making their friendship growing to a beautiful and sincere love.

Like a "slice of life-anime" we can read in 3 parts of the book-because is divided in 4- how the love between both of them was flourishing, how they met, their behaviour at school, at their parents, their families and such - because they were still being kids- so if you have ever watched an anime you can realise what I mean when I say it was like a slice of life-anime-yeah they tell you of how it was being delegate, how were their dates, their weekends and of course, how they tried to have sex for first time-and if to that you add rural japanese scenaries and sweet anecdotes of their relatives of how the live used to be, you will be teletransported to an innocent, relaxed and lovely panorama right away, giving to the reader a way of peace.

But not everything is as good as it looks like, here comes the part of drama: Aki gets sick, changing the genere of the book completely from romance to drama-a heartbreaking, sobbing kind of drama- one of those where you say: "nahhh, I'm okay; I can handle it", but then you find yourself blinking away the tears from your eyes because they don't let you keep reading-yup that kind of drama-

The first time I read it, I cried an ocean...but the second one I just shed a few tears -guess because I already knew what was coming-but still the story is worth it.

The book shows us different types of love, but all of them pure in their own especial way and also how to handle the lost of a beloved one. Here I had to name Saku's grandpa, I think he's the wise man from the book, giving you the best stories that will make you say: WOW, he's the one that will take Saku's hand just in the moments he needs it more.

Reading the book the first time was like if someone was getting a hand inside of me and crushing my heart, but the second one was like if someone were hugging me; in both ocassions the book made me realise the kinf of love I want in life and I want to teach to my future family and share with the rest of the world and miss the tranquility of how it was being kid and the sensations of peace and ease you felt in that time.

I can´t say more of this book without risking of giving you spoilers, just telling you that is worth the hour and a half of your time-or maybe less, cause it's 200 pages- and if you read it from top to bottom in once...the emotions will be really strong. 

May not be Romeo & Juliet or the sweetest and most dramatic love story of the world, but it is a freaking sweet and sad love story.