I received this book from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I just couldn’t resist this manga and while I was a bit worried about the length (450 pages for just one volume) I can tell you that I just flew through this one and couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end.

Welcome to a world in which one cannot just get children. You cannot just get pregnant and put a child on this earth. Oh no, one has to first go through tests which includes having a child inspector for a while who will test them on their skills and if they will be good enough as parents. If not, you can get retested, but after a while it is just done and over for you. Sounds harsh and we also see what happens or how people are treated that do have kids without permission.

The book begins with an inspection at a family and that is how we meet Hikari (or however he is named by the families he visits), after that the book begins in earnest when he visits a couple who has been through various tests already and this is their last test. Now I hear you think are these bad people? Oh no. But as we learn through the story we see why they have been rejected, why the husband is trying his best to ask Hikari to not be accepted for parenthood. Because these two are the best parents anyone could ask for. They are kind, sweet, earnest. But they have been through a lot. Together, but also alone in the case of the woman. I really loved the couple and I was eager to find out more about them.

I loved that as the story continues we learn more about Hikari. About what he is, who he is, what happened to him before this couple. The woman he has been missing since the start, the woman that was his first “mother”. The things that happened during inspections, anywhere from great days to violence and sexual abuse (of which we see glimpses that all the kids go through these high and lows which was just shocking). Seeing him be an inspector, but also long for a family of his own. A mom and a dad who will take care of him. Love him.

The ending, the last part, oh my gosh, when I knew who THAT was I was already tearing up, but seeing those people? My tears were just fully going.

I also loved seeing more of the world. The meteor, what it brought, what it did, see how the world changed, the policies on children, the small town Hikari and his test-family are in, and more.

The art was also fabulous!

All in all, I would highly recommend this dystopian manga read to everyone. This was a ride. This was fantastic.