My Solo Exchange Diary is the sequel to Nagata Kabi’s My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness. It is an autobiographical manga about Nagata Kabi’s life. I shared my thoughts on My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness here.
Struggling with the idea of living alone and adjusting to the effects of her previous book’s success, this follow-up to the award-winning autobiographical comic continues the author’s quest for self-acceptance and love.
My Solo Exchange Diary gives us a fascinating insight into Nagata Kabi’s life, and deals with topics such as loneliness, happiness and love.
Nagata’s definition of happiness is a particularly notable thing. To sum it up, Nagata defines it as only acknowledging positive things, even though there are negative things in the world as well.
That kind of thing seems like it would resonate with a lot of people.
As for the topic of loneliness, that is somewhat tied into the topic of family as well for Nagata. It’s not being away from her family that makes her lonely, but it is being under the same roof.
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness explored Nagata’s relationship with her mother; My Solo Exchange Diary further elaborates on that, and I would be hard-pressed to call it a positive thing.
Nagata’s life has lots of ups and downs, and they are all explored in My Solo Exchange Diary. It even covers the reaction to My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, though it seems that Nagata could not bring herself to enjoy all the praise it received.
One thing is clear from My Solo Exchange Diary, and that is that Nagata Kabi deserves all the happiness in the world. To be willing to share her life with the internet – and now an international audience – must have taken a lot of courage for her, considering a lot of the themes she covers.
For something a bit different, but utterly fascinating, I strongly recommend reading both My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness and My Solo Exchange Diary. Regardless of lifestyle, there is plenty of content in both that readers will be able to relate to at least one thing or other.
Rory Muses 