Only the Ring Finger Knows, The Novel

[Menstrual Cramps]

I loved the Yaoi Manga itself, but it ended too quickly.
This Novel is supposed to be a carry on from where the
Manga left off and fill in all those extra LOVELY details that
only words can descrive so vivdly.
I know I'll be purchasing it. <333
Has anyone gotten a hold of it?
If so, what did you think of it?

http://www.dmpbooks.com/covers/ringfingernovel.jpg
http://www.dmpbooks.com/titles?n=34&t=94 --More information.
Author/Artist: Satoru Kannagi, Hotaru Odagiri
246 pages
Dimensions: 4 1/8" x 6 3/4"
Release Date: March 22, 2006
SRP: $8.95

[dreamcatcher]

I've seen it in stores but I haven't read it yet

[Menstrual Cramps]

I've seen it in stores but I haven't read it yet


I need to go to the store.
So badly.
Before I get stuck with the copy all bent up and stuff. ;-;

[black_myst]

there's also a second novel i think because it's along series in japan. or else there's a second mannga. i know there's another one comming out besides the lonely finger.

[Kurama's fire miko]

Oh! I loved the manga, and I want the novel too. Has it come out yet?

[black_myst]

the 1st novel has come out

[Meowchi]

I have been looking every where for the first novel!!! argh, I can't find it anywhere. I hope that I find it soon, because I really want to read it!

[LKK6144]

I read the Ring Finger novel this afternoon. It's really more like two small novellas in one book. The first 87 pages follow the manga pretty closely. Pages 88 through 172 are a new story that's properly called The Lonely Ring Finger.

I'm going to assume that you have read the manga. Therefore I won't hide any spoilers from the first part of the book. The second part of the book will be discussed under the Spoilers button and will have spoilers. (You've been warned!)

A couple of technical notes. The book is not a standard sized paperback book. I'm not sure why it's this small, but if you're not careful, it will easily disappear in your bookcase. There are about 10 illustrations, most of them not in the manga. There are 2 full-color illustrations. Honorifics are not included, EXCEPT for one instance. I suspect that case was simply missed because it wasn't all that important. Speaking of honorifics, if you remember the line in the English-version manga, "that's Sir Kazuki to you", the line is "that's Mr. Kazuki to you" now. I'm not sure if that's an improvement or not. Finally, the little extra scene in the manga where Wataru apologizes to Yuichi's niece is not in the novel. I remember reading somewhere that scene was added for the manga so I wasn't surprised that it's missing.

The first portion is almost a direct novelization of the manga. Or vice-versa, since the novel was written before the manga. Occasionally the dialogue is exactly the same. I don't remember any additional scenes in the novel that weren't touched on in the manga. Some of the scenes are lengthened, for example, the scene after the basketball game. But there isn't much new information imparted. I hope I don't sound like I'm knocking the first part of the novel for lacking anything new because I'm not. Rather it's a testimonial to the manga for how much information it conveyed.

What makes the Ring Finger 1 worth buying to me is the second portion of the novel, The Lonely Ring Finger section.

One thing I wanted to see more of when reading the manga was Yuichi's inner thoughts. He's a complete enigma in the manga. The first portion of the novel follows that. You don't have any clue as to what Yuichi is thinking. The second portion of the novel follows Wataru's life just like the first part did, but when Yuichi is in the scene, you do get to hear what he's thinking. So I liked that.

In the second half, Wataru and Yuichi have been dating for a couple of months. Their relationship is a secret to all their classmates except for Wataru's best friend and Wataru's sister. The story covers nearly a year in their life as Yuichi studies for college entrance exam, Wataru deals with a girl who is holding his ring hostage in exchange for his friendship, and both boys deal with the fact that they have little time to spend with each other.

If you're wondering why I keep saying Yuichi rather than Kazuki, it's because that's how he is most often called in the book even though Wataru still addresses him by his last name at all times.


I have fallen in love with this book. Most likely I'll read it again tonight before I go to bed. I definitely recommend it. I'm looking forward to the next novel!

[Shemara]

I need to go to a bookstore, cause my friend wants me to get it for her for her b-day, and I only have a few days left to get it, lol. so, hopefully I can get to a bookstore before then X3 but yeah, I really want to read it, cause the manga was really good.

[Darkness of Fate]

I bought this novel yesterday and I have already read it three times. Unfortunately I have not read the manga becase the Borders in my town didn't have it so I cannot really compare the two. All I know is that the novel is amazing. It is the most perfect love story that I have ever read. Yuichi and Waratu are so amazing!

[Tsuzuki]

this sounds interesting...i will have to look at it soon......

[Kantami]

Hmmm... I don't really read romance novels but i love romance manga! I like to see the perfect couple hug and then go "Awwwwww!" and cry a little

[DigiDigi]

*Squeals then zooms around* must buy now!!!!! I loved the manga, but i wanted more, now i have more so must buy now!!!!.

[Khestrel]

I was really dissapointed with the novel. I loved the manga, so I really expected to enjoy the book too, but it ended up being the complete opposite. I'm sure the original was wonderful (I can't see it selling as well as it did otherwise) but the the English version was really poorly done. I realize that a translator has to walk a fine line between staying faithful to the original text and making it sound correct in English but in this case, even allowing for that, there is no excuse. The entire novel sounded more like a fanfiction written by a highschool student then something released by proffesionals. The writing was choppy and confusing, with little style or flow. At times the wording would be so awkward I'd cringe.

I really did want to like this book. Hell, I wanted to finish this book, but I gave up about halfway through the second story, as it was just too painful to keep reading. I'm really hoping DMP has someone different doing their other manga novels, because no ammount of sezzy boy love can make up for really bad writing.

[chinagirl114]

i absoulutly adore Otrfk n i cant wait till volume 2nd comes out (there are 3)
but dats not until the 5th of july! :eek: n den i'll hav 2 wait till 25th oct to get volume 3! but da wait is worth while ^o^

just incase any1s wonderin da volume are names as so:-
The lonely ring finger
The left hand dreams of him
The ring finger falls silent

If any1 can b bothered join the livejournal community, not many ppl read Otrfk so it's a bit dead...

http://community.livejournal.com/sonoyubi/

[XXBlack_RoseXX]

the 1st novel has come out



when and where....i have no idea how to find this novel...someone please tell me where to look....i'm so lost. When did it even come out????

[Momochi]

I fell in love with this manga from when i first took it out of the shippment box...My friends that I lent it to found it to be their favorite yaoi yet...I have yet to find a Shounen-Ai thats just as good, this one is the best! I just got the first novel a few weeks ago and i loved that one just as much if not more than the manga version! I think theres a total of 3 books that have been translated, i heard there was more but i'm not sure, either way I HIGHLY recomend this one to anyone who's a sucker for boy's love comics ^.~ i know i am haha

if theirs anyone who wants to get the manga or novels but cant find it in book stores go to www.justmanga.com Its my favorite manga ordering site and its VERY reliable. =^-^= plus they have a whole section on boy's love manga =^-^= hehe so its a good site!

[chibikodo]

I was really dissapointed with the novel. I loved the manga, so I really expected to enjoy the book too, but it ended up being the complete opposite. I'm sure the original was wonderful (I can't see it selling as well as it did otherwise) but the the English version was really poorly done. I realize that a translator has to walk a fine line between staying faithful to the original text and making it sound correct in English but in this case, even allowing for that, there is no excuse. The entire novel sounded more like a fanfiction written by a highschool student then something released by proffesionals. The writing was choppy and confusing, with little style or flow. At times the wording would be so awkward I'd cringe.


Hmm I found the writing to be slightly choppy, I agree with you there. However, from what I hear about how novels are written in Japan, I suspect that the translations are not that different from the original Japanese version.

The format/style which novels are written in Japanese may very well be written like the translations, in that there is a strong bit of narrative that tells more than it shows. In any case, I suppose it'd be best to ask someone who reads Japanese novels. ^^

[DigiDigi]

Digi is very :(, because yesterday i went to go buy it and the comic shop were i buy my manga did'nt have it. Even though wensday is when they get their new shipment. *cries*

[GoldenGal_42]

I read the manga first over a year ago and while bored on Amazon I came across the novel, brought it and read it. Though to be fair I still prefer the manga, I like really hard, Charless Dickens novels and obviously the novel isn't that difficult but it's brilliant. I love all the descriptions (for some reason I love kiss descriptions)!

Spoilers for the first book (ish)
Though I am slightly confused. Actually very but *shrugs*, can someone help me? I don't understand the bit when Yuichi kisses Wataru for the first time and then Wataru pushes him away. blah blah blah. And then the whole thing with his sister. Why does Wataru slap him?
I know it's a stupid question but I am lost and slightly oblivious.

[DigiDigi]

I read the manga first over a year ago and while bored on Amazon I came across the novel, brought it and read it. Though to be fair I still prefer the manga, I like really hard, Charless Dickens novels and obviously the novel isn't that difficult but it's brilliant. I love all the descriptions (for some reason I love kiss descriptions)!

Spoilers for the first book (ish)
Though I am slightly confused. Actually very but *shrugs*, can someone help me? I don't understand the bit when Yuichi kisses Wataru for the first time and then Wataru pushes him away. blah blah blah. And then the whole thing with his sister. Why does Wataru slap him?
I know it's a stupid question but I am lost and slightly oblivious.

It's because wataru thinks that yuichi is kidding with him, you know playing with his emotions. Hope that helps, the last volume should be out in like a week or so i think.

[beautiful0shinigami]

T,T I'm still waiting for my chance to go buy it. Unfortunately, I live in a small town and so they don't sell these kinds of books anywhere near me! It really sucks. I've been dying to read the novels since....I first heard about them!
(I've read the manga and I fell in love it with.... need to buy my own copy, too)

[GoldenGal_42]

Thank you.
Note: I'm oblivious to other people's emotions. Apparently it's a problem.

You can order it off Amazon. It's cheaper and it doesn't take too long to deliver.


P.S. beautiful-shinigami I love your drawings on Deviantart. *claps*

[Nakoruku]

My friend bought it and let me read it...it was ok but its sad when I think I've read better fanfictions...I have never seen the manga to this though...

[OurLadyoftheFlowers]

I never got around to reading the manga yet, but I read the novel yesterday actually and it's really good. I obviously don't know how it compares to the manga, but sometimes words say things so much easier than pictures...

[rchama]

I don't think anyone's brought it up yet, but the manga is based off of the novels. Did you read the artist blurb in the end? How she was approached with the offer of turning the novel into a manga and got so excited? And how she didn't feel she was good enough to illustrate the characters (which she totally was)? Yeah, so you shouldn't be saying "the novel follows the manga" because the manga came from the novel.

[LKK6144]

I didn't see this mentioned when I glanced through the thread. A fourth Ring Finger novel was recently released in Japan. Also at the recent Anime Expo, DMP/June said that there would eventually be five novels in the series. DMP/June plans to release the final two novels here in the US eventually.

[lainshadow]

I haven't acctually got it yet as I'm waiting for it to be shipped but now I'm getting confused. I wiki'ed it and although it seems a bit outdated it says that there's one manga based on a series of 3(?) novels and it's also been adapted into a drama CD?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Only_the_Ring_Finger_Knows
Is that right? 'cause wiki is kinda confuzzling me at the mo >_<

[LKK6144]

Wiki's entry is a little outdated now, but at the time it was written, it was correct.

There were 3 novels. Now there are 4 novels, and a fifth one is planned. The manga is based on the first half of the first novel. There is a CD drama as well. I don't know how much of the novel series the CD drama covers.

[ec692]

does anyone know where i can read this online? cause i just read the manga and i REALLY want to read the novels.. its sooo good :D
thank youuu

[LKK6144]

^^ Rule #12 of the forum's rules
12) Do not link to any scanlations, fansubs, or bootlegs. Please do not even talk about specific downloads of manga or anime or mention specific places where they might be found. You are free to discuss the CONTENT of anime or manga not yet released in the U.S., but let's respect the creators and assume you know Japanese and read it in its original form.
Although rule #12 doesn't mention novels, I assume that the same logic applies to them as well.

I suggest you read the forum rules thread (http://messageboard.tokyopop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3)for other rules that you should be aware of.

[ec692]

sorry i didn't read it

thanks i'll read it now

[kiniiie]

i bought the manga, and i looved it, i think it was my first yaoi manga i bought as well.
i wasnt sure whether i wanted to get the novels, is it just the same thing in the managa, or is there more storylines?

[LKK6144]

The novels go beyond the manga storyline. The story that's in the manga is approximately the first half of the first novel. From then on, the novels cover their ups and downs as an established couple, taking them through their high school career and into their college years. If you want to know more about the couple, the novels are a must read.