A fluffy YA romance for those longing to practice their Japanese or those looking to read some (very) cute stuff. Unfortunately, this book hasn't been translated into English so far. (Edit: it seems there is a manga in English now, so check it out!)
If you know some Japanese and consider this novel, know my level is intermediate, but the kanji won't have as many furigana as your every light novel (since this is an ebook, it was no problem using a dictionary). It's not as short either, but the chapters are the perfect size for you take it slowly until you get in rhythm. Since this takes place at a high school, vocabulary should be easier, too. Now, what is this about?
Yamaguchi doesn't feel comfortable around his classmate, Satou. She's plain, and slow, and can't understand stuff, and will blurt out things at times. Plus, she's very persistent, like when he didn't want the cute band-aid and Satou just stood up and put it around his finger without his permission. But now he's getting to know her, she does work hard and can be very cute in her own way.
The funny thing is that Yamaguchi's feelings for Satou were kinda like mine for this book. At first, I just requested because it was the first time I found something on the Japanese Netgalley I could give it a try. Some simple, plain, teenage love story. But just like Satou, this story sneaks into you and while I started reading ten pages in the first two or three days, soon I was at thirty, forty a day. For my intermediate Japanese that hasn't been used for reading more than Twitter for years, that means something.
It's just so lovely!
The best thing was that you know Yamaguchi would fall for Satou, or there wouldn't be a story. So you think you know the whole thing just because of that. You don't. Even this simple a plot surprised me too many times. It never gets too intense, it's still just as it is, a fluffy love story between classmates. How could it have so many twists? Just like Yamaguchi to Satou, I surely underestimated my involvement with the book.
Plus, it was easy to wonder how nice to be in Satou's shoes, the object of attraction to a nice and rather popular boy.
I also loved how true is Yamaguchi's narration, to a point you can almost touch his self denial on his feelings. Unfortunately, that also means the book goes round and round before getting to the point. Still, hidden somewhere, the plot develops until it slaps you on the face.
There are three chapters I don't understand why they were narrated by the other characters, the three about the same incident, by the way. And while I don't think they were necessary, I did giggle at what these characters say about the main couple—it was the same I was thinking!
This review got longer than intended but I really got excited remembering what a great time I had with this novel. I hope I can get my hands on more of this style. And isn't this cover super cute?
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment