2024 Light Novels So Far
Aug. 7th, 2024 09:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silverseaIt's been ages, and I'm so sorry! I hope everyone's doing well!
Post-graduation's been keeping me busy, since I'm enjoying my last summer in this city, applying to jobs, going on vacations, and all that. I'm moving next week, so I'll probably still be busy until September.
I'm catching up now, starting with some brief reviews of light novels I've read this year. I read about 40 books as well, so I think I'll divide my reviews of them in separate posts or something?
Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start With Magical Tools: Volume 8
I just wish there’s more inventing stuff, but half of the story is Dahlia and Volf going “we’re just friends!” and eating food. After 8 volumes, the lack of any progress is getting on my nerves, and Dahlia inventing stuff isn’t carrying the series anymore.
The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 10 and 11
I feel like Apothecary Diaries declined in quality after Volume 4, it was clear that the author didn’t have any solid plan after the ending in Volume 4. I still very much enjoy Maomao and Jinshi’s interactions, but the story itself became weak and the mysteries didn’t quite hook me anymore. The story’s finally picking up again with the politics in the Western Capital. I enjoyed how the author handled the locust plague, in that Maomao and Jinshi could only mitigate the damages, and there’s some nice ecological commentary. The clan that once ruled the I-sei province oversaw the environment and managed fires and locust plagues. However, once the new clan took over the province, they stopped working with the environment, thus setting up the foundations necessary for a locust plague to happen.
I think Volume 12’s story should be entirely new for me, so I’m looking forward to it.
*Genuinely confused why the story said grasshopper and not locust. Similar, but two distinctively different things, marked by the locust’s destruction. I’m not sure if the Japanese edition specified grasshopper, or if this is a very bad mistranslation.
Bakemonogatari: Volume 1-3
Honestly, if this was my first time experiencing the series, I’m not sure I would even get through Bakemonogatari. There’s a lot of uncomfortable things, such as Araragi being a lolicon and harassing Mayoi, and I’m dubious on whether it’s necessary to waste major portions of the story on Araragi’s horniness. Sometimes the jokes land and sometimes the jokes just don’t land at all. I do remember the Monogatari series improving regarding the perverted jokes later though.
Kizumonogatari
I rarely say this, but I do feel the movies are better than the book. I haven’t gotten the chance to watch Koyomi Vamp yet, but it’s high on my list since I’m interested in what Kizumonogatari’s like with a more serious tone.
On an off-topic note, I’m seriously in need for a good gnarly horror vampire story.
If the Villainess and Villain Met and Fell in Love: Volume 2
Nisemonogatari (both parts)
As always, Nisioisin has a lot to say. Nisemonogatari is all about fakeness, using a conman, a duo of sisters with a false sense of justice, and a fake sister. It’s clear at this point Araragi’s incredibly jaded when it comes to justice, or maybe humans, but he's certainly a big hypocrite. He claims to be jaded when it comes to justice, yet he cannot ignore injustice. I wonder where his sisters get such a strong sense of justice from. This is pretty cute.
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! Volume 2
I’ll keep with the series until maybe Volume 3 or 4, and hopefully I’ll like it more!
Return from Death: I Kicked the Bucket and Now I'm Back at Square One With a Girlfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me: Volume 2
Honestly, I think the author should have kept this to two volumes, this volume was mostly fluff without any significant progress in the story. The fluff was really good though, and I give originality points to the author for having candy hurt the female lead’s mouth leading to the male lead checking her mouth. That one was new to me.
Nekomonogatari Black
I’m surprised by how frustrated I am with Nekomonogatari Black, because I think I enjoyed this more on my first time. As Oshino Meme put it, Hanekawa was so perfect that it caused her adopted family to be uncomfortable with her, even abusing her. It comes off as victim-blaming and I’m upset with how Araragi didn’t challenge Oshino on that much.
I actually felt some neurodivergent vibes from Hanekawa in this, the way she tried so hard to be a model daughter and student, diligently following rules despite her personal feelings on them, and Black Hanekawa releasing years of stress, doing whatever she wants. Maybe I’m overreading this, but this is going to be my new headcanon.
Also, I know Araragi’s pretty dumb when it comes to himself, but truly. How did he not realize that Hanekawa likes him? It was comically funny when he thought about Black Hanekawa’s vicious attacks against her parents and Araragi compared to her “pranks” on others.
Post-graduation's been keeping me busy, since I'm enjoying my last summer in this city, applying to jobs, going on vacations, and all that. I'm moving next week, so I'll probably still be busy until September.
I'm catching up now, starting with some brief reviews of light novels I've read this year. I read about 40 books as well, so I think I'll divide my reviews of them in separate posts or something?
Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start With Magical Tools: Volume 8
Review
I read this back in January and I straight up don’t remember anything specific from this, so I think this might be my final volume.I just wish there’s more inventing stuff, but half of the story is Dahlia and Volf going “we’re just friends!” and eating food. After 8 volumes, the lack of any progress is getting on my nerves, and Dahlia inventing stuff isn’t carrying the series anymore.
The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 10 and 11
Review
Ah, we’re finally catching up to where I stopped at the webnovel. In Volume 10, Maomao and Jinshi are in the Western Capital, trying to prevent an impending famine. In Volume 11, Maomao and Jinshi help rebuild the Western Capital after the locust plague* and navigate the local politics as best as they can, without overstepping their position.I feel like Apothecary Diaries declined in quality after Volume 4, it was clear that the author didn’t have any solid plan after the ending in Volume 4. I still very much enjoy Maomao and Jinshi’s interactions, but the story itself became weak and the mysteries didn’t quite hook me anymore. The story’s finally picking up again with the politics in the Western Capital. I enjoyed how the author handled the locust plague, in that Maomao and Jinshi could only mitigate the damages, and there’s some nice ecological commentary. The clan that once ruled the I-sei province oversaw the environment and managed fires and locust plagues. However, once the new clan took over the province, they stopped working with the environment, thus setting up the foundations necessary for a locust plague to happen.
I think Volume 12’s story should be entirely new for me, so I’m looking forward to it.
*Genuinely confused why the story said grasshopper and not locust. Similar, but two distinctively different things, marked by the locust’s destruction. I’m not sure if the Japanese edition specified grasshopper, or if this is a very bad mistranslation.
Bakemonogatari: Volume 1-3
Review
I wanted to reread the Monogatari series before the new anime season, but unfortunately, I didn’t get far in my reread. I’ve only watched and read the Monogatari series once as a teenager, so rereading the series is definitely an experience for me. I’m even fonder of Senjougahara and more sympathetic to Nadeko. Hilarious that Nadeko was dropping heavy hints and Araragi was too clueless to realize she had a gigantic crush on him.Honestly, if this was my first time experiencing the series, I’m not sure I would even get through Bakemonogatari. There’s a lot of uncomfortable things, such as Araragi being a lolicon and harassing Mayoi, and I’m dubious on whether it’s necessary to waste major portions of the story on Araragi’s horniness. Sometimes the jokes land and sometimes the jokes just don’t land at all. I do remember the Monogatari series improving regarding the perverted jokes later though.
Kizumonogatari
Review
This is a story of two people meeting and wounding each other, but I feel it could have been improved on. A lot of the story, as always, is distorted by Araragi’s naïve perspective, and it was fun rereading this knowing how Kiss-shot feels and trying to see through Araragi’s unreliable narration.I rarely say this, but I do feel the movies are better than the book. I haven’t gotten the chance to watch Koyomi Vamp yet, but it’s high on my list since I’m interested in what Kizumonogatari’s like with a more serious tone.
On an off-topic note, I’m seriously in need for a good gnarly horror vampire story.
If the Villainess and Villain Met and Fell in Love: Volume 2
Review
I read this back in March and don’t really remember anything about this, other than it being cute. I think I wouldn’t mind continuing to volume 3, but considering how long Yen Press takes, I might entirely forget by then.Nisemonogatari (both parts)
Review
It’s probably been a decade since I watched Nisemonogatari, but I’m pretty sure they wildly turned up the incest subtext, because while reading Nisemonogatari, I was struck at how ordinary Araragi’s relationship with his sisters are. Very sibling-like, Araragi being a tsundere, complaining about how annoying and dumb they are, but still would do anything for them. There wasn’t that much incest or sexual tones between Araragi and his sisters, other than the infamous toothbrush scene, so I’m a bit surprised. The anime really did a number on my memory.As always, Nisioisin has a lot to say. Nisemonogatari is all about fakeness, using a conman, a duo of sisters with a false sense of justice, and a fake sister. It’s clear at this point Araragi’s incredibly jaded when it comes to justice, or maybe humans, but he's certainly a big hypocrite. He claims to be jaded when it comes to justice, yet he cannot ignore injustice. I wonder where his sisters get such a strong sense of justice from. This is pretty cute.
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! Volume 2
Review
I wish I like this series more, but this is just moderately likeable for me. Technically, this series should have pretty much everything I want, villainess, enemies to lovers, smart and daring female protagonist, lots of action and politics and stuff, etc. But I really don’t love it that much. Damn it.I’ll keep with the series until maybe Volume 3 or 4, and hopefully I’ll like it more!
Return from Death: I Kicked the Bucket and Now I'm Back at Square One With a Girlfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me: Volume 2
Review
I thought this was going to be the end, so I was pretty pissed when I realized this wasn’t the end and there’s still one more volume to go.Honestly, I think the author should have kept this to two volumes, this volume was mostly fluff without any significant progress in the story. The fluff was really good though, and I give originality points to the author for having candy hurt the female lead’s mouth leading to the male lead checking her mouth. That one was new to me.
Nekomonogatari Black
Review
The first third of the book needs to be dumped into the trash. Even Nisioisin admits it was mostly indulgence. I’m kind of amazed this amount of unnecessary indulgence was allowed to be published, just Araragi and Tsukihi yapping on about the colors of panties.I’m surprised by how frustrated I am with Nekomonogatari Black, because I think I enjoyed this more on my first time. As Oshino Meme put it, Hanekawa was so perfect that it caused her adopted family to be uncomfortable with her, even abusing her. It comes off as victim-blaming and I’m upset with how Araragi didn’t challenge Oshino on that much.
I actually felt some neurodivergent vibes from Hanekawa in this, the way she tried so hard to be a model daughter and student, diligently following rules despite her personal feelings on them, and Black Hanekawa releasing years of stress, doing whatever she wants. Maybe I’m overreading this, but this is going to be my new headcanon.
Also, I know Araragi’s pretty dumb when it comes to himself, but truly. How did he not realize that Hanekawa likes him? It was comically funny when he thought about Black Hanekawa’s vicious attacks against her parents and Araragi compared to her “pranks” on others.
