A book review about books starring a book hater written by a bookworm. Books!
Part fantasy, part mystery, this young adult novel belongs to a subgenre of stories about being literally “absorbed” by a book, with a couple of key distinguishing features. First, instead of the protagonist entering the story, the story consumes reality, transforming Yomunaga and its residents into the world and characters of the book. Secondly, our protagonist Mifuyu Mikura is a reluctant heroine who absolutely hates reading books.
As a bookworm, it’s a testament to Fukamidori’s character writing that I ended up loving Mifuyu, who hates books. She is written with a sympathetic, sometimes humorous realism: a quarrelsome, impulsive, lonely 15-year-old whose words don’t always align with her actions or thoughts. She often apologizes for losing her temper or making thoughtless comments, but she is also proactive and reliable under pressure, acting decisively where others hesitate. The contrast makes her an effective heroine, moving the story forward even as she complains about it.
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