- #1
Really enjoying this novel and really appreciating the translator top tier work so I wanted to leave a review for the first time in a long time.I think this novel’s greatest charm is that it feels very real, truly like a good slice of life style novel (if you ignore it being set in a ABO universe of course...). Our main characters are balanced as all real and believable characters should be, meaning they has some really admirable traits and also some frustrating flaws.I understand why some readers might hate this, after all a lot of people go into novels hoping to read about lovable characters, and are therefore shocked when the characters are written like... real people. Both the MC and ML have very flawed personalities, with accompanying strengths (mc’s strive to give the best outcome to everyone, ml’s enduring dedication, whether to swimming or our mc), and there’s a great satisfaction in get tings to see both of them grow and improve as people throughout the story. It’s the kind of novel where you kind of end up ‘adopting’ the characters and follow them though emotional ups and downs as they tackle each problem; where you feel anxious when you feel something might happen to them, down when they have conflicts, and proud when they resolve issues together.Plot-wise, the novel clearly sets out the end goal to the reader early on, and the backstory is actually also introduced to us near the beginning. I actually quite enjoyed this format as we immediately knew the goal, the problem, and now just had to wait to see the solution unfold before us. The author also never kept it too easy for the main characters, throwing in necessary plot points so that not everything would be smooth sailing. It also helps that the plot wasn’t too predictable, usually the problems introduced were fresh, believable, and interesting. While nothing extraordinary, I think the straightforward plot is appropriate for a novel such as this one, where there is a focus on the characters.While maybe a bit slow in places, overall I think the pacing has been excellent, with necessary push and pulls that reflect how real adults face internal conflicts (not just sitting down once and resolving it straight away, with it never to bother you again). The author also never wastes any time writing plot that isn’t relevant, which I think is pretty commendable. Often, I think the author chooses the right timing to time skip so that the scene doesn’t tend to get drawn out too much, and we even get left with some anticipation.Overall, the novel is a good read, the highlight definitely being in the main characters, and the joy of getting to see them mature, develop trust and rely on each other in a slow, deliberate process. If you really enjoy empathising with your characters and feeling fulfilled at seeing then grow, I would 100% recommend this novel, don’t hesitate to dive right in.