Amy P.

Prequel and “Extended Scenes” from previous books

Reviewed: 03-31-25

If you’re reading the series as a whole, then this one should really be labeled as Book 0 or “Extras.” Had I known what this one was, I would have just skipped to the next book in the series to get on with it.

I feverishly binge-listened to the books in this series in a single week up until I hit this one. The total change in context and pacing had me frustrated and I stopped listening for a few weeks before picking it back up.

The first part is a multi-hours long prequel that (at least up until this point in the story) has nothing to do with the main plot. I found myself zoning out because I just didn’t care about any of the prequel characters besides Holo.

The second part was a little better since it’s made up of extended and “deleted “ scenes from previous books that added some perspective and context. For example, one part dives deeper into the dynamics between Lawrence, Holo, and the Shepherdess.

Considering its placement in the series, I felt like this one totally messed up the pacing and the tension built up in the previous books. I was super invested in the main story and this deflated my excitement for what happens next.

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The anime is better

Reviewed: 01-21-25

If you’re new to this series, I recommend just watching the anime.

I’m a fan of the anime and wanted to read the book version to learn more about the characters and how the story continues from where the anime left off. There are parts of the story that are kind of immature and annoying (like glossing over Naofumi’s justifications for slavery). I was expecting these going in. What surprised me was Naofumi’s character. The anime benefits from cutting much of Naofumi’s inner thoughts out. Anime-Naofumi comes off as righteously angry but mature and loyal to people who treat him well. He’s also smart and quickly learns how the marketplace works to make profit. Book-Naofumi’s inner thoughts are constantly belittling and measuring every encounter and choice that he makes to benefit him - even if innocent people get hurt. He comes off as petty, immature, and selfish. He’s like a whiny kid who is angry at the entire world.

[spoiler] For example, when the first wave comes, it’s at a village that he is familiar with - in his inner thoughts, he says something along the lines of “I guess I’ll protect them because they were decent to me. I might lose sleep if they die.” Whereas anime Naofumi notices that the people have been left defenseless and chooses to protect them. He’s much more admirable in the anime.

The voice acting wasn’t great. The voice actor tried really hard to do different voices for different characters. Some landed but I absolutely hated his voice for young Raphtalia. He also delivers many of Naofumi’s emotional lines in a 13yo edgelord cringe way. This also contributed to book-Naofumi coming off as immature vs anime-Naofumi who came off as righteously angry.

It all comes down to: book-Naofumi is not a hero. He just does heroic things because they directly benefit him. This is book one, and I know that Naofumi is going to have a character arc over the course of the series. I’m going to continue reading the series (and hope that it gets better).

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Essential reading for parents and anyone with children in their lives

Reviewed: 12-16-22

The author concisely and compassionately lays out the experiences of girls who identify as trans, why, the pros/cons of medical transition, and how to protect girls against social contagion without discriminating against or disrespecting trans adults.

A must-read for anyone with children or people who work with children (teachers, doctors, therapists, etc.) whose duty it is to safeguard them, even against what they [children] think they want.

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A Must Read!

Reviewed: 03-15-21

I learned so much about the ANTIFA movement from this book. The author clearly presents the facts and history of the movement and its impact on society with nuggets of his own harrowing experience. Even if you are skeptical, I urge you to read this book!

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Another Great Book from Ruth Ware!

Reviewed: 03-11-21

I love Ruth Ware mysteries and this one does not disappoint! The chilling cabin fever atmosphere is expertly conveyed by both the writing and the audio performance. While I typically listen to audiobooks a few hours at a time, I listened to this full book in 2 days because I could not stop listening. I definitely recommend!

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Could not Finish in First Attempt, Will Try Again

Reviewed: 04-14-20

The premise is excellent and I enjoy the author, but for whatever reason I could not finish this book. I kept losing track of characters and plot lines, despite the fact that I’ve re-listened to the first 20 chapters about 4x. I usually read while commuting, cooking, cleaning, and running. I will try to listen again when I have more time to just sit and listen, but this is not a good read for multitasking.

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I didn’t realize the nuances (and horrible misuses of power) happening in Post-Trump American Politics

Reviewed: 01-03-20

This book is excellent. I started listening and was literally engaged for the entire book (completed in 2 sittings). The author takes a rational and almost entirely impartial look at the controversies surrounding the Trump Administration ever since his election and compares and contrasts misuses of power and corruption by the 3 branches of government and their associated departments and agencies. I consider myself politically aware but this book clearly lays out what’s happened, why it’s detrimental to the safeguarding of US rights and liberties, and concludes with a call to action to hold all of our elected officials accountable to the standards of the Constitution. An excellent read for anyone wondering what the heck is happening in US politics, post-Trump 2016 election. I highly and strongly recommend!!

Note: pairs well with Wasserman’s “Basics of American Politics” for those completely new to US political structure.

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Well-written and Honest Critique of Immigration

Reviewed: 05-10-19

A well-written and honest look at the devastating consequences of Europe's current immigration policies that value multiculturalism and the *appearance* of absolute tolerance over the safeguarding of Western civilization. A must-read for anyone wondering 1) why Brexit? 2) what's happening to Europe? and 3) why is Western civilization worth protecting from multiculturalism?

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1 person found this helpful

Good story, too SJW at times

Reviewed: 09-08-18

The crime that happened to Sasha was horrific. “They” were set on fire while taking a nap on a public bus. Instead of focusing on the crime, the investigation, and the outcomes, this story tends to veer off into lectures about non-binary sexuality and gender identity. Instead of adding empathy for the victim of an already horrific crime, these lectures end up alienating readers who are less interested in identity politics as they are in true crime.

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1 person found this helpful

Heartbreaking and Hopeful

Reviewed: 07-31-18

This story is almost impossible to set down until it’s finished. The characters feel authentic, and the mystery of the crime and the characters visits are compelling. I definitely recommend with a box of tissues.

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