First Review: Book Girl by Mizuki Nomura

I have a confession to make, everyone. I am not only a book nerd. No. Its much worse than that...

I am also an anime nerd, too! Arg, okay, I said it. Now you may laugh at me. Unless you like it, too, then you get a cookie. Otherwise, don't leave! I promise I won't rant about anime. That much. Except for today.

If you're familiar with anime and manga, maybe you've heard of a Light Novel. For those who haven't, a Light Novel (not to be confused with a Visual Novel) is sort of like a manga in book form. Its basically the equivalent of a Japanese YA novel, with few little illustrations stuck in for good measure. I personally love these things, because it mixes manga with books and makes me happy inside.

So, the other day I finished a galley we got from Yen Press, called "Book Girl and the Suicidal Mime" by Mizuki Nomura

Before you anti-anime people start thinking "augh, well, this must have no literary merit at all." I'd like you to please sort of ignore the synopsis the website has for it. It sounds fluffy and cute at first, and as you start reading it, it is. Its cute and funny, doesn't seem like much. But quickly it gets dark. Awesomely, deliciously dark.

So it starts out being a story about this guy named Konoha. Konoha is a published writer with a bestseller, which he got published through a contest. The only problem? He sent it in with a female pen name. Everyone starts calling his pen name the "Cute sweet Book Girl who won a contest at the tender age of 14", when no one knows its just this random highschool kid. Going in public he's blasted by his own novel everywhere, and the sudden fame (for his work) has left him feeling embarrassed and withdrawn.

So, Konoha meets this girl named Tohko who immediately drags him to be the only other member of the book club at his school. The catch? She recruits him to write her tasty snacks. Tohko is a real "Book Girl", a goblin or demon that eats books and stories instead of food. Like, omnomnom, tasty book! Romance stories taste sweet, complex ones savory, and she's always hungry for something. Handwritten stories are her favorite, and most of the book clubs activities surround feeding her in some way.

So one day during book club, this girl named Chia comes in, begging the book club to help her confess her love to her crush, Shuji. Konoha gets forced to write Shuji love letters from Chia every day at the hounding of Tohko, because she wants Chia to write a "report" about it later. After a while, Konoha gets aggravated that he's ghost writing these letters for a girl to a guy he's never met, so he goes to the Archery club where Shuji is supposed to be.

Only problem is, Shuji isn't in the archery club like Chia had said. Actually, Shuji isn't in the school roster either. Shuji doesn't exist. But Chia insists that he does, and says that "something is bothering him". She then hands him a disturbing and depressing letter that Shuji supposedly wrote, that is tied heavily too a book written by an infamous author named Osamu Dazai, called "No Longer Human".

As the mystery unfolds, you find suicide, love, jealousy, betrayal, and redemption that stems from the present of the story, and Konoha's own past. Suspenseful and dark, it always keeps you guessing and doesn't really give the answers away until you really want them.

Okay, that was a long-ass synopsis. You still with me? After reading this, I can say even if you're not a manga fan...go pick it up. Seriously, from the library or something at least. Its in my top ten list of books this year (of YA) and that's saying something, because I'm pretty picky. I

Its got comedy, suspense, a good mystery, simple but very effective and at times poetic writing, and makes you think. The writing style is different from english writing in general, and it might not be your thing at first, but give it a shot. It was such a refreshing breath of air from all the rest of the YA fare, for me at least. And if you already like manga, I'd say go buy it!

The only slightly sad thing about this book is that it'll probably be stocked in the manga section of bookstores and libraries, and not the regular YA section like it belongs. Light Novels really are and can be great works, and deserve recognition as translated YA novels more than just another manga-like-thing.

Either way, go check out Book Girl! Tell me if you liked it in the comments.

Happy Reading!
-Hannah