My first book review!
Actually….I’m not really sure I’d consider this a book review. It’s short and not very specific, but something I felt like saying about the book.
I’ll try not to be too specific ’cause I for one hate spoilers. I’ll try not to make it too long because I got Super Danganronpa 2.
This book was really popular while I was studying in Kyoto, so I decided to pick it up and see what all the fuss was about.
The basics
Basically this novel is about 宝生麗子（ほう・しょう・れい・こ）an heiress to a big incorporation who works as a police detective. She always has trouble solving cases, so she ends up swallowing her pride and asking for help from her butler, 影山（かげ・やま）. Another major character in the novel is her boss, 風祭（かざ・まつり）, a conceited heir to an automobile company.
The book is split into six cases, with each case having five-ish chapters.
The good
They are all whodunit-style murder cases, but each one is different enough to keep it fresh, up to a point.
This is a very easy read because of the format of the book. The pacing and comedic timing are well done, and the cases are always interesting.
The bad?
After the first three cases, I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over. This is because the author starts off each new case as if it’s the beginning of the book. Using the same repeated descriptions for the same three characters at the start of each case was a bit off-putting.
Also, I said earlier that I found it funny but at the same time it felt like there was something fundamental missing in the book. I still can’t put my finger on it, but it’s lacking in substance in some way I can’t describe. Perhaps it’s because my two favorite genres are mystery and comedy that I felt a little underwhelmed. It’s as if the author was trying to stay away from being too comedic or too serious and just ended up in some grey area that’s not complete mystery or complete comedy. I guess that’s what happens when you combine genres (and the person reading is a hardcore fan of both).
Also, I would’ve liked some sort of character development. They hint at it at some points of the story, but then the characters go back to their normal selves immediately afterwards.
Overall
Love the characters’ personalities, especially when they clash. I wish there was more development, though.
Each case is interesting. Wanted less fluff between them.
Pacing is good. Breaking it up into several cases was a very smart move. However, repeated phrases are not my thing.
I actually bought the sequel while I was in Japan and do plan on reading it. I will, however, take a break with some other books before doing so.
