areen's reviews
395 reviews

obnoxious boomer realizes the basic concepts of life before dying. I'd like to believe this was written by a kid for their homework or maybe he fell out of a coconut tree to realize and explain things that are common knowledge. 

they could've explored so much with the concept of erasing something from the world and how it could affect others. like what if we erased war? and is it possible? I'd personally ask for mosquitoes and explore if they actually contribute anything worth existing lol. 

but instead we got disappearing phones bc he believes times were better when people memorized telephone numbers, thinking only human beings experience loneliness etc. without digging any deeper than this. 

unless you're a kid or a person with no understanding of themselves and the world, I don't think this book has much value. most people already understand the concept of appreciating life and wanting to live to the fullest in face of death, without experiencing it. the writing is also very juvenile. it felt like a first draft.

maybe it's bc I read a lot of japanese translated fiction, I expected it to actually be profound. also apparently the author is an anime director. no wonder the mc felt like one of those annoying isekai male protags lol. 

turns out I'm horrifyingly bad at picking up a physical book. but rereading this vol has been thoroughly entertaining as always, even if picked it back up after months. 

definitely saw a lot of parallels that I didn't pick up on my first read. once again I realized how mxs often leaves a lot unsaid, whether it's character motives, their thoughts or if they were really being honest etc., leaving them to be interpreted and analysed. 

this is what makes the world feel so dynamic (well it is partly based on real history) and the story so rereadable, apart from yanshen being highly entertaining.

I've always been a big fan of rivals to lovers and this is peak rivalry!! there's something about two people that can stand as equals to the point that they understand each other's thought process more than ones that have been with them far longer, as if they share one brain 😩 the back and forth, getting back at each other, the banter, I can't get enough of it!!! I absolutely love the multifaceted and complex mcs mxs creates! they are endless fun to dissect so I'm extremely excited to learn more about them!

glad to be back to my fave cozy slice of life series... only to be hit by a train 😭 It's so rare for me to be this affected by sad moments. this one really got me oof. this was more melancholic and sad than the first book, but I think it's a lot better in the sol aspects. it's sad but also a warm hug in a book.

this was a fascinating look at religious trauma, self-hatred, homophobia and a journey towards self-acceptance. some parts were a bit boring imo.

the last 30 something pages was me just cursing and low-key panicking lolol that was a cruel way to end a book. good thing I don't have to wait for the next one 👍

I also have a feeling I'm gonna love this one more as time goes on. 

if this had an ending then I could've understood if this was meant to be as misogynistic as it came across (also knowing his track record) but this really was giving "if only this woman could shut up and do as I say so I'm gonna be persistent in putting her in her place as women should behave"?