atrollreads

This book is one that's found in the bathroom at my job. Thus, I'm probably not the only one who reads a few pages on and off while visiting the loo.

This is a very kind little book, filled with inspiring quotes by various people, authors, musicians, and other profiles. It's got a fairly neat little set-up, with various fonts and little illustrations. It's meant to be an uplifting book, which wants to inspire people to believe in themselves, I believe. It's technically a nice little read, though not as deep, to me, as it might want to be. I'm not the kind of person who particularly enjoy these type of catchy, motivating books, it's too much all at once, even in small doses. It feels a little pretentious. All in moderation, particularly self-appreciation. I think that the Swedish spirit of “don't think you're anything special” gives me less appreciation for this book than perhaps people of other cultures and mindsets would. Others would likely find this book less jarring than I do.

Still, the concept is nice and I'm sure it's useful to a lot of people, but personally, it's not really a self-affirmating kind of book and instead something with a glimpse into other people, perhaps, or something to pass the time. I don't dislike it, it's a nice book, like I said, technically, but it's not for me.

Some downsides that has nothing to do with my personal mindset is that there's a lot of repetitveness, with similar quotes and phrases in this book, and that sometimes, the choice of font isn't ideal. It happens that some words look like other words, at times.

Overall, I think that this isn't a book you're meant to read a lot of at one time, but rather look at a page or two when you need to read something short and sweet. For me, this isn't the type of book that I'd seek out or have around, but I'm sure it's a good thing to have to other people who like the short, catchy lines as a confidence boost.

Jag förväntade mig en bok om gammal skrock, sagor och sägner om troll och väsen, och om folk som blivit stulna av trollen in i bergen. Det var det. I cirka tjugo sidor. Sen kom ungefär tvåhundra sidor antisemetism och det är inte vad jag räknade med, vad jag ville se, eller vad jag har intresse av.

Marked dnf because I had to return the book to the library. I'll be picking it back up again, because I really liked the first quarter/third of it that I read.

I would have given this a higher rating if it weren't for all the linguistical errors, such as punctuation and spelling. There were a considerably larger amount of them in this volume, and worst were the many errors in different character's names.

Den här boken är en intressant liten inblick i din katts sinne, där läsaren får svara på frågor som får en att tänka på hur ens katt är som personlighet. Den är rätt så kul, men alla frågor har inte tillräckligt varierande svar. På flera frågor hittade jag på ett alternativ E, för det fanns inte något som alls passade. Jag hittade även en personlighetskategori som enbart dyker upp på ett ställe.  Det dyker även inte upp i resultatssidans personlighetslista. Det är möjligt att det blivit ett fel i översättningen, men inte nödvändigtvis.

I'm very biased toward Karakara Kemuri's art-style, ever since I read SUSANOH. Mars Red is so beautifully drawn, and absolutely gorgeous. I was also a fan of the character Takeuchi, even before I read Mars Red, as my sister would ramble a lot about him. Some of the expressions he made in this volume was both wonderful and heartwarming.

I do reccommend reading at least the last chapter in volume 2 before reading the first in volume 3, because initially, I was very confused with the opening scene. A lot happens, right from the get-go, and it's sometimes a bit tricky to follow. There was also a scene that felt like it was more or less the exact same as from volume 1, which did remove a star for me.

Overall though, Mars Red is quite a good comic.

The frog scene was what made me pick up the manga, and reading it in its original (albeit translated) glory is wonderful. I laughed so hard.

I also ended up staying up way past midnight reading the whole thing in (nearly) one go (save for a brief supper break) but that's a different matter.

First off, I gotta say that Faye has a bad taste in men.I already didn't like her boyfriend before he even popped up, but the more he was talking and acting like a dickwad, the more I disliked him. We can all agree on a lot of points that he's a real piece of work, I'm sure. His friend group was also very invasive and icky, and dude did not stand up for his girlfriend at all.As for Rocky, he was just mildly annoying at first, but I just started getting more and more unnerved by him the more he was in the story. My dislike for him came with the typical “main love insterest gets jealous because the MC is going on a date with another guy even though they're not even dating yet and he's sulking like a petulant child” trope. It's such an annoying trope. The lady ain't yours, dude, you're not dating, you haven't made it clear to her that you're interested in her that way, and she has the right to go out with any guy she'd like without it having anything to do with tou. I get it's a common romance trope but it's a tired one.Another tired trope is the whole “marriage it a noose, shackle, etc”; it's so charming. I'm not going to marry myself (being aromantic) but you don't need to put down something that's really important to a lot of people.Then there's the thing where Rocky and Faye just ... continued their date as if nothing happened after running into Rocky's cheating cousin-in-law. Twice. It makes me feel so dirty.

Also, retire the miscommunication and the lack of a desire to talk it out. It's such a big point in romance, but it's so frustrating.

The pushy feeling of “marriage is absolute endgame” with all the engagements and marriage plans coming in quick successions is not anything I like. Marriage can be nice, sure, I guess, but it's not the end-all-be-all to life.

I did like Faye and Lottie's relationship, though.

Faye isn't a super great person either, I feel. She's a bit invasive as well, and obtuse. Like, uh, yeah why do you think someone's upset when you keep poking at their sore spots? Also who says that they have to be maid of honour without being given the role, when asked to be a bridesmaid?As for the audio, there were issues. Sometimes, there are repeats of a sentence, perhaps a miss when editing the audio, but sometimes the words repeated is a rephrasing, as if the manuscript had misses in them, as well. Not great, that. I thought my player had gone weird at first.Lastly, I want to tell Faye that “No D&D is better than bad D&D.” In this case, D&D means boyfriend.

So many good Shirasu panels in this volume. Particularly during the betrayal reveal scene.

Also that bit with Naoto's past. A tiny insight into my favourite Donten man.

Additionally, that Kagemitsu 4koma! It's so funny! I would love more cross-generation interactions, any day!

And then there's the Botari reunion and the bonus story!!!

A lot of good stuff in this volume.

Det finns mycket i väggarna. Råttor, möss, vargar, maror och annat oknytt. Verkar som att det bästa sättet att bli av med dem är att skrämma skiten ur dem.

Marked as did not finish because I had to return it to the library. I'll pick it back up though!

Den här samlingen med berättelser har en väldigt bred räckvidd, trots att de utspelar sig på ett (någorlunda) begränsat område. Det är intressanta inblickar i det förflutna, med en blandning av sanning, skrock, och sagor. Vissa berättelser är mer intressanta för mig specifikt, med tanke på att man kan säga det är lite blandade genrer i kompotten, men de är alla intressanta i sig på sina egna vis. Det finns nog nån berättelse för varje person. Min favorit är kanske “Mellan dröm och verklighet”, men den ligger rätt jämnt med “Om Tallemaja, Bäckahästen och andra hemskheter i Sydnärke”.

Man känner igen den tonåring som är för gammal för att leka och för ung för att ta sig ställen själv. Det med att vara i övergångsåldern när man tycker det är fjantigt att leka, innan man lärt sig att vuxna kan leka de med, det kan nog de flesta känna igen sig i.

När man inte är van vid skog och mark, så ska man vara försiktig när man beger sig ut. Det gäller även om man är van vid skogar men beger sig ut i en skog som man är obekant med. Även om man tror sig veta, så kan man hur lätt som helst komma vilse, även när man har en markör som en bäck. Man kan tro att man tar sig åt rätt håll, men hamna någon helt annan stans.

Vad får en människa att riskera livet för en främling? Mer än vad jag har, det vet jag. Ett igenkännande, på ett helt oförståeligt sätt, för de av oss som inte erfarit något sånt.

I love Naoto so much, he's such a shit

Also I never realised that Ageha was planted in the main story, nice.

I'd have given this 5 stars if not for the same honorific issues as has been going through the entire localisation. It just takes me out of the flow.

But anyway, I loved this volume, it was so good. I really hope the other Warau series gets translations, but please, I want the honorifics done properly, not translated like they've been in Donten.

Karakarakemuri is so good at a wide range of expressions. The art is so lovely, a very nice blend of beautiful and hilarious. It's something I've loved since first getting my hands on one of their books (Susanoh) and they've only gotten better.

The Naoto and Chuutarou stuff gets me right in the heart every time. This is something I hope to one day get to see more of, in particular. And of course, all the Kumou generations being all goofy and ridiculous together,  as well.

Väldigt intressant hur ett samhälle som är välbekant sett så markant annorlunda ut. Det är synd att så många fina gamla byggnader inte finns kvar i utbyte mot fula, men så är det i alla orter. Det är kul att läsa om hur gamla bekanta byggnader är och hur ändamål har ändrats eller fortfarande är nära på detsamma som ändamålet de byggdes för.

This is the 49th of Mårtenson's Homan novels, which I didn't consider when picking it up. I don't think it matters a lot if you're unfamiliar with the characters beforehand, though there are times when I feel like I'm missing something. I learned a little bit about John Bauer in the book, and I'm a bit curious to learn a bit more about him.

As for the second-most-important thing, the conclusion. I have to say, I'm not exactly impressed with the culprit. I don't want to spoil the ending or the culprit but I did not see that one coming, and not in a good way.

The most important thing is Cleo though. Cleo is the best. Cats are the best, and Cleo is a cat.

I'll try reading some more of these Homan books just for her, though they're not exactly a priority to me, particularly if the other 48 books end in similarly unsatisfactory ways.

Den enda erfarenhet jag har från tidigare är filmatiseringen av Kim Nowak, vilken jag inte gillade då, för cirka 15 år sedan. Men jag hade en tendens att ogilla allt skolan satte oss att se och läsa, det var väl i att man var tvungen, inte att man valde.

I vilket fall, det här är den första boken av Nesser som jag läst, och det i en lättläst version. Det gick sålunda rätt fort och en hel del saknas antagligen, om man jämför med originalet (vilket jag inte kan göra för tillfället).

Handlingen gick fort fram den med, med alla saker som hände. Det mesta kändes förutsägbart, som att poeten Olsson inte var älskaren i bilen och att Mauritzs pappa var älskaren i bilen, men att Olsson var homosexuell gissade jag inte, speciellt som jag tänkte att boken var skriven tidigare än början på 00-talet, men jag tyckte det var rätt bra behandlat. Som var tidstypiskt så höll Olsson sin läggning hemlig, men när det kom ut så var det inga illa ord om det. Jag vet dock inte om det är så i originaltexten med.

Mauritz är lite av en impulsiv karaktär, men bara i en något milt irriterande grad. Dock så ogillade jag skarpt när han hotade att ta livet av sig om han inte fick Signhilds adress det är så äckligt av en person att göra. Dock så är porträtterandet av honom väldigt tonårsaktigt, han beter sig mycket som en tonåring i kanten på att vara vuxen men ändå inte blivit vuxen kan göra.

Jag tror att om några månader eller mer så ska jag pröva att läsa och Piccadilly Circus ligger inte i Kumla.

Nishikiii!Naotooo! I love them. She is so precious.He is such a piece of crap. So good.

There were an amount of really bad typos, and the choice of translating the honorifics bother me a lot, which has given this edition a lower score than the book otherwise would have gotten.

Also, the ugly-ass translations of kanji written on clothes strike again, ruining an otherwise flawless panel. First Tenka's haori, and now Naoto's murder message. Both transgressions are crimes, from a fan standpoint.

The first paragraph of introspection snf Miyo's anxiety and low self-esteem is already established. My precious girl. Miyo's birth family is disgusting. Certainly her sister and stepmother for obvious reasonsbut even more so her father, for ignoring everything the women put her through. It's also interesting to see a bit of an introspection of Kaya. It was already clear that she treats Miyo so badly because of her mother's example and encouragement and her father's ignoting it all, but it's a bit more to it than “you're my daughter, and you're better than that woman's daughter to Kaya's terrible personality.This shows that the family dynamic is a bit more complicated than it first seems. Kaya is, while perhaps not well aware of it, but knows to an extent that if she fucks up too much, her mother's ire will, though not as badly, turn to her as well.

The bud of Miyo wanting something, her want to be with Kiyoka more and being scared of losing the tiny sliver of kindness in her life. It's so tragic, but also it's warming to know that she'll have it from him. The way she opens up, bit by bit, as she comes to understand more what she's not had, what she's offered, and that it's unconditional, no matter if she has any skills, Gift, or anything else. Her realising that not everyone will treat her poorly, because then everyone would have to be like her father, her stepmother and sister. That realisation she has is so good for her. The years she's suffered from the abuse from her family isnt' going to get fixed with just a bit of kindness, but she's healing, little by little, and her change from the prologue to the epilogue is sucha proof that she's getting more comfortable with both herself and her situation.

Kouji is a good guy, certainly, but I've always loathed the whole “only I can protect you” thing. The fact that he understands that he needs to ask for help to save Miyo, and doesn't let stupid pride stop him from seeking Kiyoka out, shows growth in him. That he decides to take responsibility for the Saimoris and try to make something better of that family, though they certainly don't deserve it, particularly those adults as Kaya is really still just a child who needs and probably can go through a lot of growth, and that he decides to learn how to properly use his Gift rather than being content with just having it, is also a sign that he's growing as a person.

Kiyoka is, in the beginning, a seemingly unfeeling guy. He's had his fair share of hurt though, it seems; he's guarded and wary. From the way he thinks about his previous trial-run fianceés, Kaya wouldn't have been a good match for Kiyoka wben before he liked Miyo. But the surprising way that Miyo acts has him open up as well, has him warm to her. He is a kind man, though icy when he needs to be - and when he's genuinely angry for the sake of what and who he cares about; as Kouji gets to see, it's the quiet rage that is the scariest kind of rage. He's stern and private, but his gentle side is so warm and fluffy. I also really appreciate that he's telling Miyo that it's alright to cry. So often, a crying character is told - particularly be a male character - that they shouldn't cry. That kind of advise is often well-meaning, in this comparison, but it's not ideal. Crying is a very good outlet, and having a male lead say that it's alright to cry is a very good thing. I'm glad that Kiyoka knows that one doesn't just repair trauma with just a few words. Love heals all is a nice sentiment and all, but it's really not that simple and realistic, and it's nice to see that acknowledged in a romance story.As a note on Kiyoka and his emotions, I love that toward the end of the book, Miyo has started to recognise Kiyoka's feelings for what they are than before. Where she'd have taken his sheepish frown from anger in the beginning, now she can tell that he's just embarrassed. She didn't acknowledge that she can tell, now, but that's almost nicer than if she did.

Death might be painful, but there'd be no more suffering afterward. She'd be free.

she's been through so much, she had nothing to live for any more. This is what she thinks at first, but then, when faced with that very possible scenario at the hands of her stepmother, she has the desire to live. To struggle for happiness. She thinks that she can't can't stand up for herself, but the fact that she chooses not to apologise any more, that is a very small way of doing so. Small, but significant. It's a change she has gone through, as she finally stands up to her abusers. And Miyo meeting the gaze of her sister and stepmother, refusing to do as they want made me cry with pride.

It could also erase part of her growth, though I'm only coming from the standpoint of having watched the anime, so I don't yet know if she changes or drops any honorifics as she grows and blossoms.

Kiyoka's reaction to Miyo's first smile. Aaaaaa!!.

I really liked the anime, and I really wanted to like this manga adaptation. However, there's just something that makes me... not. There's something in the art, while still lovely, that's just not quite right. There's something in the story, while familiar and one I do like, that's just falling flat.

I marked with book as both read and dnf because I mostly skimmed it toward the end.

This manga has a very lovely art style, it's incredibly pretty. Somehow it reminds me of the korean comics I read when I was a teenager, even though it looks nothing alike. It's that it's long and slender, both in MAB, and in those korean comics. However, it feels like it really lacks in substance. There's not really a plot, at least in volume one, and the word “cute” feels incredibly over-used. Still, I do like the boyfriend's friend with face blindness. He feels a bit relatable to me, though I'm only semi-face blind.

Conclusion:
I won't be reading the rest of the manga, but I might flip through to find scenes with that friend at some point. I'm glad I read it by borrowing my sister's copy of the book.

This is a fairly nice supplement to Critical Role, (mostly) showing off how the members of Vox Machina met. The scene transitions and paneling were a bit choppy in places though, and there were times the flow of the speech bubbles were a bit difficult to follow. The story would have been better a bit more fleshed out and felt a bit fuller if the script had been a bit longer, I think. There's also the way random-seeming words bolded make some of the text stilted, which is so common in USAmerican comics, but that's more of a personal pet peeve of mine.

It is incredibly dry and boring. It might be my state of mind though so I may give it another shot later.

In chapter four, there is stage whispering. I can't handle whispers, due to auditory sensory issues. I have to pause every few seconds, and leave it be for several days, and then I forget what happens. It's really bad, whispers.