On Bakemonogatari, Part 1 (2006)
( Reposted from Goodreads. Originally posted on Feb. 29, 2024. This is a spoiler-free review. ) This book might be the definition of "middle of the road." Bakemonogatari ("monstory," as it were) Pt. 1 is an anthology containing the two short stories "Hitagi Crab" (about a weightless, acerbic girl) and "Mayoi Snail" (about a little girl trying to visit her divorced mother). The series this novel is a part of is lauded by many anime, manga, and light novel fans the world over for its literary aspirations, experimental style, and emotional resonance, as well as its mysterious and mythologically-rich setting. However, my impression of Bakemonogatari Pt. 1 is that it fumbles many of its attempts at literary quality and resonance, oftentimes due to the ways in which it attempts to be experimental. Eschewing traditional formats, Nishio Ishin writes the anthology more in the style of an audiovisual or theatrical script, comprised primarily of long exchan