Reviews

Final Fantasy VII Remake: Traces of Two Pasts by Kazushige Nojima

noorandbooks's review

5.0

Tifa and Aerith are basically the epitome of "no one will know the violence it took to become this gentle."

This novel is translated rather blandly, I'm big enough to admit that, but for the wealth of information it provides, I'm willing to overlook it.

Tifa's childhood? The sexism she faced? Her dreams of getting out? Her canonical feelings regarding Cloud? Her getting into martial arts? Her coming to Midgar? Her meeting AVALANCHE and Barret? Her struggles? Just. OH MY GOD. Tifa has always held a dear part in my heart, but this book just tore it in half. She deserves a break...

"Who is your greatest foe?"

"...Myself."

"And do you now appreciate what a formidable enemy she is?"

Aerith's part didn't intrigue me until the second half, mainly because the story had been told many times before. But I was so intrigued by depictions of her guilt, and it helped feed into me an even deeper love for Crisis Core Aerith, the messed up creature that she is. Aerith has so much love in her heart, so much sympathy, and it's constantly hurting her... Yet she loves, anyway.

She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to think. She wished she could just disappear.

The third story actually provided me with the Aerith background that I craved, her struggles while living in captivity with Shinra. It's also good background for what goes on in Ever Crisis, and... Aerith... My sweet summer child...

But the fact that Hojo would look a seven-year-old girl in the eye and tell her people's lives were riding on her actions made me sick to my stomach.

Queer reading time. Tifa was rightfully uncomfortable with how boys were treating her when she started growing up and going through puberty, but I think another layer of it was that she doesn't really like boys. The only boy she ever expresses feelings for is Cloud, and those feelings aren't physical (they are SO yearny and make me so fucking sick). When she finally gets out, meets Jessie, and her entire life is changed.

By the end, tears were streaming down Tifa's cheeks.

Jessie's words were gentle. "Wow... You've been through so much..." She smiles and patted Tifa on the back, adding, "I think we can definitively say that Tifa Lockhart is the hardest-working person anywhere in the slums."

"Where one fails, many prevail," counseled Jessie. "Together, we can take on the world."

And then Aerith comes into the picture? It's also the way that Red is the one listening to Tifa's story while Tifa is the one listening to Aerith's story... Tifa is in love with Aerith, it has to be said.

Queer reading aside, I know this book isn't about Cloud or even close to being about Cloud, but I'm a Cloud fan so of course I was highlighting parts just for him. I love how he was written, and his subtle relationship with Aerith and his more prominent one with Tifa: for Aerith, they're just finding joy in one another, for Tifa, he was a source of strength and hope. He's also kind of a loser. 10/10.

For a brief moment, time stood still on the water tower. She hadn't come intended to say something like that. It just popped into mind. But once the promise was sealed, it seemed to her a thing of singular importance. She'd discovered that Cloud - the quiet neighbor who had always seemed as unreachable as the stars - was just a normal boy like any other. She'd come to understand that she did like him. And it was that special kind of "like" - the one that ties up your heart, making you yearn to be with that person for the rest of your days.

randleton's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

poirottwo's review

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

zandeaux's review

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

laura6891's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

tophokles's review

adventurous dark lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

gybelle's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

thecurseofchris's review

2.0

I LOVE Final Fantasy VII. It's one of my all-time favorite games/worlds. I thought Remake was amazing, and with Rebirth about to come out, I wanted to prepare with this novel.

Unfortunately, it's...pretty bad. Nothing in it, bar some of the Aerith stuff, is remotely interesting. I didn't really feel like I was in the FFVII world while reading this. And it didn't help that the translation felt very amateur and almost like fan fiction.

If you are dying for more Tifa or Aerith content then maybe you'll like this, but I think it's a skip for almost all FFVII fans.

abidawn145's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

teetonytone's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

For fans of Final Fantasy VII, regardless if you're a new fan through Remake/Rebirth or an original purist. Just nice to shed a bit of light on the pasta of two beloved characters, as well as an interesting little side piece in the end. By no means is it wholly necessary for the overall plot of the FFVII universe, but it's a fun dalliancewith some backstory.