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ellelainey's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
This was the most adorable, lovely story ever!
Akihito Narumi is a wildlife photographer, who set up a tent at the side of the road in a little countryside town, to take photos. He didn't even notice the snow until a man appears - Haruki Homura, a local farm owner, to tell him that his car is completely snowed in. Haruki is nice enough to help Narumi dig his car out, and then offer a place to stay when he realises this city boy is living in a tent, in the snow.
Through some gorgeous artwork, we get a super sweet forced proximity, snowed-in, one-bed scenario. It's a slow burn, but sweeter for it, with a childhood illness, grumpy-sunshine trope, and strangers-to-friends-to-lovers.
The slow growth, the character progression, the exploration of grief and loneliness, finding joy in the small things. Haruki's parents died when he was young but grandma lives next door, and I utterly loved how easily Narumi won over grandma and even the cat! While Haruki is understandably serious, Narumi helps him find the joy in life again. Narumi teaches Haruki how to use a camera and it's so stinking cute! When they're developed the last photo reveal is lovely!
I love Grandma and Haruki's friends. They showed that Haruki was so deeply loved, but that he was still so overcome with grief for losing his parents, and the stresses of living alone and running the farm alone, in a place where the rest of his neighbours were elderly and he felt they were his responsibility. He'd forgotten that he wasn't an old man too, and that was so well written.
I actually got a bit teary over the last few pages. I took so many screenshots of lovely moments, and that makes this a contender for the best book of the year already.
Akihito Narumi is a wildlife photographer, who set up a tent at the side of the road in a little countryside town, to take photos. He didn't even notice the snow until a man appears - Haruki Homura, a local farm owner, to tell him that his car is completely snowed in. Haruki is nice enough to help Narumi dig his car out, and then offer a place to stay when he realises this city boy is living in a tent, in the snow.
Through some gorgeous artwork, we get a super sweet forced proximity, snowed-in, one-bed scenario. It's a slow burn, but sweeter for it, with a childhood illness, grumpy-sunshine trope, and strangers-to-friends-to-lovers.
The slow growth, the character progression, the exploration of grief and loneliness, finding joy in the small things. Haruki's parents died when he was young but grandma lives next door, and I utterly loved how easily Narumi won over grandma and even the cat! While Haruki is understandably serious, Narumi helps him find the joy in life again. Narumi teaches Haruki how to use a camera and it's so stinking cute! When they're developed the last photo reveal is lovely!
I love Grandma and Haruki's friends. They showed that Haruki was so deeply loved, but that he was still so overcome with grief for losing his parents, and the stresses of living alone and running the farm alone, in a place where the rest of his neighbours were elderly and he felt they were his responsibility. He'd forgotten that he wasn't an old man too, and that was so well written.
I actually got a bit teary over the last few pages. I took so many screenshots of lovely moments, and that makes this a contender for the best book of the year already.
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness and Death of parent
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