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3.9 AVERAGE

secrereads's profile picture

secrereads's review

5.0

before I begin my review it should be mentioned that this book contains content related to abuse and suicide however this should not deter you from reading this gem.

Similar to The Tunnel to Summer the Exit to Goodbyes, the story focuses on a science fiction type aspect involving quantum leaps or rollback as it's referred to in the book. However there is much more to the story then just time travel, Mei Hachimoku did a fantastic job have a stablished in connections between the main two characters and building a story based on the events between the rollbacks. As most of you may know based on the general description of the book one of the main characters Kanae is trying to save Akari's brother from dying.

During the rollbacks and the included interludes the author does a great job of connecting both main characters can helping understand how everything has come to be. it is not my intention to ruin the story for anybody so I'll try to keep any spoilers out of this review. What I will say is that after reading everything the book comes together nicely and it has a hidden message which I hope each of you will find. in my opinion this book is far better then the author's original work. Her next book is called Amber Autumn, Zero Second Journey (Released In Japan Only Right Now).

At the end of the review I would just like to say if you're looking for a book that has Romance Hidden meanings and excellent character building you've come to the right place. I was thoroughly impressed with the author's work and I'm ready to translate her next book. on a side note for those were curious the author's work is part of a four-part series called "Time and Four Seasons Series".

Amber Autumn, Zero Second Journey Description:

When time in the world stops, Kayato Mugino, whose journey begins, visits Hakodate in Hokkaido on a high school school trip. For a shy and friendless boy, traveling with his classmates is a pain.
Even so, he continued to act in a group according to his surroundings, at that time.

The world has stopped.

Passers-by, cars, birds, and everything else came to a standstill, as if God had pressed the stop button.
In the city where the hustle and bustle has disappeared and only silence reigns, the only
person who can move is Kayato Mugino.
A local delinquent girl, Akira Ikuma.

"I'll kill you if you say you licked me."

She has a harsh tone and personality, and is the complete opposite of Mugino.
However, in this situation, there is no one who can move except themselves. Eventually, the two act together.

“The world of amber”—Mugino remembers what his uncle, who died a few days ago, muttered.
My uncle's words may have something to do with the fact that the world's time has stopped.
With that in mind, the two head for Tokyo, where their uncle's house is located, in search of clues that move time.

In a world where time has stopped, a journey for just the two of us has begun.

1uselessreptile's review

3.5
emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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harsh38raj's review

0.25
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

don't read this shite!
papaya_love's profile picture

papaya_love's review

3.0
adventurous emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
shinku's profile picture

shinku's review

4.5
emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

A surprisingly refreshing take on time travel.

After a fight with his father, Funami Kanae runs away from home to spend spring break in his hometown which he hasn't visited in two years. On the evening of his very first day, he discovers a shrine at an abandoned park and his consciousness is thrown four days into the future, where he discovers that his childhood hero and the older brother of his best friend, Hoshina Akari, is now dead. Following Akari's wish for him to save her brother, Kanae then leaps through time in reverse order. He would spend one day before getting thrown back two days into the past, learning more about what's been happening to the Hoshina siblings since he's been away.

If you like childhood friends who have had crushes for each other for a long time, never fading with time or distance, then you will like this book. Kanae and Akari didn't talk for two years, and yet their bond remains strong… even if things got a little complicated between them as they grew up. Similarly to The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes, the author did an amazing job capturing the bittersweet essence of adolescence. The romance also has a natural progression. Since each chapter opens with Akari's thoughts before moving on to Kanae's perspective, it feels like watching puzzle pieces falling into place to form the complete picture.

The issue in this book is quite heavy, especially because it explores the theme of abuse and what it does to the victim's mental state. If you could relate to Akari, even just a little bit, then it might hit hard when her emotions come out to the surface. Due to the heavy focus on reverse time travel, the ending and epilogue do feel a little rushed in comparison, but I still enjoyed it a lot. It's a real page turner that gives off the feeling of welcoming spring after a long, dreary winter.

Again, taking off half a star because the translation is too Americanized for my tastes. Sure, it flows smoothly. Maybe a little too smooth. The story is set in Japan, and no one in Japan talks like this so it comes off as very unnatural instead.

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