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A review by sugarstormer
S: Es by Kōji Suzuki
4.0
Things I liked: striking imagery, the return to more intimate stakes with a more intimate setting, thus far the most likable protagonists in the series, and twists and turns that caught me by surprise.
Things that didn't quite work for me: odd and somewhat lopsided pacing, a bit of a disregard for some established lore from Birthday in particular, a few half-baked plot conveniences, disorienting location descriptions (perhaps attributable to the translation), and an exposition dump towards the end that feels rushed.
Despite some gripes I've had with this series, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. The premises are always unique, the subtext is compelling, and the mythos is fluid and dense.
4 stars may be a little generous, but in the context of the series as a whole, I liked many of the decisions that were made for the direction and scale of this book.
Things that didn't quite work for me: odd and somewhat lopsided pacing, a bit of a disregard for some established lore from Birthday in particular, a few half-baked plot conveniences, disorienting location descriptions (perhaps attributable to the translation), and an exposition dump towards the end that feels rushed.
Despite some gripes I've had with this series, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. The premises are always unique, the subtext is compelling, and the mythos is fluid and dense.
4 stars may be a little generous, but in the context of the series as a whole, I liked many of the decisions that were made for the direction and scale of this book.