Volume 2
Ratings1
Average rating4
This book is a prime example of the dreaded “as long as the romance gets a happy ending, all is well even if the story is rushed or unfinished” case of storytelling.
Volume 2 is actually a much more engaging read compared to volume 1. Rosemarie and Claudio's trip to the Holy Land expands on the world-building that was quite lacking in the previous book, and it also reveals what actually happened to them in the Forbidden Forest. The mystery that awaits them in the Holy Land ties back to the main story nicely, as well as giving more depth to the lore of the sacred beasts and establishing the relevancy of Rosemarie's addiction to Kaola. Following the aftermath of volume 1, Claudio is also much more honest about his feelings in this book, which allows his relationship with Rosemarie to progress nicely while still maintaining a reasonable pace.
The issue of strange word choices still persists in this book, but is noticeably lower in amount so it didn't bother me as much. Maybe it's the mystery, maybe it's the writing, but the book is a lot easier to digest compared to the previous volume. It was an overall smoother read that flows much better.
Now, the problem this time lies with the fact that the story is clearly unfinished. By the end of the book, Rosemarie and Claudio have confessed their love for each other... so in that aspect, I guess it is a happy ending. However, the main issue of Rosemarie's inability to return Claudio's missing mana remains unsolved. They do figure out the reason why, but seeing that there's no continuation to this series, in the end nothing has been done to resolve it. It all wraps up with the main couple being in love and the very convenient “oh it is an issue but you can live with it” forced conclusion. It's such a shame because if only the author is granted the opportunity to continue, it could've developed into something good. Rosemarie even gets a new sacred beast for a pet in this book, only for it to end just like that.
As long as you don't mind the way it ends, it is still a quite entertaining fantasy read. Nagi Kasumi's art is really pretty too.