I didn’t like the book, but I think the narration made it worse. He sounds like he is reading to children. There are at least three measurements of time that have so little context, I couldn’t tell you what they mean. Every action sequence is interrupted with an unnecessary and overly long explanation of what a normal jijakalu could do, vs what the character could do. There are a few poignant moments, but I was shocked at how little I cared when characters died.
Misaki is the worst part of the book, she starts off amazing and then becomes this cowed, pathetic, self loathing thing, that blames herself for everything. It’s beyond frustrating. Setsuko is pretty much the only bright spot.