The story begins on Kamiki Island off the coast of Hiroshima Prefecture. Yaeka Kamiki, the only high school student on the island, is a shrine maiden of Kamiki Shirahige Shrine. She serves the god Itsukigami, a deity who drifted to the shores of Kamiki Island from across the sea long ago. However, when freelance monk Ryouji Karino takes a fishing trip to the island on the day of the equinox, a colossal wave suddenly takes him captive and washes him away. As a government-appointed onmyoji, Misato Miyazawa steps up to find his missing friend—and senses the most peculiar, overwhelming presence coming from the sea itself…
This volume also includes “Shirota’s Great Escape,” an arc centering on everyone’s favorite snake spirit!
This volume was pretty heavy on parallelisms and the juxtaposition of relationships, with quite an emphasis being put on "finding your person" whether in a romantic, platonic, or familial sense. From Keiko and Kouichi to Yaeka and Chii, these relationships are presented in contrast - and it's not necessarily a negative comparison - to Misato and Ryouji's own relationship with each other. The theme of "finding your person" was present in both stories in the volume, and it was heartwarming to see how much Misato and Ryouji (and Shirota!) continue to grow both together and individually.
Other issues such as Japan's rural decline and the consequences of blind religious faith were also tackled in the second story of the volume; I didn't particularly find them to be subtle, but they weren't heavy-handed either. Change and the need to move forward through life are the constant driving forces all throughout the series so far. Inasmuch as this series is about Japanese traditions and beliefs about the supernatural, it is also about human nature, and just what it means to be human and to live.
Shirota's temper tantrum with Misato was hilarious and alone worth the read. I love Ryouji's backstory as well. Can't wait to read the boys next adventure.
4.5. Definitely my favorite one so far. I loved Ryouji realizing both where Katsuki was coming from - realizing all you've really got when someone does so much for you is not 'I'm sorry' but 'thank you' - and deciding that he and Misato need each other too much for him to be as self-sacrificing as he's been in the past. Also, Shirota, everything should be Shirota all the time.
I really love the relationship between Ryouji, Misato, and Shirota! I also love how the book tells the story of a declining community and disappearing faith, something very common and inevitable in many parts of Japan (and probably elsewhere).
Another excellent installment of this light novel series. I really wish there was a manga for it as well. We get a little more of Ryouji's past in this volume!