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The life of a traveling merchant is a lonely one, a fact with which Kraft Lawrence is well acquainted. Wandering from town to town with just his horse, cart, and whatever wares have come his way, the peddler has pretty well settled into his routine-that is, until the night Lawrence finds a wolf goddess asleep in his cart. Taking the form of a fetching girl with wolf ears and a tail, Holo has wearied of tending to harvests in the countryside and strikes up a bargain with the merchant to lend him the cunning of "Holo the Wisewolf" to increase his profits in exchange for taking her along on his travels. What kind of businessman could turn down such an offer? Lawrence soon learns, though, that having an ancient goddess as a traveling companion can be a bit of a mixed blessing. Will this wolf girl turn out to be too wild to tame?
199 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2006
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July 28, 2016
“I'll always remember that you chose me.”
Lawrence is a traveling merchant that is very trusted throughout the land, even though that land is very heavily controlled by the church, who will do anything to make sure the gods from the past are no longer worshiped. This doesn't affect Lawrence what-so-ever, until he finds one of these old gods sleeping in his wagon cart after a Pagan harvest festival.
The adorable god he finds is Horo, a wolf god! She can shift between forms, even though it's not the most convenient of ways, but in human form she is still left with cute little wolf ears and a tail. Her life depends on a sheaf of wheat that Lawrence has in his cart.
Obviously, Lawrence's new travel friend would cause a problem if anyone found out that she's really a Pagan god, so Horo is constantly hiding her "special additions". Lawrence agrees to help Horo get north, while Horo promises to help his sales to earn her keep.
This book heavily focuses on economics, but it isn't overwhelming. The main sub-plot surrounds the coin system and silver purity. Lawrence and Horo get wrapped up with two companies, with very similar names might I add, that have much more power than they do. This will not be the last time we see these two companies or the church, I'm sure.
This is a romance, but it's the definition of slow-burn romance. Lawrence and Horo are both such lonely creatures that truly do not deserve to be. I think I want to continue on with this series mostly just to see their happy ending (they better get a happy ending).
This book was much longer and much more thought provoking than I thought it would be. When I saw it only had a prologue, six chapters and then an epilogue, I thought it would only take me about an hour to read. Boy was I wrong. This was actually very meaty, and took me two nights to read. There was a lot to the story and plot, and the character development (as slow as it might be) was also exceptional.
This story read very beautifully, and I feel like it was translated well. I think fantasy lovers would really enjoy this, and it would be a nice place to start if you want to get into light-novels and manga.
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September 4, 2022
“Lawrence remembered a song he’d heard from a traveling minstrel. It claimed that the reason a god needed a festival every year was because it was lonely.”
In Isuna Hasekura's Spice & Wolf, Vol. 01, traveling merchant Kraft Lawrence's life changes when he finds a wolf goddess in the form of a girl with wolf ears and tail asleep in his cart. I wasn't really expecting much of a plot beyond that, but was pleasantly surprised by a fairly tightly woven plot that explained more about the world. This is considered a 'light romance,' but it's definitely a slow-burn with a lot of give and take between Lawrence and the wolf goddess that I enjoyed. 3.5 stars
In Isuna Hasekura's Spice & Wolf, Vol. 01, traveling merchant Kraft Lawrence's life changes when he finds a wolf goddess in the form of a girl with wolf ears and tail asleep in his cart. I wasn't really expecting much of a plot beyond that, but was pleasantly surprised by a fairly tightly woven plot that explained more about the world. This is considered a 'light romance,' but it's definitely a slow-burn with a lot of give and take between Lawrence and the wolf goddess that I enjoyed. 3.5 stars
April 14, 2010
Amazing what happens when you're flipping through channels looking for something to watch and your significant other says, "Stop!" So, I stopped and saw this woman with animal ears and rolled my eyes. "It's a catgirl. Please, let me find something else." And after being shushed I listened to the dialogue and sat through the remainder of the episode in pure disbelief. The first chance I had I bought the first season. We watched through all thirteen episodes in two days. "Then" I discover it's based on a series of popular novels.
Spice and Wolf, while there seems to be some controversy over the English translation of the title, is very unique in its presentation of a classic "slow build" love story. Isuna has created two very intelligent and crafty characters that seem to have Murphy's Law following them at every turn. Everytime the reader is given just a little glimpse at the love growing between Lawrence and Holo the two seem forced to take three steps back.
If you are looking for a great love story with outstanding dialogue do not fail to become a fan of this series. My one complaint, the books are being released once every six months and the first volume is still fresh on the shelves. That slow pacing is going to drive the love of my life crazy. She's even started howling at the moon and eating apples by the bushels. Come to think of it there seems to be an aweful lot of wheat on the floor... Hmmm... Must be my imagination.
Spice and Wolf, while there seems to be some controversy over the English translation of the title, is very unique in its presentation of a classic "slow build" love story. Isuna has created two very intelligent and crafty characters that seem to have Murphy's Law following them at every turn. Everytime the reader is given just a little glimpse at the love growing between Lawrence and Holo the two seem forced to take three steps back.
If you are looking for a great love story with outstanding dialogue do not fail to become a fan of this series. My one complaint, the books are being released once every six months and the first volume is still fresh on the shelves. That slow pacing is going to drive the love of my life crazy. She's even started howling at the moon and eating apples by the bushels. Come to think of it there seems to be an aweful lot of wheat on the floor... Hmmm... Must be my imagination.
October 29, 2018
What a delightful find this was! I came across this in the bookstore, and I'll admit, the cover intrigued me, and really, it lead me to purchase it. What has thrilled me the most about this series, is that the main female character, Horo, is a cute little wolf God. She is that good, she can actually shift between forms, and when she is human, she still is left with the fangs, ears and a long tail. Her very existence all depends on a sheaf of wheat.
I get the initial feeling that this story is a romance, but kind of a slow burner. I'll certainly continue on with this series, just to see what becomes of sweet Horo.
I get the initial feeling that this story is a romance, but kind of a slow burner. I'll certainly continue on with this series, just to see what becomes of sweet Horo.
November 10, 2014
I have to say, this was an amazing book. I'd heard that the book was better than the anime and manga renditions, so rather than check those out, I read this instead. Let me tell you, it was worth it.
The book's a light novel that follows the story of Lawrence and Holo. Simple as that.
Holo is epic, my favorite character. She's tough, clever, and strong. Lawrence was pretty good too, but I definitely like the "Wolf" in Spice and Wolf.
It was neither too long nor too short, the perfect length.
The book's a light novel that follows the story of Lawrence and Holo. Simple as that.
Holo is epic, my favorite character. She's tough, clever, and strong. Lawrence was pretty good too, but I definitely like the "Wolf" in Spice and Wolf.
It was neither too long nor too short, the perfect length.
February 27, 2011
2.5 stars
I enjoyed this light novel, but couldn't really bear giving it 3 stars, since 3 stars for me is usually a default rating for many books much better than this one.
However, one must keep in mind that this is a "light novel," and isn't expected to be great literature. I often feel that light novels are stories that the writer had too many words to make a manga. I haven't yet read the manga, and I don't know if I will, but I feel like that would be a better media, since, while reading Spice & Wolf I felt like the author was redundant and did too much telling and not showing.
I like the premise of the series, and I would like to see where the story goes. Spice & Wolf is one of the relatively rare series that seems to be oriented to mid-20s and older males. (They may just seem rare to me, but it could merely be due to the fact that only certain things get translated/exported to the U.S./published as opposed to fan translations and online scans.) As such, it is not a complete action-adventure romp, not that there isn't action, but it's supposed to tell about the "normal" guy who wants "normal" things, like having a home, and a close relationship, but who still has a little adventure and clever schemes.
As I said, I like the premise of the story, and the portrayal or merchants as, although concerned foremost with profits, not unscrupulous. Lawrence, the main character, has a fresh face, sharp wit, and amiable personality, which appeals to the reader (who, if the target audience is a 20s+ male, can empathize), unlike the stereotypical images of a slimy car salesman or feckless door-to-door man we might think of as the modern-day equivalent to a traveling merchant.
Hasekura's setting, complete with a powerful, mysterious Church, and rival trading houses is exciting, and makes me wonder what intrigue future stories will hold. It was also interesting that the main plot revolved around currency speculation, which is obscure enough of an idea to be interesting, but explained clearly enough for the reader to follow and feel accomplished for doing so.
Last, but definitely not least, is the fact that one of the major appeals, and detractions, from Spice & Wolf is simultaneously Holo, the harvest god, who takes human form and travels with Lawrence. Once I got over the creepiness of the fact that Holo takes the appearance of a girl who looks about 15 years old and is found completely naked in the moonlight of Lawrence's wagon, I could see other appealing things about Holo's characterization, and how it makes the interactions between her and Lawrence appealing. Although I understand that Holo is made to be appealing to the largest amount of viewers, as with all serialized work, it annoys me how fan servicey the character is, which is clear in this case because Hasekura shamelessly integrated any and all qualities any possible male reader might want, using the fact that she's a several hundred years old goddess to justify the creepiness of her having an unmistakable child-like appearance and demeanor (to to mention cat-girl fetishist-appealing ears and tail) but obvious sexual appeal to Lawrence.
That said, I can see how Holo having all of these characteristics: youthful appearance, girlish charm, crone-like cleverness, actually aid the premise of the story. In one person, in Halo, Lawrence basically finds everything that he is missing in his lonely existence as a traveling merchant: a daughter, a wife, a close friend with whom he can banter, and an intelligent business partner.
I enjoyed this light novel, but couldn't really bear giving it 3 stars, since 3 stars for me is usually a default rating for many books much better than this one.
However, one must keep in mind that this is a "light novel," and isn't expected to be great literature. I often feel that light novels are stories that the writer had too many words to make a manga. I haven't yet read the manga, and I don't know if I will, but I feel like that would be a better media, since, while reading Spice & Wolf I felt like the author was redundant and did too much telling and not showing.
I like the premise of the series, and I would like to see where the story goes. Spice & Wolf is one of the relatively rare series that seems to be oriented to mid-20s and older males. (They may just seem rare to me, but it could merely be due to the fact that only certain things get translated/exported to the U.S./published as opposed to fan translations and online scans.) As such, it is not a complete action-adventure romp, not that there isn't action, but it's supposed to tell about the "normal" guy who wants "normal" things, like having a home, and a close relationship, but who still has a little adventure and clever schemes.
As I said, I like the premise of the story, and the portrayal or merchants as, although concerned foremost with profits, not unscrupulous. Lawrence, the main character, has a fresh face, sharp wit, and amiable personality, which appeals to the reader (who, if the target audience is a 20s+ male, can empathize), unlike the stereotypical images of a slimy car salesman or feckless door-to-door man we might think of as the modern-day equivalent to a traveling merchant.
Hasekura's setting, complete with a powerful, mysterious Church, and rival trading houses is exciting, and makes me wonder what intrigue future stories will hold. It was also interesting that the main plot revolved around currency speculation, which is obscure enough of an idea to be interesting, but explained clearly enough for the reader to follow and feel accomplished for doing so.
Last, but definitely not least, is the fact that one of the major appeals, and detractions, from Spice & Wolf is simultaneously Holo, the harvest god, who takes human form and travels with Lawrence. Once I got over the creepiness of the fact that Holo takes the appearance of a girl who looks about 15 years old and is found completely naked in the moonlight of Lawrence's wagon, I could see other appealing things about Holo's characterization, and how it makes the interactions between her and Lawrence appealing. Although I understand that Holo is made to be appealing to the largest amount of viewers, as with all serialized work, it annoys me how fan servicey the character is, which is clear in this case because Hasekura shamelessly integrated any and all qualities any possible male reader might want, using the fact that she's a several hundred years old goddess to justify the creepiness of her having an unmistakable child-like appearance and demeanor (to to mention cat-girl fetishist-appealing ears and tail) but obvious sexual appeal to Lawrence.
That said, I can see how Holo having all of these characteristics: youthful appearance, girlish charm, crone-like cleverness, actually aid the premise of the story. In one person, in Halo, Lawrence basically finds everything that he is missing in his lonely existence as a traveling merchant: a daughter, a wife, a close friend with whom he can banter, and an intelligent business partner.
October 29, 2010
I've been hearing a lot about this series, mostly from people who are saying that the series deserves more attention than it is currently getting. After reading through the first light novel, I can agree that Spice & Wolf deserves more attention than it currently gets & is sure to become very popular. I also want to let people know that even though this is NOT a manga, it is worth purchasing.
This first volume of Spice & Wolf begins with the traveling merchant Lawrence slowly approaching a small town rumored to worship pagan gods- if the local churches are to be believed. Once there, Lawrence is quickly sent on his way after he secures a bundle of wheat for sale. The town is in the middle of a festival where they worship their local deity (Holo the wolf god) in hopes of securing a good harvest next season- outsiders aren't welcome during this time. Stopping to rest for the night, Lawrence discovers a beautiful young girl resting in his cart- a girl with wolf ears & a tail to match, a girl who calls herself Holo!
While this is a very cute & interesting story, I do have to say that the translation of the source material felt a little flat. This can sometimes happen when something is directly translated & not slightly adapted for the different slang/speech of other cultures. It is a better translation than some of the other books out there, so readers shouldn't be too disappointed.
Possibly as a result of the translation, the story was a little slow to capture me entirely but as the story progressed & I saw more of the interactions between Holo & Lawrence & got hooked. An interesting point of interest to the story is that while the story is entertaining, it is pretty informative when it comes to trading & bargaining. Much of the story's plot surrounds Lawrence attempting to perform his chosen profession & Holo assisting him with the wisdom she's gained through living such a long life. To some this might sound dull & to some it will be a little dull, but the relationship between Holo & Lawrence as well as the beautiful illustrations will keep them entertained enough to keep reading.
I also have to give credit to the writers that he didn't turn Holo into an idiot, brat, weepy girl, or fanservice character. She's a bit arrogant, but that should be expected with a supernatural creature like her. She's not only intelligent, but she is realistic. I've heard that her personality here is slightly different from the manga, so if you are someone that has read the manga & gotten irritated at her portrayal, you'll like this book.
Would I recommend this to anyone interested in the series? I would- it is an interesting read & I'm intrigued to see what will come next in the series.
This first volume of Spice & Wolf begins with the traveling merchant Lawrence slowly approaching a small town rumored to worship pagan gods- if the local churches are to be believed. Once there, Lawrence is quickly sent on his way after he secures a bundle of wheat for sale. The town is in the middle of a festival where they worship their local deity (Holo the wolf god) in hopes of securing a good harvest next season- outsiders aren't welcome during this time. Stopping to rest for the night, Lawrence discovers a beautiful young girl resting in his cart- a girl with wolf ears & a tail to match, a girl who calls herself Holo!
While this is a very cute & interesting story, I do have to say that the translation of the source material felt a little flat. This can sometimes happen when something is directly translated & not slightly adapted for the different slang/speech of other cultures. It is a better translation than some of the other books out there, so readers shouldn't be too disappointed.
Possibly as a result of the translation, the story was a little slow to capture me entirely but as the story progressed & I saw more of the interactions between Holo & Lawrence & got hooked. An interesting point of interest to the story is that while the story is entertaining, it is pretty informative when it comes to trading & bargaining. Much of the story's plot surrounds Lawrence attempting to perform his chosen profession & Holo assisting him with the wisdom she's gained through living such a long life. To some this might sound dull & to some it will be a little dull, but the relationship between Holo & Lawrence as well as the beautiful illustrations will keep them entertained enough to keep reading.
I also have to give credit to the writers that he didn't turn Holo into an idiot, brat, weepy girl, or fanservice character. She's a bit arrogant, but that should be expected with a supernatural creature like her. She's not only intelligent, but she is realistic. I've heard that her personality here is slightly different from the manga, so if you are someone that has read the manga & gotten irritated at her portrayal, you'll like this book.
Would I recommend this to anyone interested in the series? I would- it is an interesting read & I'm intrigued to see what will come next in the series.
April 7, 2010
Review originally posted at Dangerously Cold Tea
As someone who loves the anime Spice and Wolf - so much that it was on my top ten list of anime from the past decade - I had high expectations for the source material. I was also very curious to see if there were any major changes from the transition from the written word to animation cel. What I found was a book that was complimented greatly by its anime version but also rose above it with its surprising moments of depth and detail.
The story centers around Lawrence Kraft the merchant and his companion Horor the Wise Wolf of the North. Their first book of travels has them locking horns with a merchant company looking to con the naive Lawrence out of a profit with promises of a moneymaking scheme surrounding a drop in silver purity in Trenni coins. When Lawrence realizes the thing is a scam, he reaches out to another company for help, but in the process Horo is kidnapped and held as ransom because of her being the goddess of the harvest and therefore an abomination against the Holy Church. Storywise, where can you go wrong? You've got elements of supernatural and dramatic action, not to mention a very interesting lesson on macro and microeconomics.
Lawrence is the audience's guide to the world within the series, a clearly old time European-based society in which the Church's word is law and merchants can make or break the market. His lectures to Horo on things like silver purity in coins and bartering with a company that is situated in multiple towns is not only educational for her but for the audience. It is understanding these lectures that will make the story more enjoyable for the audience; you can't understand what is going on unless you understand how the coin system works. Lawrence is also the straight man to Horo's magnificently magical self; his reactions to her hijinks and wolf tendencies reflect the audience's reactions to seeing Horo do what she does. Lawrence is the Everyman who never expected to be paired up with a harvest god, someone who would never expect to be swindled until it almost happens. He's not naive so much as he is rather easy to trust, experienced but wanting to believe that all people are inherently good despite the efforts of those like Zheren to teach him otherwise.
And then there is the character of Horo, parts haughty and demanding, lonely and afraid, feral and angry. As the self-proclaimed Wise Wolf of the series, she often spouts off little wise sayings at Lawrence, using her clever ways learned from living hundreds of years around merchants and farmers to help Lawrence in his trade - there is no better example than the scene in which Horo's crafty methods help to sell some furs at a higher price than Lawrence thought he'd sell for. But she is also vulnerable despite the front she puts up at times: she is enraged that Lawrence does not personally lead the charge to save her and feels embarrassed. Horo is not ashamed of her wolf nature, but when she transforms, she often asks Lawrence to look away: she wants Lawrence to see her as a human not an animal; she does not want Lawrence to be afraid of her and run away like so many other humans did before.
That is what's so interesting about the relationship between Lawrence and Horo: they both depend on each other, even if they'd be loathe to admit it aloud. Lawrence depends on Horo for her quick thinking and to keep him company during his travel - not to mention the contract between them that he take Horo to her homelands in the north. Horo depends on Lawrence for keeping her grounded and amusing her, as well as being her transport, buying her food and clothes (there's a running tab, though) and keeping her around with the pouch of grain. There is also an undeniable attraction between the two of them; they dance around it with their actions and words, but for better or for worse Holo and Lawrence are connected by this attraction, wherever it may take them. Remember, Horo is a demon and a sinful thing in the eyes of the Church, whose influence could very well see to it that Lawrence loses his job due to his connections with the wolf girl. The fact that he puts his own life on the line for someone he barely knows and takes up space in his wagon says that he cares for her, despite their occasional back and forth sniping on the most trivial things like apples and wine.
Comparing the light novel to the anime, some changes and irregularities do pop up. Yarei, for example, is a character in the novel who is from Pasloe Village and is a good friend of Lawrence through his comings and goings through the small town. He is replaced in the anime by Chloe, a young woman who sees Lawrence as her mentor and has a crush on him. The anime added an unnecessary romantic subplot for some reason; I would not be surprised if the herder later on in the anime does not exist in the novel or her attraction to Lawrence not as prominent in the original text. There is also the fact that actually taking the time to sit down and read the material makes Lawrence's lessons on microeconomics make more sense; in fact, a lot of things that happen in the anime are explained a lot better in the novel, especially the end of the silver purity arc. That's not to say the light novel is anyway superior to the anime; they both have ways in which they are better than the other, but one version does not completely overshadow the other. People interested in the story should check both of them out as they greatly compliment each other - in fact, I would say that seeing the anime beforehand greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the original novel.
All in all, this is a great introduction to the world of Horo and Lawrence and an entertaining mix of humor and excitement not to mention some great pages of art that highlight the more important scenes in the story. Spice and Wolf is the kind of light novel if you are just getting interested in the world of anime and manga and need a sort of stepping stone between reading prose and reading manga. I'd also recommend it to any fan of fantasy books that are both fun and educational.
As someone who loves the anime Spice and Wolf - so much that it was on my top ten list of anime from the past decade - I had high expectations for the source material. I was also very curious to see if there were any major changes from the transition from the written word to animation cel. What I found was a book that was complimented greatly by its anime version but also rose above it with its surprising moments of depth and detail.
The story centers around Lawrence Kraft the merchant and his companion Horor the Wise Wolf of the North. Their first book of travels has them locking horns with a merchant company looking to con the naive Lawrence out of a profit with promises of a moneymaking scheme surrounding a drop in silver purity in Trenni coins. When Lawrence realizes the thing is a scam, he reaches out to another company for help, but in the process Horo is kidnapped and held as ransom because of her being the goddess of the harvest and therefore an abomination against the Holy Church. Storywise, where can you go wrong? You've got elements of supernatural and dramatic action, not to mention a very interesting lesson on macro and microeconomics.
Lawrence is the audience's guide to the world within the series, a clearly old time European-based society in which the Church's word is law and merchants can make or break the market. His lectures to Horo on things like silver purity in coins and bartering with a company that is situated in multiple towns is not only educational for her but for the audience. It is understanding these lectures that will make the story more enjoyable for the audience; you can't understand what is going on unless you understand how the coin system works. Lawrence is also the straight man to Horo's magnificently magical self; his reactions to her hijinks and wolf tendencies reflect the audience's reactions to seeing Horo do what she does. Lawrence is the Everyman who never expected to be paired up with a harvest god, someone who would never expect to be swindled until it almost happens. He's not naive so much as he is rather easy to trust, experienced but wanting to believe that all people are inherently good despite the efforts of those like Zheren to teach him otherwise.
And then there is the character of Horo, parts haughty and demanding, lonely and afraid, feral and angry. As the self-proclaimed Wise Wolf of the series, she often spouts off little wise sayings at Lawrence, using her clever ways learned from living hundreds of years around merchants and farmers to help Lawrence in his trade - there is no better example than the scene in which Horo's crafty methods help to sell some furs at a higher price than Lawrence thought he'd sell for. But she is also vulnerable despite the front she puts up at times: she is enraged that Lawrence does not personally lead the charge to save her and feels embarrassed. Horo is not ashamed of her wolf nature, but when she transforms, she often asks Lawrence to look away: she wants Lawrence to see her as a human not an animal; she does not want Lawrence to be afraid of her and run away like so many other humans did before.
That is what's so interesting about the relationship between Lawrence and Horo: they both depend on each other, even if they'd be loathe to admit it aloud. Lawrence depends on Horo for her quick thinking and to keep him company during his travel - not to mention the contract between them that he take Horo to her homelands in the north. Horo depends on Lawrence for keeping her grounded and amusing her, as well as being her transport, buying her food and clothes (there's a running tab, though) and keeping her around with the pouch of grain. There is also an undeniable attraction between the two of them; they dance around it with their actions and words, but for better or for worse Holo and Lawrence are connected by this attraction, wherever it may take them. Remember, Horo is a demon and a sinful thing in the eyes of the Church, whose influence could very well see to it that Lawrence loses his job due to his connections with the wolf girl. The fact that he puts his own life on the line for someone he barely knows and takes up space in his wagon says that he cares for her, despite their occasional back and forth sniping on the most trivial things like apples and wine.
Comparing the light novel to the anime, some changes and irregularities do pop up. Yarei, for example, is a character in the novel who is from Pasloe Village and is a good friend of Lawrence through his comings and goings through the small town. He is replaced in the anime by Chloe, a young woman who sees Lawrence as her mentor and has a crush on him. The anime added an unnecessary romantic subplot for some reason; I would not be surprised if the herder later on in the anime does not exist in the novel or her attraction to Lawrence not as prominent in the original text. There is also the fact that actually taking the time to sit down and read the material makes Lawrence's lessons on microeconomics make more sense; in fact, a lot of things that happen in the anime are explained a lot better in the novel, especially the end of the silver purity arc. That's not to say the light novel is anyway superior to the anime; they both have ways in which they are better than the other, but one version does not completely overshadow the other. People interested in the story should check both of them out as they greatly compliment each other - in fact, I would say that seeing the anime beforehand greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the original novel.
All in all, this is a great introduction to the world of Horo and Lawrence and an entertaining mix of humor and excitement not to mention some great pages of art that highlight the more important scenes in the story. Spice and Wolf is the kind of light novel if you are just getting interested in the world of anime and manga and need a sort of stepping stone between reading prose and reading manga. I'd also recommend it to any fan of fantasy books that are both fun and educational.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2012
Spice & Wolf, Vol. 1, by Isuna Hasekura (2006), English translation 2009 by Paul Starr
So...
Having, upon rec, seen and rather enjoyed the anime adaptation of this, I was a bit frustrated by Netflix not having Season 2. I checked the Hennepin County Library, and found they had a scattering of the manga adaptations, plus this translation of the original Japanese light novel upon which both were based. I'd been hearing for a while about the "light novel"... format, form, I'm not sure which, in Japanese publishing, so decided to check this one out, by way of a sample.
Set-up: a traveling merchant in a generic medieval Europeanoid world picks up, inadvertently, a traveling companion; a recently unemployed wheat harvest spirit or minor god named Holo, who appears (usually) in the form of a pretty adolescent girl, but with wolf ears and a tail. They go on down the road to further adventures q.s. In several ways, this is a variant of the very popular "magical girl" trope found in anime and manga, but the changes wrung are nice.
My read may suffer, certainly in freshness, from having seen the anime first. The book read like a synopsis of the first episodes of the anime -- which means that either the visual adapters were really meticulous, or that the translator was doing a bit of a novelization of the screenplay -- though I am guessing the former. Or that the original writer was so steeped in the structures of anime, the story just fell out of his brain in the pre-adapted form.
It has some of that slightly surreal mix of European research and Japanese assumptions I encountered to a high pitch in the anime The Chevalier d'Eon. Spice & Wolf gets a lot of its charm, however, from not being about swordsmen with perpetual status emergencies requiring two fight scenes per episode (while the story stops), but rather, a merchant at work in a well-realized background of realistic trading. The main plot thread in the opening section involves some rather arcane currency trading scams.
In length and style, it felt very like a YA or "chapter book" (a technical term-of-art in children's publishing with some very specific parameters; chapter books are aimed at the next-younger reading audience than YA.) With a sample of one, I don't know if that makes "light novels" the Japanese equivalent of the YA genre or not. The illustrations also made it feel younger-YA. The prose seemed a bit flat, but moved along briskly. Well-proof-read, though, kudos to someone.
I recommend the anime; the novel (or novel translation) I'm not willing to make a judgement upon, due to my current lack of background.
Ta, L.
So...
Having, upon rec, seen and rather enjoyed the anime adaptation of this, I was a bit frustrated by Netflix not having Season 2. I checked the Hennepin County Library, and found they had a scattering of the manga adaptations, plus this translation of the original Japanese light novel upon which both were based. I'd been hearing for a while about the "light novel"... format, form, I'm not sure which, in Japanese publishing, so decided to check this one out, by way of a sample.
Set-up: a traveling merchant in a generic medieval Europeanoid world picks up, inadvertently, a traveling companion; a recently unemployed wheat harvest spirit or minor god named Holo, who appears (usually) in the form of a pretty adolescent girl, but with wolf ears and a tail. They go on down the road to further adventures q.s. In several ways, this is a variant of the very popular "magical girl" trope found in anime and manga, but the changes wrung are nice.
My read may suffer, certainly in freshness, from having seen the anime first. The book read like a synopsis of the first episodes of the anime -- which means that either the visual adapters were really meticulous, or that the translator was doing a bit of a novelization of the screenplay -- though I am guessing the former. Or that the original writer was so steeped in the structures of anime, the story just fell out of his brain in the pre-adapted form.
It has some of that slightly surreal mix of European research and Japanese assumptions I encountered to a high pitch in the anime The Chevalier d'Eon. Spice & Wolf gets a lot of its charm, however, from not being about swordsmen with perpetual status emergencies requiring two fight scenes per episode (while the story stops), but rather, a merchant at work in a well-realized background of realistic trading. The main plot thread in the opening section involves some rather arcane currency trading scams.
In length and style, it felt very like a YA or "chapter book" (a technical term-of-art in children's publishing with some very specific parameters; chapter books are aimed at the next-younger reading audience than YA.) With a sample of one, I don't know if that makes "light novels" the Japanese equivalent of the YA genre or not. The illustrations also made it feel younger-YA. The prose seemed a bit flat, but moved along briskly. Well-proof-read, though, kudos to someone.
I recommend the anime; the novel (or novel translation) I'm not willing to make a judgement upon, due to my current lack of background.
Ta, L.
May 1, 2023
Audio: (5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
& Story: (5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wow, this was cool! When I heard that Yen Press (Yen Audio for audiobooks) was going to produce their light novels as audiobooks, I was interested in the concept. The execution of this was excellent, I've never seen the anime or read the manga so this novel was entirely new for me... So hearing J. Michael Tatum reprise his role of Lawrence from the anime to this audiobook was so sweet! Half the time I couldn't tell if I was enamored with the story or J. Michael Tatum's fantastic narration.
OK, outside of me gushing over the narration – the actual story was really interesting. We've got Lawrence who is a traveling merchant who stumbles upon Holo a "wolf goddess" for lack of a better term. They began traveling & working together as financial partners and friends. I loved the banter between the two of them, along with the implied flirtation & romantic vibes. What really won me over is Lawrence's strong pursuit of business obligations, he constantly talked about being a merchant and how different aspects of trade work in this world. At first, that might sound dull, but it was a great opportunity to get a better look at the world through Lawrence's eyes and I enjoyed him not only teaching Holo about trading but also getting her insight into certain deals.
Can't wait to see where their travels take them next & I hope Lawrence gets enough money to open that coveted shop he wants with Holo by his side. (As a bonus it's really cool knowing this series has been adapted into anime & manga, look forward to eventually checking those out!)
& Story: (5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wow, this was cool! When I heard that Yen Press (Yen Audio for audiobooks) was going to produce their light novels as audiobooks, I was interested in the concept. The execution of this was excellent, I've never seen the anime or read the manga so this novel was entirely new for me... So hearing J. Michael Tatum reprise his role of Lawrence from the anime to this audiobook was so sweet! Half the time I couldn't tell if I was enamored with the story or J. Michael Tatum's fantastic narration.
OK, outside of me gushing over the narration – the actual story was really interesting. We've got Lawrence who is a traveling merchant who stumbles upon Holo a "wolf goddess" for lack of a better term. They began traveling & working together as financial partners and friends. I loved the banter between the two of them, along with the implied flirtation & romantic vibes. What really won me over is Lawrence's strong pursuit of business obligations, he constantly talked about being a merchant and how different aspects of trade work in this world. At first, that might sound dull, but it was a great opportunity to get a better look at the world through Lawrence's eyes and I enjoyed him not only teaching Holo about trading but also getting her insight into certain deals.
Can't wait to see where their travels take them next & I hope Lawrence gets enough money to open that coveted shop he wants with Holo by his side. (As a bonus it's really cool knowing this series has been adapted into anime & manga, look forward to eventually checking those out!)
February 17, 2017
Picked this up from the shelf at Dymocks with a vague interest. It completely blew my mind - I am in love
December 15, 2010
A well written story with compelling characters. I would also suggest the anime version, which is very true to the book, with the exception of one character that is changed (for the better, in my opinion...)
The real strength of this story is the realistic development of the relationship between the two protagonists, despite the fact that one of them is a "harvest goddess" with ears and a tail. This isn't one of your standard "magical girlfriend" stories where the characters are in love from the start. Instead the relationship builds slowly and naturally over the course of the novels (or episodes in the anime). It takes until the third novel (2nd season of the anime) for Lawrence to realize that his feelings for Holo have gone beyond that of a traveling companion and business partner, and even then he is unsure of how to deal with it.
The world building is done with great skill, showing a world very similar to our own in the late middle ages/early Renaissance, with a powerful, but corrupt, church and a complex economy where various kingdoms compete for prominence in the markets as well as battlefields. (The battlefield aspect is only mentioned in passing, not shown. It is not a sword and sorcery adventure.)
The real strength of this story is the realistic development of the relationship between the two protagonists, despite the fact that one of them is a "harvest goddess" with ears and a tail. This isn't one of your standard "magical girlfriend" stories where the characters are in love from the start. Instead the relationship builds slowly and naturally over the course of the novels (or episodes in the anime). It takes until the third novel (2nd season of the anime) for Lawrence to realize that his feelings for Holo have gone beyond that of a traveling companion and business partner, and even then he is unsure of how to deal with it.
The world building is done with great skill, showing a world very similar to our own in the late middle ages/early Renaissance, with a powerful, but corrupt, church and a complex economy where various kingdoms compete for prominence in the markets as well as battlefields. (The battlefield aspect is only mentioned in passing, not shown. It is not a sword and sorcery adventure.)
March 5, 2015
Kraft Lawrence is a clever traveling merchant traveling a medieval countryside hoping to earn enough to realize his dream of owning his own shop. His life gets significantly more complicated when he inadvertently gives a wolf goddess a lift away from the village she's been watching over for centuries. Wanting to go back to the land of her birth, Holo vows to help Lawrence in his trades in exchange for traveling with him.
At the center of Spice and Wolf is a well developed journey with compelling lead characters. The trading and economic aspects give it a unique feel and atmosphere. I had watched the anime before reading this and loved it.
Unfortunately I feel the anime adaptation (surprisingly) surpassed the source material in this case. The economic background can be dense and slow at times to the point of being a chore to read. The anime made a couple changes that added intensity to the story and took full advantage of music, visuals, etc to make the slower parts more compelling.
But the core of the story is the same and despite those minor criticisms, this really is a great read overall. Holo and Lawrence wonderful characters to travel along with.
At the center of Spice and Wolf is a well developed journey with compelling lead characters. The trading and economic aspects give it a unique feel and atmosphere. I had watched the anime before reading this and loved it.
Unfortunately I feel the anime adaptation (surprisingly) surpassed the source material in this case. The economic background can be dense and slow at times to the point of being a chore to read. The anime made a couple changes that added intensity to the story and took full advantage of music, visuals, etc to make the slower parts more compelling.
But the core of the story is the same and despite those minor criticisms, this really is a great read overall. Holo and Lawrence wonderful characters to travel along with.
May 21, 2015
Holo is one of my all time favourite characters from anime (I saw both season from this series long before reading the light novel). Still, reading it instead of seeing the two main characters interact, made it much more repetitive. There is very little character development. Their banter is always the same: Holo oscillates between meek and bold, Lawrence acts accordingly. I'm not sure if the anime hid this better, or if my expectations are higher in this regard for written works. The writing style in itself is quite unspectacular but that may be normal for a light novel, I have no experience there.
I'll certainly continue with the other volumes, if only to get to the non-anime content, but I wouldn't otherwise recommend it to anyone.
I'll certainly continue with the other volumes, if only to get to the non-anime content, but I wouldn't otherwise recommend it to anyone.
May 19, 2021
未曾接觸過動畫，首次接觸了這部聽說很有名氣的輕小說。這是一部基本上「不打架」的奇幻創作故事，主要是以「商貿」作為主線故事的作品。男主角是個旅行商人，在經過某個偏遠村莊時「撿」到一匹化身為少女的狼神，從此一起旅行。
乍看之下，本作的題材似乎挺新鮮的，但不知是不是我的年紀太老，本書的劇情安排，似乎不太能夠讓我投入其中。本作所啟發與取材的現實環境，應該是來自於中古時期的歐洲︰不同地區的商品，要透過旅行商人的運送交換，來滿足各地的生產與需求。至於行商們，則是買賤賣貴，道理並不複雜。這裡頭有談到異地的「匯���」之類的制度試驗曙光，以及城鎮中的連鎖大商行與彼此的競爭。總而言之，這部作品的主要角色在「辦正事」時（也就是不專注在男女主角互相調戲放閃的時候……），每個人都是大腦全開地在算計如何獲取最大利潤。但說真的，除了「情報」這一項之外，這裡的商業原則似乎都太簡單了。
本書最大的危機之處，竟是主角得知某些人要炒作銀幣通貨後想跟著撈一票，卻被該組織追殺。嗯……我覺得壞蛋組織真的想要獨佔利益，對付男女主角，若不是一次就殺乾淨，否則就是拉攏入夥（實際上，最後壞蛋組織正是這麼樣地妥協了）；為什麼還要俘虜人質與談判呢？畢竟男主角只是個小咖而已，夜長夢多。當然，我曉得作者這樣安排，才能出現「男主勇敢拯救女主角（並沒有）」的劇情。但畢竟背景設定取材太過現實，總讓我難以代入就是了。
不打架的奇幻世界冒險，我還是比較推薦《小書痴》。《狼與辛香料》，再讀幾本看看……
乍看之下，本作的題材似乎挺新鮮的，但不知是不是我的年紀太老，本書的劇情安排，似乎不太能夠讓我投入其中。本作所啟發與取材的現實環境，應該是來自於中古時期的歐洲︰不同地區的商品，要透過旅行商人的運送交換，來滿足各地的生產與需求。至於行商們，則是買賤賣貴，道理並不複雜。這裡頭有談到異地的「匯���」之類的制度試驗曙光，以及城鎮中的連鎖大商行與彼此的競爭。總而言之，這部作品的主要角色在「辦正事」時（也就是不專注在男女主角互相調戲放閃的時候……），每個人都是大腦全開地在算計如何獲取最大利潤。但說真的，除了「情報」這一項之外，這裡的商業原則似乎都太簡單了。
本書最大的危機之處，竟是主角得知某些人要炒作銀幣通貨後想跟著撈一票，卻被該組織追殺。嗯……我覺得壞蛋組織真的想要獨佔利益，對付男女主角，若不是一次就殺乾淨，否則就是拉攏入夥（實際上，最後壞蛋組織正是這麼樣地妥協了）；為什麼還要俘虜人質與談判呢？畢竟男主角只是個小咖而已，夜長夢多。當然，我曉得作者這樣安排，才能出現「男主勇敢拯救女主角（並沒有）」的劇情。但畢竟背景設定取材太過現實，總讓我難以代入就是了。
不打架的奇幻世界冒險，我還是比較推薦《小書痴》。《狼與辛香料》，再讀幾本看看……
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2023
This light novel consists of a similar story to the anime’s first six episodes. I eliminated a star for her age and general over-sexualization of her character. However, be able to read Lawrence’s internal thoughts really brought his character to life for me and the conversations on philosophy and religion make me very happy. I’m excited to see just when the anime will end and it’ll be an entirely new story moving forward.
March 1, 2024
I was hoping for a fast paced fun adventure, and while it was entertaining it wasn't quite what I expected. I liked that it was a finished story and good introduction to the characters. Definetly continuing with the series to see what will happen next with those two.
December 31, 2024
Grant was right 💔💔
February 2, 2022
Spice and Wolf is a great anime series, that I give one of my strongest general recommendations. Sadly, it did not get the third season promised some time ago, but the two existing seasons are very good. It comes from a light novel series, that I avoided for some time purely because I couldn't justify the shelf space of all those oversized books. Thankfully, the books finally became available in electronic format a while back, and here I am.
This book is the initial storyline, which took six episodes in the series (maintaining the usual rate of two light novels per season/cour rate that I've noticed elsewhere), and the two are very close. The main part of the book deals with a money-changing scheme that means a lot of money for someone. It also means delving into the technical details of metal-based currency and devaluation. In this, the book is a bit better because its easier to re-read anything that goes by a bit fast. Also, there are little touches of background information that can easily be given in the narration but would halt an episode, so the book is better there too. There's a bit more world-building going on than is evident from the anime series, though it manages to hint at pieces of it.
And of course, the central pillar is the same in both mediums: the relationship between Lawrence and Horo. Both are engaging characters, both are lonely, and are well aware of it, even if it is often buried under the day-to-day events. Lawrence being the sole viewpoint here lets the wolf sage Horo be properly unpredictable and mysterious, partially because she can also be human and vulnerable when least expected. Some of this is undoubtedly an act, and some is the fact she hasn't had much real interaction with anyone for quite a while.
At any rate, this is a case where an original novel and its adaptation live up to each other. If you liked the series and want to see more without going through the same again, if my prediction holds up, book 5 should be the start of new material. Otherwise, start with whichever you like, you won't miss anything from the other version
This book is the initial storyline, which took six episodes in the series (maintaining the usual rate of two light novels per season/cour rate that I've noticed elsewhere), and the two are very close. The main part of the book deals with a money-changing scheme that means a lot of money for someone. It also means delving into the technical details of metal-based currency and devaluation. In this, the book is a bit better because its easier to re-read anything that goes by a bit fast. Also, there are little touches of background information that can easily be given in the narration but would halt an episode, so the book is better there too. There's a bit more world-building going on than is evident from the anime series, though it manages to hint at pieces of it.
And of course, the central pillar is the same in both mediums: the relationship between Lawrence and Horo. Both are engaging characters, both are lonely, and are well aware of it, even if it is often buried under the day-to-day events. Lawrence being the sole viewpoint here lets the wolf sage Horo be properly unpredictable and mysterious, partially because she can also be human and vulnerable when least expected. Some of this is undoubtedly an act, and some is the fact she hasn't had much real interaction with anyone for quite a while.
At any rate, this is a case where an original novel and its adaptation live up to each other. If you liked the series and want to see more without going through the same again, if my prediction holds up, book 5 should be the start of new material. Otherwise, start with whichever you like, you won't miss anything from the other version
January 22, 2023
I wish I understood commerce enough to understand it. I know the main characters are smart - but I still don't understand the mechanics of the story lmao.
August 29, 2025
Read this if you like:
• Slow-burn journeys with cozy atmosphere
• Playful banter between leads
• Medieval merchant adventures
• Wolf deities with sharp tongues
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The banter between Lawrence and Holo was the highlight—so cute, witty, and fun. Their dynamic really carried the story. The pacing dragged at times, but the atmosphere was cozy enough to keep me engaged. The economic focus, though, lost me a bit—I found those sections more dry than immersive. Overall, a charming start with a relationship worth following, even if the trade talk slowed things down.
• Slow-burn journeys with cozy atmosphere
• Playful banter between leads
• Medieval merchant adventures
• Wolf deities with sharp tongues
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The banter between Lawrence and Holo was the highlight—so cute, witty, and fun. Their dynamic really carried the story. The pacing dragged at times, but the atmosphere was cozy enough to keep me engaged. The economic focus, though, lost me a bit—I found those sections more dry than immersive. Overall, a charming start with a relationship worth following, even if the trade talk slowed things down.
July 4, 2011
--Addition, July 4th 2011--
I just got a comment from the translator! Wow!
Just like to amend my original review below - I criticised the "show, not tell" writing style and wasn't sure if it was the translator trying to faithfully reproduce the writing style or whether it was something lost in translation.
Paul, the translator, filled me in: Hasekura's writing style really is just that long-winded. This was my first "light novel" so I think I was expecting more than really that genre is intended to offer.
Thanks for the extra info, Paul!
--End addition--
I am sure this read better in the original Japanese, given the acclaim this 'light novel' has achieved. However, the English translation leaves me cold. Much of the writing is a case of "telling" rather than "showing" the reader what is happening.
A (made-up) example would be something like "He glared at Holo, angry that she should have said X when Y was so important." Broadcasting the protagonist's every thought and motive, rather than implying, brought down my enjoyment of this story considerably. I realise it is marketed as a YA novel, but even as a young adult I preferred a more subtle approach to writing than this.
May not be the fault at all of the translator - it is difficult to take concepts in one language and translate them into another, and also make them a quality narrative experience in the other without feeling you have strayed too far from the original. I don't envy those who translate fiction at all!
I have not seen the manga or anime that have been based on this book, but I might give them a try instead of buying the second novel in the series. They would remove the capacity for the tale to have sentences in it like "He felt sad" which would be a great help.
I just got a comment from the translator! Wow!
Just like to amend my original review below - I criticised the "show, not tell" writing style and wasn't sure if it was the translator trying to faithfully reproduce the writing style or whether it was something lost in translation.
Paul, the translator, filled me in: Hasekura's writing style really is just that long-winded. This was my first "light novel" so I think I was expecting more than really that genre is intended to offer.
Thanks for the extra info, Paul!
--End addition--
I am sure this read better in the original Japanese, given the acclaim this 'light novel' has achieved. However, the English translation leaves me cold. Much of the writing is a case of "telling" rather than "showing" the reader what is happening.
A (made-up) example would be something like "He glared at Holo, angry that she should have said X when Y was so important." Broadcasting the protagonist's every thought and motive, rather than implying, brought down my enjoyment of this story considerably. I realise it is marketed as a YA novel, but even as a young adult I preferred a more subtle approach to writing than this.
May not be the fault at all of the translator - it is difficult to take concepts in one language and translate them into another, and also make them a quality narrative experience in the other without feeling you have strayed too far from the original. I don't envy those who translate fiction at all!
I have not seen the manga or anime that have been based on this book, but I might give them a try instead of buying the second novel in the series. They would remove the capacity for the tale to have sentences in it like "He felt sad" which would be a great help.
October 7, 2016
Spice & Wolf is the story of Lawrence a merchant heading through town during a wheat festival that picks up a stranger along the way with wolf ears and tail. She says that she is the ancient wheat goddess who’s decided that she wants to travel up north. Falling for her charm Lawrence agrees’s to let her tag along little did he know that the wolf girl is more than she appears and may just be assets if she doesn’t get him in trouble.
I like Lawrence he’s a good guy who quickly accepts that Horo happens to be a wolf god who’s just wanting to go home. I like Horo she’s an interesting character a girl with wolf ears and tail that is connected to wheat. I also really liked how to the two just get along so well they seem to complement each other personality wise.
I actually watched a few episodes of the anime several years ago so I thought it might be worth checking into the manga. The first installment is just enough to give you a basic idea of the story and enough action to get you hooked on the story. I felt I was able to connect with both characters easily. I loved the artwork it’s beautifully done and I was impressed by the detail of each page. I actually enjoyed the concept for this one a wolf goddess who's ties are to wheat who just wants to go home what’s not to love. I’m curious to dive into the next one. Beautiful artwork with a unique story a must for Manga fans.
I like Lawrence he’s a good guy who quickly accepts that Horo happens to be a wolf god who’s just wanting to go home. I like Horo she’s an interesting character a girl with wolf ears and tail that is connected to wheat. I also really liked how to the two just get along so well they seem to complement each other personality wise.
I actually watched a few episodes of the anime several years ago so I thought it might be worth checking into the manga. The first installment is just enough to give you a basic idea of the story and enough action to get you hooked on the story. I felt I was able to connect with both characters easily. I loved the artwork it’s beautifully done and I was impressed by the detail of each page. I actually enjoyed the concept for this one a wolf goddess who's ties are to wheat who just wants to go home what’s not to love. I’m curious to dive into the next one. Beautiful artwork with a unique story a must for Manga fans.
November 3, 2021
The anime finished after only two series, adapting only the first few books and finishing on a cliffhanger (well, unresolved, anyway), so I read this wanting to continue the journey with these characters a bit. I haven't read a Japanese Light Novel before, so I perhaps was expecting something more like YA, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the style. Would I have finished it if I'd come to it cold? No. Will I be reading the next one? Yes.
August 8, 2019
I loved Spice and wolf the Anime so I thought I would love the light novel version. But, I almost felt as if they were different things. The Novak was so dense with merchant lingo that it made it almost boring and way out of my depth as a normal human being.
August 8, 2015
Nice start.
June 4, 2019
A better love story than twilight
October 12, 2021
very slow and holo is randomly naked at times (y?!)
February 18, 2013
This light novel and the ones that come after it inspired the anime, but I saw the anime first. I had actually heard about this book long before I saw the anime, mainly because of the controversy over the cover. The cover image you see in my blog is not the cover the original Japanese version of this book had, and, from what I can remember, it was extremely difficult to get the version of the cover with the original artwork. I remember assuming that the cover re-design was an attempt by Yen Press to market the book to a wider audience. In my opinion, the new cover is hideous. Also, what was point, when the original cover actually matched the illustrations inside the book?
This book is almost exactly like what I remember of the anime, up to the resolution of the story arc involving the silver trenni coins. The primary difference is that a character who was female in the anime is male in the book - I'm assuming he was turned into a she in the hopes of attracting more male otaku.
As is usually the case with light novels, I found myself preferring the anime to the novel the anime was based on. I didn't find all the financial scheming any easier to understand in the novel - in fact, I think more of it went over my head this time than when I was watching the anime. I found the interplay between Lawrence and Holo to be more charming and clever when I could actually watch and hear the two of them. That said, just as their relationship was the strongest part of the anime, it was also the strongest part of this book, and I really enjoyed reading about the two of them getting to know each other and learning how to work and live together.
There were a couple things I thought the book accomplished better than the anime. First, I thought the book created a better, fuller picture of this world. Readers got to learn details about this world that couldn't be easily conveyed in the anime. For instance, in one passage it's mentioned that Holo's long, beautiful hair would cause people to immediately assume she was likely fairly well off, because only nobles could afford to wash long hair in hot water on a regular basis. Details like this couldn't be as easily communicated in the anime.
Second, I thought Lawrence himself was more fully portrayed in the book. Readers got to know more about his thoughts, which gave insights into his life that the anime may have tried to get across but which must have gone over my head. I think I only understood the full extent of Lawrence's loneliness after reading the book - the merchants' story about horses learning to talk, Lawrence actually wondering what his horse would be like if it could talk, Lawrence's thoughts about the shop he'd like to open up, etc.
One scene I thought was particularly effective was one that not only brought up the loneliness of a traveling merchant's life again, but also underscored how similar Holo's loneliness is. Holo had had a nightmare in which she got to the northern forests only to discover that all her wolf friends were gone, reminding Lawrence of tales of traveling merchants who returned to their home towns after 20 years, only to discover that no one there remembered them - or that the towns themselves no longer existed. I don't recall any moment in the anime that was quite as chilling as this one passage.
In addition to giving a better window into his loneliness, Lawrence's thoughts also showed just how much he was analyzing every little thing from a merchant's perspective. Lawrence considers the potential worth of everything he sees and evaluates people in terms of what they can do for him (and against him) in an easy and automatic way that even extends to a stray thought about the value of Holo's tail fur.
Lawrence isn't the only one looking at the world this way - profit and business are vital to every character in this book. Somehow, Hasekura manages not to make this a negative thing. Yes, the characters do sometimes play tricks on each other in the name of profit (one incident, in which Holo negotiates a higher price for a wagonload of furs, comes immediately to mind), but none of it's done in a "businessman crushing his opponent" sort of way. In this world, if someone manages to trick you into paying a higher price than you should have, you accept it as a learning experience and move on. When a big company almost leaves Lawrence and Holo high and dry because they're no longer worth the trouble to help, Lawrence doesn't rail against the company, but instead thinks of a way to turn things around so that it is worth the company's while to help them.
The importance of profit and business is even woven into Lawrence's relationship with Holo. Holo simultaneously wins Lawrence's respect and offends his pride by showing how quickly she can grasp information about markets and currency that took him years to learn. Near the end of the book, during a part where the hero of another book might have shouted something like "don't leave, I love you" to the heroine, Lawrence instead shouts about the cost of the clothing Holo ruined. To Holo, the meaning of his words would be clear - she could leave, if she wished, but as a merchant he would be compelled to follow her to the ends of the earth to get back what she owed him. I'm still not sure whether I can call this romantic, but it certainly fit the characters.
Most of the light novels I've read haven't been very good. I think this one could have made it to my short list of good light novels, if it weren't for two things. One, my continued inability to understand the storyline about the trenni silver coins, and, two, the writing. Like I said in my post about the anime, I have something of a mental block when it comes to economics. I would have thought that it would all be easier to understand in book form, because I'd be able to go back and reread anything that didn't make sense, but I just ended up more confused. I'm still not entirely sure how anyone managed to profit from the scheme.
As far as the writing goes, I don't quite know how to describe it. At times, the style reads a lot like something written 60 years ago (at the moment, I am reading Eloise Jarvis McGraw's Mara, Daughter of the Nile, first published in 1953, and there are aspects of its style that are very similar to this first volume of Spice and Wolf). Also, there are occasionally some very strange and awkward phrases. Here's one I thought was strange enough to include in my notes: "Her whispering voice was itchy" (144). At the time, Lawrence had just had the surprise of getting into bed only to find Holo already there (and naked? I can't remember), and Holo was just about to warn him that they needed to make a quick escape. I'm guessing "itchy" refers either to Lawrence's involuntary excitement at finding Holo in his bed, anticipating a pleasant near future, or to a quality in Holo's voice that relates to what she's about to say. Either way, it's an odd word to use.
Overall, I liked this book enough to want to read the next volume, but it doesn't sway me from my opinion that most light novels aren't very good. In this case, the actual story was fairly good, and I enjoyed Lawrence and Holo, so the main fault lies either in the author's writing style or in the translation. I would recommend the anime over this book, but I don't regret reading the book.
Extras:
Several full-color illustrations at the beginning of the volume, black and white illustrations throughout the volume, and an afterword written by the author (which is little more than a thank you and "yay, I won a writing contest!").
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
This book is almost exactly like what I remember of the anime, up to the resolution of the story arc involving the silver trenni coins. The primary difference is that a character who was female in the anime is male in the book - I'm assuming he was turned into a she in the hopes of attracting more male otaku.
As is usually the case with light novels, I found myself preferring the anime to the novel the anime was based on. I didn't find all the financial scheming any easier to understand in the novel - in fact, I think more of it went over my head this time than when I was watching the anime. I found the interplay between Lawrence and Holo to be more charming and clever when I could actually watch and hear the two of them. That said, just as their relationship was the strongest part of the anime, it was also the strongest part of this book, and I really enjoyed reading about the two of them getting to know each other and learning how to work and live together.
There were a couple things I thought the book accomplished better than the anime. First, I thought the book created a better, fuller picture of this world. Readers got to learn details about this world that couldn't be easily conveyed in the anime. For instance, in one passage it's mentioned that Holo's long, beautiful hair would cause people to immediately assume she was likely fairly well off, because only nobles could afford to wash long hair in hot water on a regular basis. Details like this couldn't be as easily communicated in the anime.
Second, I thought Lawrence himself was more fully portrayed in the book. Readers got to know more about his thoughts, which gave insights into his life that the anime may have tried to get across but which must have gone over my head. I think I only understood the full extent of Lawrence's loneliness after reading the book - the merchants' story about horses learning to talk, Lawrence actually wondering what his horse would be like if it could talk, Lawrence's thoughts about the shop he'd like to open up, etc.
One scene I thought was particularly effective was one that not only brought up the loneliness of a traveling merchant's life again, but also underscored how similar Holo's loneliness is. Holo had had a nightmare in which she got to the northern forests only to discover that all her wolf friends were gone, reminding Lawrence of tales of traveling merchants who returned to their home towns after 20 years, only to discover that no one there remembered them - or that the towns themselves no longer existed. I don't recall any moment in the anime that was quite as chilling as this one passage.
In addition to giving a better window into his loneliness, Lawrence's thoughts also showed just how much he was analyzing every little thing from a merchant's perspective. Lawrence considers the potential worth of everything he sees and evaluates people in terms of what they can do for him (and against him) in an easy and automatic way that even extends to a stray thought about the value of Holo's tail fur.
Lawrence isn't the only one looking at the world this way - profit and business are vital to every character in this book. Somehow, Hasekura manages not to make this a negative thing. Yes, the characters do sometimes play tricks on each other in the name of profit (one incident, in which Holo negotiates a higher price for a wagonload of furs, comes immediately to mind), but none of it's done in a "businessman crushing his opponent" sort of way. In this world, if someone manages to trick you into paying a higher price than you should have, you accept it as a learning experience and move on. When a big company almost leaves Lawrence and Holo high and dry because they're no longer worth the trouble to help, Lawrence doesn't rail against the company, but instead thinks of a way to turn things around so that it is worth the company's while to help them.
The importance of profit and business is even woven into Lawrence's relationship with Holo. Holo simultaneously wins Lawrence's respect and offends his pride by showing how quickly she can grasp information about markets and currency that took him years to learn. Near the end of the book, during a part where the hero of another book might have shouted something like "don't leave, I love you" to the heroine, Lawrence instead shouts about the cost of the clothing Holo ruined. To Holo, the meaning of his words would be clear - she could leave, if she wished, but as a merchant he would be compelled to follow her to the ends of the earth to get back what she owed him. I'm still not sure whether I can call this romantic, but it certainly fit the characters.
Most of the light novels I've read haven't been very good. I think this one could have made it to my short list of good light novels, if it weren't for two things. One, my continued inability to understand the storyline about the trenni silver coins, and, two, the writing. Like I said in my post about the anime, I have something of a mental block when it comes to economics. I would have thought that it would all be easier to understand in book form, because I'd be able to go back and reread anything that didn't make sense, but I just ended up more confused. I'm still not entirely sure how anyone managed to profit from the scheme.
As far as the writing goes, I don't quite know how to describe it. At times, the style reads a lot like something written 60 years ago (at the moment, I am reading Eloise Jarvis McGraw's Mara, Daughter of the Nile, first published in 1953, and there are aspects of its style that are very similar to this first volume of Spice and Wolf). Also, there are occasionally some very strange and awkward phrases. Here's one I thought was strange enough to include in my notes: "Her whispering voice was itchy" (144). At the time, Lawrence had just had the surprise of getting into bed only to find Holo already there (and naked? I can't remember), and Holo was just about to warn him that they needed to make a quick escape. I'm guessing "itchy" refers either to Lawrence's involuntary excitement at finding Holo in his bed, anticipating a pleasant near future, or to a quality in Holo's voice that relates to what she's about to say. Either way, it's an odd word to use.
Overall, I liked this book enough to want to read the next volume, but it doesn't sway me from my opinion that most light novels aren't very good. In this case, the actual story was fairly good, and I enjoyed Lawrence and Holo, so the main fault lies either in the author's writing style or in the translation. I would recommend the anime over this book, but I don't regret reading the book.
Extras:
Several full-color illustrations at the beginning of the volume, black and white illustrations throughout the volume, and an afterword written by the author (which is little more than a thank you and "yay, I won a writing contest!").
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
June 7, 2019
So I started reading this in manga form, then decided to check out how the light novel compared. I realized this light novel follows the first two volumes of the manga and 2/3 of the third volume.
It was cool to see some of the thought processes and movements that were not obvious in the manga, but otherwise the novel and the manga match up pretty much perfectly.
I liked the characters and like the potential they have as well as the growth that was shown throughout.
I don't know how I will be reading this series though. I am not sure if I'll plow through the manga first (which I find quicker to read) or if I will read the novel series first (which seems like it goes further than the manga).
Still it was enjoyable and I would probably recommend it.
It was cool to see some of the thought processes and movements that were not obvious in the manga, but otherwise the novel and the manga match up pretty much perfectly.
I liked the characters and like the potential they have as well as the growth that was shown throughout.
I don't know how I will be reading this series though. I am not sure if I'll plow through the manga first (which I find quicker to read) or if I will read the novel series first (which seems like it goes further than the manga).
Still it was enjoyable and I would probably recommend it.
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