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Monogatari #4, Part 2
Nekomonogatari (White): Cat Tale
Launching into new territory that the author hadn’t mapped out when he embarked on the series, NEKOMONOGATARI (White) tells the tale of heroine Tsubasa Hanekawa from her own perspective, in her own voice—if that can hold true for a damaged soul who, depending on who you’re asking, suffers from a split personality or a supernatural aberration.
The bone-chilling brokenness of her household, where father and mother and daughter keep three separate sets of cookware in the same kitchen and only ever prepare their own meals, and the profound darkness nurtured in the genius schoolgirl’s heart, come to life, if that is the word, through her self-vivisection.
As for our customary unreliable narrator, Araragi, we seem to learn revealing tidbits about him now that we have an outside view of him at last, while his lady friends Senjogahara, Hachikuji, et al, freed from his predilection for proudly inane banter, show subtly new faces to us via their female interlocutor. Welcome to the Second Season.
The bone-chilling brokenness of her household, where father and mother and daughter keep three separate sets of cookware in the same kitchen and only ever prepare their own meals, and the profound darkness nurtured in the genius schoolgirl’s heart, come to life, if that is the word, through her self-vivisection.
As for our customary unreliable narrator, Araragi, we seem to learn revealing tidbits about him now that we have an outside view of him at last, while his lady friends Senjogahara, Hachikuji, et al, freed from his predilection for proudly inane banter, show subtly new faces to us via their female interlocutor. Welcome to the Second Season.
306 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2010
45 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
NisiOisiN
288 books966 followersNisio Isin (西尾維新 Nishio Ishin), frequently written as NisiOisiN to emphasize that his pen name is a palindrome, is a Japanese novelist and manga writer. He attended and left Ritsumeikan University without graduating. In 2002, he debuted with the novel Kubikiri Cycle, which earned him the 23rd Mephisto Award at twenty years of age.
He currently works with Kodansha on Pandora, the Kodansha Box magazine, and Faust, a literary magazine containing the works of other young authors who similarly take influence from light novels and otaku culture. He was also publishing a twelve volume series over twelve months for the Kodansha Box line; Ryusui Seiryoin was matching this output, and the Kodansha Box website stated that this is the first time in the world two authors have done twelve volume monthly novel series simultaneously from the same publisher.
In February, 2008, his novel Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases was released in English by Viz Media. Del Rey Manga has already released the first volume in his Zaregoto series. His Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari and Katanagatari novels have been adapted into anime series. Nekomonogatari (Kuro) has been adapted into an anime TV movie, and Kizumonogatari will be release in theaters this year. Monogatari Series: Second Season, adapted from 6 books in Monogatari Series will air in July 2013. Another of his works, Medaka Box (manga), has been adapted into a two-season anime series.
He currently works with Kodansha on Pandora, the Kodansha Box magazine, and Faust, a literary magazine containing the works of other young authors who similarly take influence from light novels and otaku culture. He was also publishing a twelve volume series over twelve months for the Kodansha Box line; Ryusui Seiryoin was matching this output, and the Kodansha Box website stated that this is the first time in the world two authors have done twelve volume monthly novel series simultaneously from the same publisher.
In February, 2008, his novel Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases was released in English by Viz Media. Del Rey Manga has already released the first volume in his Zaregoto series. His Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari and Katanagatari novels have been adapted into anime series. Nekomonogatari (Kuro) has been adapted into an anime TV movie, and Kizumonogatari will be release in theaters this year. Monogatari Series: Second Season, adapted from 6 books in Monogatari Series will air in July 2013. Another of his works, Medaka Box (manga), has been adapted into a two-season anime series.
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April 14, 2013
Perhaps you are simply too pure — as white as innocence itself. You do not understand your own heartlessness , nor your cruelty (...) You are simply dim to the darkness. In that case... you are a failure as a living creature. - Senjougahara Hitagi
Written from Hanekawa's point of view, Nekomonogatari (White) takes a more intimate and compelling approach than the previous novels to build what is perhaps one of the best works by Nisio Isin. The Tsubasa Tiger arc tells us the story of a pure woman, a fake, a monster, and her relationship with her abusive family and the people around her.
Leaving behind the action oriented plots, in Nekomonogatari (White) not only Hanekawa but also the people who cross her path undergoes a remarkable evolution from their previous selves. It's not an exaggeration if we affirm that one of the greatest virtues of Nisio as a writer, and most likely the factor that distances him from fellow and generic authors, is his ability to create complex characters. I'm not mistaken when I state that Nekomonogatari (White) is where his prose takes a new level. The once aloof, detached and somewhat tsundere Senjougahara and the pure and unstable Hanekawa, through the brilliant scenes that depict their interactions, are now multilayered characters and reach a new and surprising level of humanity.
If Kizumonogatari is, at the end of the road, a story about how broken people can even in tragedy form bonds, and Nisemonogatari a tale about persons becoming fakes in order to exist, Nekomonogatari, while sticking to the previous premises, is a novel about how our flaws, that part that brings us closer to be failed creatures, allow us to embrace reality and get through our daily life. Being Hanekawa Tsubasa the embodiment of this, we understand that only by experiencing hatred, jealousy, envy, loneliness and getting hold of our flaws can we understand ourselves as human beings. Otherwise, as Hanekawa, we are nothing but monsters. Pure monsters.
Written from Hanekawa's point of view, Nekomonogatari (White) takes a more intimate and compelling approach than the previous novels to build what is perhaps one of the best works by Nisio Isin. The Tsubasa Tiger arc tells us the story of a pure woman, a fake, a monster, and her relationship with her abusive family and the people around her.
Leaving behind the action oriented plots, in Nekomonogatari (White) not only Hanekawa but also the people who cross her path undergoes a remarkable evolution from their previous selves. It's not an exaggeration if we affirm that one of the greatest virtues of Nisio as a writer, and most likely the factor that distances him from fellow and generic authors, is his ability to create complex characters. I'm not mistaken when I state that Nekomonogatari (White) is where his prose takes a new level. The once aloof, detached and somewhat tsundere Senjougahara and the pure and unstable Hanekawa, through the brilliant scenes that depict their interactions, are now multilayered characters and reach a new and surprising level of humanity.
If Kizumonogatari is, at the end of the road, a story about how broken people can even in tragedy form bonds, and Nisemonogatari a tale about persons becoming fakes in order to exist, Nekomonogatari, while sticking to the previous premises, is a novel about how our flaws, that part that brings us closer to be failed creatures, allow us to embrace reality and get through our daily life. Being Hanekawa Tsubasa the embodiment of this, we understand that only by experiencing hatred, jealousy, envy, loneliness and getting hold of our flaws can we understand ourselves as human beings. Otherwise, as Hanekawa, we are nothing but monsters. Pure monsters.
January 5, 2019
Tsubasa Hanekawa.
Overachiever.
Model Student.
A Class President among Class Presidents.
Complete impostor.
Hanekawa is probably the most multi-layered and compelling character in all of the Monogatari series.
Her history of abuse and her ways of dealing with it have made some of the most memorable parts of the franchise.
In this installment, we get to know the events after Golden Week and the Culture Festival told from her perspective.
"A family isn't something that you need to have, but it should be a happy one if it exists."
Her experiences make her also the most relatable character of Monogatari.
"A parent's love for a child isn't a duty to be fulfilled, it's a feeling, and you shouldn't get married or have children if you aren't capable of feeling it."
Her character arc is a testament on how a broken home can break you.
Sometimes parents who beat you aren't even the worst.
"They'd abused me in the most heinous way, by not loving me."
When it comes to depth and impact, Nekomonogatari [White] ranks second right after Kizumonogatari, which is, in my opinion, still the most intriguing entry in the series.
Overachiever.
Model Student.
A Class President among Class Presidents.
Complete impostor.
Hanekawa is probably the most multi-layered and compelling character in all of the Monogatari series.
Her history of abuse and her ways of dealing with it have made some of the most memorable parts of the franchise.
In this installment, we get to know the events after Golden Week and the Culture Festival told from her perspective.
"A family isn't something that you need to have, but it should be a happy one if it exists."
Her experiences make her also the most relatable character of Monogatari.
"A parent's love for a child isn't a duty to be fulfilled, it's a feeling, and you shouldn't get married or have children if you aren't capable of feeling it."
Her character arc is a testament on how a broken home can break you.
Sometimes parents who beat you aren't even the worst.
"They'd abused me in the most heinous way, by not loving me."
When it comes to depth and impact, Nekomonogatari [White] ranks second right after Kizumonogatari, which is, in my opinion, still the most intriguing entry in the series.
October 11, 2021
5/5 Stars: ‘Nekomonogatari: White’ (Book #7 of ‘Monogatari’) by NisiOisiN.
→ Age Range: Young Adult.
→ Genre: Fantasy, Light Novel.
→ Trigger Warnings: Depression, Abuse, Undiagnosed PTSD.
In-depth Rating:
→ Plot: ★★★★★
→ Character Development: ★★★★★
→ Setting: ★★★★★
→ Entertainment Level: ★★★★★
→ Writing: ★★★★★
General Comments: While not the most substantial in terms of strengthening character relationships, or the most complex plot-wise, it nonetheless presents strong intra-personal emotional conflict, exhibiting strong semantic precision and density. The quality of writing is strong; it excels at progressively delving into innate goodness and overcoming outward feelings of inferiority (stemming from purity).
Favourite Quote: ‘A parent’s love for a child isn’t a duty to be fulfilled, it’s a feeling, and you shouldn’t get married or have children if you aren’t capable of feeling it.’
Time Read: One Day.
→ Audiobook: No.
→ Audiobook Narrator: -
→ Age Range: Young Adult.
→ Genre: Fantasy, Light Novel.
→ Trigger Warnings: Depression, Abuse, Undiagnosed PTSD.
In-depth Rating:
→ Plot: ★★★★★
→ Character Development: ★★★★★
→ Setting: ★★★★★
→ Entertainment Level: ★★★★★
→ Writing: ★★★★★
General Comments: While not the most substantial in terms of strengthening character relationships, or the most complex plot-wise, it nonetheless presents strong intra-personal emotional conflict, exhibiting strong semantic precision and density. The quality of writing is strong; it excels at progressively delving into innate goodness and overcoming outward feelings of inferiority (stemming from purity).
Favourite Quote: ‘A parent’s love for a child isn’t a duty to be fulfilled, it’s a feeling, and you shouldn’t get married or have children if you aren’t capable of feeling it.’
Time Read: One Day.
→ Audiobook: No.
→ Audiobook Narrator: -
March 1, 2018
I feared going in to Nekomonogatari: Cat Tale (White), that it would come off awkward and wouldn't live up to previous novels due to the switch from Araragi's perspective over to Hanekawa's. While the book isn't nearly as comedic, or filled with the banter I love from Nisiosin's books, this one is a much deeper book overall.
After seeing a tiger on the way to school, Hanekawa's house burns down and she has no desire to stay with her parents whom she feels no connection to. She decides to survive on her own, but only lasts a night before Senjogahara takes her in, and eventually Araragi's family. Black Hanekawa (AKA Afflicting Cat) comes out in a much softer demeanor through out the book.
While I knew Hanekawa had more layers as a character than previously let on, I didn't think she could be interesting enough for a whole book. Nisiosin tosses those worries aside pretty quickly. The way he crafts her voice to be the sole focus is superb. Whether it is as her or Black Hanekawa, he knows just how to draw you in and keep you glued to the pages.
This book is all about Hanekawa being forced to look inward at herself in terms of emotions, struggles, and who she wants to be. She spends much of this book in a state of confusion, trying to figure out why she is black out again, what the tiger is as an aberration. As she works this out, we get a look at just how disconnected she has been in her life when dealing with stress, abuse, and other problems.
Nisioisin could have easily stuck to the tried and true of Araragi as the lead in Nekomonogatari: Cat Tale (White), but showed that taking chances can work out brilliantly. Fans of the series should be prepared for a fresh look with the perspective of Hanekawa. I kept reading along furiously with little pause as I became engrossed with her story of awakening to whom she always should have been.
Cover Thoughts: Has VOFAN ever let us down? The cover art of Black Hanekawa and the tiger is beautiful, sexy, and fierce all at once.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Beers
After seeing a tiger on the way to school, Hanekawa's house burns down and she has no desire to stay with her parents whom she feels no connection to. She decides to survive on her own, but only lasts a night before Senjogahara takes her in, and eventually Araragi's family. Black Hanekawa (AKA Afflicting Cat) comes out in a much softer demeanor through out the book.
While I knew Hanekawa had more layers as a character than previously let on, I didn't think she could be interesting enough for a whole book. Nisiosin tosses those worries aside pretty quickly. The way he crafts her voice to be the sole focus is superb. Whether it is as her or Black Hanekawa, he knows just how to draw you in and keep you glued to the pages.
This book is all about Hanekawa being forced to look inward at herself in terms of emotions, struggles, and who she wants to be. She spends much of this book in a state of confusion, trying to figure out why she is black out again, what the tiger is as an aberration. As she works this out, we get a look at just how disconnected she has been in her life when dealing with stress, abuse, and other problems.
Nisioisin could have easily stuck to the tried and true of Araragi as the lead in Nekomonogatari: Cat Tale (White), but showed that taking chances can work out brilliantly. Fans of the series should be prepared for a fresh look with the perspective of Hanekawa. I kept reading along furiously with little pause as I became engrossed with her story of awakening to whom she always should have been.
Cover Thoughts: Has VOFAN ever let us down? The cover art of Black Hanekawa and the tiger is beautiful, sexy, and fierce all at once.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Beers
June 6, 2018
The "Second Season" of the Monogatari Series begins with a novel told from the perspective of Tsubasa Hanekawa, going far enough even to push Araragi out of the majority of the novel's action, having him, presumably, dealing with the events of the following novel of this series, before jumping back in at the novel's climax.
Similar to the Araragi-perspective novels, this one spends a decent chunk of the overall page count dilly-dallying without quite getting into the actual supernatural goings-on. But where Araragi eats up pages with his banter, Hanekawa treats the book as more of a serious "I novel," as in classic Japanese literature. That is, Hanekawa tells us first-hand just how fucking depressed she is. And, furthermore, in case we couldn't quite read between all the lines, Senjougahara pops up to make it even clearer. Actually, it is somewhat bothersome that Senjougahara has to keep spelling everything out for us in this book, but at least we have the excuse that Hanekawa can't quite see the forest for the trees. The prime example is when Hanekawa tries making a meal for Senjougahara, completely missing the dressing for the salad and any condiments for their eggs, from which Senjougahara concludes Hanekawa is the type of person to "accept" bland food because she simply has nothing "real" to her person, other than to just take everything as it comes, not able to will herself to see bland food as something negative. Or something. I don't quite remember right now.
Oh, so the thing is Hanekawa runs into a big ass tiger on her way to school, and it ends up burning down the house in which she grew up, so she has to live with Senjougahara for a while, learning how a "real" family lives (particularly w/r/t a loving father), then moves to hang with the Araragi sisters (Koyomi is off doing something with Hachikuji and/or Kanbaru), learning an insight into what it means to have siblings (as well as getting some motherly advice from Mrs. Araragi). Oh, also, we learn that Araragi's parents, heretofore unseen in the series, were police officers the whole time. Oh, also also, Araragi was a violent juvenile delinquent in middle school, hence why he's so averse to his sisters' vigilantism. So, anyway, a couple chapters seem to skip when Hanekawa goes to sleep, and we eventually find out these missing chapters cover the actions of "Black Hanekawa," who has come back to the surface of Hanekawa's mind in order to deal with the stress of the tiger aberration. Hanekawa runs into Episode (from Kizumonogatari) again, as well as Izuko Gaen, senpai to Oshino, Kaiki, and Kagenui, and relative to Kanbaru, who clue Hanekawa in on the potential identity of the tiger aberration, whom Gaen claims will be named the "Tyrannical Tiger" by Hanekawa. Cue Hanekawa clamoring to research what the Tyrannical Tiger is, before realizing she's the one to have discovered it, before realizing she's the one to have created it in the first place, just as Black Hanekawa was a new creation informed by the pre-existing Afflicting Cat aberration.
So what we have now is a questionable alteration of the series as a whole. Previously, the featured aberrations seemed to have been based on "real" (that is, pre-existing) yokai and things, until Hanekawa had to go and make a new one up, and now we seem to be completely pulling new aberrations out of our hat. I don't personally care enough to research whether earlier aberrations were based on real yokai, preferring to at least uphold the illusion of their being real, but if we're just going to explicitly say we're bullshitting, it could get wonky. We'll just have to wait and see.
Hanekawa is a pretty great narrator, a fresh change of pace from Araragi, his banter, and his ramblings (as much as I love everything). It actually seems, with the more "focused" storytelling here, that more stuff happens in this novel than in any previous book (except Kizu-), perhaps taking up more time than the four or so anime episodes would allow. I've not yet seen the Monogatari Series Second Season anime adaptation, but I do know the so-called "First Season" truncates a lot of the banter scenes in favor more reasonable runtimes for episodes (the conversation between Araragi and Tsukihi in Neko [Black] runs for eighty pages in the novel, which, if adapted 100%, would easily take up at least a couple episodes' worth of time). So in this book, we have Hanekawa bounce from location to location, meeting and talking to several of the other girls in the series, and she writes a long-ass letter to her Black self which I can only assume gets heavily edited for the anime version.
On that note, Hanekawa's note is most certainly the high point in this novel, and quite likely the greatest moment in the series as a whole, at least to this point. I mean, it's a light novel, so the actual prose isn't the greatest thing every writ to paper, but the weight of pathos brings great depth to Tsubasa Hanekawa as a character, especially after having been sidelined in her previous focal stories ("Tsubasa Cat" and "Tsubasa Family") by her feline alter-ego, as well as the introduction of her over-the-top-to-the-point-of-seeming-boring backstory, which also gets fleshed out more, earlier in this novel (Hanekawa believes the Tyrannical Tiger burned the house down because of her envy that the mother and father were becoming emotionally close once again, leaving Hanekawa herself out of their burgeoning new family). Araragi has previously shown some weakness, but mostly he just mentions that he's crying or screaming or something, instead of actually describing his heart with any accurate analysis. And Hanekawa really cuts into herself, to show how critical she's become with the advent of the Tiger, and how she wants to get rid of her "monstrous" present self in favor of a more "human" version, ironically absorbing both Black Hanekawa and the Tyrannical Tiger.
As has been the case with other climaxes in the series, Hanekawa can't do shit to the Tyrannical Tiger, and a deus ex machina comes in the form of Araragi, returning from wherever at the last possible moment, showing better mastery of the Kokorowatari katana, and covering up his heroism by saying he arrived as soon as he saw the picture Hanekawa sent of herself wearing Araragi's streetclothes.
Hanekawa's epilogue is not wholly a punchline, as with Araragi's conclusions, but is instead considered a new story for which all previous events have been retroactively classified as "prologue." Unlike, e.g., Senjougahara's "development" in the Nise- volumes, Hanekawa actually feels like she's gained some three-dimensional growth - and of course Nisioisin characterizes this with a change in hairstyle!
Similar to the Araragi-perspective novels, this one spends a decent chunk of the overall page count dilly-dallying without quite getting into the actual supernatural goings-on. But where Araragi eats up pages with his banter, Hanekawa treats the book as more of a serious "I novel," as in classic Japanese literature. That is, Hanekawa tells us first-hand just how fucking depressed she is. And, furthermore, in case we couldn't quite read between all the lines, Senjougahara pops up to make it even clearer. Actually, it is somewhat bothersome that Senjougahara has to keep spelling everything out for us in this book, but at least we have the excuse that Hanekawa can't quite see the forest for the trees. The prime example is when Hanekawa tries making a meal for Senjougahara, completely missing the dressing for the salad and any condiments for their eggs, from which Senjougahara concludes Hanekawa is the type of person to "accept" bland food because she simply has nothing "real" to her person, other than to just take everything as it comes, not able to will herself to see bland food as something negative. Or something. I don't quite remember right now.
Oh, so the thing is Hanekawa runs into a big ass tiger on her way to school, and it ends up burning down the house in which she grew up, so she has to live with Senjougahara for a while, learning how a "real" family lives (particularly w/r/t a loving father), then moves to hang with the Araragi sisters (Koyomi is off doing something with Hachikuji and/or Kanbaru), learning an insight into what it means to have siblings (as well as getting some motherly advice from Mrs. Araragi). Oh, also, we learn that Araragi's parents, heretofore unseen in the series, were police officers the whole time. Oh, also also, Araragi was a violent juvenile delinquent in middle school, hence why he's so averse to his sisters' vigilantism. So, anyway, a couple chapters seem to skip when Hanekawa goes to sleep, and we eventually find out these missing chapters cover the actions of "Black Hanekawa," who has come back to the surface of Hanekawa's mind in order to deal with the stress of the tiger aberration. Hanekawa runs into Episode (from Kizumonogatari) again, as well as Izuko Gaen, senpai to Oshino, Kaiki, and Kagenui, and relative to Kanbaru, who clue Hanekawa in on the potential identity of the tiger aberration, whom Gaen claims will be named the "Tyrannical Tiger" by Hanekawa. Cue Hanekawa clamoring to research what the Tyrannical Tiger is, before realizing she's the one to have discovered it, before realizing she's the one to have created it in the first place, just as Black Hanekawa was a new creation informed by the pre-existing Afflicting Cat aberration.
So what we have now is a questionable alteration of the series as a whole. Previously, the featured aberrations seemed to have been based on "real" (that is, pre-existing) yokai and things, until Hanekawa had to go and make a new one up, and now we seem to be completely pulling new aberrations out of our hat. I don't personally care enough to research whether earlier aberrations were based on real yokai, preferring to at least uphold the illusion of their being real, but if we're just going to explicitly say we're bullshitting, it could get wonky. We'll just have to wait and see.
Hanekawa is a pretty great narrator, a fresh change of pace from Araragi, his banter, and his ramblings (as much as I love everything). It actually seems, with the more "focused" storytelling here, that more stuff happens in this novel than in any previous book (except Kizu-), perhaps taking up more time than the four or so anime episodes would allow. I've not yet seen the Monogatari Series Second Season anime adaptation, but I do know the so-called "First Season" truncates a lot of the banter scenes in favor more reasonable runtimes for episodes (the conversation between Araragi and Tsukihi in Neko [Black] runs for eighty pages in the novel, which, if adapted 100%, would easily take up at least a couple episodes' worth of time). So in this book, we have Hanekawa bounce from location to location, meeting and talking to several of the other girls in the series, and she writes a long-ass letter to her Black self which I can only assume gets heavily edited for the anime version.
On that note, Hanekawa's note is most certainly the high point in this novel, and quite likely the greatest moment in the series as a whole, at least to this point. I mean, it's a light novel, so the actual prose isn't the greatest thing every writ to paper, but the weight of pathos brings great depth to Tsubasa Hanekawa as a character, especially after having been sidelined in her previous focal stories ("Tsubasa Cat" and "Tsubasa Family") by her feline alter-ego, as well as the introduction of her over-the-top-to-the-point-of-seeming-boring backstory, which also gets fleshed out more, earlier in this novel (Hanekawa believes the Tyrannical Tiger burned the house down because of her envy that the mother and father were becoming emotionally close once again, leaving Hanekawa herself out of their burgeoning new family). Araragi has previously shown some weakness, but mostly he just mentions that he's crying or screaming or something, instead of actually describing his heart with any accurate analysis. And Hanekawa really cuts into herself, to show how critical she's become with the advent of the Tiger, and how she wants to get rid of her "monstrous" present self in favor of a more "human" version, ironically absorbing both Black Hanekawa and the Tyrannical Tiger.
As has been the case with other climaxes in the series, Hanekawa can't do shit to the Tyrannical Tiger, and a deus ex machina comes in the form of Araragi, returning from wherever at the last possible moment, showing better mastery of the Kokorowatari katana, and covering up his heroism by saying he arrived as soon as he saw the picture Hanekawa sent of herself wearing Araragi's streetclothes.
Hanekawa's epilogue is not wholly a punchline, as with Araragi's conclusions, but is instead considered a new story for which all previous events have been retroactively classified as "prologue." Unlike, e.g., Senjougahara's "development" in the Nise- volumes, Hanekawa actually feels like she's gained some three-dimensional growth - and of course Nisioisin characterizes this with a change in hairstyle!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
A visceral, poignant, and affecting character study. Hanekawa's psychology is fully explored in all of its complexity as she narrates her own emotional journey through domestic abuse, neglect, and repression. The story of her rebirth. Of reclaiming herself and her emotions. Of her becoming whole again. Of her learning to love herself. I can't articulate my feelings or thoughts on this book unfortunately but it is easily the best in the series thus far and a genuine triumph as far as I am concerned.
April 25, 2022
This has been probably my favorite book in the series so far. The character Hanekawa has been constantly developing throughout the series, and everything really came together beautifully here. I’m glad that this book was written from her perspective, as it helped to really show the way that her character has developed, including her different forms. To say I love the amount depth put into her would honestly be an understatement, and I’m sad to reach the end of this tale.
September 28, 2023
i think i must be a bit of an inattentive or dull reader but until this volume i mostly just agreed with koyomi's assessment of tsubasa, which is to say i guess i just admired her strength and perfection, especially after what was revealed in the previous instalment. and i had started to meld my thought process into accepting tsubasa's twisted logic for how impeccable she is. while i was reading this book, i felt very badly about ever looking up to her as a character and i finally understand what hitagi and mr oshino and everybody else were saying all along.
some of the wordplays had a bit of a clunky translation/explanation but i guess that comes with the territory. otherwise very good english delivery. i wonder how the next instalment's english will be, since the translator has changed.
the change in narrator was a breath of fresh air, not that koyomi had gotten stale, per se, but just seeing things from a different perspective was nice, especially from a character as fleshed out as tsubasa. it was especially fun to see koyomi actually portrayed as somewhat heroic, because as self-conscious he might be about his height, he definitely does not shy away from telling us how scared or hopeless or in pain he feels, and his arrival during the climax (not like that) was the first time he actually seemed cool.
i really like the nuggets of wisdom nisio isin throws into his dialogues because they are incredibly digestible for someone like me and also somehow always incredibly pertinent, at least recently. i think this book and the last one, neko black, were the ones i enjoyed the most, and was so shocked that i did.
when i was finishing my last few pages the thought occurred to me that this was like japans percy jackson, and although that is a little reductive of both series, i don't think it's too unwarranted. of course both are great in their own rights, and i haven't read any riordan in a very long time so i couldn't do either writer justice in a comparison here.
also while this book is probably the most didactic and perhaps philosophical, bordering on moralistic, i don't think the line between character and plot development and teaching a lesson is ever crossed. partly because nisio isin approaches each subject with tact and care, with such precision and such incredible accuracy to the way i had envisioned my own world, that i can't help but keep reading to see how i went wrong in my own judgments.
the only reason im not giving this 5 stars is that goodreads calls a 5-star book "amazing" instead of 4's "really good". and im not easy to amaze. or so i'd like to think
some of the wordplays had a bit of a clunky translation/explanation but i guess that comes with the territory. otherwise very good english delivery. i wonder how the next instalment's english will be, since the translator has changed.
the change in narrator was a breath of fresh air, not that koyomi had gotten stale, per se, but just seeing things from a different perspective was nice, especially from a character as fleshed out as tsubasa. it was especially fun to see koyomi actually portrayed as somewhat heroic, because as self-conscious he might be about his height, he definitely does not shy away from telling us how scared or hopeless or in pain he feels, and his arrival during the climax (not like that) was the first time he actually seemed cool.
i really like the nuggets of wisdom nisio isin throws into his dialogues because they are incredibly digestible for someone like me and also somehow always incredibly pertinent, at least recently. i think this book and the last one, neko black, were the ones i enjoyed the most, and was so shocked that i did.
when i was finishing my last few pages the thought occurred to me that this was like japans percy jackson, and although that is a little reductive of both series, i don't think it's too unwarranted. of course both are great in their own rights, and i haven't read any riordan in a very long time so i couldn't do either writer justice in a comparison here.
also while this book is probably the most didactic and perhaps philosophical, bordering on moralistic, i don't think the line between character and plot development and teaching a lesson is ever crossed. partly because nisio isin approaches each subject with tact and care, with such precision and such incredible accuracy to the way i had envisioned my own world, that i can't help but keep reading to see how i went wrong in my own judgments.
the only reason im not giving this 5 stars is that goodreads calls a 5-star book "amazing" instead of 4's "really good". and im not easy to amaze. or so i'd like to think
October 25, 2022
a deep dive into the pure whiteness of the aberration known as hanekawa tsubasa. her failures as a creature, her dullness, and her selfishness of killing and chopping herself up. the way nisioisin writes is just masterful with its human feel. the concept of always changing, but still never changing. accepting every version of yourself, the newborn future, the current, and the old. not looking away but facing it all head-on. the black darkness of stress, and the white all-encompassing flames of envy. accepting them within you, no longer cutting them off. a mixture of black and white.
“i wanted to become an adult who was grey as ash.”
truly one of my favorite entries in the series, and just one of my favorite stories of all time. hanekawa is one of my favorite characters ever. true perfection of identity, longing, envy, stress, anxiety, burning love, and all the emotions we can think of. neko shiro is just stunning.
“i wanted to become an adult who was grey as ash.”
truly one of my favorite entries in the series, and just one of my favorite stories of all time. hanekawa is one of my favorite characters ever. true perfection of identity, longing, envy, stress, anxiety, burning love, and all the emotions we can think of. neko shiro is just stunning.
May 10, 2020
Until now, every review I wrote about a book in the "Monogatari" series contained the same phrase, either explicitly or in an implicit way: It is good, but not as good as "Bakemonogatari". This book, now, is different: This is the book that took this series from good to great, this is the book that dethroned the former king; this is the book of the "Monogatari" series that is better than "Bakemonogatari".
I used to see "Monogatari" books as a reading holiday - in the same way that Nisoisin considered them a writing holiday: Nothing special, nothing too deep, simply a lot of astoundingly tight written dialogue with more literary comedy than I have ever seen in any other novel. This changed with this volume, the volume that a) sheds light on the most important and ambiguous character in the series so far, and b) ramps up the "second season" (a term that started out as a monicker by Nisioisin and, by now, is an official label for the six books published after "Nekomonogatari (Black)") which already shows and foreshadows more plot than the entire first season combined.
Hanekawa was a character that I - simply speaking - didn't get. Maybe this has to do with Nisioisin's way of first giving us a glimpse of present-time Hanekawa in "Bake-" and "Nisemonogatari" and from time to time showing her "origin" in "Kizu-" and "Nekomonogatari (Black)". Now, we are finally in the present time with Hanekawa, know everything that is to know about her and her relationship to her friends and [the man and woman she lives in a house with] and I have to admit, I am blown away by her character development. Especially "Nekomonogatari (Black)" left a really bad aftertaste in my mouth with the - at that time in my opinion unnecessary and totally unfounded - . Now that I finally got a hang of Hanekawa's character, I can understand where Araragi was coming from.
Reading a story narrated by Hanekawa was a treat, as was the literary humour in this novel, which was at the same time entertaining and, on top of that, on a completely different level than the humour in the previous books, as there are instances where some comedy conventions established in this novel are used for storytelling aside from jokes.
Also, my favourite part - sadly, because this somehow makes it look like the rest of the novel wasn't good, although quite the contrary is the case - was the foreshadowing that Nisioisin is quite blatantly shoving in our faces. We see almost nothing of Araragi in this novel, however, Mayoi openly advertises the next book (with her narrating the story) focussing on the events that she will go through with Araragi. From time to time the story of the next volume (happening simultaneously to this one) intersects with the story of this volume and we get glimpses of what is about to go down. I was never before as hyped for a follow-up volume to any "Monogatari" novel as I was for "Kabukimonogatari" which is already sitting in my nightstand.
This volume seriously made me consider going back to my previous reviews of the "Monogatari" novels and lowering the score I gave them. This book is clearly 5 stars, however, it is miles above the other "Monogatari" books that I rated with 5 stars. I think I will leave everything as is, but I once again want to highlight that THIS is so far my favourite entry to the series and the first book by Nisioisi after which I instantly ordered the next volume.
I used to see "Monogatari" books as a reading holiday - in the same way that Nisoisin considered them a writing holiday: Nothing special, nothing too deep, simply a lot of astoundingly tight written dialogue with more literary comedy than I have ever seen in any other novel. This changed with this volume, the volume that a) sheds light on the most important and ambiguous character in the series so far, and b) ramps up the "second season" (a term that started out as a monicker by Nisioisin and, by now, is an official label for the six books published after "Nekomonogatari (Black)") which already shows and foreshadows more plot than the entire first season combined.
Hanekawa was a character that I - simply speaking - didn't get. Maybe this has to do with Nisioisin's way of first giving us a glimpse of present-time Hanekawa in "Bake-" and "Nisemonogatari" and from time to time showing her "origin" in "Kizu-" and "Nekomonogatari (Black)". Now, we are finally in the present time with Hanekawa, know everything that is to know about her and her relationship to her friends and [the man and woman she lives in a house with] and I have to admit, I am blown away by her character development. Especially "Nekomonogatari (Black)" left a really bad aftertaste in my mouth with the - at that time in my opinion unnecessary and totally unfounded - . Now that I finally got a hang of Hanekawa's character, I can understand where Araragi was coming from.
Reading a story narrated by Hanekawa was a treat, as was the literary humour in this novel, which was at the same time entertaining and, on top of that, on a completely different level than the humour in the previous books, as there are instances where some comedy conventions established in this novel are used for storytelling aside from jokes.
Also, my favourite part - sadly, because this somehow makes it look like the rest of the novel wasn't good, although quite the contrary is the case - was the foreshadowing that Nisioisin is quite blatantly shoving in our faces. We see almost nothing of Araragi in this novel, however, Mayoi openly advertises the next book (with her narrating the story) focussing on the events that she will go through with Araragi. From time to time the story of the next volume (happening simultaneously to this one) intersects with the story of this volume and we get glimpses of what is about to go down. I was never before as hyped for a follow-up volume to any "Monogatari" novel as I was for "Kabukimonogatari" which is already sitting in my nightstand.
This volume seriously made me consider going back to my previous reviews of the "Monogatari" novels and lowering the score I gave them. This book is clearly 5 stars, however, it is miles above the other "Monogatari" books that I rated with 5 stars. I think I will leave everything as is, but I once again want to highlight that THIS is so far my favourite entry to the series and the first book by Nisioisi after which I instantly ordered the next volume.
April 24, 2018
Hanekawa Tsubasa's tale continues in Nekomonogatari (White). This isn't a sequel for Nekomonogatari (Black) though, just another tale that involves Hanekawa and her aberrations. And as NisiOisiN pointed out in the afterword, both books can be read independently of each other.
This is probably the only Monogatari book (well, of the ones officially translated and I've read) that isn't told in Araragi's POV and boy does the novel get an instant extra star just for that alone! Gone are the pages upon pages of panties. Hanekawa tries her best to do the boke/tsukkomi routine with everyone, but alas, that's not really her forte even if her conversations with Senjogahara were a treat to read. Of course, Araragi's still mentioned and very much loved. And I guess from Hanekawa's point of view I can see the appeal--But also it looks like Araragi himself had some things going on when he was in middle school, and I think that's a tale for another novel?
Episode makes a surprising return and reveals he's actually seven years old (for some reason he seems to have lost his sanpaku eyes, but maybe Hanekawa didn't pay as much attention as Araragi?). That was such a bizarre conversation, but we'll see what part he plays later on I guess.
Where (Black) tells us about the events of Golden Week and Black Hanekawa, (White) is about a tiger aberration that appears in town right at the start of the term. Hanekawa is worried about it, but thoughts of aberrations are pushed from her mind when she sees her house burn down from the school window. Her 'parents' rent a hotel room to stay at while their house gets rebuilt, but unable to spend the time with the two adults who don't give two pins about her, Hanekawa decides to rough it out in the cram school. Senjogahara will have none of this and invites Hanekawa to her house, and then later on to Araragi's own home (Araragi is absent for 98% of the novel and Hanekawa sleeps in his room).
While my fave bits are definitely Hanekawa and Senjogahara's interactions, I also loved how this novel gets into Hanekawa's psyche. We get to see why Meme Oshino thinks of her as a monster when we see nothing but a perfect human being from Araragi's POV: there's something scary about how little she cares about herself but at the same time protecting herself through seriously unhealthy coping methods. I've always said that I had to kill parts of myself in order to survive, but what Hanekawa did was throw everything into the side, the feelings that later find release in Black Hanekawa Perhaps this coping method is not as bad? In the end, Hanekawa might not be the same person as she's been in the previous books, but she's still very much herself.
I think the question of selfhood is very much a theme here. And how to deal with stress and intrusive thoughts.
This is probably one of my faves in this series, along with the Nise ones.
This is probably the only Monogatari book (well, of the ones officially translated and I've read) that isn't told in Araragi's POV and boy does the novel get an instant extra star just for that alone! Gone are the pages upon pages of panties. Hanekawa tries her best to do the boke/tsukkomi routine with everyone, but alas, that's not really her forte even if her conversations with Senjogahara were a treat to read. Of course, Araragi's still mentioned and very much loved. And I guess from Hanekawa's point of view I can see the appeal--But also it looks like Araragi himself had some things going on when he was in middle school, and I think that's a tale for another novel?
Episode makes a surprising return and reveals he's actually seven years old (for some reason he seems to have lost his sanpaku eyes, but maybe Hanekawa didn't pay as much attention as Araragi?). That was such a bizarre conversation, but we'll see what part he plays later on I guess.
Where (Black) tells us about the events of Golden Week and Black Hanekawa, (White) is about a tiger aberration that appears in town right at the start of the term. Hanekawa is worried about it, but thoughts of aberrations are pushed from her mind when she sees her house burn down from the school window. Her 'parents' rent a hotel room to stay at while their house gets rebuilt, but unable to spend the time with the two adults who don't give two pins about her, Hanekawa decides to rough it out in the cram school. Senjogahara will have none of this and invites Hanekawa to her house, and then later on to Araragi's own home (Araragi is absent for 98% of the novel and Hanekawa sleeps in his room).
While my fave bits are definitely Hanekawa and Senjogahara's interactions, I also loved how this novel gets into Hanekawa's psyche. We get to see why Meme Oshino thinks of her as a monster when we see nothing but a perfect human being from Araragi's POV: there's something scary about how little she cares about herself but at the same time protecting herself through seriously unhealthy coping methods. I've always said that I had to kill parts of myself in order to survive, but what Hanekawa did was throw everything into the side, the feelings that later find release in Black Hanekawa Perhaps this coping method is not as bad? In the end, Hanekawa might not be the same person as she's been in the previous books, but she's still very much herself.
I think the question of selfhood is very much a theme here. And how to deal with stress and intrusive thoughts.
This is probably one of my faves in this series, along with the Nise ones.
January 31, 2020
After a handful of middling to nearly unreadable books in the Monogatari series, NisiOisiN returns to form with the emotional and absolutely wonderful Nekomonogatari (White).
It's been a long time since a book has nearly made me tear up and this one somehow managed to do so. And that's enough for four stars right there.
But this book, which is the first person perspective of Tsubasa Hanekawa, classmate of Araragi and absolutely in love with him, is also on par with Kizumonogatari in quality.
That's because, first of all, we don't have to read Araragi's perverted jokes or deal with long chapters of dialogue. This is a quick moving book with snappy conversations relegated to shorter chapters that focus more on Hanekawa the character than being funny. It goes back to the Kizu frame-of-mind of writing an actual book that stands as a book rather than the haphazard script for the anime adaptation.
From the beginning the book is gripping in how it describes Hanekawa, who has a pair of parents not her own, whose best friend in her house is the Roomba that wakes her up when she sleeps in the hallway at night -- the book does an amazing job of immediately investing the reader in this woman and her predicament.
But then it builds her through her interactions with friends. A tiger aberration burns her home and the cram school -- forcing her to live with Senjogahara and at one point stay in Araragi's room while he's out. Without Araragi in the story the other characters shine and feel so much more human. There is some sexuality in the book but the bit of lesbianism between Senjogahara and Hanekawa comes across more cute and natural than any of the sexual stuff the series has thrown out previously.
Hanekawa dealing with her stress, finding her faults, attempting to grow up and be not a perfect white but a shade of gray that can hate someone -- not just smile and let things happen -- is so well done that I have a hard time believing this came in a light novel; the Japanese equivalent of Harlequin Romance books.
I also commend the author for doing a first person perspective that sounds totally different from Araragi's. The problem with first person narration in series with changing perspectives is that everyone sounds the same. This happens in the Dresden Files series and makes reading the short stories a chore. But the carefully crafted narration of Hanekawa, the references and emotions, are all uniquely her own and never does she begin to stray into sounding like Araragi.
If you're this far into the Monogatari series, you're in for a real treat after the last few. It feels like this "second season" might have great potential, especially if the stories are more dense and the characters get the kind of in-depth treatment Hanekawa has been given.
Love this book. I can't say if it's better than Kizu or not...but it's definitely right up there.
It's been a long time since a book has nearly made me tear up and this one somehow managed to do so. And that's enough for four stars right there.
But this book, which is the first person perspective of Tsubasa Hanekawa, classmate of Araragi and absolutely in love with him, is also on par with Kizumonogatari in quality.
That's because, first of all, we don't have to read Araragi's perverted jokes or deal with long chapters of dialogue. This is a quick moving book with snappy conversations relegated to shorter chapters that focus more on Hanekawa the character than being funny. It goes back to the Kizu frame-of-mind of writing an actual book that stands as a book rather than the haphazard script for the anime adaptation.
From the beginning the book is gripping in how it describes Hanekawa, who has a pair of parents not her own, whose best friend in her house is the Roomba that wakes her up when she sleeps in the hallway at night -- the book does an amazing job of immediately investing the reader in this woman and her predicament.
But then it builds her through her interactions with friends. A tiger aberration burns her home and the cram school -- forcing her to live with Senjogahara and at one point stay in Araragi's room while he's out. Without Araragi in the story the other characters shine and feel so much more human. There is some sexuality in the book but the bit of lesbianism between Senjogahara and Hanekawa comes across more cute and natural than any of the sexual stuff the series has thrown out previously.
Hanekawa dealing with her stress, finding her faults, attempting to grow up and be not a perfect white but a shade of gray that can hate someone -- not just smile and let things happen -- is so well done that I have a hard time believing this came in a light novel; the Japanese equivalent of Harlequin Romance books.
I also commend the author for doing a first person perspective that sounds totally different from Araragi's. The problem with first person narration in series with changing perspectives is that everyone sounds the same. This happens in the Dresden Files series and makes reading the short stories a chore. But the carefully crafted narration of Hanekawa, the references and emotions, are all uniquely her own and never does she begin to stray into sounding like Araragi.
If you're this far into the Monogatari series, you're in for a real treat after the last few. It feels like this "second season" might have great potential, especially if the stories are more dense and the characters get the kind of in-depth treatment Hanekawa has been given.
Love this book. I can't say if it's better than Kizu or not...but it's definitely right up there.
March 28, 2024
I'm going to go ahead and make a pretty bold statement as I finish the first book in the Second Season: NisioIsin is the best modern character writer. Period. Like, yes, out of all of them. His ability to craft compelling character after character, layer them with depth and nuance, and then upturn everything to redefine them with every new arc they experience is the best I've read by any author in the 21st century.
Hanekawa is probably my least favorite of the main leads. But that's just personal taste. I don't like her very much, but she is given some of the best writing and deepest arcs out of any of the characters. I think the less I say here, the better. Needless to say, NisioIsin has once again completely unraveled a character we previously had a solid grasp of, leading them in a completely new, fresh direction that is both wholly unexpected, yet so utterly inevitable once it plays out. Hanekawa once defined herself as someone who "doesn't know everything," she just knows what she knows. And while to Araragi, she's this untouchable genius who acts with a cool head in any situation, it's here we see the layers peeled back. She really doesn't know everything. She only knows the bare essentials. Only what's needed. And it's here Hanekawa has to take a magnifying glass to her own life to realize that she does, in fact, WANT things. Want things beyond what is expected of her. Want things that don't fit in with her own image of herself. Want things when the act of 'wanting' doesn't even compute with her. As I said, the less I say the better, and here I've already written a long paragraph trying to psychoanalyze her. There's so much more I won't say, but the way it all comes to a head in the end, where Hanekawa has to be honest with herself, and accept that sometimes it's okay to be happy or sad or upset or mad or hopelessly hopelessly heartbroken, and to let those emotions wash over her rather than letting her emotions build up, pent up and cast onto her purrrfect cat-self.
I went and said too much again. You'll have to forgive me. If I'm not stopped, one day I'm going to write a 200-page thesis psychoanalyzing all of Monogatari's characters, and I'm sure Hanekawa would be very disappointed with whatever grade it would get. I can never give NisioIsin enough credit for his incredible character writing.
And also his comedic chops. Hanekawa plays the straight man throughout, and while she can't quite keep pace with someone like Hachikuji, her interplay with Senjougahara is fantastic and had me chuckling every other page.
If this is the quality of writing I can expect for a character I don't care all that much for, I can't wait to see what he will do for my favorite characters. Speaking of, Kabukimonogatari is up next.
Hanekawa is probably my least favorite of the main leads. But that's just personal taste. I don't like her very much, but she is given some of the best writing and deepest arcs out of any of the characters. I think the less I say here, the better. Needless to say, NisioIsin has once again completely unraveled a character we previously had a solid grasp of, leading them in a completely new, fresh direction that is both wholly unexpected, yet so utterly inevitable once it plays out. Hanekawa once defined herself as someone who "doesn't know everything," she just knows what she knows. And while to Araragi, she's this untouchable genius who acts with a cool head in any situation, it's here we see the layers peeled back. She really doesn't know everything. She only knows the bare essentials. Only what's needed. And it's here Hanekawa has to take a magnifying glass to her own life to realize that she does, in fact, WANT things. Want things beyond what is expected of her. Want things that don't fit in with her own image of herself. Want things when the act of 'wanting' doesn't even compute with her. As I said, the less I say the better, and here I've already written a long paragraph trying to psychoanalyze her. There's so much more I won't say, but the way it all comes to a head in the end, where Hanekawa has to be honest with herself, and accept that sometimes it's okay to be happy or sad or upset or mad or hopelessly hopelessly heartbroken, and to let those emotions wash over her rather than letting her emotions build up, pent up and cast onto her purrrfect cat-self.
I went and said too much again. You'll have to forgive me. If I'm not stopped, one day I'm going to write a 200-page thesis psychoanalyzing all of Monogatari's characters, and I'm sure Hanekawa would be very disappointed with whatever grade it would get. I can never give NisioIsin enough credit for his incredible character writing.
And also his comedic chops. Hanekawa plays the straight man throughout, and while she can't quite keep pace with someone like Hachikuji, her interplay with Senjougahara is fantastic and had me chuckling every other page.
If this is the quality of writing I can expect for a character I don't care all that much for, I can't wait to see what he will do for my favorite characters. Speaking of, Kabukimonogatari is up next.
March 4, 2018
"A model student, a class president among class presidents, kind to all, fair, smart, like some kind of saint-maybe the old me whom Araragi described in such terms was the first aberrations I ever created.
The girl that Araragi called the real deal.
And the girl that Miss Senjougahara called a monster.
That was the very first time I created myself.
...
I would never change, no matter what me I became."
This volume of Monogatari series is the start of the new Second Season. Told through the eyes and thought of a new narrator, Tsubasa Hanekawa, the class presidents among class presidents, the model students, as we got to know how "broken" she is and her journey of "self-discovery".
No doubt that this is my favorite book so far in the series. Even though we don't have a chance to read from the infamous unreliable narrator Araragi, Hanekawa has done a great job keeping my eyes on the page. Full of thoughts and questions about who she is, about how she can change her life somehow, etc.
The twist in the end, but maybe it's not a twist at all, shows us that Nisio really loves using Chekhov's gun with everything he already presented in the book. I love all the chatter and banter, especially with best-girl Senjougahra, the Fire Sisters, and Shinobu and how knowledgeable is the series (the myth of Napoleon's bath, referencing to Doraemon, and Hanekawa's comments on the difference between traditional books and e-books, etc).
After all, this is a fantastic ride for me, as I can empathize with Hanekawa about how the world works and how important it is to feel, despite the bad thoughts we always seem to have. I can't wait for the next Zaregoto books and Kabukimonogatari coming out in the following months.
"I'll off"-Black Hanekawa.
The girl that Araragi called the real deal.
And the girl that Miss Senjougahara called a monster.
That was the very first time I created myself.
...
I would never change, no matter what me I became."
This volume of Monogatari series is the start of the new Second Season. Told through the eyes and thought of a new narrator, Tsubasa Hanekawa, the class presidents among class presidents, the model students, as we got to know how "broken" she is and her journey of "self-discovery".
No doubt that this is my favorite book so far in the series. Even though we don't have a chance to read from the infamous unreliable narrator Araragi, Hanekawa has done a great job keeping my eyes on the page. Full of thoughts and questions about who she is, about how she can change her life somehow, etc.
The twist in the end, but maybe it's not a twist at all, shows us that Nisio really loves using Chekhov's gun with everything he already presented in the book. I love all the chatter and banter, especially with best-girl Senjougahra, the Fire Sisters, and Shinobu and how knowledgeable is the series (the myth of Napoleon's bath, referencing to Doraemon, and Hanekawa's comments on the difference between traditional books and e-books, etc).
After all, this is a fantastic ride for me, as I can empathize with Hanekawa about how the world works and how important it is to feel, despite the bad thoughts we always seem to have. I can't wait for the next Zaregoto books and Kabukimonogatari coming out in the following months.
"I'll off"-Black Hanekawa.
February 10, 2024
After two years I have finally returned to the Monogatari Light Novels. This time I am tackling “NekoMonogatari (White)” which switches the narrator from Araragi to Tsubasa Hanekawa. This allowed the series to enter a new character’s headspace while focusing all the attention to said character which was the perfect way to come back to the LNs.
This books tells the story of Hanekawa, an intelligent, sophisticated, perfect, and traditional girl in every sense. The writing does an excellent job at giving her this dry but curious tone with her view of the world and people. The book is a slow burn as the major developments don’t occur until the last one hundred or so pages but all the perspective shifts with the afflicting cat and the micro conversations and analogies brings for a satisfying and gut wrenching payoff. Hanekawa is a person who is cheating life in the sense that she does not feel stress or sadness as she puts that onto aberrations, thus cutting off her own feelings and emotions with love, her image, and family. It’s a heart breaking story of how important it is to go through these experiences and how the unresolved and ignored issues can spiral into something truly destructive. To get inside her psyche and to see the realizations and severity unravel was thrilling and addicting. Reading this made me love Hanekawa more as she is a character I see in many people and can even resonate with. There might be more complex and well told stories within the series but this by far has been one of the more insightful and down to earth. Rip Roomba. 9/10
This books tells the story of Hanekawa, an intelligent, sophisticated, perfect, and traditional girl in every sense. The writing does an excellent job at giving her this dry but curious tone with her view of the world and people. The book is a slow burn as the major developments don’t occur until the last one hundred or so pages but all the perspective shifts with the afflicting cat and the micro conversations and analogies brings for a satisfying and gut wrenching payoff. Hanekawa is a person who is cheating life in the sense that she does not feel stress or sadness as she puts that onto aberrations, thus cutting off her own feelings and emotions with love, her image, and family. It’s a heart breaking story of how important it is to go through these experiences and how the unresolved and ignored issues can spiral into something truly destructive. To get inside her psyche and to see the realizations and severity unravel was thrilling and addicting. Reading this made me love Hanekawa more as she is a character I see in many people and can even resonate with. There might be more complex and well told stories within the series but this by far has been one of the more insightful and down to earth. Rip Roomba. 9/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2024
Start of Season Two (and what a good thing it is)
Told for the first time from the perspective of a character other than Araragi, Nision Isin proves to be versatile and knows her own characters well. Hanekawa's way of telling the story is a contrast to Araragi's more extroverted way of thinking, while maintaining the similarities in writing (which would be the identity of his works).
I loved how the metalinguistic jokes are present here not only as a way to relax and elaborate on his unique humor, but also as a tool in favor of the narrative. Without spoilers, I can only say that there are no missing chapters: it's the author's doing. There are reasons for this.
What's more, I'm relieved that the author has once again held back on the weird ecchi that he loves to add. That could easily ruin this book, as it would completely remove the character's credibility; when it would be inconsistent with what has been established before. There's still a little bit, but it's more hints than, for example... Spending whole pages on unnecessary details.
It's also the first time the chapters have been so short. I found reading much more fluid this way. I hope I'll be surprised again with the next books. First impressions of this new season have been excellent so far.
Told for the first time from the perspective of a character other than Araragi, Nision Isin proves to be versatile and knows her own characters well. Hanekawa's way of telling the story is a contrast to Araragi's more extroverted way of thinking, while maintaining the similarities in writing (which would be the identity of his works).
I loved how the metalinguistic jokes are present here not only as a way to relax and elaborate on his unique humor, but also as a tool in favor of the narrative. Without spoilers, I can only say that there are no missing chapters: it's the author's doing. There are reasons for this.
What's more, I'm relieved that the author has once again held back on the weird ecchi that he loves to add. That could easily ruin this book, as it would completely remove the character's credibility; when it would be inconsistent with what has been established before. There's still a little bit, but it's more hints than, for example... Spending whole pages on unnecessary details.
It's also the first time the chapters have been so short. I found reading much more fluid this way. I hope I'll be surprised again with the next books. First impressions of this new season have been excellent so far.
September 6, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! It is supremely well written! You read parts of it and they feel off... you're not sure why, but you were told to expect the character to behave like that... but there's still something wrong about it. And as the book progresses towards the end, the author actually challenges the reader as if asking "why did you simply accept that this character was this way... that's just not normal behavior and it doesn't add up with the rest".
Re-reading the above review, it's hard to understand if you haven't read the book. This is the 8th in this series, and it's a shame that some of the ones that came before are really bad (as in the author having fun and pushing the traditional Japanese sexual taboos to new levels). Otherwise I would be recommending this book to just about anyone.
Maybe because the narrator has changed, the author has decided to write differently. It lost a bit of what makes the Monogatari series famous (trashy sexual stuff, long crazy dialogues), but gained a lot about what makes it great (plot, the aberrations)!
Re-reading the above review, it's hard to understand if you haven't read the book. This is the 8th in this series, and it's a shame that some of the ones that came before are really bad (as in the author having fun and pushing the traditional Japanese sexual taboos to new levels). Otherwise I would be recommending this book to just about anyone.
Maybe because the narrator has changed, the author has decided to write differently. It lost a bit of what makes the Monogatari series famous (trashy sexual stuff, long crazy dialogues), but gained a lot about what makes it great (plot, the aberrations)!
April 25, 2022
A prrrfectly good addition to the Monogatari series.
Another audible reading of a book from the series but the release seems a little strange because even as you listen you here about events from other books that came in the series before this one. Of the books I can see are missing aubible renditions to this one I see NISEMONOGATARI is missing as is the supposedly first part of this book NEKOMONOGATARI {BLACK} which seems to be a strange choice (KIZUMONOGATARI: Wound Tale has an audible but no whispersync which is an entirely different problem) unless the creators of the audio really wanted to get the story from Tsubasa Hanekawa's perspective out earlier.
As Tsubasa Hanekawa is the narrator of the story it doesn't follow the well meaning, quick retorting, and occasionally perverted main character of much of the rest of the series but instead shows us how she sees the world and the inevitable meeting with a new aberration that will force her to reevaluate how she handles things from here on out. The cat will literally be out of the bag as her whole world changes drastically around her in this story. Honestly although she can be bleak at times I found her narration to be a delight to listen to as she adapts to a world where Araragi is not always right there to assist her when things get weird.
Another audible reading of a book from the series but the release seems a little strange because even as you listen you here about events from other books that came in the series before this one. Of the books I can see are missing aubible renditions to this one I see NISEMONOGATARI is missing as is the supposedly first part of this book NEKOMONOGATARI {BLACK} which seems to be a strange choice (KIZUMONOGATARI: Wound Tale has an audible but no whispersync which is an entirely different problem) unless the creators of the audio really wanted to get the story from Tsubasa Hanekawa's perspective out earlier.
As Tsubasa Hanekawa is the narrator of the story it doesn't follow the well meaning, quick retorting, and occasionally perverted main character of much of the rest of the series but instead shows us how she sees the world and the inevitable meeting with a new aberration that will force her to reevaluate how she handles things from here on out. The cat will literally be out of the bag as her whole world changes drastically around her in this story. Honestly although she can be bleak at times I found her narration to be a delight to listen to as she adapts to a world where Araragi is not always right there to assist her when things get weird.
May 11, 2022
I cannot begin to declare how much I love NISIOISIN's writing. The loose and spaced out dialogue is both unique and easily understandable while also exposing how specific each character speaks in the story. I love this book for an endless list of reasons, the most important would most likely be how much I felt I understood hanekawa's character in this LN. Hankeawa is a character that is both easy going and incredibly intelligent, that said we almost never understand who she really is, what she really feels and what she has really been through up to the point of this book. Nekomonogatari highlights her life as an individual and explain to the audience how hidden her feelings are, even to herself. She reaches a point where her emotions reach a certain peek and she is unable to contain it, leading into another obviously fantastic event to occur. I think the storytelling of this one is my second favorite of all of the NISIOISIN novels and I would highly, highly reccomend.
March 17, 2024
Tentative four stars because this is one of the better Monogataris that I’ve read—in a similar league as Kizumonogatari. A few details were left unexplained, such as Araragi’s disappearance for most of the story (unless that was meant to be a subtle detail and I missed it, but since this series has sledgehammer subtlety I’m going to assume that’s not the case). I definitely liked the development of the relationship between Hanekawa and Senjougahara, and the overall moral of the story/explanation of the abberations was one I found satisfying. I continue to be slightly annoyed about how Araragi is the center of every story, and how Hanekawa being in love with him is so central to the climax given that he’s not even there for most of the book. Definitely mixed feelings about the fact that he’s the one to save the day, however I will admit it does align with the themes of the story. Overall this was a charming and entertaining read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2018
On the 8th book in the series we finally get a story that is told from another perspective instead of that of our traditionally tried and true Koyomi Araragi, bringing along with it a whole new look at characters we'd already grown so familiar with. NisiOisN's greatest triumph here is in making this book's narrator, Tsubasa Hanekawa, sound like a completely separate person while simultaneously displacing her from the pedestal the aforementioned protagonist always puts her on whenever they're in contact or he happens to speak of her. Going forward I know there will be at least a few other books that will follow this trend with different characters and I so greatly look forward to seeing how these perspectives and their perceptions of the cast will change depending on the lens that they are viewed through.
April 20, 2020
I may be overrating this volume because of how much I disliked the last, but it was entertaining. Hanekawa suffers her own multiplicity problem while avoiding her more troubling emotions. Bad things spark from there. With Araragi away on some other quest, Hanekawa has to rely on a little help from her selves to solve the dire, aberrant crisis she finds herself in. With the change in narrative perspective, we get a break from the all-to-precious dialogue heavy affairs of previous volumes that leave every character feeling the same. Unfortunately, we trade it for some long, droning pop-psychology monologues. Still, the short chapters roll along quickly until the climactic fireworks.
I’m on a mission to finish reading the series before I jump back into the anime (I really enjoyed the first few episodes). This story, with actual plot elements, makes that task seem less daunting. Onward!
I’m on a mission to finish reading the series before I jump back into the anime (I really enjoyed the first few episodes). This story, with actual plot elements, makes that task seem less daunting. Onward!
March 13, 2022
4.5 or 4. Not sure.
I hated the book before this one (the last book in the first season) Nekomonogatari (Black). I hated it so fucking much that I was worried for the future of this series but my worry was misplaced (at least from what I can see from this book). I loved this volume. I loved the switch to Hanekawa as the narrator and how much different the world and characters seem from her point of view. The book also had faster pacing because she is the narrator and I loved it. The story and all the dialogues had a better structure than the last two books too. Monogatari books are just dialogues anyway. They all just talk and talk about stuff and then they figure something out and Bam! the end! That's how it goes. But it was charming and amusing so it doesn't matter. I can't wait to read the next book. :)
I hated the book before this one (the last book in the first season) Nekomonogatari (Black). I hated it so fucking much that I was worried for the future of this series but my worry was misplaced (at least from what I can see from this book). I loved this volume. I loved the switch to Hanekawa as the narrator and how much different the world and characters seem from her point of view. The book also had faster pacing because she is the narrator and I loved it. The story and all the dialogues had a better structure than the last two books too. Monogatari books are just dialogues anyway. They all just talk and talk about stuff and then they figure something out and Bam! the end! That's how it goes. But it was charming and amusing so it doesn't matter. I can't wait to read the next book. :)
July 12, 2021
I actually got this as an audiobook, largely narrated by Christina Vee.
The story of a girl who is also a cat. And a tiger. It's a light novel, so it's kind of to be expected.
I won't spoil anything, but it was pretty good. If you've never seen any of the anime or read earlier books in the series, however, this isn't the one to start with. The series has a style of its own, not quite like other light novels. The general concept, based around Japanese spirits (yokai, known in the books as Aberrations) is interesting, especially the way they interact with the humans involved. The humans have fairly unique characters too.
Worth a read if you're into anime, or if you want something different.
The story of a girl who is also a cat. And a tiger. It's a light novel, so it's kind of to be expected.
I won't spoil anything, but it was pretty good. If you've never seen any of the anime or read earlier books in the series, however, this isn't the one to start with. The series has a style of its own, not quite like other light novels. The general concept, based around Japanese spirits (yokai, known in the books as Aberrations) is interesting, especially the way they interact with the humans involved. The humans have fairly unique characters too.
Worth a read if you're into anime, or if you want something different.
April 29, 2025
Nisioisin continues his tradition of brilliantly written characters who refuse to stay static. Hanekawa, one of the most layered characters in the series, finally finishes her character arc in an extremely satisfying way after two previous encounters with a ghost. She doesn't have her hero to save her this time, and she has to save herself by finally asking for help.
This is also the first LN in this series written from a different character perspective, and I think he pulls it off brilliantly. As one of my favorite arcs from the anime, it shines even brighter as a novel with the extra space that it affords.
"Its okay for people to run away from bad things, but just looking away doesn't count as running."
This is also the first LN in this series written from a different character perspective, and I think he pulls it off brilliantly. As one of my favorite arcs from the anime, it shines even brighter as a novel with the extra space that it affords.
"Its okay for people to run away from bad things, but just looking away doesn't count as running."
September 15, 2018
This novel was one of the best ones in the series so far, in my opinion. First is the fact that the narrator was Tsubasa Hanekawa instead of Koyomi Araragi. That in itself made this novel feel much more different than the others. Then there is the pacing. Many of the chapters in this novel were between 5 and 10 pages as opposed to 20+ page chapters, which gives more of an opportunity to put the book down in more naturally occurring stopping points. And last, but not least, is the very real sense of growth from Hanekawa herself, and the feeling that she was truly able to overcome the problems that plagued her. Overall, an excellent novel.
July 18, 2021
The first tale in the monogatari series not narrated by Araragi, the shift in storytelling tone is subtle but noticeable. A lot less quipping and straight man comedy, but that's not to say there's no funny parts, in particular I got a good laugh out of senjogahara's blatant manipulation of Karen.
Seeing things from hanekawas perspective really sheds light on her character. She's built up very well with multiple layers but at her core she's a broken girl who buries away all emotions in order to shelter herself.
If you liked hanekawas character and wanted to delve deeper into her psyche then this book is for you.
Seeing things from hanekawas perspective really sheds light on her character. She's built up very well with multiple layers but at her core she's a broken girl who buries away all emotions in order to shelter herself.
If you liked hanekawas character and wanted to delve deeper into her psyche then this book is for you.
May 18, 2019
I'd been flagging on this series some, but it had a perspective switch that I think was timely if not overdue.
Certainly among my favorite books of the series thus far, although it also does give me a definite feeling that a truly different perspective on the series lead is never going to come. That said, as a character study of Tsubasa Hanakwa it's quite interesting and I think it even surpasses the earlier chapters centered on her because it does more to explore relationships with people other than Araragi. That said, I don't think it'd make much sense as a starting point.
Certainly among my favorite books of the series thus far, although it also does give me a definite feeling that a truly different perspective on the series lead is never going to come. That said, as a character study of Tsubasa Hanakwa it's quite interesting and I think it even surpasses the earlier chapters centered on her because it does more to explore relationships with people other than Araragi. That said, I don't think it'd make much sense as a starting point.
December 25, 2019
Sok szempontból más volt, mint a korábbi kötetek. Első alkalom, hogy nem Araragi volt a narrátor, helyette megkaptuk Hanekawa-t, aki csalódás volt számomra, mert elvileg ő a kedvenc karakterem, de az ő szempontjából nem tudta a szerző átadni azt a zsenialitást, ami elvileg a sajátja volt az eddigi kötetekben.
Az meg nem egészen tiszta még, minek kellett Episode-ot előrángatni. Gondolom, valami későbbi eseménynek ágyaz meg.
Az meg nem egészen tiszta még, minek kellett Episode-ot előrángatni. Gondolom, valami későbbi eseménynek ágyaz meg.
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