2.5
Better than the previous book set in Germany, but tedious all the same.
Katoh Elena is actually a writer with a fair amount of creativity and commitment to doing research on the subject that she writes. But the thing is, Katoh has always been the type that starts out strong and then goes downhill real quick. This book is no exception.
I love fairytales and I have a high tolerance for things that a lot of people might consider too cheesy and sentimental. But that is only if the timing is right and the portrayal is sincere and touching enough.
I genuinely enjoyed the first one third of the book with its use of classical music, and its mysterious yet melancholic and tender ambiance. Every rendezvous between our two MCs had them playing or singing a classical piece, and through the description of how the piece was performed, readers were given the freedom to interpret the characters's personalities as well as their feelings. I could literally imagine the song or the melody playing in my head while reading and enjoying the atmosphere, which was absolutely lovely. My favorite part was probably the scene when the top was playing "None but the lonely heart". It wasn't anything dramatic but it just hit me so hard in the heart.
Nevertheless, Katoh couldn't keep up with the wonderful atmosphere she was able to create in the beginning. It deteriorated as she couldn't find the balance between characters' dialogues and inner thoughts and other things. Pages full of dialogues is my ultimate pet peeve, and Katoh's dialogues were dead boring to boot. As I've said it before somewhere else and I'll say it again, I'm reading a novel, not a goddamn script for a play. I expect the author to know how to portray or give hints to readers for them to interpret the situation without overrelying on external dialogues.
Some people complained about the top being too timid. I have no problem with that at all. Given his circumstances, him becoming timid and doubtful when it comes to love is absolutely understandable and much more charming than him turning into a nihilist douche. The biggest problem I have with this book is the pacing and how fast the quality dropped.
Still, there were some wonderfully melancholic scenes, and the fact that I have a thing for Russian music, so I'll be generous and give this a 2.5.