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狼と香辛料 [Ookami to Koushinryou] (Novel) #20
狼と香辛料XX Spring LogIII
ホロとロレンスを訪ね湯屋にやってきた珍客が、二人の運命を揺るがす――?
わっちに惚れておるのは、ぬしのほうじゃからな。
ホロとロレンスが紡ぐ、旅の続きの物語、第3弾!
湯治客で賑わう短い夏も終わり、湯屋『狼と香辛料亭』は秋を迎えていた。山々に囲まれたニョッヒラの秋の味覚を堪能しようと、いつも以上に張り切るホロとあきれ顔のロレンス。
山での散策を終え、籠いっぱいの土産とともに二人が湯屋に戻ると、入り口にはたくさんの人だかりが。
「なんじゃ、よくわからぬが、色々な獣の匂いがしんす」
湯屋『狼と香辛料亭』にやってきた、時季外れの客たちの目的とは――。
書き下ろし短編『狼と収穫の秋』に加え、電撃文庫MAGAZINE掲載短編4本を収録した、湯屋での物語第3弾。
わっちに惚れておるのは、ぬしのほうじゃからな。
ホロとロレンスが紡ぐ、旅の続きの物語、第3弾!
湯治客で賑わう短い夏も終わり、湯屋『狼と香辛料亭』は秋を迎えていた。山々に囲まれたニョッヒラの秋の味覚を堪能しようと、いつも以上に張り切るホロとあきれ顔のロレンス。
山での散策を終え、籠いっぱいの土産とともに二人が湯屋に戻ると、入り口にはたくさんの人だかりが。
「なんじゃ、よくわからぬが、色々な獣の匂いがしんす」
湯屋『狼と香辛料亭』にやってきた、時季外れの客たちの目的とは――。
書き下ろし短編『狼と収穫の秋』に加え、電撃文庫MAGAZINE掲載短編4本を収録した、湯屋での物語第3弾。
264 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2018
12 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 12, 2019
In Summary
If you’ve wondered what life is like throughout the year in Lawrence and Holo’s hot springs village, these five standalone stories paint a pretty good picture. The content ranges from an outsider’s first impression of the Spice and Wolf bathhouse to Lawrence’s umpteenth year of dealing with Holo’s shedding tail. There’s no central theme that ties these stories together, but we do get to see how Lawrence and Holo’s matured relationship handles both the light- and heavy-hearted moments.
The Review
This twentieth volume of the Spice and Wolf series is subtitled Spring Log III, but all four seasons are represented in the book’s five short stories. In addition to showing readers the rhythms of the hot springs village throughout the year, Hasekura-sensei also brings back some old characters in this installment.
The first story “What Falls in the Spring and Wolf” does actually take place in the spring. This is a comical tale involving the annual dilemma of Holo shedding winter fur and another fur-related problem connected to Luward, the commander of the Miyuri Mercenary Company. I never associated animal pheromones with fur before so it took me a while to grasp Luward’s predicament (and even now, I’m not sure what trusty assistant Moizi was doing to handle the situation while Luward went for help). However, the story is a fun way for Luward to return to the story, albeit briefly.
Then “The White Hound and Wolf” goes back a couple years to present a glimpse of the bathhouse’s busy winter season before Myuri left home. The narrator is a church inquisitor investigating rumors about Nyohhira’s newest establishment, and he is predictably suspicious and judgemental. However, he does provide an outsider’s view of the hot springs village and winds up exemplifying how Spice and Wolf charms even the most difficult guest.
After the stranger’s perspective, we get an intimate nighttime moment between the bathhouse owners in “Caramel Days and Wolf.” Not a whole lot of action takes place in this short story, but it is an entertaining character study. Those curious about the outcome of the journal project Lawrence proposed in the previous volume will see some of the results, and Lawrence also gets to show how much better he’s gotten at understanding and handling his wily wife.
Next is “Blue Dreams and Wolf,” the volume’s summertime tale and longest story. The tale starts off with a money related problem—namely a regional coin shortage—and takes on a religious and political bent when the remains of a retainer of a long-forgotten lord are discovered in a cave outside Nyohhira. These are all standard elements of earlier Spice and Wolf adventures, and I anticipated the ex-merchant and wolf to devise a tidy solution to solve everything, just like they did in the past. To my surprise, the story concludes with only a partial resolution to their problems. Instead, however, we get to witness Holo in an unusually vulnerable moment, which offers a different sort of satisfaction.
Finally, “Harvest Autumn and Wolf” has Holo and Lawrence abruptly receiving unusual offseason guests. At first, the story seems as if it will center around the novelty of entertaining a group made up entirely of non-humans like Holo. However, when the guests start telling their versions of Lawrence and Holo’s journey to the north, the focus shifts to the legacy the pair have created. And apparently, that legacy isn’t done. The way the story ends strongly hints that a new road trip is in store for Lawrence and Holo.
By the way, I’ve noticed that the descriptions of Holo’s physical form are somewhat inconsistent in this installment. In places, she’s described as looking like a bride of fourteen or fifteen, which is how I’ve always pictured her. Other places say she resembles a child “around the age of ten.” Perhaps something is lost in the translation, but the latter descriptions jolt me out of the story and make me wonder how Holo can get away with passing herself off as Lawrence’s wife even without the no-aging aspect.
Extras include the first eight pages printed in color, world map, seven black-and-white illustrations, and afterword.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
If you’ve wondered what life is like throughout the year in Lawrence and Holo’s hot springs village, these five standalone stories paint a pretty good picture. The content ranges from an outsider’s first impression of the Spice and Wolf bathhouse to Lawrence’s umpteenth year of dealing with Holo’s shedding tail. There’s no central theme that ties these stories together, but we do get to see how Lawrence and Holo’s matured relationship handles both the light- and heavy-hearted moments.
The Review
This twentieth volume of the Spice and Wolf series is subtitled Spring Log III, but all four seasons are represented in the book’s five short stories. In addition to showing readers the rhythms of the hot springs village throughout the year, Hasekura-sensei also brings back some old characters in this installment.
The first story “What Falls in the Spring and Wolf” does actually take place in the spring. This is a comical tale involving the annual dilemma of Holo shedding winter fur and another fur-related problem connected to Luward, the commander of the Miyuri Mercenary Company. I never associated animal pheromones with fur before so it took me a while to grasp Luward’s predicament (and even now, I’m not sure what trusty assistant Moizi was doing to handle the situation while Luward went for help). However, the story is a fun way for Luward to return to the story, albeit briefly.
Then “The White Hound and Wolf” goes back a couple years to present a glimpse of the bathhouse’s busy winter season before Myuri left home. The narrator is a church inquisitor investigating rumors about Nyohhira’s newest establishment, and he is predictably suspicious and judgemental. However, he does provide an outsider’s view of the hot springs village and winds up exemplifying how Spice and Wolf charms even the most difficult guest.
After the stranger’s perspective, we get an intimate nighttime moment between the bathhouse owners in “Caramel Days and Wolf.” Not a whole lot of action takes place in this short story, but it is an entertaining character study. Those curious about the outcome of the journal project Lawrence proposed in the previous volume will see some of the results, and Lawrence also gets to show how much better he’s gotten at understanding and handling his wily wife.
Next is “Blue Dreams and Wolf,” the volume’s summertime tale and longest story. The tale starts off with a money related problem—namely a regional coin shortage—and takes on a religious and political bent when the remains of a retainer of a long-forgotten lord are discovered in a cave outside Nyohhira. These are all standard elements of earlier Spice and Wolf adventures, and I anticipated the ex-merchant and wolf to devise a tidy solution to solve everything, just like they did in the past. To my surprise, the story concludes with only a partial resolution to their problems. Instead, however, we get to witness Holo in an unusually vulnerable moment, which offers a different sort of satisfaction.
Finally, “Harvest Autumn and Wolf” has Holo and Lawrence abruptly receiving unusual offseason guests. At first, the story seems as if it will center around the novelty of entertaining a group made up entirely of non-humans like Holo. However, when the guests start telling their versions of Lawrence and Holo’s journey to the north, the focus shifts to the legacy the pair have created. And apparently, that legacy isn’t done. The way the story ends strongly hints that a new road trip is in store for Lawrence and Holo.
By the way, I’ve noticed that the descriptions of Holo’s physical form are somewhat inconsistent in this installment. In places, she’s described as looking like a bride of fourteen or fifteen, which is how I’ve always pictured her. Other places say she resembles a child “around the age of ten.” Perhaps something is lost in the translation, but the latter descriptions jolt me out of the story and make me wonder how Holo can get away with passing herself off as Lawrence’s wife even without the no-aging aspect.
Extras include the first eight pages printed in color, world map, seven black-and-white illustrations, and afterword.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2022
1. WHAT FALLS IN SPRING AND WOLF
"The blanket was covered in brown hairs underneath, and of course, the color was the same as the sleeping Holo’s tail. The shedding season had come again this year."
"Once they ordered the new brushes, Lawrence was always the one to do the first brushing, and after that, he would only do so when Holo asked. And this year, she had been asking much more than usual from the very start. Once a bit of his work was done and after he had finished lunch, Lawrence was in the room with Holo, who lay over his lap facedown.
Myuri entrega a Luward um amuleto de proteção com o pele de sua cauda, o que acaba atraindo lobos machos a lhe acompanharem na sua viagem e também a lhe trazer pequenos presentes.
""Well, when we went hunting together in this village, we were talking about what would happen if we were attacked by wolves, and she told me to keep this.” “…” Holo looked irritated. “What’s inside?” Lawrence asked, and Luward looked extremely guilty. “The hairs from your daughter’s tail.” “Her tail?”"
2. THE WHITE HOUND AND WOLF
Um grupo de padres inquisidores visita a casa de banho de Lawrence para investigar o motivo do seu rápido sucesso.
"In our preliminary investigation, we identified rumors that they had dug up the spring using magic and were tricking their customers. While we should not earnestly believe the rumors that cling to successful newcomers, it was, after all, Nyohhira."
"I found that this bathhouse had deep connections to the Debau Company, the corporation that came to control the entire northlands with rapid force."
"When I asked in the baths where they had heard of this inn, they mentioned various names of authority and power. They said they were all acquaintances of the master of the bathhouse"
Capítulo bem agradável, mostrando as relações dos personagens principais entre si com um personagem externo.
"As they interacted, they still did really seem like sisters. At any rate, watching them brought a smile to my face."
"Upon asking the other guests what was so attractive about this, the only answer I received was “Just a feeling.”"
3. CARAMEL DAYS AND WOLF
"“I’m the luckiest man alive to have married someone so humble and with such modest desires.” “Eh-heh. Indeed, indeed.” Lawrence wondered for a moment how much she understood his sarcasm, but this was Holo—of course she caught on."
"“I shall act well enough to make it seem like I am in love with you,” Holo said. Lawrence pulled his arm in and her along with it. “Not so that it seems but so that they know.” Holo blinked at Lawrence’s dejected expression. “No, seems like I am in love with you is the correct wording. For ’tis you that is in love with me.” “Really? Who is it that gets grumpy the moment I become busy, pestering me to spend time with them?” “Wha—?!”"
"The quill pens and ink, paper for memos, parchment for clean copies, a looking glass to enlarge the letters, and the candles for staying up late had all cost quite a bit of money, but Lawrence felt it was all worthwhile. Because most importantly, what Holo was writing about was very meaningful."
Lawrence descobre que Holo escrevia em seu diário (ref. vol. 19) não as coisas que realmente aconteceram no seu dia, mas coisas que ela havia imaginado que seriam divertidas.
"“Or is it that you are all right with me reading this alone to myself in the far future, wishing I had done such and such with my dear…as I weep?”"
4. BLUE DREAMS AND WOLF
Holo e os outros habitantes de Nyohhira acabam por encontrar o cadáver de um viajante numa caverna enquanto exploravam novos caminhos através da montanha.
Por causa dessa visão, Holo fica confusa pensando se aquele morto poderia ser Lawrence enquanto ela apenas sonhava (?).
"But he held his tongue when he saw her, still a few steps ahead, turn back to him, on the verge of tears. “…Holo?” Lawrence called her name, his apprehension piquing quicker than his surprise. What was Holo worried about?""
"“You are here, right?” “Huh?” Holo held him even tighter and repeated herself. “Is the one here the real you?” “…” Holo looked straight up at him, her expression seemed as if it would be swallowed up by a cloud of anxiety."
"The third reason Holo acted like this. She had a bad dream. “I get it now. You thought the corpse in that cave might be me, right?” Holo’s body shivered. It seemed as though he was right."
"“It’s okay. We ran around the northlands while carrying an embosser with a sun on it, but it all turned out okay in the end. We definitely did not escape into a cave after a failure and end up dead in there.” Tears welled up again in Holo’s eyes, and she looked down. But the possibility had certainly been there. That was how dangerous that adventure had been. It was entirely possible that had they failed in their quest of issuing the Debau Company silver, he would have ended up like that traveler. Without any place to go, nowhere to get help, he would have lived in a cave with Holo and slowly passed away. Holo would surely have stayed by his dead body, long enough that she would forget why she was there. In the end, the boundary of the dreams she saw as she dozed would slowly disappear, and she would mistakenly believe the world of her dreams was reality. It was all entirely possible. “That never happened. We came out fine.”"
"“I can’t guarantee this isn’t a dream, but…” Holo’s brow drooped nervously when he said that, but he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and swept one hand under her knees, sweeping her up like a new bride. Holo’s eyes were wide in surprise. “If this is a dream, then let’s make it a good one.”"
"Even if this was a dream, all they had to do was look away from whatever it was that was trying to wake her from something so pleasant"
5. HARVEST AUTUMN AND WOLF
"The reason being… “Uh…Everyone?” …every single one of these off-season guests was nonhuman. Horses, sheep, goats, cows, rabbits, birds, deer. There were even two girls who looked older than Holo and Selim, wearing the default nun outfit for traveling women."
"“I had been hoping to come to this bathhouse one day! A bathhouse made just for people like us!”"
Um grupo de criaturas não-humanas semelhantes a Holo fazem uma visita na casa de banho de Lawrence após escutarem rumores nas cidades anteriormente visitadas pelos dois.
Após uma aposta de bebida, Holo faz com que eles trabalhem para Lawrence durante sua estadia.
"“Though I lay here sleeping, and you gaze upon me lovingly as I do so with such a foolish expression, the work in the bathhouse goes better than usual, does it not?”"
"“Let us go on a journey.” Lawrence was astonished to hear what came from her mouth. “…Huh? What on earth are…?” “I say what I mean. We have spent ten years here. ’Tis quite long for the human world. ’Twould be best for us to venture out into the world occasionally. And it might perhaps be for the better in the future if we eased your foolish worries regarding Myuri, no?”"
"“You have made this bathhouse into a wonderful thing. All of the guests are delighted to be here. Though little Col and Myuri are gone, the guests’ opinions have not changed. There is a proper flow here now.”"
"“The guests would not be angry if we left for a year or two. Rather, they would be happy to help us for when we return.”"
"“We certainly cannot stay away for too long, but they may take our place if we are only gone for half a year. Our reward is free time during the idle season.”"
"The blanket was covered in brown hairs underneath, and of course, the color was the same as the sleeping Holo’s tail. The shedding season had come again this year."
"Once they ordered the new brushes, Lawrence was always the one to do the first brushing, and after that, he would only do so when Holo asked. And this year, she had been asking much more than usual from the very start. Once a bit of his work was done and after he had finished lunch, Lawrence was in the room with Holo, who lay over his lap facedown.
Myuri entrega a Luward um amuleto de proteção com o pele de sua cauda, o que acaba atraindo lobos machos a lhe acompanharem na sua viagem e também a lhe trazer pequenos presentes.
""Well, when we went hunting together in this village, we were talking about what would happen if we were attacked by wolves, and she told me to keep this.” “…” Holo looked irritated. “What’s inside?” Lawrence asked, and Luward looked extremely guilty. “The hairs from your daughter’s tail.” “Her tail?”"
2. THE WHITE HOUND AND WOLF
Um grupo de padres inquisidores visita a casa de banho de Lawrence para investigar o motivo do seu rápido sucesso.
"In our preliminary investigation, we identified rumors that they had dug up the spring using magic and were tricking their customers. While we should not earnestly believe the rumors that cling to successful newcomers, it was, after all, Nyohhira."
"I found that this bathhouse had deep connections to the Debau Company, the corporation that came to control the entire northlands with rapid force."
"When I asked in the baths where they had heard of this inn, they mentioned various names of authority and power. They said they were all acquaintances of the master of the bathhouse"
Capítulo bem agradável, mostrando as relações dos personagens principais entre si com um personagem externo.
"As they interacted, they still did really seem like sisters. At any rate, watching them brought a smile to my face."
"Upon asking the other guests what was so attractive about this, the only answer I received was “Just a feeling.”"
3. CARAMEL DAYS AND WOLF
"“I’m the luckiest man alive to have married someone so humble and with such modest desires.” “Eh-heh. Indeed, indeed.” Lawrence wondered for a moment how much she understood his sarcasm, but this was Holo—of course she caught on."
"“I shall act well enough to make it seem like I am in love with you,” Holo said. Lawrence pulled his arm in and her along with it. “Not so that it seems but so that they know.” Holo blinked at Lawrence’s dejected expression. “No, seems like I am in love with you is the correct wording. For ’tis you that is in love with me.” “Really? Who is it that gets grumpy the moment I become busy, pestering me to spend time with them?” “Wha—?!”"
"The quill pens and ink, paper for memos, parchment for clean copies, a looking glass to enlarge the letters, and the candles for staying up late had all cost quite a bit of money, but Lawrence felt it was all worthwhile. Because most importantly, what Holo was writing about was very meaningful."
Lawrence descobre que Holo escrevia em seu diário (ref. vol. 19) não as coisas que realmente aconteceram no seu dia, mas coisas que ela havia imaginado que seriam divertidas.
"“Or is it that you are all right with me reading this alone to myself in the far future, wishing I had done such and such with my dear…as I weep?”"
4. BLUE DREAMS AND WOLF
Holo e os outros habitantes de Nyohhira acabam por encontrar o cadáver de um viajante numa caverna enquanto exploravam novos caminhos através da montanha.
Por causa dessa visão, Holo fica confusa pensando se aquele morto poderia ser Lawrence enquanto ela apenas sonhava (?).
"But he held his tongue when he saw her, still a few steps ahead, turn back to him, on the verge of tears. “…Holo?” Lawrence called her name, his apprehension piquing quicker than his surprise. What was Holo worried about?""
"“You are here, right?” “Huh?” Holo held him even tighter and repeated herself. “Is the one here the real you?” “…” Holo looked straight up at him, her expression seemed as if it would be swallowed up by a cloud of anxiety."
"The third reason Holo acted like this. She had a bad dream. “I get it now. You thought the corpse in that cave might be me, right?” Holo’s body shivered. It seemed as though he was right."
"“It’s okay. We ran around the northlands while carrying an embosser with a sun on it, but it all turned out okay in the end. We definitely did not escape into a cave after a failure and end up dead in there.” Tears welled up again in Holo’s eyes, and she looked down. But the possibility had certainly been there. That was how dangerous that adventure had been. It was entirely possible that had they failed in their quest of issuing the Debau Company silver, he would have ended up like that traveler. Without any place to go, nowhere to get help, he would have lived in a cave with Holo and slowly passed away. Holo would surely have stayed by his dead body, long enough that she would forget why she was there. In the end, the boundary of the dreams she saw as she dozed would slowly disappear, and she would mistakenly believe the world of her dreams was reality. It was all entirely possible. “That never happened. We came out fine.”"
"“I can’t guarantee this isn’t a dream, but…” Holo’s brow drooped nervously when he said that, but he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and swept one hand under her knees, sweeping her up like a new bride. Holo’s eyes were wide in surprise. “If this is a dream, then let’s make it a good one.”"
"Even if this was a dream, all they had to do was look away from whatever it was that was trying to wake her from something so pleasant"
5. HARVEST AUTUMN AND WOLF
"The reason being… “Uh…Everyone?” …every single one of these off-season guests was nonhuman. Horses, sheep, goats, cows, rabbits, birds, deer. There were even two girls who looked older than Holo and Selim, wearing the default nun outfit for traveling women."
"“I had been hoping to come to this bathhouse one day! A bathhouse made just for people like us!”"
Um grupo de criaturas não-humanas semelhantes a Holo fazem uma visita na casa de banho de Lawrence após escutarem rumores nas cidades anteriormente visitadas pelos dois.
Após uma aposta de bebida, Holo faz com que eles trabalhem para Lawrence durante sua estadia.
"“Though I lay here sleeping, and you gaze upon me lovingly as I do so with such a foolish expression, the work in the bathhouse goes better than usual, does it not?”"
"“Let us go on a journey.” Lawrence was astonished to hear what came from her mouth. “…Huh? What on earth are…?” “I say what I mean. We have spent ten years here. ’Tis quite long for the human world. ’Twould be best for us to venture out into the world occasionally. And it might perhaps be for the better in the future if we eased your foolish worries regarding Myuri, no?”"
"“You have made this bathhouse into a wonderful thing. All of the guests are delighted to be here. Though little Col and Myuri are gone, the guests’ opinions have not changed. There is a proper flow here now.”"
"“The guests would not be angry if we left for a year or two. Rather, they would be happy to help us for when we return.”"
"“We certainly cannot stay away for too long, but they may take our place if we are only gone for half a year. Our reward is free time during the idle season.”"
December 29, 2019
WHAT FALLS IN SPRING AND WOLF
Heh, this was a cute one, especially considering the last story in the previous book.
This one was also fun, and I don't know what else there is to say about it
4/5
THE WHITE HOUND AND WOLF
Me when I began reading this short: yay, religious MC (sarcasm)
Me when finishing: heh, even the most religious is just human
So, yeah, despite the weird MC and POV of the story, it was fun enough. Giving an outsiders view of our main couple.
3/5
CARAMEL DAYS AND WOLF
It's the moments that make a life together, the secrets and memories that makes a relationship.
This story was rather cute, and captured the character if the two so perfectly it made me grin.
5/5
BLUE DREAMS AND WOLF
Poor Holo. I just want to cuddle her and tell her to live in the moment, even if that's so much more easy said than done.
Interesting story, though
3 5/5
HARVEST AUTUMN AND WOLF
An ok, if a bit boring, story. I'm not really a fan of how Lawrence see himself at times, or what it implies about Holo. I hoped we were done with that stuff after the last few books. Oh well. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future
3/5
-------------------------------------------
It's fascinating to think that the auhtor has now written 3 books, all in the short span of a Norse summer - which isn't really that long compared to other places. There's a lot of things that can happen in that time, and these Spring Log books prove it.
Other than that, I was a little disappointed by the last story, as up until now the auhtor has many focused on the relationship between Holo and Lawrence as positive, but in the last one Lawrence started acting like he did in the earlier books, like Holo was just using him, and I do not like what that implies about their relationship or how the author seems to think that is ok. I think that has been one of my main problems with the romance from the beginning.
Heh, this was a cute one, especially considering the last story in the previous book.
This one was also fun, and I don't know what else there is to say about it
4/5
THE WHITE HOUND AND WOLF
Me when I began reading this short: yay, religious MC (sarcasm)
Me when finishing: heh, even the most religious is just human
So, yeah, despite the weird MC and POV of the story, it was fun enough. Giving an outsiders view of our main couple.
3/5
CARAMEL DAYS AND WOLF
It's the moments that make a life together, the secrets and memories that makes a relationship.
This story was rather cute, and captured the character if the two so perfectly it made me grin.
5/5
BLUE DREAMS AND WOLF
Poor Holo. I just want to cuddle her and tell her to live in the moment, even if that's so much more easy said than done.
Interesting story, though
3 5/5
HARVEST AUTUMN AND WOLF
An ok, if a bit boring, story. I'm not really a fan of how Lawrence see himself at times, or what it implies about Holo. I hoped we were done with that stuff after the last few books. Oh well. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future
3/5
-------------------------------------------
It's fascinating to think that the auhtor has now written 3 books, all in the short span of a Norse summer - which isn't really that long compared to other places. There's a lot of things that can happen in that time, and these Spring Log books prove it.
Other than that, I was a little disappointed by the last story, as up until now the auhtor has many focused on the relationship between Holo and Lawrence as positive, but in the last one Lawrence started acting like he did in the earlier books, like Holo was just using him, and I do not like what that implies about their relationship or how the author seems to think that is ok. I think that has been one of my main problems with the romance from the beginning.
January 3, 2026
It pains me as a long-term fan of the series to rate this volume lower than its predecessors but I'd be lying if I said it was just as good as others. Though I had a lot of fun revisiting the Spice & Wolf bathhouse and meeting with Lawrence and Holo like old friends I haven't seen in a while, I found the writing in this particular book to be an issue.
Overall, this is another collection of short stories set after the main characters' settling in in the village of Nyohhira. The stories depict the simple, everyday life of the bathhouse owners throughout different seasons, but one more thing they have in common is they're cosy reads where adventures happen and certain difficulties arise but they're all low stakes. Journey across the continent, political intrigues, as well as life and death situations moved to the 'Wolf & Parchment' series for good. This volume as well as the two previous 'Spring Logs' explore Lawrence's and Holo's relationship as husband and wife which, as we already know, is very heartwarming and cute.
1) 'What Falls In Spring And Wolf' - the first and the shortest story in the collection. It introduces the idea of Holo's shedding her fur like a regular wolf twice a year. It's a cool premise and it had comedic potential that was, sadly, wasted (I can easily imagine a scene where guests freak out after seeing wolf fur floating in the water, and the main cast has to make up a story to not lose their clients). Eventually, it serves as a cute moment between the couple which would be fine by itself if not for an underwhelming ending.
2) 'The White Hound And Wolf' - the most interesting one as we follow a priest/inquisitor who infiltrates the bathhouse as a guest for signs of witchcraft. His POV offers a fresh perspective of a newcomer and sheds some new light on how the couple and the whole Spice & Wolf family are perceived by strangers. Also ends in a heartwarming tone and with a moral.
3) 'Caramel Days And Wolf' - a short story that depicts Holo writing a journal of her daily activities. I found it a bit melancholic as the heroine writes down daily events as to not forget all those easy and happy moments once all her loved ones are long gone. However, it's Holo so there's always a fun twist to her actions which only cements the heroine as a likable, sensitive, and playful character.
4) 'Blue Dreams And Wolf' - the longest short story in this book as well as the one that had the biggest potential. It starts rather uneventful until a corpse of a long-dead man is discovered deep in the forest. The story has a few great moments like the mystery behind the dead body or Holo's reaction to death itself. Unfortunately, I can't help but feel the author tried to squeeze too many threads into one story, e. g. at the beginning we learn that there's a shortage of coins in the village, and an assembly is gathered to think of a solution. Soon after, the body is found and the issue of the lack of coins never gets properly resolved. Or I just missed something, correct me if I'm wrong. Generally, I find writing here to be an issue.
5) 'Harvest Autumn And Wolf' - the last short story in the collection, and easily the most cheerful one. The bathhouse has unexpected guests and all of them are non-human. What could go wrong? This one is special because it marks the start of a new exciting adventure. Very cute and somehow funny.
As presented, the short stories were rather interesting and fun to read. My biggest problem with them, though, was that the writing often fell off. Certain threads were cut short or they ended in a rather abrupt, disappointing manner, and the first and the fourth short stories are the best examples of this. In 'What Falls In Spring And Wolf' Holo is asked to chase off a pack of wolves who has been bothering their old friends. The idea sounds exciting, especially since there have been few scenes in the series where the heroine interracts with regular animals (other than eating them, obviously). However, Holo eventually refuses, sends Selim in her stead, and the short story ends without resolving the issue. Same goes in the fourth one but I've already discussed that.
There's another issue and it's such a big one that it forced me to lower the book's score. I've read theories saying that's a mistake or a mistranslation but either way Holo's being described as (physically) resembling a child is morally wrong and unacceptable. This particular wording appears several times throughout the whole novel, and here are the most prominent examples:
'appear as if she were only a girl of just over ten years old' (p. 96).
'resembling a young girl around an age of ten' (p. 161).
I find these descriptions extremely disturbing, and I hope it's just poor phrasing or mistranslation. However, it doesn't change the fact the publisher allowed a mature woman, a mother and wife, to be described as a 10 yo child. I'm not okay with this.
Overall, this is another collection of short stories set after the main characters' settling in in the village of Nyohhira. The stories depict the simple, everyday life of the bathhouse owners throughout different seasons, but one more thing they have in common is they're cosy reads where adventures happen and certain difficulties arise but they're all low stakes. Journey across the continent, political intrigues, as well as life and death situations moved to the 'Wolf & Parchment' series for good. This volume as well as the two previous 'Spring Logs' explore Lawrence's and Holo's relationship as husband and wife which, as we already know, is very heartwarming and cute.
1) 'What Falls In Spring And Wolf' - the first and the shortest story in the collection. It introduces the idea of Holo's shedding her fur like a regular wolf twice a year. It's a cool premise and it had comedic potential that was, sadly, wasted (I can easily imagine a scene where guests freak out after seeing wolf fur floating in the water, and the main cast has to make up a story to not lose their clients). Eventually, it serves as a cute moment between the couple which would be fine by itself if not for an underwhelming ending.
2) 'The White Hound And Wolf' - the most interesting one as we follow a priest/inquisitor who infiltrates the bathhouse as a guest for signs of witchcraft. His POV offers a fresh perspective of a newcomer and sheds some new light on how the couple and the whole Spice & Wolf family are perceived by strangers. Also ends in a heartwarming tone and with a moral.
3) 'Caramel Days And Wolf' - a short story that depicts Holo writing a journal of her daily activities. I found it a bit melancholic as the heroine writes down daily events as to not forget all those easy and happy moments once all her loved ones are long gone. However, it's Holo so there's always a fun twist to her actions which only cements the heroine as a likable, sensitive, and playful character.
4) 'Blue Dreams And Wolf' - the longest short story in this book as well as the one that had the biggest potential. It starts rather uneventful until a corpse of a long-dead man is discovered deep in the forest. The story has a few great moments like the mystery behind the dead body or Holo's reaction to death itself. Unfortunately, I can't help but feel the author tried to squeeze too many threads into one story, e. g. at the beginning we learn that there's a shortage of coins in the village, and an assembly is gathered to think of a solution. Soon after, the body is found and the issue of the lack of coins never gets properly resolved. Or I just missed something, correct me if I'm wrong. Generally, I find writing here to be an issue.
5) 'Harvest Autumn And Wolf' - the last short story in the collection, and easily the most cheerful one. The bathhouse has unexpected guests and all of them are non-human. What could go wrong? This one is special because it marks the start of a new exciting adventure. Very cute and somehow funny.
As presented, the short stories were rather interesting and fun to read. My biggest problem with them, though, was that the writing often fell off. Certain threads were cut short or they ended in a rather abrupt, disappointing manner, and the first and the fourth short stories are the best examples of this. In 'What Falls In Spring And Wolf' Holo is asked to chase off a pack of wolves who has been bothering their old friends. The idea sounds exciting, especially since there have been few scenes in the series where the heroine interracts with regular animals (other than eating them, obviously). However, Holo eventually refuses, sends Selim in her stead, and the short story ends without resolving the issue. Same goes in the fourth one but I've already discussed that.
There's another issue and it's such a big one that it forced me to lower the book's score. I've read theories saying that's a mistake or a mistranslation but either way Holo's being described as (physically) resembling a child is morally wrong and unacceptable. This particular wording appears several times throughout the whole novel, and here are the most prominent examples:
'appear as if she were only a girl of just over ten years old' (p. 96).
'resembling a young girl around an age of ten' (p. 161).
I find these descriptions extremely disturbing, and I hope it's just poor phrasing or mistranslation. However, it doesn't change the fact the publisher allowed a mature woman, a mother and wife, to be described as a 10 yo child. I'm not okay with this.
October 17, 2019
I am slightly disappointed that there were no strong economic themes integrated into the stories this time. The visit from the inquisition was an interesting point of view, but nothing too exciting. The Holo and Lawrence relationship has developed by now, and it would be nice to have some new adventures, which may happen in the next volume. There's nothing wrong with slight explorations of their current relationship, but I didn't feel as if it added much; previous volumes seem to have tread the same ground. It was enjoyable fiction, but not outstanding.
December 26, 2018
I honestly could not be more glad to be alive. Everything, everything I've ever wanted in a story is in this book, the happily ever after, the kid, the good life, the spooning, this is it for me. Finally a writer that knows, this feels much more like something that Isuna would write compared to the half baked
Wolf & Parchment that caters more to the cash than the reader.
Wolf & Parchment that caters more to the cash than the reader.
January 12, 2019
Several great story stories, leaving the future open to more adventures with Lawrence and Holo beyond the bathhouse. I look forward to seeing where the author takes them next!
September 3, 2021
This one really made me laugh out loud. Such sweet, wonderful stories.
The "After" series is so rich with happy ever after, whilst still addressing the issues they have.
The "After" series is so rich with happy ever after, whilst still addressing the issues they have.
March 4, 2019
In my opinion this volume is just a bit better than the previous 2 Spring Log volumes. Like those, it's set at essentially the same year - spanning a handful of stories that are set in Spring to Summer to Fall.
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