I had heard some comments about the irony of how Book Girl and the Captive Fool was still really dark but yet was the most light-hearted of the series so far. I read it and I have to agree. Despite the pain and heartache characters suffer, it was still the most cheerful ending, which kinda says something about what type of series this is.
I normally don't like this type of angsty series, yet author Mizuki Nomura just somehow makes it work and I ended up really enjoying the series. Maybe it's how the characters really seem more "real" than in other books, or maybe it's the magical realism angle. It could be just that the two main characters, Konoha and Tohko, the titular "Book Girl" (a goblin who eats books), are so fascinating. I'm not entirely sure.
One part I know I like is the way that Tohko always sticks her nose into other peoples' business to help them, out of a wierd mix of reasons. She's not entirely selfless OR selfish. She is a complex character that is always bratty, a little bossy and insufferable, yet ultimately sweet and someone the reader can't help but like. By this volume, Konoha is finally starting to care more and want to help others under Tohko's influence and friendship.
Yup, this is definitely part of it. Watching a supernatural creature go around eating books but otherwise doing mundane things and using a brilliant intellect to solve mysteries to help folks psychologically is just such a mish-mash of genres that I just find myself fascinated.
This time, Tohko ropes Konoha's classmate and uncertain friend, Akutagawa, into helping with the play she wants the "Book Club" of their high school to put on at the culture festival. Such clubs and festivals are a big thing in Japan, by the by. Unfortunately, since only her and Konoha are in the BC, she needs more people. Helping out are Kotobuki, Konoha's tsundere classmate, and Takeda, someone they helped in the first book when she was in the depths of despair.
At first, things seem normal enough, at least for this bunch. Hmmm. Maybe that should have been the first clue for Konoha that something had to happen. But slowly a mystery unfolds around harmful actions that Akutagawa is taking in his life and an emotional crisis that is spiraling out of control. There could be real, and fatal, consequence if Tohko and Konoha can't find a way to help him in time.
For those who like the darker tone of the series, don't worry, it's still plenty dark. But sometimes you need your bittersweet endings to be, perhaps, a tad bit less bitter and more sweet. That would be the case here.
The only problem I had with the story is something that the author herself admits in the Afterword, which is the treatment of Nanase Kotobuki as a character. The author built up some major stuff for her part of the storyline (and from what she said in the afterword and I know from spoilers since this series is completed, Nomura had the storyline planned out), and then just let it fizzle out for now. I can understand that this is likely due to length, but it is quite frustrating.
Other than that, no real complaints. This was a dark, but quite fun and ultimately happy, story. I quite Highly Recommend it.