It's the best book in the sekai series and my favourite NisioisiN's book until now IMO. Last chapter made me cry like a baby, ugly cry etc. Only Cannibal Magical made me feel that way before that.
“First, you mustn’t call your own creations works of art. (Don’t get conceited.) “Second, you mustn’t criticize other people's creations. (Same as above. Don’t criticize your own either.) “Third, you mustn’t spend time creating. (No creations are worth more than time.) “Fourth, you mustn’t explain your own creations. (Only unfinished works require explanations.) “Fifth, you mustn’t say that you thought of something first. (Rather, you should feel ashamed for being outdone despite thinking of it first.) “Sixth, you mustn’t use ideas you’ve been considering for a long time. (Ideas should always be fresh. If they can be ripe, they can also rot.) “Seventh, you mustn’t make excuses for your failures. (Those are not tolerated.) “Eighth, you mustn’t criticize your audience. (Criticisms are something you receive, not the other way around.) “Ninth, you mustn’t choose your audience. (You are always the one being chosen.) “Tenth, you mustn’t call yourself a creator. (This is meant to be an appellation for you, not something you use yourself.)”
Light spoilers ahead.
As the fourth entry in nIsIoIsIn's "Sekai Series" this volume is perhaps the weakest. While I initially liked the beginning of the novel I felt like the quality started to drop off after the midway point. The ending was rushed and not thoroughly thought through and felt like it was just wasted potential which could have been avoided if nisio put more than 5 minutes into devising it.
The prologue was great but does half the book really need to be nisio circle jerking over how twisted and edgy Choushi is, despite everyone who read the prior entries already knowing that much? Well it was somewhat entertaining and some parts like the flashbacks to Kuroneko and the Shogi scene were pog though.
What a waste of interesting ideas. The novel doesn’t anger me more so sadden, it has flickers of really good ideas and scenes but it barely feels like it even starts. Its twists are both obvious and obnoxious, it’s mystery isn’t interesting, the narrator isn’t engaging. It’s sad the series (basically) ends on such a disappointing note.
If My World ever does happen (lol) I’ll hope this was just a fumble in a almost perfect series.