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Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Light Novel #1
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 1
Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou is Seiren Private Academy’s “solitary princess.” She’s a half-Russian beauty with silver hair, at the top of her class, student council accountant, and…completely unapproachable. For some reason, she’s also taken on the responsibility of reprimanding the slacker who sits next to her in class. Masachika Kuze is constantly frustrating her by falling asleep, forgetting his textbooks, and just being an overall unexemplary student. Or at least, that’s how it looks from the outside. She may put on a tough act, but she doesn’t mind Masachika as much as others would think. She even lets him call her by her nickname, Alya. Anyone hearing the comments she mutters in Russian under her breath might know how she really feels, but since none of her classmates understand the language, she’s free to say whatever she likes! Except…there is one person who knows what she’s saying. Masachika eavesdrops on her embarrassing revelations, pretending to be clueless, all the while wondering what her flirtatious comments actually mean!
184 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2021
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551 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 10, 2025
I so want to see them end up together, though Yuka is a bit….much. Some weird bro-con going there.
4, going to check out the next volume, stars.
4, going to check out the next volume, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2024
I've just finished the first volume of *Roshidere* (or *Alya Sometimes hides her Feelings in Russian*) and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. One thing that stood out to me right away is how much more depth the characters have compared to the anime, with the narration helping to introduce the world more clearly from the beginning. For instance, in the anime, I was confused for a while about the exact relationship between Yuki and Masachika—they were initially introduced as childhood friends and then as siblings who don't live together. The book does a much better job of laying this out from the start, establishing that Masachika has a sister, that they don't live together because their parents are divorced, and that Masachika disappointed his family in some way in the past. Later on, Yuki fills this gap, and it becomes clear that she's taken over Masachika's obligations at their family estate, which is why she keeps visiting him and leaves all her nerdy stuff at his place. This also makes the "childhood friends" dynamic make more sense because they haven’t lived together for so long that their relationship feels less sibling-like now. It also explains why Yuki feels the need to visit Masachika regularly, allowing her to drop her lady-like persona and embrace her otaku side.
Masachika's backstory, especially his connection to his Russian friend, also became much clearer to me. On one hand, we learn that, thanks to his grandfather’s fascination with Russia, Masachika has been learning Russian professionally since childhood, so his knowledge isn’t just based on fragmented conversations with his childhood friend. On the other hand, it's made clear that Masachika doesn’t remember her face or voice—something that makes the "not-so-secret" mystery more plausible. Just like in the anime, the book heavily implies that his old friend was Masha, but because he lacks any memory of her, this version feels more believable and doesn’t require her appearance to have changed completely, as it did in the anime. Masha's suspicion is also cleverly dismissed when she tries speaking to him in Russian and he pretends not to understand—so Alya doesn’t find out the truth—which makes Masha believe she's mistaken. I found it easy to follow the story and chronology, and the way information and exposition were distributed felt very natural and well-paced throughout the volume.
What I liked most about the book, though, was Masachika's characterization. In the anime, it almost feels like the story is told from Alya’s perspective, even though we see the thoughts of both characters. Here, we get a deeper look into how Masachika views himself. His reluctance to join the student council again largely stems from his lack of self-confidence and his inferiority complex, which the book conveys really well. Since he constantly compares himself to Alya, Yuki, and Touya, he doesn’t feel worthy of standing alongside these hardworking people. Alya describes Masachika as someone who doesn’t shine himself but instead supports others from the shadows. Masachika, on the other hand, sees that kind of brightness in Alya. After Touya persuades him—using his own story of joining the student council just to get closer to a girl—that it’s okay to join for selfish reasons, Masachika finally decides he wants to be the one to help Alya shine and run for student council president alongside her.
The book also makes it much clearer how much Masachika already feels for Alya. He’s constantly thinking about her, is just as flustered by her actions as she is by his (though he hides it better), and frequently describes how attractive he finds her. At the end, when they walk side by side, it’s even directly stated that he feels the same way about her as he did for his old childhood friend, whose feelings he identified as love. You can also clearly see how differently he interacts with the people around him: he’s more reserved with Touya because he looks up to him, he’s rougher and more direct with Yuki, showing their sibling dynamic, while he’s playful and teasing with Alya, engaging in affectionate banter. Alya is the person who drives him forward, always pointing out his flaws without sugarcoating them, while still meeting him on equal terms rather than looking down on him like others do—making him want to spend more time with and support her. I didn’t notice this versatility in his character as much in the anime, partly because his thoughts and feelings weren’t explored as deeply and partly because his reactions to the stimuli around him were less pronounced visually. I definitely like him more here and think he makes for a very solid protagonist.
Alya's story is also quite touching, and even though it’s largely the same as in the anime, the narration gives us a clearer view of how she sees the people around her. Starting from her negative experience in elementary school, where her classmates didn’t put any effort into their group project, she became more and more focused on herself. On the surface, this just made her prefer doing things alone and unable to rely on others or give up control. But deeper down, it shaped her entire character, causing her to view others as less hardworking and less ambitious, and eventually as inferior. While she tried to hide this arrogance behind politeness, she ultimately couldn’t build empathy for others—like when she couldn’t mediate the dispute between the baseball and football clubs because she simply didn’t understand people well enough to grasp their deeper needs. This is what makes her dynamic with Masachika so interesting: on one hand, he symbolizes everything she despises because he’s lazy and inattentive in school, embodying the kind of self-inflicted complacency that infuriates her. On the other hand, he’s also a kind of safe zone for her since he’s the only person she doesn’t see as competition, which allows her to emotionally relax and let down her guard around him. Alya’s confidence in this is also bolstered not just by Masachika's laziness but by his actions at the school festival, where he managed to motivate the group around him to work. She understands that Masachika isn’t someone like her, who stays up late working hard, but someone who cleverly manipulates people so he doesn’t have to exert himself—something also evident in the aforementioned club dispute, where he quickly identified the football club president as the key to resolving the conflict. This quality of Masachika, doing just enough but no more, always being there when truly needed without pursuing a goal just for its own sake, fascinates her—and allows her to express her many suppressed feelings in Russian, leading her to develop genuine feelings for him, appreciating the ease and comfort he brings. This bond is especially touching near the end, when Alya realizes her lack of empathy has left her alone and she pleads for help in Russian, only for Masachika, who understands not just her words but the feelings behind them, to come to her aid—prompting her to confess her love in Russian in a rush of emotion. The dynamic between them is incredibly beautiful, and the way they influence each other makes their relationship deeply meaningful.
Before I wrap up, I want to mention a few formal aspects because I think the writing style is well done quite well. It’s always lively, dynamically shifting between narration and dialogue without getting lost in lengthy explanations or aimless banter. Most of the time, the dialogues build up to a humorous punchline, with each snippet of conversation leading toward it like a thread. As a reader, you feel directly involved in the action without any essential information being withheld that would make it hard to follow. Additionally, the writing is very humorous, with characters being dissed in eloquent language (for example, describing fetching a book from his locker as a "cognitive mammoth task" for Masachika) or feelings and events being described metaphorically (like Alya's gaze "freezing the air in the room"). The volume also handles flashbacks well, keeping them distinct from the main plot while smoothly integrating them afterward. There was only one odd moment where it suddenly shifted to first-person narration from Masachika's perspective within a chapter, only to switch back in the next passage as he described his past with the Russian girl—which could have been done just as well in third person, like Alya's sections, so I didn’t understand the reason to change the focal point there. Otherwise, though, it was an excellently written book, with great characterization and a very engaging story progression. I can definitely see myself enjoying the next books even more than the anime, but we'll see when they come out and I get to read them—something I'm now definitely planning to do.
Masachika's backstory, especially his connection to his Russian friend, also became much clearer to me. On one hand, we learn that, thanks to his grandfather’s fascination with Russia, Masachika has been learning Russian professionally since childhood, so his knowledge isn’t just based on fragmented conversations with his childhood friend. On the other hand, it's made clear that Masachika doesn’t remember her face or voice—something that makes the "not-so-secret" mystery more plausible. Just like in the anime, the book heavily implies that his old friend was Masha, but because he lacks any memory of her, this version feels more believable and doesn’t require her appearance to have changed completely, as it did in the anime. Masha's suspicion is also cleverly dismissed when she tries speaking to him in Russian and he pretends not to understand—so Alya doesn’t find out the truth—which makes Masha believe she's mistaken. I found it easy to follow the story and chronology, and the way information and exposition were distributed felt very natural and well-paced throughout the volume.
What I liked most about the book, though, was Masachika's characterization. In the anime, it almost feels like the story is told from Alya’s perspective, even though we see the thoughts of both characters. Here, we get a deeper look into how Masachika views himself. His reluctance to join the student council again largely stems from his lack of self-confidence and his inferiority complex, which the book conveys really well. Since he constantly compares himself to Alya, Yuki, and Touya, he doesn’t feel worthy of standing alongside these hardworking people. Alya describes Masachika as someone who doesn’t shine himself but instead supports others from the shadows. Masachika, on the other hand, sees that kind of brightness in Alya. After Touya persuades him—using his own story of joining the student council just to get closer to a girl—that it’s okay to join for selfish reasons, Masachika finally decides he wants to be the one to help Alya shine and run for student council president alongside her.
The book also makes it much clearer how much Masachika already feels for Alya. He’s constantly thinking about her, is just as flustered by her actions as she is by his (though he hides it better), and frequently describes how attractive he finds her. At the end, when they walk side by side, it’s even directly stated that he feels the same way about her as he did for his old childhood friend, whose feelings he identified as love. You can also clearly see how differently he interacts with the people around him: he’s more reserved with Touya because he looks up to him, he’s rougher and more direct with Yuki, showing their sibling dynamic, while he’s playful and teasing with Alya, engaging in affectionate banter. Alya is the person who drives him forward, always pointing out his flaws without sugarcoating them, while still meeting him on equal terms rather than looking down on him like others do—making him want to spend more time with and support her. I didn’t notice this versatility in his character as much in the anime, partly because his thoughts and feelings weren’t explored as deeply and partly because his reactions to the stimuli around him were less pronounced visually. I definitely like him more here and think he makes for a very solid protagonist.
Alya's story is also quite touching, and even though it’s largely the same as in the anime, the narration gives us a clearer view of how she sees the people around her. Starting from her negative experience in elementary school, where her classmates didn’t put any effort into their group project, she became more and more focused on herself. On the surface, this just made her prefer doing things alone and unable to rely on others or give up control. But deeper down, it shaped her entire character, causing her to view others as less hardworking and less ambitious, and eventually as inferior. While she tried to hide this arrogance behind politeness, she ultimately couldn’t build empathy for others—like when she couldn’t mediate the dispute between the baseball and football clubs because she simply didn’t understand people well enough to grasp their deeper needs. This is what makes her dynamic with Masachika so interesting: on one hand, he symbolizes everything she despises because he’s lazy and inattentive in school, embodying the kind of self-inflicted complacency that infuriates her. On the other hand, he’s also a kind of safe zone for her since he’s the only person she doesn’t see as competition, which allows her to emotionally relax and let down her guard around him. Alya’s confidence in this is also bolstered not just by Masachika's laziness but by his actions at the school festival, where he managed to motivate the group around him to work. She understands that Masachika isn’t someone like her, who stays up late working hard, but someone who cleverly manipulates people so he doesn’t have to exert himself—something also evident in the aforementioned club dispute, where he quickly identified the football club president as the key to resolving the conflict. This quality of Masachika, doing just enough but no more, always being there when truly needed without pursuing a goal just for its own sake, fascinates her—and allows her to express her many suppressed feelings in Russian, leading her to develop genuine feelings for him, appreciating the ease and comfort he brings. This bond is especially touching near the end, when Alya realizes her lack of empathy has left her alone and she pleads for help in Russian, only for Masachika, who understands not just her words but the feelings behind them, to come to her aid—prompting her to confess her love in Russian in a rush of emotion. The dynamic between them is incredibly beautiful, and the way they influence each other makes their relationship deeply meaningful.
Before I wrap up, I want to mention a few formal aspects because I think the writing style is well done quite well. It’s always lively, dynamically shifting between narration and dialogue without getting lost in lengthy explanations or aimless banter. Most of the time, the dialogues build up to a humorous punchline, with each snippet of conversation leading toward it like a thread. As a reader, you feel directly involved in the action without any essential information being withheld that would make it hard to follow. Additionally, the writing is very humorous, with characters being dissed in eloquent language (for example, describing fetching a book from his locker as a "cognitive mammoth task" for Masachika) or feelings and events being described metaphorically (like Alya's gaze "freezing the air in the room"). The volume also handles flashbacks well, keeping them distinct from the main plot while smoothly integrating them afterward. There was only one odd moment where it suddenly shifted to first-person narration from Masachika's perspective within a chapter, only to switch back in the next passage as he described his past with the Russian girl—which could have been done just as well in third person, like Alya's sections, so I didn’t understand the reason to change the focal point there. Otherwise, though, it was an excellently written book, with great characterization and a very engaging story progression. I can definitely see myself enjoying the next books even more than the anime, but we'll see when they come out and I get to read them—something I'm now definitely planning to do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2021
主人公・久世政近は一年高校生です。ほぼ毎日に、彼はいつも眠いですので、授業前によく昼寝します。原因は彼が深夜アニメが大好きで、彼は睡眠不足です。尚更に、政近はアニメを見て後に、オタク友達に長い話します。そう、政近は怠いです。にしても、必ずに彼は赤点を避けています。言い換えると、とても普通な学生です。
逆に、クラスで、政近の隣同士は異常です。彼女の名前はアリサ・ミハイロヴナ・九条です。アリサはロシア人で、白い髪がいて青い目がいます。勿論、ロシア語と日本語に話せます。その上に、彼女は転校生です。この点はとても特別です。何故なら、彼れの高校は「私立正嶺学園」です。歴史と言うなら、この中高大一貫校はトップクラスです。色々な卒業生は政府界で活躍しましたので、沢山学生はこの学校で入りたいです。ですので、入学試験や転校試験はとても難しいですが、アリサはあっさりに転校生試験を合格して、学校の成績で一位を取って、生徒会に入りました。そう、彼女の実績はとても異常です。で、彼女は普段に人気者ですが冷たい態度があるので、「孤高のお姫様」と称されました。
政近とアリサは逆性格があるですが、意外に二人共はいつもお互いに話します。話すと言うよりも、アリサは一方で政近によく叱ります。例えば、彼は教科書を忘る時に、アリサは彼に叱るつつ必ずに助けます。で、無表情で、彼女は彼に毎日に冷たい言葉を投げます。けど、その時で、アリサは少しロシア語を呟きます。彼女は皆んながロシア語に分からないと思って、この言語、本意を見せます。本来なら、アリサは政近の事が大好きので、ロシア語で甘い言葉をいつも呟きます。皮肉ですが、政近はロシア語が分かります。彼女に可哀想だと思って、彼はロシア語を分かる点を隠します。日々に、政近は冷たい言葉に受け取りつつに彼女の甘い言葉をもう聞きます。この変な関係は続く筈ですが、政近の幼なじみ・周防有希は彼と特別関係があるみたいに？この特別なラブコメがもう始まります！
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
良いラブコメでした！一つ理由はキャラの会話がとても面白いです。微笑むながら、どんどんに興味が深くになりました。そして、この三人・政近、アリサ、有希は面白いキャラです。彼等の性格は楽しいので、各々の魅力が有ります。例えば、政近です。彼は普段に怠いですが、必要なときに、彼はなさべきことを全部尽きます。その点のおかげで、良いキャラになりました。その上に、他のキャラは彼の魅力を出します。勿論、政近のように、アリサと有希は頑張り屋さんです（別意味で）。
ロシア語の点で、作家はもう日本語で訳しました。ですので、文章は読みやすいです。尚更に作家の単語は難しくない。この点
The protagonist, Masachika Kuse, is a first-year high school student. About almost every day, he's always sleepy, so he often takes naps before class starts. The reason is that because he likes late-night Anime, he doesn't get enough sleep. All the more so when after he watches it, he talks with his otaku friend for a long time. Yes, Masachika is a rather lazy person. Despite that though, he always avoids failing grades. In other words, he's a very normal student.
Conversely, the person who sits right next to him in class is very irregular. Her name is Arisa Mihailovna Kujou. Because she's Russian, she has white hair and blue eyes. Of course, she can speak both Russian and Japanese. On top of that, she is a transfer student. This specific point is rather special because their high school is "Seirei Private School." If one considers its history, this collective middle school, high school, and college group are elite. Because there were a lot of graduates who became active in the government afterward, there are plenty of students who want to enter the school. As a result, the entrance and transfer exams are both very difficult, but Arisa passed the latter very easily, took first place in the school rankings, and entered the Student Council. Indeed, her achievements are very irregular. So, she is normally popular, but because she takes a cold attitude with everyone, she is known as the "Lone Princess."
Masachika and Arisa have opposite personalities, but, surprisingly, these two often talk to each other. Rather than talking though, Arisa often one-sidedly scolds Masachika. For example, whenever he forgets his textbook at home, she lectures him while helping him all the while. So, with an expressionless face, she throws cold words at him every day. But during that time, she also mutters a little Russian. Because she thinks that no one can understand it, she shows her real intentions in this language. So, since she actually loves Masachika in reality, she often mutters sweet words to him in Russian. Ironically, Masachika can actually understand this language. But because he feels sorry for her, he hides the fact that he can actually comprehend it. So, day after day, he receives both cold and sweet words from her. This weird relationship was supposed to continue, but it seems like his childhood friend, Yuki Suou, has a special relationship with him? This special romantic comedy is about to start!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a great romantic comedy! One of the reasons is that the characters' conversations are very funny. As I kept chuckling to myself, my interest kept getting deeper and deeper. Then, these three people: Masachika, Arisa, and Yuki are very interesting characters. All of their personalities are very fun, so they have their own appeal to them. For example, let's take Masachika. He's normally very lazy, but whenever it's essential, he does everything he needs to do. Thanks to this point, he becomes a great character. On top of that, the other characters also show his appeal as well. Of course, like him, both Arisa and Yuki are hard workers as well (in a different way).
About the Russian part, the author already translated it into Japanese. So, the book is easy to read. All the more when the vocabulary is not that difficult at all. Coupled with that point, the Russian setting is rather special, so I think it became quite an amazing novel!
If you are interested, please read it!
逆に、クラスで、政近の隣同士は異常です。彼女の名前はアリサ・ミハイロヴナ・九条です。アリサはロシア人で、白い髪がいて青い目がいます。勿論、ロシア語と日本語に話せます。その上に、彼女は転校生です。この点はとても特別です。何故なら、彼れの高校は「私立正嶺学園」です。歴史と言うなら、この中高大一貫校はトップクラスです。色々な卒業生は政府界で活躍しましたので、沢山学生はこの学校で入りたいです。ですので、入学試験や転校試験はとても難しいですが、アリサはあっさりに転校生試験を合格して、学校の成績で一位を取って、生徒会に入りました。そう、彼女の実績はとても異常です。で、彼女は普段に人気者ですが冷たい態度があるので、「孤高のお姫様」と称されました。
政近とアリサは逆性格があるですが、意外に二人共はいつもお互いに話します。話すと言うよりも、アリサは一方で政近によく叱ります。例えば、彼は教科書を忘る時に、アリサは彼に叱るつつ必ずに助けます。で、無表情で、彼女は彼に毎日に冷たい言葉を投げます。けど、その時で、アリサは少しロシア語を呟きます。彼女は皆んながロシア語に分からないと思って、この言語、本意を見せます。本来なら、アリサは政近の事が大好きので、ロシア語で甘い言葉をいつも呟きます。皮肉ですが、政近はロシア語が分かります。彼女に可哀想だと思って、彼はロシア語を分かる点を隠します。日々に、政近は冷たい言葉に受け取りつつに彼女の甘い言葉をもう聞きます。この変な関係は続く筈ですが、政近の幼なじみ・周防有希は彼と特別関係があるみたいに？この特別なラブコメがもう始まります！
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
良いラブコメでした！一つ理由はキャラの会話がとても面白いです。微笑むながら、どんどんに興味が深くになりました。そして、この三人・政近、アリサ、有希は面白いキャラです。彼等の性格は楽しいので、各々の魅力が有ります。例えば、政近です。彼は普段に怠いですが、必要なときに、彼はなさべきことを全部尽きます。その点のおかげで、良いキャラになりました。その上に、他のキャラは彼の魅力を出します。勿論、政近のように、アリサと有希は頑張り屋さんです（別意味で）。
ロシア語の点で、作家はもう日本語で訳しました。ですので、文章は読みやすいです。尚更に作家の単語は難しくない。この点
The protagonist, Masachika Kuse, is a first-year high school student. About almost every day, he's always sleepy, so he often takes naps before class starts. The reason is that because he likes late-night Anime, he doesn't get enough sleep. All the more so when after he watches it, he talks with his otaku friend for a long time. Yes, Masachika is a rather lazy person. Despite that though, he always avoids failing grades. In other words, he's a very normal student.
Conversely, the person who sits right next to him in class is very irregular. Her name is Arisa Mihailovna Kujou. Because she's Russian, she has white hair and blue eyes. Of course, she can speak both Russian and Japanese. On top of that, she is a transfer student. This specific point is rather special because their high school is "Seirei Private School." If one considers its history, this collective middle school, high school, and college group are elite. Because there were a lot of graduates who became active in the government afterward, there are plenty of students who want to enter the school. As a result, the entrance and transfer exams are both very difficult, but Arisa passed the latter very easily, took first place in the school rankings, and entered the Student Council. Indeed, her achievements are very irregular. So, she is normally popular, but because she takes a cold attitude with everyone, she is known as the "Lone Princess."
Masachika and Arisa have opposite personalities, but, surprisingly, these two often talk to each other. Rather than talking though, Arisa often one-sidedly scolds Masachika. For example, whenever he forgets his textbook at home, she lectures him while helping him all the while. So, with an expressionless face, she throws cold words at him every day. But during that time, she also mutters a little Russian. Because she thinks that no one can understand it, she shows her real intentions in this language. So, since she actually loves Masachika in reality, she often mutters sweet words to him in Russian. Ironically, Masachika can actually understand this language. But because he feels sorry for her, he hides the fact that he can actually comprehend it. So, day after day, he receives both cold and sweet words from her. This weird relationship was supposed to continue, but it seems like his childhood friend, Yuki Suou, has a special relationship with him? This special romantic comedy is about to start!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a great romantic comedy! One of the reasons is that the characters' conversations are very funny. As I kept chuckling to myself, my interest kept getting deeper and deeper. Then, these three people: Masachika, Arisa, and Yuki are very interesting characters. All of their personalities are very fun, so they have their own appeal to them. For example, let's take Masachika. He's normally very lazy, but whenever it's essential, he does everything he needs to do. Thanks to this point, he becomes a great character. On top of that, the other characters also show his appeal as well. Of course, like him, both Arisa and Yuki are hard workers as well (in a different way).
About the Russian part, the author already translated it into Japanese. So, the book is easy to read. All the more when the vocabulary is not that difficult at all. Coupled with that point, the Russian setting is rather special, so I think it became quite an amazing novel!
If you are interested, please read it!
August 16, 2024
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this audiobook ARC!
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
Can anyone tell me if Sunsunsun is a guy? I can't find anywhere saying, but this *feels* like a guy wrote it. There was just so much talk about female features and weird sexual aspects and also a mention of yuri-ness between sisters??? I just... There were some ew moments. Unrelated to that, but there was this random flashback in first person? Was it meant to be the character's direct thoughts the entire time? I dunno. Just lots of random weirdnesses.
Other than that, though, it was a cute slice-of-life high school romance. The concept behind the series is silly but fun. Masachika is also just a fun character, where he's really good at getting things done but also just super unmotivated to do it when it's for himself. It made a good contrast to Alya, and really helped to open her up from her seclusion. I liked the direction the plot took as it developed into having a goal, and the final moment of the story would have made such a nice panel to see drawn.
So yeah, if you want a fun slice of life high school romance and can ignore some weird moments, you'll probably enjoy this! I just know those moments were weird enough to almost make me DNF if it wasn't so short and brief with its weird moments, personally.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
Can anyone tell me if Sunsunsun is a guy? I can't find anywhere saying, but this *feels* like a guy wrote it. There was just so much talk about female features and weird sexual aspects and also a mention of yuri-ness between sisters??? I just... There were some ew moments. Unrelated to that, but there was this random flashback in first person? Was it meant to be the character's direct thoughts the entire time? I dunno. Just lots of random weirdnesses.
Other than that, though, it was a cute slice-of-life high school romance. The concept behind the series is silly but fun. Masachika is also just a fun character, where he's really good at getting things done but also just super unmotivated to do it when it's for himself. It made a good contrast to Alya, and really helped to open her up from her seclusion. I liked the direction the plot took as it developed into having a goal, and the final moment of the story would have made such a nice panel to see drawn.
So yeah, if you want a fun slice of life high school romance and can ignore some weird moments, you'll probably enjoy this! I just know those moments were weird enough to almost make me DNF if it wasn't so short and brief with its weird moments, personally.
November 26, 2022
First light novel I've ever read. It was fun, but not much more beyond that. Like most stories in this genre, it still falls into a lot of tropes and the gimmick just isn't enough to make it super interesting.
June 12, 2023
~ 插畫 ✅ 極好
~ 故事劇情 ✅ 極好
~ 好看程度 ✅ 非常好看
~ 可重看性 ✅ 過幾個月或幾年
~ 是否值得買 ✅ 推薦
~ 故事劇情 ✅ 極好
~ 好看程度 ✅ 非常好看
~ 可重看性 ✅ 過幾個月或幾年
~ 是否值得買 ✅ 推薦
November 25, 2022
Cute but very by the numbers and doesn't do nearly enough with its gimmick, though it may very well become a hit anime with good enough direction and production values.
December 26, 2022
Supper sweet
Loved the casual banter, it's just a sweet story to help keep your mind off the world. Can't wait for the next one.
Loved the casual banter, it's just a sweet story to help keep your mind off the world. Can't wait for the next one.
October 17, 2024
"Am I the protagonist of a rom-com?! Is this my harem?!"
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Vol. 1
By Sunsunsun.
I was planning on starting this light novel ever since the first trailer came out for the anime, but kept postponing it, ultimately watched the anime, and now I'm starting the light novel. Comparing to COTE or Angel Next Door, this light novel isn't all that unique, nor does it stand out much, but it is kinda nice and enjoyable.
This volume was decent. There wasn't much new content compared to the anime, except for some minor changes. It was fun. The concept was nothing special, but the characters are quite good and enjoyable to read.
"There was a reason I lost all my motivation to do anything. There was someone I could blame. But no matter the excuse or who I blamed, the truth of the matter was that I was simply a lazy sack of garbage."
It's a funny slice of life volume set in high school. And since I have watched the anime, I have a bit of family drama in the future.
7/10
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Vol. 1
By Sunsunsun.
I was planning on starting this light novel ever since the first trailer came out for the anime, but kept postponing it, ultimately watched the anime, and now I'm starting the light novel. Comparing to COTE or Angel Next Door, this light novel isn't all that unique, nor does it stand out much, but it is kinda nice and enjoyable.
This volume was decent. There wasn't much new content compared to the anime, except for some minor changes. It was fun. The concept was nothing special, but the characters are quite good and enjoyable to read.
"There was a reason I lost all my motivation to do anything. There was someone I could blame. But no matter the excuse or who I blamed, the truth of the matter was that I was simply a lazy sack of garbage."
It's a funny slice of life volume set in high school. And since I have watched the anime, I have a bit of family drama in the future.
7/10
November 14, 2024
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 1 by Sunsunsun is a light novel that follows Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou and Masachika Kuze. I ended up watching the anime prior to reading this, so I knew what to expect and there wasn’t really any additional content featured in this. I like the two main characters, and the overall romance concept is fun and sweet. I thought that the narrator did a good job as well. I’m just not a fan of each of the siblings’ dynamics, (which were the same in the anime), so I had to really ignore/skip over those moments. 2.5/5 stars (rounded up to 3).
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Yen Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 1 by Sunsunsun. My comments are an independent, honest review.
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Yen Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 1 by Sunsunsun. My comments are an independent, honest review.
June 16, 2025
Alisa Kujou (Alya) is a loner despite being at the top of her class and the Student Council accountant. But she manages to get along with Masachika Kuze who sits next to her in their alphabetical seating. She is irritated that he does not put forth the effort that she thinks he should but also knows that he will come through when the chips are down and something needs to get done. For Masachika, the fun comes from not reacting to the words she mutters in Russian which he understands, but Alya does not know that fact. Then there is Yuki Suou, the other outstanding student in their class that is the Student Council Secretary and possible rival to Alya. Sunsunsun has set up an interesting situation using romance tropes and doles out clues and backstories piecemeal throughout this volume. It will be fun to see if she can keep up the tension in the next volume!
September 25, 2024
I seriously began reading this right after I finished watching the first season of the anime adaptation. I couldn't help but see if there were some things that weren't mention in the anime and I'm actually SO glad reading this.
This first volume captures the first four episodes of the anime. And honestly, even after watching the anime, I simple couldn't figure the characters thoughts completely just by simply hearing their thoughts and reading their facial expressions.
I really love how detailed it was written and how easily it was for me to understand each every character. It only made the main character's "first-step-romance" much more impactful. I can't help but ship Alya and Masachika SO much! I'll immediately read the second volume after this!
This first volume captures the first four episodes of the anime. And honestly, even after watching the anime, I simple couldn't figure the characters thoughts completely just by simply hearing their thoughts and reading their facial expressions.
I really love how detailed it was written and how easily it was for me to understand each every character. It only made the main character's "first-step-romance" much more impactful. I can't help but ship Alya and Masachika SO much! I'll immediately read the second volume after this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2024
**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 1 by Sunsunsun was my first ever light novel audiobook, and it was very cute. This is a lighthearted, high school story about a lonely girl who has trouble conveying her real feelings and her lazy class neighbor. I had been watching the anime before I listened to this, so nothing was new, but I was incredibly impressed with the narrator's acting in this case, especially with the Russian accent. Her hard work really made the story come to life; it was great. If you enjoy sweet, younger romances and school life this story is for you.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Vol. 1 by Sunsunsun was my first ever light novel audiobook, and it was very cute. This is a lighthearted, high school story about a lonely girl who has trouble conveying her real feelings and her lazy class neighbor. I had been watching the anime before I listened to this, so nothing was new, but I was incredibly impressed with the narrator's acting in this case, especially with the Russian accent. Her hard work really made the story come to life; it was great. If you enjoy sweet, younger romances and school life this story is for you.
October 19, 2024
It was a really interesting first in a series. It does cater a bit to the "male gaze" with certain shots of the gals. (And I'm really against two sisters who are inappropriate in regard to their sibling.) But aside from that...
I really do enjoy the MMC. He seems like a really good balance for people who deal with stressful or anxiety-inducing situations. I really like Alya too, though I feel bad for her being so high-strung. Overall, they're a good balance so it'll be nice to see their connection develop overtime.
I do prefer the manga version of this over the light novel. It's a shame it's only on the Kodansha app.
I really do enjoy the MMC. He seems like a really good balance for people who deal with stressful or anxiety-inducing situations. I really like Alya too, though I feel bad for her being so high-strung. Overall, they're a good balance so it'll be nice to see their connection develop overtime.
I do prefer the manga version of this over the light novel. It's a shame it's only on the Kodansha app.
August 12, 2024
this was so stinkin cute! I’ve never read a light novel so I didn’t know what the vibes were gonna be or how similar it would be to a traditional novel. To me this read like a script for an anime. Like I couldn’t totally picture everything as anime scenes and the tropes in the story were so similar to shows I’ve watched. The story itself is very sweet and fun (did think it was a little weird the way they talked about the girls’ body). Also I hated how it would switch from 1st person to 3rd person. Not sure if that is a light novel thing but that was so weird to me.
Thank you NetGalley for the Audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you NetGalley for the Audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
January 29, 2023
สำหรับผมนิยาย Rom-Com จะสนุกหรือไม่สนุกขึ้นอยู่กับเคมีระหว่างพระ-นาง ซึ่งเรื่องนี้สอบผ่าน ผมชอบการปฏิสัมพันธ์ระหว่างพระเอกกับนางเอก หนุ่มกะล่อนกับสาวเย็นชา ตอนก่อนอ่านเข้าใจว่าเรื่องนี้ต้องเป็นแนวหนุ่มขี้แพ้ถูกสาวงามหลงรักแน่ๆเตรียมใจแล้วว่ามันจะต้องไม่สนุก ที่ไหนได้เรื่องนี้พระเอกไม่ได้เป็น Loser ต้องเรียกว่าแทบจะเป็น Chad mode เกือบตลอดเวลาด้วยซ้ำ อ่านแล้วเพลินสุดๆ มีฉากให้หลุดขำเยอะมาก โดยเฉพาะเวลาพระ-นางแกล้งกันนี่อย่างฮา รู้ตัวอีกทีอ้าวจบเล่มแล้ว คงต้องหาเล่มต่อไปมาอ่านต่อ
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May 12, 2024[Mua vì bìa, đọc vì nội dung]
Lần đầu tiên đọc LN, thật sự trước đó tui cx có nhiều định kiến vs thể loại này lắm. Như là nó nông, rồi câu chuyện sáo rỗng, nhạt phèo, …
Nhưng cuốn này thì lại không như vậy. Cốt truyện dễ hiểu và mô típ tiếng nga lồng vào để bộc lộ cảm xúc thật khá là thú vị với tui.
Nói chung là đọc cũng ổn. Khi nào bị reading slump thì đọc cuốn này không phải 1 ý kiến tồi. Rất mong đợi tập 2
Lần đầu tiên đọc LN, thật sự trước đó tui cx có nhiều định kiến vs thể loại này lắm. Như là nó nông, rồi câu chuyện sáo rỗng, nhạt phèo, …
Nhưng cuốn này thì lại không như vậy. Cốt truyện dễ hiểu và mô típ tiếng nga lồng vào để bộc lộ cảm xúc thật khá là thú vị với tui.
Nói chung là đọc cũng ổn. Khi nào bị reading slump thì đọc cuốn này không phải 1 ý kiến tồi. Rất mong đợi tập 2
November 10, 2025
If I read this at any other time, I would give it a maximum of 3 Stars, as I am not a teenage boy and therefore cannot really enjoy the way Alya likes the main character, but I haven't read anything in about a month so this felt like a masterpiece, I would give it 6 stars if I could. For me this book is like the Mona Lisa, a true beauty.
August 11, 2024
NetGalley Review
Star Rating: ★★★★☆
Got the audiobook for this one. I needed something and it was there. Not quite what I was expecting, but it made me chuckle and kept me interested the whole way through. I'm interested to see what happens to the two main characters from here and especially when everyone finds out that he can speak Russian.
Like always though, read it and decide for yourself
Star Rating: ★★★★☆
Got the audiobook for this one. I needed something and it was there. Not quite what I was expecting, but it made me chuckle and kept me interested the whole way through. I'm interested to see what happens to the two main characters from here and especially when everyone finds out that he can speak Russian.
Like always though, read it and decide for yourself
March 26, 2025
Anime really grew on me so I was pleased to read the source material as it is unusual to me at least for a romcom to begin as a light novel rather than manga. But it totally works in giving more depth to the characters.
September 6, 2025
The thing about light novels is that they are (usually) not particularly well written or translated, but they are fun to read when you are looking for something to entertain you that also doesn’t require much thinking (again, usually.)
June 16, 2023
Hay nha, tui có cái nhìn khác về light novel luôn, cốt truyện hài và lãng mạn, có nhiều hình minh họa đẹp
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July 23, 2024cute!!
August 17, 2024
Curtis Sometimes Listens To Trashy Audiobooks From Japan
August 24, 2024
Alyaaaa 😍😍
August 25, 2024
There wasn't a dull moment in this novel, super fun and surprisingly emotional
dropped
August 27, 2024Garbage like this sell in Japan?
October 4, 2024
Okay so, a man definitely wrote this. BUT this really makes me stop thinking about the impending doom that is my nursing career.
Read
October 29, 2024Okay, so the anime was really cute and I was looking forward to the book; the book is so tedious and I just couldn't get into it.
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