AAKIBA Small Bookclub discussion

This thread may contain spoilers.
Please put anything plot-related under Spoiler tag, or if you are not sure just Spoiler your whole post.

"Monica Movalette, the Silent Witch, is the world’s only practitioner of Voiceless Magic, a veritable heroine who single-handedly fended off the Black Dragon of legend. However, the young prodigy is actually...super-duper shy! Yup, turns out she only learned Voiceless Magic to avoid speaking in public. Ignorant of this, Seven Sages have placed her on a top-secret mission to guard the Second Prince. Can Monica keep it together as she contends with both social interaction and the evils targeting the young royal?"

Start Date: September 12th, 2025 | Planned Schedule: 7 chapters per week), total of 13 chapters over 2 weeks.

Chapters Prologue - 6 (Week 1)

I've been watching the currently airing anime so my review is going to be a little skewed based on that. I will say I already really liked the story going into this, which is why I was interested in the LN! I somehow ended up as a bit of a sucker for hisotrical royaltly/high class romances especially with a little bit of fantasy...

It's really refreshing that this is NOT an issekai/villainess type business since those are all the rage now, but I find those protagonists to be more one dimensional. In this story Monica has a real backstory behind her character, and motivation for character development. A lot of people compare her to Bocchi from Bocchi the rock (Bocchi the witch...) but personally I find Monica to be both more relatable and more independant and willing to learn, whereas Bocchi is basically a flanderized pathetic cute girl meant to tug at the heartstrings of a male target audience (maybe I just have a grudge because that show is overhyped...).

Spoilers terriroty now:

Pologue: (view spoiler)[We see some worldbuilding and how strong Monica actually is in-world. Although I consider this a bit of a boring chapter lol. Something sneaky at the end of this chapter though, I wonder if it's hinting at a bit of prior familiarity a certain someone has with "the silent witch", although if he could recognize her up close is another question. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[More setup but this time for the actual plot we will be reading about. Not much to say. Louis's motivation seems to be presented as a mystery here but I wonder if it is just Monica overthinking things. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[More setup before getting to the school. I did learn something: The order of royalty. I had no idea that the highest noble rank was a duke and the lowest was baron. And Monica is actually an honorary count, quite a high status. I wonder if that will come up later? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[Monica and Isabelle get set up in the dorms. Again I don't have a lot to say, some of these chapters are identical to the anime. We do incidentally meet some of the student council. Just as an aside... I'm finding that I can remember everyone's names better while reading than while watching hahaha. I got to this part and didn't even know who Elliot was despite the fact I should remember. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[During one of Monica's inner monologues (during lunch break) the book says this "Even when she'd gone to Minerva's, she hadn't had anyone there she could call a friend. ...Well, there was one person, but they'd said their final farewells already." I WANNA KNOW WHO THIS IS AND WHAT HAPPENED. I had to highlight this so I don't forget, this is too consipicious of a lore drop!! And then some other exciting stuff happens :) and then Nero..?! This cat is too human-like, it makes me think he's secretly a person that became a cat but has to act like a cat for Monica's comfort. But he does have a cat attitude so maybe it's just as simple as he is a magical cat. His role in the story reminds me of Obi from Akagami tbh. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[Monica is learning how to say thank you, she is so precoius :') And we learn some more stuff about the student council, finally Monica can get involved with the what's going on with the life of the prince, which is why she is here. I love Monica for her hyperfixation on mathematics whenever it gets her excited hehe. Felix is so sweet to appreciate it instead of belittling her for it. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6: Actually I haven't read this far yet but I'm posting anyway

Enjoying the book so far!

6 and 7 (view spoiler)[I see the anime did work to make Felix a lot less creepy than he is in the book... (hide spoiler)]

I actually finished book 1 a week ago but I didn't post cause... I knew I was really early...

Chapters 7-10 and extras:
(view spoiler)[Felix's teasing... What a dog. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to find his character attractive or creepy. Somehow I still find it a little cute but also a little off-putting. He is just a little too blatant. Cyril on the other hand I'm starting to find adorable. Kind of becoming team Cyril. xD Especially after their encounter outside where Cyril gets mana sickness. Although with Felix, I like the idea that he's obsessed with the Silent Witch, while not realizing she is right there. Kind of like a secret identity romance. If only he weren't so weird to Monica Norton lol.

I don't have a lot specific to say about the plot but I'm enjoying it. A ton of stuff happens and it doesn't feel like the narrative lingers too long on scenes or anything, but there are so many more details and character building scenes in the book than in the anime.

What I don't like is the narrative having to constantly tell us over and over again that Monica is doing something that "even someone with a basic understanding of magic would be amazed by it/know it's really really hard to do/etc" Like please, show don't tell! On the other hand I find it really really funny every time the book says "Monica silently casts so-and-so" ... of course she is silent casting, that is the point lol.
(hide spoiler)]

I've read books 2 and 3 this past week too.. I'm on book 4 now 😅 I won't say any plot spoilers or anything but I think the writing improves and I also really like that the writer doesn't leave stuff hanging. I'm excited to read mooooore

Ok so, I've read everything. Sorry for the delay - I just finished after getting hooked on it (like started on it) last night. I kept pushing it off for God knows what reason.

Anyway...

(view spoiler)[I agree with Kit that the prologue is boring. It was what threw me off the book. Didn't feel like continuing. (hide spoiler)]
I kinda had to remind myself to finish it so we can start the next book...

BUT I SO GLAD I RESUME READING.

This won't be chapter by chapter reviews but more of an overall review.

The pacing is just nice, in my opinion. It wasn't too fast nor was it too slow. The author knew when and how to plan the story pretty well. There was nothing too mysterious besides what's not yet revealed but we can all guess - and I think we'd be right. It's a light read so I wouldn't be expecting some thriller criminology type of mystery. This book is enjoyable and that's that.

Characters are all likable and that's a huge feat. Even those distasteful mobs or not-very-nice characters are understandably human.
(view spoiler)[Though at the end of the story... I did wish Count Kerbeck's daughter had more of a contribution than just a setting. We understand her motivation for being a wallflower of the book, but the whole Make me a villainnous feels like a gag than an well thought setting. Maybe it fits with what Loius what saying at the epilogue. I still wish she had more role. (hide spoiler)]

Personally, I am hyped to read the next installment. I do want to read it all in one go again so I'll have to find the perfect time.

Thanks for the recommendations, Kit!

I'm so glad you like it too!! I feel vindicated. I'm currently painstakingly reading Volume 7 in Japanese at a pace slower than a slug, I'm too addicted to stop and wait... 7 will be out in November but it will probably be about half a year each for 8, 9, and 10 🥺

This series started out as a web novel so I think the villainess stuff is just a cheeky nod toward a common trope in web novels and light novels. I do agree it feels out of place, but it's funny.

Let me know if you read more!! Also the anime adaptation is pretty good too, with high production values. It trims out a LOT of content but it does not feel like you are missing stuff (of what I've watched which is about half). That said, the anime covers like 3 volumes of content if I remember correctly so you would end up seeing new stuff.