Spoilers should always be hidden using spoiler blur.
When discussing a specific section, please mention where you are in the book, ideally by chapter so people reading different versions have a clear point of reference.
Feel free to read ahead if it’s exciting, but please refrain from spoiling ahead of the appropriate week.
If you have a question about grammar, vocab, cultural things, etc - ask! That’s a welcome part of the discussion too, and other readers will be happy to help.
Good question. It probably depends on the translator. Maybe add a footnote or try to work the explanation into the dialogue? Or change the name to something similar to Holmes?
I had initially planned to start reading a bit earlier, just in case I need a bit of time to get used to the writing style etc… only to forget about the clubs start date until it had already started
Thankfully I didn’t have any issues, aside from the part about 白隠慧鶴. I ended up highlighting that section and reread it later on. Also read up on him on wikipedia which was interesting!
Part of me wants to see how the paintings looked in the anime. If I end up doing that, I will post some screenshots
Do we have any plans of keeping a list with the characters names in the OP? Not sure if it is necessary, as the names so far have been simple enough, but I figured I’d ask. I might make a list for myself otherwise.
Just finished the week’s reading. It’s what I’d consider at the top end of comfortable to read with the audiobook for me (there were a lot of lookups in the 白隠慧鶴 section!), but I think I’ll be able to stick it out. If so it’ll be my first light novel book club book I finish since 本好き
Chapter thoughts
Her reason to go back to Saitama was probably the weakest part of the chapter for me. It definitely made me like her character a little bit less–although I can definitely see a high schooler pulling that, so maybe it wasn’t a terrible plot point. I suppose I’m just nervous that she’s going to end up being a flighty girl alongside a Very Rational Male character which I’m already heavy sighing about.
I also question Holmes’ (or based on the explanation for his nickname would it actually be Homes? ) reasoning both hiring on the spot and telling the value of a family heirloom to someone who just came into the shop to sell something she stole from her family, but to each their own I guess.
I know the last one is an artist rather than a character but he got a lot of love this chapter so I included him anyway I left out 上田 because it’s straightforward but we could add him for completeness?
I think that scene happen after he inspected the wall scrolls, right? If so, my guess is he knew the grandfather. I reckon collecting antiques is a special interest so they may have run in the same circles. If so he may have had a personal interest helping out his granddaughter. That’d give another reason for employing her on the spot.
Notice how 上田 and 美恵子 laughed when 葵 asked how 清貴 knew where she lived? One of them said, “『葵』といえばなぁ”. This suggests that the name 葵 itself is directly connected to a specific location. Right after asking about her name, 清貴 also asked if she lives in 左京区, and if there’s a shrine nearby. I suspect there’s a well-known shrine in 左京区 that’s associated with 葵. For Kyoto residents, this connection is probably common knowledge.
This also explains why 清貴 later says 「そのうち、すぐ分かると思いますよ」 - once 葵 has lived in Kyoto a bit longer, she’ll likely discover this connection herself.
That’s true, but that sounds extremely far fetched. Her grand-father could just like the temple/shrine without living there (or did even live there, but moved since then). Case in point, she was living in a completely different region of Japan until 6 months ago.
So I’m studying the jpdb deck as I’m reading the book and one of the earlier words it had me study was 葵祭(あおいまつり), a festival happening in Kyoto in May.
I’m still only halfway through week 1
I know I’ll get used to it quickly, but the antique shop terms are really hard.
