Feb 10, 2025
NOTE:
(1) This review does not cover the 'Recovery Days' LN.
(2) This review contains some SPOILERS (marked with *****) regarding some of the book's themes.
Lycoris Recoil: Ordinary Days short review
Language read: Thai (official translation, licensed by Phoenix Publishing; original Japanese publisher: Kadokawa)
I was hesitant on starting this light novel because I didn't enjoy the anime very much. My opinion is that while the three first episodes of the anime is very strong and that the protagonist Chisato is fantastic, the story fell off fast and never recovered (I gave the show a 6/10 by the end). With that said, now that I've read the LN
...
(months after buying it), I kind of wish I've read it sooner.
Ordinary Days is a spin-off, featuring events and some new characters not covered in the original anime. Each chapter has its own short story and they are all pretty solid. One of the strongest points of the LN is that the character interactions are well-crafted, whether it be the main cast or the new characters introduced (IMO character interactions are done even better than the anime).
Despite the name "Ordinary Days", it isn't all just slice-of-life fluff. There's quite a bit of gunfighting action and some dark/depressing subject matter. For action scenes, they are somewhat detailed. At times, it felt like a Tom Clancy novel with the over-explanation of weaponry and tactics. For example, one entire page is dedicated to the custom-built compensator attached to Chisato's Colt 1911 and three whole paragraphs are used to compare the Weaver stance and Center Axis Relock technique of pistol handling. Overall, though, I find it pretty fun to read. Although, I do wish there are illustrations that accompany the action scenes (sadly all illustrations are for slice-of-life scenes). For the dark/depressing subject matter though, the book presents some surprisingly heavy stuff that I didn't expect such as: *****teen prostitution, sexual assault, and suicide*****, to name a few. In a sense, it reminds me of the 'All About Lily Chou-Chou' movie, but in a light novel format. The way the author incorporates these elements for drama works fine, but IMO it does a bit forced (you'll probably understand what I mean when you read it).
Overall, Lycoris Recoil: Ordinary Days is honestly somewhat better than I anticipated. The character interactions are fun and the stories the novel presented are uniquely varied—from wholesome slice-of-life to high-octane action to some pretty depressing stuff—it's got a bit of everything. If you do enjoy the Lycoris Recoil anime (or at least its characters) and want more content, then this is an easy recommendation.
The English version is licensed by Yen Press and is due to release on 11 February 2025.
Final score: 7.3/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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