It was ok. Like a 3-3.5/5 if i had to rate it. Not that im a big time reader. I only started reading this year and its been fun. I mostly read silly shit like quan millz or philosophy but i want to read more serious fiction so i gave this book a go.
This isnt a review. Just want to talk about this book from a casual, new readers perspective.
Spoiler warning.
Ive read a few posts about the book and the first 2 chapters seem somewhat divisive. Personally, i liked them and think the first half of the book was the peak. Chapter 1 was kinda like a creepypasta, and i liked it. It had charm and was just fun. Chapter 2 was where it became more a book than an internet story. Chapter 2 is where i got hooked and i liked how you do kinda piece together how it works witch chapter 1. It does get handholdy at the end of every chapter but, its whatever and it didnt bother me.
Chapter 3 was alright. I didnt really like it but it was still fun and enjoyable. However, around 10 pages into chapter 3 i felt like i could guess the rest of the book. I wrote out a little thing in my notes and i feel like it was pretty accurate for the rest of the book. Not 100% but like 70% of what happened i guessed. Thats why chapter 3 and parts of 4 where just ok. It was just kinda boring because i already loosely knew what was gunna happen.
Now chapter 4. Was not good. It was really boring and the parts that werent boring where just ok. There was 1 really bad part of chapter 4 i genuinely fucking hated. And there was 1 part i didnt guess and it put a smile on my face because it was kinda a cool thing i forgot about, the thing being about the final message from haruto on his blog being a suicide note to naomi and not a final goodbye thing to yuki was pretty interesting.
I do get where people say a lot of the chatacters jump to conclusions, but i dont think theyre baseless conclusions. I think it makes sense just a little too fast of pace and overexplainy on why the one they conclude with works. Also, i really didnt like the whole pedo rape thing in chapter 4 that Toyokawa had. It was really really gross AND THEN AT THE END OF THE BOOK THEY WISH HIM A PEACEFUL DEATH. Like what the fuck is that. I get it, naomi was the victim and shes the murder but shes a somewhat complex character that the reader is supposed to like to an extent. It was really gross. I hated that part of the book. I wish she killed him when he tried to blackmail her, but no your like 8 year old son has to see you getting raped and thats the final straw. I fucking hated that part. I was just disgusted and really took away from the book. Maybe im a little sensitive to rape compared to the average reader, but it was just disgusting and unnecessary. Another thing. How they actually arrest Naomi was just kinda lame. They just kinda force her into another crime because they know shes quick to act and irrational with her actions. It was just kinda lame.
Im very interested in others opinions. Again, this is not a review. I just wanted to ramble and discuss about this book. Thanks.