Just drop them. If it's a drag to read, it fails as entertainment (or just not your type), and there is never a shortage of new material.
this post was submitted on 23 Jul 2025
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True, for some of them I just need to know the ending. I'm thinking for some I just keep up with the anime cause I've already got too many books I wanna read
for some of them I just need to know the ending.
If you just want to know what happens maybe you could find a review or video that goes through the series.
It's hard when the series haven't ended yet. And I can't read about the ending on the Wiki
Death March to a Parallel World
I binge read volumes 1-9 so I paused it for a bit and came back. After pausing and reading something else I came back and caught up the whole series.
It’s a great series, would recommend
Reincarnated as a sword
At first I couldn’t get into it. I ended up listening to the audiobooks up to where the anime ended and then continuing from there. It took a bit longer until I was sucked into the story and pulled along.
I have stopped again as there was about 3 fight scenes in a row and it just got too much. I will probably try to pick it up again soon.
Apothecary diaries
The writing seems too simplistic. It doesn’t give any depth just maomao doing maomao things. No describing the world or characters just maomao did this, that, the other.
I would love to read it I really enjoy the anime but it is just dragging. I am not sure how to get past this one. I might try reading the volumes which continue after the anime to see if new content gets me into it.
Apothecary diaries
The writing seems too simplistic. It doesn’t give any depth just maomao doing maomao things. No describing the world or characters just maomao did this, that, the other.
This reminds me I was reading some LN that wasn't particularly good. I think it was Isekai Walking? Anyways, he receives a brooch from a bishop that proved he was a friend, or something, and it was described as something like, "a very nice brooch," which I thought was light on detail, even for my low expectations.
The other thing your comment reminded me of was the time I tried to read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Japanese. It was unbelievably dry. It seemed like just a bunch of statements with no life behind them. I spoke to some other people about it, and apparently, that can be a fluency thing. If you're not used to a language, the charm behind the writing can easily be lost in translation. I'm not saying that's the case with the Apothecary Diaries, just that your description reminded me of my experience.
I haven't read Apothecary Diaries yet, but I can imagine that if they're written from Maomao's perspective, then it's not surprising if it's very simple, because her personality that I know from the anime is very dry.
I haven't read Apothecary Diaries yet, but I can imagine that if they're written from Maomao's perspective, then it's not surprising if it's very simple, because her personality that I know from the anime is very dry.
Good point I didn’t think of that.
Isn't the point of light novels that they are light as in 'easy to read'? I'm confused (non native english speaker, here)
True, I think more of a "quick read" because they are relatively shorter than most of the other non LNs I read. But that does not speak necessarily to the quality of the writing
To my western knowledge they are called light novels because they are
- printed in A6 making them physically light.
- they use lower level Kanji (the more common ones) that are easier to read for the young target audience.
The subject matter and quality of prose have nothing to do with the term "light novel" as far as I know.. But let's face it, when a customer picks up a light novel, they have certain expectations. And they're not the Divine Comedy or War and Peace.
There is no shortage of great stuff out there to read. If I find myself not enjoying large parts of a story I just won't finish it (unless I'm very close to the end already).
I start skimming chapters and if those instances drag on for too long I drop the series. There are too many series I'm interested in to force myself to read those that I don't enjoy.
I see what you're saying. For some of these I'm just so far along I just want to know how it ends. like with shield hero I just need the closure of raphtalia and naofumi ending up together. Like Naruto, I just needed to see him and Hinata end up together and I was good. The LN Zeroth Maria was like 7 novels super good, super short, totally well rounded story with a satisfying ending. And I didn't have to alog thru it just to know the ending For some of these I may just keep up with the anime. That's way easier
For some of these I may just keep up with the anime. That’s way easier
That's awfully optimistic to think we'll get a completely adapted anime. :(
That's why I started reading like grimgar and danmachi, I waited years and now one of them continued but so many didn't and may not