Ookami to Koushinryou

Oct 26, 2011

electricjelly

Recommended

Preliminary (Unknown/? chp)

Simplicity can sometimes produce the best results, and that is especially true for this light novel.

People who have heard of Spice and Wolf have probably seen the anime and may not even know it was based off a light novel or have not given thought to read the light novel from which the story originated. However, this novel is a very enjoyable read and can easily get people engrossed in the story.

When I first bought this novel I did it because I really wanted to know what happened next after the end of the anime series. I really enjoyed the series and the way ... Spice and Wolf II ended, it just made me want more. As soon as I began reading this novel, I was caught in the web that was spun by this book and I simply did not want to put it down.

I don't need to introduce the story but from just reading the synopsis it might appear to be rather boring. Not only from the synopsis but this book deals with many forms of economics as well as politics and of course the relationship between Holo and Lawrence. You might think that if it deals with Economics and politics of the 14th century Europe ( or whatever time frame) this would be rather uninteresting, I say this because I thought that. However, upon reading it when the economics parts came up I found them to be very entertaining.

The only way I could think of it is what if someone took a good story and put in some historical facts and details amongst the story and made you feel like you were learning something. I was surprised at myself because I would be reading of Lawrence trading and cutting deals with businesses and I would be totally invested into the story. I believe how it manages to still be interesting is how the author writes the book, the way things flow together and correlate makes for a good read.

Although, the most interesting aspect of this series is the relationship between Holo and Lawrence. It was funny, heartwarming, and even sad to see what happens between these two. To see Lawrence change little by little and see the same for Holo is great. Seriously this is the reason to read this series, the way they interact is very unique. Holo may be able to be categorized, but she makes this category of her own, if nothing else.

Holo teases but is never mean, she cries but is never weak. She is what I would imagine a 400+ year old Human/Wolf would act like (I don't remember hold old she is supposed to be so don't fault me for a random age guess). More over, sometimes I feel that in anime female characters tend to be cut and paste, and the ones that are different are unrealistic. However, with Holo it was different. She is rather human to me, which may seem odd to say, but I could easily see someone acting like she does and because of that this book was much more enjoyable.

However, Lawrence is like a man caught between a rock and a hard place. He makes a promise to a woman but he doesn't know if he can keep it. He wants to keep the promise but he realizes he might have to give up his dream. If he forgoes his dream he might be disappointed in the end. But, its how he changes that makes him such a good character. He starts out like a man only out for himself and money and over time changes and his priorities begin to change. I always felt bad for Lawrence for all the teasing he gets from Holo but, it was a very good humor addition to the story.

To see these two interact with each other is a treat indeed. Because, like I said, their relationship is the main reason to read this.

This series is two people from completely different worlds finding that common ground and making a special bond out of it. I have many more volumes to read in the series but I feel that so far this series is definitely worth your time!

FEEDBACK: I would definitely appreciate feedback, it would help me to become a better writer.

EDIT: revised 11/26/11, 1/3/12

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Oct 23, 2014

julfjr

Recommended

Preliminary (47/? chp)

If you have watched the anime adaptation and are yearning for more of Holo's simple yet intricate and extremely charming character then i recommend reading this novel.
Although there are slight discrepancies throughout the novel and anime, not too much stands out. The novel exhibits the themes of the loneliness in a much more apparent and clear representation through the emotions that are being disclosed to the readers.
Overall a very good read for either those who are new to the series or have read or watched either manga or anime adaptations and are looking for a wonderfully written work of art which in my ...

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Apr 25, 2017

SuperCheese88

Recommended

Since a 3rd season is as likely as me seeing a human walk on Mars I decided to read the novel. I do not regret this choice but it was a hard series to get through at points.

Now I'll make this clear, I DID NOT read the yen press version. If I did, maybe my enjoyment would have been higher but I sailed the seas for it instead.

The story is what you'd expect having watched the anime. Holo and Kraft travel, make deals, get screwed, get unscrewed and move along. All in the hopes of Kraft starting his own shop and Holo going ...

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Dec 17, 2017

Yojouhan

Recommended

Preliminary (108/? chp)

I could go on and on about what makes this novel so amazing but I'll try to keep it short and sweet, if that's even possible!
This novel is among my favorite pieces of literature and I'm really glad I found it.

Ookami to Koushinryou is basically a novel that is mostly directed at adults, however I'm not saying that younger people can't enjoy it. It's just that the themes it deals with, such as loneliness, trustworthiness, realizing how your life is shaping itself, will appeal a lot more to people approaching Lawrence's age (~25ish), at least in my opinion. Throughout the novel, we watch how gradually ... Lawrence and Holo develop their own distinct personalities based on their experiences together.

Economics plays a major role in the series, but from my point of view they are not the most crucial part. As a person that likes economics, I thoroughly enjoyed them and found most of the happenings pretty accurate as well. The author obviously did a fair amount of research on medieval economics and it shows. However, the driving force behind the story is the interaction between Holo and Lawrence. An interaction that is very hard to find elsewhere, because it's just that good. The two main characters have dialogues full of quizzical declarations, deep thought analysis, teasing, and mutual understanding and support. The dialogues are incredibly well written and there's a high chance you'll need to read some of them more than once to fully comprehend the hidden meanings behind them. I won't say more on this part because you'll have to discover it yourself.

The story is nicely summed up in the synopsis so I have nothing to add, but I'll say this to any potential reader: Sometimes it's the journey that matters the most, not the destination. Meaning, I suggest you enjoy and make the most out of every single page, rather than rushing to find out how this turns out. Trust me, it'll feel much more natural and better this way.

Moving on to the characters, the series has a nice roster of side characters with almost all getting a respectable degree of development. It helps that the author has also written a few short side stories that cover crucial parts of their lives. Those stories are almost as enjoyable as the main story, and after reading them you'll understand why they ended up interacting with Holo and Lawrence the way they did. As for the main characters, the depth they reach is obvious considering what I wrote a couple paragraphs above regarding their interactions.

The art is gorgeous, to say the least. The illustrations are nicely drawn and, making the inevitable comparison to the anime adaptation, they are way, WAY better. I watched the anime first and after beginning to read the novels I realised how much of Holo's and Lawrence's character was killed off in the anime, simply because of their badly adapted portraits. Every major(or major-side) character gets their own illustration in the novel, which is a nice plus.

Overall, I'd recommend this novel to any person who likes deep character development and interactions, and a long and marvelous story, while also being completely original. Granted, if dialogues lasting half a dozen or more pages are not your cup of tea, you'll probably find this boring. However, there's a whole bunch of action too, in case you were wondering. Repeating what I said in the start of this review, this is among my favorite pieces of literature and I consider it an amazing adventure.

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Nov 11, 2021

SgtBateMan

Recommended

Preliminary (110/? chp)

Ookami to Koshinryo, or also known as Spice & Wolf in English, is a light novel series written by Isuna Hasekura and illustrated by Jyuu Ayakura. The English translation is in the order of Alphabet, which makes it more natural to pronounce than Wolf & Spice, but certainly when bring the work into discussion, we have to follow the original arrangement to make the most out of it.

Wolf

Wolf, or scientifically Canis iupus, is a widely-known species, mostly because they are the ancestors of many kinds of domestic dogs. They are known as the kind of animal being able of patience and scheming while pursuing their ...

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Jan 9, 2019

Kelraz

Recommended

Preliminary (1/? chp)

// It is not Harem/romcom just pure Romance // (Just for you guys who are annoyed with the false tags on this site ;) (chapters can be ignored I did read 20 volumes)

Sometimes when you're really bored and search for certain tags(romance) you stumble about things you never would've watched/read years ago.

Spice and wolf is such a thing. I don't get the whole furry thing and while I was way younger I would just flag this as one of it. A attention seeking helpless shounen female which clings to the mc just for story progress. This is kinda what I got out of the description.

I ...

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Apr 2, 2021

ARainyMay

Recommended

Preliminary (103/? chp)

First I have to state that I read the Yen Press releases and the original Japanese ones. I am not a huge romance reader but this light novel changed my view on life, money and relationship. The story slowly unravels how the economic system effects towns and kingdoms, how gods play role in affecting the harvest, weather and culture and how trust is important in not only developing healthy relationship with friends and companions but also trading partners. The story is written really beautifully and you should definitely read it.
The only bad thing I could say about it is the typos Yen Press did ...

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Feb 14, 2022

rishdafish08

Recommended

Preliminary (47/? chp)

I've gotta say, this book is really good. This book is super well written, the characters feel really real and it takes you on a fun adventure. Of course, you can't expect to read the in a week and then just forgot about it later. Each chapter of this book is 50-100 pages long with some chapters being around 150 pages long so I wouldn't recommend this if you just want a quick story to read. However, this book is a masterpiece.

Story (10/10) - I mean, I'm halfway through the series after reading it in my spare time for about 4 months. I have yet ...

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Aug 1, 2023

Nayan_Sarkar

Recommended

Preliminary (22/? chp)

Introduction:

"Spice and Wolf" is a captivating light novel, that has captured the hearts of readers like me with its richly developed characters, intricate world-building, and engaging storyline. With an unique blend of romance, intrigue, and economic strategy, this novel sets itself apart as a masterful tale of adventure and companionship. As a reader, I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the book till now and would gladly rate it 10 out of 10 for its character description, world-building, and storyline. I've explained my points below:

I'd call this feeling I got reading this masterpiece,
"An Existence of Loneliness, in the Presence of Someone Special"

Character Description:

One of the novel's ...

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Mar 29, 2024

Axxel204

Recommended

Preliminary (215/? chp)

es una obra magnifica, su mundo es muy nutrido en lore y muy diferente al mundo de fantasia generico, recomiendo leer esta obra maestra, holo es el mejor personaje femenino que haya visto y esta tan bien escrito que da hasta pena compararla con otras con lo bien hecha que esta.

su mundo tiene un lore increible basado en deidades paganas y de como la religion ortodoxa de toda a vida intenta ocultarla, las casas comerciales son el segundo renglon con mas poder despues de la iglesia y nos cuenta como esas deidades paganas se oculltan y viven entre los humanos.

recomiendo que la ...

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