Interspecies love and forbidden love are two tropes that are prevalent in this story, and yet, the plot itself fell flat and didn't really go anywhere.
The story revolves around our two main characters: Komazu (a sparrow) and Shiratō (a white snake), who find themselves drawn to one another after a fateful meeting (Shiratō saving Komazu from a wild boar). It's a strong start, and given the two tropes used in this story, you'd expect the story to go in a direction where they have to overcome their differences in the pursuit of their love. But, that doesn't really happen. Instead the reader is left with two main characters that behave and talk like bratty tweens.
There is a moment in the story where conflict is introduced, building up to a pivotal moment, but it falls flat and nothing happens, let alone progresses in the story. (For example: Shiratō almost eats Komazu, and then runs off. After days of stewing on things, Komazu seeks him out, only to then have Shiratō pass out mid conversation. The reason? A difficult "shed/skin shedding". After that, they profess their love again and all is well and the story ends).
This is a story that you might enjoy if you're someone who mainly focuses on the art, and/or you want something that's easy-on-the-brain to read.
