tetromino's Reviews (233)

When I give this five stars, I truly mean the series up until its most recently published book, just is a five star series. 

Kamome Shirahama is a really exquisite mangaka, pairing gorgeous artwork, loveable characters, creative worldbuilding, great writing, and the complete cohesion of an aesthetic that is truly her own.  Re-reading books I find myself finding hints and references to later arcs that are satisfying and not obtrusive, only enhancing a re-read. 

Also, as somebody who does like manga, I often find myself wishing for seinin/shounen stories that both feature non-male leads and don't just have bland or sexualized female characters.  It's such simple criteria and yet I always find myself having to put up with some level of discomfort to enjoy the stories since often the plots can be good despite that.  

But Witch Hat Atelier does this and more, the young female characters are the prominent leads who are motivated, have their own wants and needs and all have interesting struggles to overcome aside from the grand main mystery.  It is such a breath of fresh air to read a manga with young girls who are not infantilized or sexualized, an absence of romance as a motivation, and a diverse cast of characters (both personality-wise and otherwise) who are all interesting!  

Witch Hat Atelier is unique, and even if you're not sure you're into fantasy, it is absolutely worth a read if only for the art alone. A manga that stands out from the entire genre, missing the normal pitfalls of the genre and even having the audacity to be a great tale as well. 

Perhaps my perspective would change, having read this book years ago but the 'boring' part in the beginning talking about the zoo is maybe my favorite part of the book. Something about it really stuck when I was like 14 or so.

Once I went camping and I only brought this book and How To Be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and I quickly finished both, and realizing I still had three days to go and nothing else to do, I read Coffeehouse Angel over three times in desperation.
  
I do not think it is a bad book, it is very much just a light fluffy read with two pretty pleasant main characters. It's nothing I would think much about if I hadn't read it so many times.  Like soldiers bonding through the trauma of war, I have gained an attachment to this accursed novel after so many back to back readings that I do love it. My analytical brain gives it 2/5 stars but in my heart it is a 5/5 stars book.  All of my friends have become aware of Coffeehouse Angel because I constantly refer to it in my daily life, that is its impact.  

If you are looking for a really easy to swallow read (and are preferably in the middle school demographic) then this will be great for you!  If you are trapped out of service at an old campground with a lake so devoid of fish to even catch fish in, then I may recommend you bring another book lest you be driven to the brink of madness.