timefliesaway's Reviews (588)

3 stars because non-consent. Anyone who’s been following my reviews, knows how much I despise that trope. Worse, when it’s used as comedy. 

Non-consent may work sometimes for certain characters, but not when it involves sexual-like activities AND the non-consenting person clearly is uncomfortable (+ has done nothing to deserve it). Which was the case here. 

 

Could’ve rated it 5 stars without it, because everything else is really good. Unfortunately, the sexual harassment was used as a running gag in each chapter, one time he was even forced to have sex; while he may have agreed to it, for once, he pretty much had no real choice. (Positive Spoiler:

they manage to resolve it without sex.

) 

 

The art is great, the characters are (aside from the non-consent) fun to follow around and I loved the slice of life. The latter makes it seem like it’s very slow-paced, showing ‘boring’ day tasks like cooking, cleaning, shopping etc. (which I’m a fan of). On the other hand, everything is resolved very quickly and jumps from one adventure to the next. 

 

I would’ve wished to see more of Ume and Pequeño (cool name btw). They were such a cute duo and so much more interesting to read than the grown-ups. 

Although grandpa was really sweet too, for his few appearances. 

The older teens were mostly annoying tho, they’re (short) dramas were meant to be funny but not for me. Such basic, on a low level, humor that is nothing new and really could’ve been better. 

 

Queer casualty but no queer plot – Luka mentions that demons don’t bother with gender roles or differences, also when it comes to sex or romance etc. It may be new for Sakura, who’s a human and interprets it as BL, the tropes are also very commonly Yaoi, but it isn’t really BL. Not that I minded though; I’m glad it focused on the daily life and the non-consent was just a (useless) side remark, so the book does end up having at least some charm. 

There might’ve been a drag queen or trans person as a side character. I’m not sure cause she didn’t use a label, but it’s cool either way. Men being or looking feminine is normal here. (It still pulls a lot of heteronormative tropes, such as a photo shooting where they’re dressed up as a husband & wife for a wedding theme.) 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Kodansha on Netgalley for providing an eARC. 

 

-06.04.25 

The cover looked pretty boring, but after taking a look inside on the publisher’s site, it did seem quite cool actually, so I checked it out. 
 
I was gonna say the style reminds me a lot of Fairy Tail and One Piece, but Hiro Mashima is literally the mangaka of Fairy Tail, so yeah... 
If you like FT or OP, you’ll love this too, probably. I, on the other hand, have never been intrigued by those 2 franchises, and this manga shows why. The art is great and I love how diverse everyone’s appearance is, but that’s about it. 
Personalities of everyone are incredibly flat, there’s no real plot except constant fighting, and the main goal is something as basic as killing the ruler/god of the world. Protagonist has the most plain MC-energy, someone who would’ve died in the first page if he were a side character. But he’s not. So while the side characters are all more interesting (my favs are Chako, Frey and Mikoto (these two're unhinged, I love them)), he steals the focus with his lameness. Or may get a harem because he’s from a rare species. Nothing intriguing. 
 
I was so bored most of the time. Wanted to give it a chance tho, trying to figure out where exactly the hype comes from, but again shows that I don’t understand mainstream hype. 
But of course – it ends on a cliffhanger. I’m not really interested in following this story, though I do wanna know what happens... ugh. Although it’s quite self-explainable how it’ll continue and end. 
 
Maybe I’ll check out volume 2 someday, maybe not. It’s definitely not in my priority list, though. If you’re gonna do the most basic dungeon academy plot for the perverted male gaze, at least give it some originality. Like a queer twist or a disability rep or something. Not chewing the same old heteronormative & neurotypical gum over and over again. (Well, I guess perverted men don't need more than that.) 
 
~ 
 
Thanks to Kodansha for offering an eARC on Netgalley. 
 
-06.04.25 

Loved it! (Especially the Spiderman meme lmao. Or the death reaper situations.) 

 

Silent comics are always so cool, and shows again & again how you don’t need many words (or any words) to tell a story! 

 

I especially love how diverse and creative each strip is. All kinds of mythological creatures in situations that I have not even thought about they could get in. And yet so slice of life and casual, that it’s a surprise how anyone would have not thought about it. 

 

The artstyle is cute and wonderful as well. 

 

No criticism from me here. Except that it’s too short and I could read 500 more chapters of their daily adventures. ;) 

~

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for an eARC!

-05.04.2025

More like: friends to enemies to lovers, with a bit of second chance trope. Not that it's disappointing, I do prefer friends to lovers anyways. 
 
I only found it resolved a little too fast, given that the whole high school situation did hurt Tessa a lot. We might've only seen Olive's bullying through Tessa's diary, and I know people tend to exaggerate in diaries (as have I), still, diaries are a reflection of how one has felt in that situation, so technically doesn't matter whether it's 100% what has happened – the emotions are real. Rose-colored glasses of (rose-)crushes can make us weak, and perhaps that's exactly why Tessa has forgiven Olive so quickly. 
I mean, it is realistic, and given the length, the characters were fleshed out really well, so I didn't necessarily expect it to go that deep. Plus, I'm also all for a happy end. Still, if the author knew they were going for a happy end and knew they couldn't slow down their relationship a little, toning down Olive's bullying would've been a good alternative. 
 
(That one scene, “Was everything from the past few months a LIE?” hit home. Had a similar situation as her in middle/high school. Therefore I know more or less how 
Tessa feels like – and if I were her, I would have not forgiven Olive. Not so soon, at least. But I’m also aro-ace and am not blinded by sexual desires...) 
 
Haven't expected for the art to be monochromatic green; surely would've preferred the same style, color-wise, as the cover, but it's not too bad. Although the flashbacks and present could've been differentiated a bit more. 
 
What I also didn’t like much how they were treating platonic feelings – completely erasing them and labeling them immediately as “omg that was definitely a romantic crush”. Like, yes, we know Tessa is alloromantic & allosexual, so it works for her. But I, as an aromantic, have often struggled with differentiating between platonic and romantic feelings – while I may have figured it out for myself now, society hasn’t, and immediately jumps to the conclusion that anything overly friendly or emotionally close cannot be platonic when the orientations match (i.e., a panrose man & heterorose woman, or two homorose women, etc). It’s just annoying. Because: newsflash! You can feel both attractions at the same time; being platonically attracted to someone doesn’t exclude romanticism or the other way round, or you can be platonically & sexually attracted. Or it may develop from platonic to romantic – that doesn’t mean that the entire relationship has been romantic from the start. 
I’m pretty sure Kathleen meant no harm, it’s just a personal ick from me, especially because I could never be platonic with people cause everyone around me immediately labeled it as romance/sexual. It’s annoying. 
 
Overall the comic/GN is really good though. The art style is cute, with a lot of characters who have fat and meat on their bones. It works well, wonderfully realistic for the stylization. 
 
Lesbian, gay, bi, questioning and trans/enby rep. Frankie's pronouns (they/them) being used by everyone flawlessly without any drama was very heart-warming. No phobic behavior from the adults, which is a plus too. Tessa’s relationship with her mom was really sweet, in fact. 
 
I also appreciate the conversation about masculine and feminine gender roles in dating life. Like, what butches and feminine bi-roses are struggling with sometimes. 
 
~ 
 
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for an eARC. 
 
-04.04.25

Really interesting and quite informative, even for its 1-page per fungus format. Mixed info about where and how it grows, whether it’s poisonous and how it can be used in the kitchen. Sometimes has history facts too. 

 

The illustrations are truly wonderful and mesmerizing. However, they’re more fantastical than factual, while photographs only appear at the end and also very small. It would've been better if the photos and illustrations were on the same page or the photo icons in a corner of the info page. 

 

Otherwise a good book that would be cool to read in a café or during lunchtime at home or even restaurants. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Andrew McMeel Publishing for an eARC. 

 

-01.04.25 

The blurb sounded really cool – dark. It does start pretty unhinged and like the beginning of a slowly creeping horror story, but then focuses a bit (too much for my taste) on a hetero romance and I wanted to barf. However, I had a bad feeling about the guy’s trying-too-hard-to-be-good vibe from the beginning and turned out I was right. That relationship does develop into a disgusted moment. 

Worse is, it’s not a horror-fantasy type of moment, it’s incredibly realistic for a lot of women – mainly, but not only. The peak evilness of humanity which even makes the devil cry. 

 

I hate him so much, I can’t believe I actually felt bad for him when his father physically abused him. That I actually gave him a chance. PFF, listen to your gut, people. 

Well, I mean, the physical abuse probably is the reason why he turned into such an ass. BUT it makes me love Chi even more. She showed him how asses like him are dealt with! How feminists should deal with asses like him in real life. Should be sold as a guide-book, in fact.

(Do make sure to read it in secrecy and don’t tell any republicans/misogynists, because they will ban the book.)

 

 

I hope there’ll be a manga continuation, cause I’m not really into watching horror/thriller movies. I prefer reading these genres, especially in graphic novel format – horror simply looks better drawn than live acted, IMO. Although it is a neat idea to have a prequel of and ad for a movie in comic form. 

Though I’d be curious why it’s called “toxic daughter”. Based on this prequel alone, it should be “toxic children”. 

 

~ 

 

4.5 stars leaning to the 4th cause that one scene did make me very uncomfortable, especially cause there are no trigger warnings regarding that whatsoever. Having blood, gore and such in a horror novel, okay, expected, but not romance-related violence. And, also, Yua was sometimes too quiet, it got a bit annoying. Understandable, but annoying. 

I don’t really like anyone from the characters, except Chi, but they’re well made from a writer’s perspective – and have lots of depth for the length. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Kodansha on Netgalley for an eARC. 

 

-30.03.25 

(English below.)

Sehr süß! Und teilweise sehr unerwartet, vor allem das Ende. Aber auch mal gut, eine andere Art von happy end zu haben!

Ich liebe, dass …:
• es mit Wasserfarben gemalt ist. (Auf Papier, denk ich?)
• die Spinnen zu den Guten gehören und eine eigene Stimme haben – zudem super knuffig sind, dass es Kindern oder Älteren sicherlich die Spinnenphobie nehmen kann. 
• die dünnen sind die „Bösen“, die dicken die Guten.
• Beatrice so gutherzig ist und stets mit Neugier sowie Respekt durch das Leben stapft. Alle ihre Begegnungen mit Lebewesen nennt sie ihre Freunde, auch wenn manche sie nicht mal kennen oder sie gar als lästig betrachten.
• Nachhaltigkeit und Schutz der Natur gepriesen wird.
• (Anti-)Kapitalismus als Thema aufgegriffen wird und sich gut in die Story einfädelt. (Passendes Wortspiel. ;))

Mein einziger Kritikpunkt ist, dass Tierausbeutung dennoch unterstützt wird. Zum Beispiel töten und essen die Schwestern Ratten und Insekten (keine Pflanzen? In einem Wald?). Oder Beatrice, die in die Stadt geht, um Wolle zu kaufen. Wenn sie schon in einem Wald lebt und mit Tieren kommuniziert, kann sie doch eigentlich gleich ein Schaf nach dessen Wolle fragen? Letztendlich hat sie ihr Garn von jemandem bekommen, der es ihr freiwillig geschenkt hat, dennoch etwas fragwürdig bei den ganzen nachhaltigen Punkten.

Im Großen und Ganzen dennoch sehr empfehlenswert für groß und klein.

~

Deutsche Übersetzung von “Bog Myrtle”, welche im Februar 2025 erschienen ist. Danke an den NordSüd Verlag auf Netgalley für ein digitales Reziexemplar.

-29.03.25

~~~

Very sweet! And quite unexpected, especially the ending. Although also nice to have a different kind of happy end for a change.

I love that …:
• it’s painted with watercolors (on paper, I think?). 
• the spiders are on the heroes’ side and have their own voice – additionally are very cute; I’m sure it could help children or adults get over arachnophobia.
• the skinny ones are the “bad”, whereas the fat are the good.
• Beatrice is so kindhearted and always wanders through life with curiousness as well as respect. She calls all her relationships with individuals ‘friends’, though some might not know/remember or even dislike her.
• sustainability and environmentalism is praised.
• (anti)capitalism is a topic and has been woven well into the whole story. (Pun intended. ;))

My only critique: that animal exploitation/harm is still supported. For example, the sisters kill and eat rats and insects (no plants? In a forest?). Or Beatrice goes to the city to buy wool. If she lives in a forest and communicates with animals, can’t she just ask a sheep for wool? At the end, she may have gotten garn from someone who willingly gifted it to her, but still a bit odd with all the environmental points.

Overall recommended for young and old alike.

~

I’ve read the German translation “Moor Myrte und das Zaubergarn”, which was released in February 2025. Thank you to the NordSüd publisher on Netgalley for a digital review copy.

-29.03.25

Elisabeth Pich and Jonathan Kunz, also known as War and Peas, a german-american Duo, publish a comic (1-6 panels) every Sunday on their website (since 2011). Mostly about the wonders and weirdness of earth, highly focusing on human’s wrongdoings, told in a sarcastic way. This book is a collection of around 100 comics. Each comic is a stand-alone (tiny tale, or in German known as Bierdeckelgeschichte), though some have continuations or recurring characters. 

🌍

Funny, yet tragic. I’m a huge (and annoying, according to those around me) environmentalist, and mostly wanted to cry to these, but the morbid humour works well enough to even make me laugh away my tears. 
 
I love how essentially every being on earth and in space wants to get rid of humans. 
I mean, the good thing at least is that earth survived just fine after the humans rotted themselves out. That’s my upmost worry honestly – that earth will die too. 
 
The mantis storyline was my favorite I think, followed by the icebergs. I only didn’t get the shark one, but otherwise very hilariously hidden sad massages. Hopefully it’ll reach some people. 
 
🌎
 
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for an eARC on Netgalley. 
 
-27.03.25

🌏

 

A slice-of-life story that turned dark and intriguing quite quick and kinda unexpected (pacing-wise). In a good way. I loved the daily life parts, and I loved the sneaking around, detective-like parts. 

(The publisher suggests similar shows being Bojack Horseman, Severance, The Menu, Get Out; I haven’t seen them though, so can’t confirm.) 

 

By the way, don’t be put off by the page count! It’s printed in 1:1 format (18x18 cm) and there’s always 1-3, sometimes 4 panels per page. The artstyle is very stylized, comic format, giving Cartoon Network (Bluey, Peppa Pig, Inside Job) vibes. Definitely cool and cute, but not very detailed, so you’ll get through it pretty quickly. It took me about 6 hours (I’m a slow reader). 

 

I feel like the art would’ve made the experience more “intense”, if the pages were colored. On the other hand, the black & white makes it look “retro”. (Even though it plays in a modern age. Around 2020 I’m guessing?) 

 

Characters: 

• Veronika was so similar to me (in many aspects) that I wondered whether the author was spying on me while making this... creepy, but ... well, I could relate to her on many levels. 

• Persephone was cool from the beginning, her name suits her well, lol. (Well, only in one aspect actually, but if you get to the point, somewhere in the middle, you’ll know. Maybe. 😉) Although sometimes too cool for my taste, but alright. 

• Dave was ... idk, meh. I had a weird feeling about him at first, then he grew on me, then he continued to be annoying, and at the end... I don’t know. He’s a good person and I understand & feel for him, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to have him around much, you know? (Basically, went like this: “He’s a nerd. He comes prepared. He’s me. Why did I dislike him?”, 10 pages later: “never mind, that’s why.”) 

• I liked Susan, though. She kinda reminds me of the bats from ‘Tom und das Erdbeermarmeladebrot mit Honig’ (german cartoon). Maybe I’m biased cause I just love Kuuru types, but I wouldn’t mind a spin-off with her as the protagonist. 

• Jake, Susan’s husband, not so much. Had a bad feeling about him the moment I saw him playing golf in his office. Although I do kinda agree with his views on everyone’s contribution to a goal. 

• Jim was nice. Mysterious, but kind. Kind of? There is quite a twist in there that could potentially make him more ‘evil’ than Jake, but ... he was kind and nice to the main characters overall, so ... 

 

Apropos ending: is there gonna be a sequel? On one hand it’s pretty self-explainable how the story goes/continues. On the other hand, I want more. You could actually make a lengthy series out of this, there’s definitely potential. However, it’s also quite intriguing to leave things ‘open’ and leave the readers – especially fanfiction writers – to their imagination. 

 

Well, definitely recommend The Well! 

 

Representation: 

• There’s hetero relationships, it’s overall quite heteronormative, but there’s also a sapphic romance and an openly homosexual character (without homophobia). 

• Bi + questioning 

• Feministic; the women are independent and most men respect the women (in some ways; the respect isn’t gender-related). 

• Protagonist is a coder and not a nerd (yes, these two don’t always go hand in hand!), and coding isn’t portrayed as hacking or as a suspenseful job (actually the opposite lol). 
• A visually impaired character, who might be blind, but maybe isn’t? Not sure, but something definitely happened to his eyes (it’s literally shown later on, but not elaborated how much he can see). 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to IDW publishing for an e-ARC. 

 

-26.03.25 

 

A prayer/help call to the beings in power to let Mother Earth heal. 

A letter to those who are fighting depression and need some hope in their life. 

 

I’m not sure whether the poetry-like illustrations are paper-drawn or digital, but the watercolor/aquarelle(/-effect) does give a calming, traditionally drawn vibe. If it is drawn on paper, it would definitely enhance the message even more. (And inspiring to paint again, as an artist.) 

 

I do love how you can’t tell the genders of the 2 characters sleeping. Makes it easy to see oneself in the bed. 

 

A bit too much mentions of god, as for me the fact “mother earth is dying” can’t go hand in hand with the belief “god loves his creation”. However, on the other hand, I also get wanting to hold onto the tiny idea that god (or whatever you believe in) hasn’t yet given up on us. 

 

I’m not religious, rather agnostic, but I was raised catholic. This book basically feels like one of those lengthy prayers that you find in children’s religious books. Not the Bible-stans who force everyone into their cult, but the positive side of Christians – those that spread kindness and want to create a safe heaven on earth for children. 

Combined with fighting despair. And a pinch of melancholy. 

 

Let’s hope that god (or whatever higher being) hears this prayer. 

 

~ 

 

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing on Netgalley for an eARC. 

 

-24.03.25