I found this at my local library. When I see volume 1 of an interesting series at the library, I check it out so I can get the intro info and feel better about jumping around volumes later. You never know what you're going to find at the library.
In this story, Himari Momochi travels to a remote mansion in the mountains because she received a letter stating that she has become its owner. She is an orphan, never knowing her parents, and so this mansion is a chance to connect with her family. What she finds are three guys squatting in it, one of whom is Aoi. The situation quickly becomes more complicated and then, disappointingly, much less so.
You see, the story has an interesting start and then drops off into sentimental nothing. In the first chapter, Himari has a distinctive personality and character. She wants to learn about her family history and is motivated to stay at Momochi House because she sees it as part of her family's legacy, and she wants to maintain the house for that reason. Even when she learns that this legacy involves mediating between the human and spirit worlds, she is undaunted. She avoids such stereotypes such as being afraid of ghosts, and is not (initially) charmed by the boys she meets even though she admits that they are gorgeous. In fact, when literal ghosts show up, she holds a flashlight under her face and shouts "no squatting!" at them.
There is even this suggestion that the letter Himari received was a trap meant to lure her, the true heir, to the house for a nefarious purpose, and also that Aoi meet/knew of Himari before they meet in this chapter. However, this all drops off rather quickly.
By the third chapter, Himari is totally focused on Aoi. Who he is, what he is, how being Momochi House's guardian burdens him, how much she wants to help him, etc. She doesn't seem as interested in her family's legacy anymore and isn't as assertive as she was in the first and second chapters. The myth arc doesn't progress at all. Even the point at the end isn't new information; the reader was already told that in ch 1, although the point wasn't emphasized like it is at the end of ch 3.
The only saving grace here is the implication that Aoi has a hidden agenda. In ch 1, he says that he happened to stumble into Momochi House as a child, and the House chosen him as its guardian for want of the true heir, Himari. It was just bad luck for him to take the role that was meant for Himari. Certain things he says and does imply that this is not the case.
He switches rather quickly from trying to convince Hmari to leave to bonding with her, and the third chapter makes a point of emphasizing how much Himari is thinking about Aoi. She herself reflects that she "can't stop" thinking about him. The ayakashi (basically, evil spirits) of Momochi House seek to possess her because her blood as the true heir will make them more powerful. Finally, the very first page has a bystander warn Himari that the Omamori-sama (Aoi) will curse her if she goes to Momochi House. Thus, this otherwise disappointing third chapter might not be a shojou cliche sinkhole but an implication of Himari being literally-magically charmed by Aoi.
The art is good. Definitely. It leans towards the cute/pretty side of things. The ayakashi can be spooky too, sinister instead of elegant. However, the "action scenes", such as they are, leave much to be desired. If one is going to devote a significant portion of a book's premise to something like "I am the guardian of the border with the spirit world, and I must seal evil spirits", then more space should be allocated to this duty.
Trickter Eric Novels gives "The Demon Prince of Momochi House - volume 1" a C+
Click here for my next book review: Reborn as a Vending Machine, Now I Wander the Dungeon. Volume 1
Click here for my previous book review: Generation Witch - volume 1
Brian Wilkerson is a independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).
His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback.
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