Gekkou means “moonlight” in Japanese (or at least that’s what my JED dictionary tells me on my Android phone). It’s a one-volume light novel (which means it’s a novella aimed at young people with a few illustrations). It falls into the Mystery and Romance genres.
The Story
The story follows the relationship between a cynical (and bored) boy and a seemingly perfect (and often sarcastic) girl. One day, the boy finds a paper titled “Murder Recipe” inside a notebook belonging to the seemingly perfect girl. To his disappointment, however, the “recipe” isn’t much of a plan—just scenarios describing how someone could die. But when he goes to school the next day to ask the girl about it, he discovers that her father has died in an accident under circumstances eerily similar to those described in the Murder Recipe…
The Characters
Nonomiya: The cynical boy who is bored with everyday life. [inb4 you say self-insert an hero yourself. Why is having a relatable protagonist to the audience a bad thing rather than Conan the Barbarian? Not that there’s anything wrong with Conan the Barbarian either.]
Youko Tsukimori: The seemingly perfect girl whose notebook contained the Murder Recipe. [Is it too embarrassing to admit that back in highschool, I was into the archetype of the cool frigid beauty with jet-black straight hair typified by Oregairu’s Yukino Yukinoshita? But now rather than seeing them as perfectly cool, I can see that the cracks in their frigid masks, their vulnerability and immaturity, and yet those cracks were why and where there was room for characterisation.]
Chizuru Usami: Honestly, she’s just “the other girl” who’s interested in Nonomiya. That’s about it. I initially thought the author added her to advance the plot, but no, she doesn’t do much.
Konan: An unconventional police detective who later works with and competes against Nonomiya to solve the case. Along with Nonomiya and Tsukimori, he’s one of the most interesting characters in the light novel. Conversations between Konan and Nonomiya are particularly engaging.
Mirai Samejima: Another character who I hoped would play a larger role in the novel but who I nonetheless found intriguing. Mirai is a senior at Nonomiya’s workplace who claims to attend university. While she’s physically attractive, her violent and self-centered attitude makes it hard for others to get along with her.
My Opinion
While it wasn’t the best mystery novel I’ve read, I’m glad it didn’t completely degenerate into a generic romantic comedy [lol, says the guy who was into Romantic Comedies like Oregairu and so picked up this volume]. Regarding the mystery aspects, as long as you don’t expect Agatha Christie-level storytelling, you should be fine. The novel is written in the first person, making it relatable for high schoolers who may feel bored with their own lives [Trying to sound like ThatAnimeSnob much? Oh dear. It’s embarassing to read stuff I have written ten years ago. Cut bored high-schoolers some slack my dear past bored high-schooler self.].
I went into this book with very low expectations, assuming it would be a generic love story about a bored guy and a perfect girl. There’s a small section at the beginning that leans in that direction, but don’t let it turn you away—it gets better. The mystery picks up, and the characters start acting in unexpected ways, though always with clear motives (which are only revealed later).
The mystery isn’t entirely solved, but I found the turn of events at the end satisfying. I could go into more detail, but I don’t want to spoil the story for you. [Ten years later I wish I had spoiled it because I have almost no recollection at all about what happened, only the feeling that I wished there was more of it, and that rather than a standalone volume it feels like the first volume in a series that will never be written].
The Rating
3/5
Published: Friday, Aug 8, 2014.
