Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! Part 2: Apprentice Shrine Maiden, Vol. 1 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina
Series Name: Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! (Light Novel)
Genres: Fantasy, Isekai
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 9781718356030
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book
With her baptism ceremony complete, Myne begins work in the temple as an apprentice shrine maiden. Awaiting within is what she always wanted: a room full of books! But her new life isn’t quite the dream she was hoping for; she’s surrounded by nobles who scorn her common origins, and even her own servants are causing her trouble. On top of that, she has to constantly battle the weakness of her own body. But with a love for books burning in her heart, Myne gives her all to her new apprentice duties. Thus begins part two of this bingo-fantasy!
Personal & Info
Unlike the first three books in the series, this one doesn’t have a map of the city. However, the character page is more expansive than the ones prior. I was hoping for a map of the temple grounds, but there isn’t one.
Characters
Myne’s Family
Myne, previously Urano Motosu, is the main character. Now that her Devouring is under control, she mainly just suffers from normal poor health.
Tuuli is Myne’s sister. She is one year older than her, and is very responsible and capable for her age. Her current occupation is seamstress’s apprentice.
Effa is Myne and Tuuli’s mother. She dyes clothes for a career.
Gunther is Myne and Tuuli’s father. He works as a soldier who guards the South Gate.
The Gilberta Company
Benno is a wealthy merchant. He is Corinna’s older brother, and Otto’s brother-in-law. Benno currently runs the family fabric store, and takes care of Myne and Lutz in relation to their merchant endeavors.
Mark is Benno’s store manager. He teaches all of the apprentices they take on, and tends to important store matters on Benno’s behalf.
Corinna is Otto’s wife and Benno’s sister. She is a professional seamstress.
Lutz is Myne’s friend. He is the same age as she is, and he looks after her to monitor her health. Thanks to Myne, he is now following his dream to become a merchant.
Otto is Gunther’s coworker. He handles all the important paperwork for the South Gate. Benno is his brother-in-law, because Otto married Benno’s sister, Corinna. He does not appear in this volume.
The Temple
The High Bishop is mentioned several times, but does not appear outside of the prologue. Due to events of the previous volume, he hates Myne.
High Priest Ferdinand is Myne’s guardian at the temple. He is twenty, fairly new to his job, and convolutedly related to the High Bishop.
Fran is one of the High Priest’s best attendants. He is seventeen, and reassigned to Myne upon her joining the temple. By loyalty, he technically works for the High Priest instead of Myne. Fran is assigned to Myne to help her learn and adapt to life in the temple.
Gil is about ten. He is assigned to Myne as an attendant, by order of the High Bishop, specifically to cause her trouble.
Delia is eight. She is assigned as an attendant to Myne, by order of the High Bishop, to spy on her.
Arno is one of the High Priest’s attendants.
Other
Karla and Deid are Lutz’s parents.
Hugo is the chef Benno hired. He is about twenty, and he is learning to cook in a noble’s kitchen by practicing in Myne’s quarters at the temple.
Ella is the apprentice chef Benno hired. She is in her early teens, and is learning to cook with Hugo in Myne’s quarters at the temple.
Story & Thoughts
The prologue covers the High Priest discussing Myne’s terms with the High Bishop. We get some background information about both the High Priest and the High Bishop. The High Bishop also sets some terms of his own regarding two out of three of Myne’s attendants. After that, the transitional month passes, and Myne enters the temple in the first chapter.
This volume primarily focuses on Myne’s time adjusting to her new apprenticeship at the temple. Life at the temple is very different from what she was expecting. Of course, Myne, being who she is, can’t help turning the place on its head.
The temple has some strange and down right outrageous ideals. The High Bishop makes the rules, so it’s clear he’s not a good person. For example, the story claims the temple doesn’t consider kids under the age of seven (pre-baptism) to be people. It’s pretty horrible, but Myne gets involved in some clever ways to get around the rules.
I think the volume is interesting. The world inside the temple has its own culture, and in most ways, is completely ignorant of what goes on outside. I like how Myne handles the problems with her attendants, and the new insight about trombe. Some subtle questions arise that have me curious, but Myne doesn’t care about them, so I’ll have to wait and see if any answers crop up later.
A Place Still Far From Here
This bonus chapter is in Tuuli’s perspective. It covers a day when Tuuli brings two coworker friends to the North side of town to observe fashion trends. Tuuli seems to have more ambition than any other apprentice where she works, and instead of getting intimidated by hard designs, she strives to be skilled enough to be able to handle them.
An Attendant’s Self-Awareness
The last bonus chapter is in Gil’s perspective. It takes place on the day when Gunther, Tuuli, and Lutz take the orphans to the forest. During the walk, Gil resolves his determination to be useful to Myne.