Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba One-Winged Butterfly by Koyoharu Gotouge & Aya Yajima

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This is short story collection set in the world of Demon Slayer that answers some questions left unanswered by the main series or just fills in more of the backstories of the characters we came to love. The first story in this collection is One-Winged Butterfly and it is the story of how Kanae and Shinobu became demon slayers. We know in the manga that there parents were killed by demons and they were saved by Gyomei who at the time was dealing with a lot of his own grief still. Afterwards the girls come to thank him and ask for him to train them in become demon slayers, at first he refuses because he doesn’t want to get attached to them but after doing just that he gives them a test. If they can move a boulder in his garden before he returns from his mission then he will introduce them to trainers but they will be going to different ones since Gyomei knows even at this point Shinobu will never be strong enough to cut off a demon’s head.

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 23 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

In this final volume we see the battle with Muzan come to its conclusion as Tanjirou wakes up and joins the fight once more. With many of the Pillars injured he is fighting alone using his Sun breathing and one by one his friends join him, pushing themselves to the point where they know they are going to die but do it anyway.

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 22 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

Volume 22 was the beginning of the final fight with Muzan since they managed to drive him above ground after the death of Nakime. With an hour and half until sunrise many believe that they won’t survive until then, even some of the Pillars believe it is impossible to keep Muzan in one place that long but they are going to try.

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Book Review

Title: The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro

Genre: Young Adult, Historical, LGBT

Synopsis:

When Emile’s aunt declares he must marry or be disowned for being gay—he runs away to hide as a servant in Count Montoni’s mansion. In their service, Emile tends to the family who all suffer a strange affliction on the full moon. And after overhearing suspicious family arguments, he finds a body on the estate, drawing the attention of a handsome doctor as well as the count’s charismatic nephew, Henri.

Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him.

When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castle—where there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deserves—and survive the Montoni family.

Content Warning: Mentions of dead bodies, homophobia

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 21 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

Volume 21 doesn’t let up on the heart break as it begins with Muichirou’s death and Genya’s last words to his brother even though he probably didn’t hear Sanemi forgiving him after all this time. With Kokushibo and the other upper moons now dead except for the biwa lady everyone is heading to Muzan’s location but they have mistimed it and he has already revived. The group of demon slayers arriving are quickly healed by Muzan become food for his regeneration but the pillars are on their way.

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 20 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

Volume 20 starts the final arc as the final battle with Muzan is approaching fast. While Muichirou and Sanemi are injured they continue to fight and Genya  does as well in his own way. After consuming Kokushibo’s hair in order to heal, he finds a piece of his blade made from his demon flesh and consumes that as well. This gives Genya  a huge boost as well as a blood demon art meaning he is more demon than human now but it turns the tide of the battle.

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 19 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

These volumes are getting shorter as we get closer to the end typically focusing on a single fight at a time. We continue to follow Inosuke and Kanao in their fight with Douma but he seems to be playing with them. He summons smaller versions of himself to fight them while he intends to leave and go elsewhere but Kanao seems to be waiting for something to happen and urges Inosuke to be patient even though it isn’t in his nature.

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 18 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

Volume 18 is one where Tanjirou and Inosuke really shine, Tanjirou is able to enter the transparent world and completely make himself invisible to Akaza by hiding his “battle spirit” and Giyuu sees this. At that moment, Tanjirou is able to cut off Akaza’s head but he isn’t going down easy as he manages to change his weak spot at the last moment like Hantengu did but something interesting happens at this moment, Akaza’s human memories come flooding back in.

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 17 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

Volume 17 was one I had been waiting for as we see the three of Kaguya’s remaining all under the age of 10 leading the demon slayer corps in their final fight. Zenitsu is taking on Kaigaku when moments before news of Shinobu’s death are passed around by the crows which are also lending their sight to the children outside of the Infinity Palace. The children are being protected by the retired Uzui and Rengoku’s father while Nezuko has been given Tamayo’s medication to turn her back into a human which she also gave to Muzan and she is being protected by Urokudaki.

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Book Review

Title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Vol 16 by Koyoharu Gotouge

Genre: Manga, Fantasy

Rating: 5 Stars

In the aftermath of the training they have just received the demon slayers get a message that Kaguya’s mansion is under attack. Muzan and the biwa lady track down Kaguya and his family he pays them a visit where Kayuga explains why Muzan is going to die even if Muzan doesn’t accept this we can see the family have something up their sleeve prepared for this very moment. This is because the family in addition to have a gentle nature are gifted with foresight so Kaguya knew this visit was coming days before it actually did.

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