Written by Isuna Hasekura, Illustrated by Jyuu Ayakura, Translated by Paul Starr
Yen Press, 240 pp.
Rating: 15 and up

Lawrence is a traveling merchant, making his way through the world with a vaguely nomadic lifestyle as he goes from one location to the next, trading and selling his wares in the hopes of someday making his fortune. It’s a life of solitude and loneliness, at least it is until a very brief stop in the small farming village of Pasloe lands him with a new traveling companion, the local wolf god of the harvest, Holo.

While most folks might be a bit perturbed at discovering a naked wolf god in the back of the cart, Lawrence copes surprisingly well. After some initial awkwardness, the two bond rather quickly and set about on their journey. In short order the unlikely duo find themselves drawn into a complex scheme involving rival trading companies, currency fluctuations, and grain.

It may sound a little dull, and there were a few moments of dry discussion regarding the concept of the international currency market, but for the most part it’s a surprisingly engaging tale. This is mainly due to Lawrence and Holo’s relationship. Their close friendship, though formed rather fast, feels genuine and watching them puzzle out the scheme while needling each other like old friends makes for a fun read. Their playful banter and teasing helps keep the drier discussions of economy and trade bearable. It’s really the highlight of the book and steals the spotlight away from the much-discussed economic aspects.

Unfortunately, I’m a bit torn over what to think of Holo. It’s a little disappointing to see her portrayed as a clichéd “lonely/scared/hurt/etc. little girl hiding behind a veneer of wit/strength/anger/etc.” Not to mention that it’s just hard to take her seriously as a centuries-old wolf god when she occasionally gets all weepy about being alone. In fairness, since the entire book is told from Lawrence’s point of view it’s possible that the weak girl shtick is simply an act on her part, something designed to manipulate his sympathies and such. Of course, if that’s the case then she’d be a rather unlikable character.

Starr’s translation reads nicely and there’s nary an awkward sentence to be found. He also manages to give Holo’s speech a vaguely antiquated feel, which not only helps to reinforce the idea of her being centuries old, but also makes her dialogue rather fun to read. In addition, there’s a nice, laid-back style to the entire book and I’m not sure if that’s due to the translation or if it’s part Hasekura’s style. Either way, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword. It helps with the slower, quieter moments and it reinforces the idea of this taking place in a medieval countryside where things move at a slightly different pace. On the other hand, it also serves to strip the story of any suspense and tension. The ending, which should have had me on the edge of my seat, felt as laid-back and easygoing as the early bits with Holo wanting to eat apples.

Ayakura’s illustrations are sparse and feel a bit bland. They’re competently done, but they don’t really convey much of the flavor of the setting or do much to enhance or set the mood and atmosphere. Even the climatic scene is depicted in a rather uninspiring manner. Don’t get me wrong, the art’s not offensively bad. It’s just rather lackluster bland.

From all the talk surrounding the series I came into this expecting a rather dry and boring read mired in economics and numbers, and was pleasantly surprised to discover a rather warm and charming tale about two lonely people making a connection and getting wrapped up in complex financial transactions.

Volume one of Spice & Wolf is available now.

Review copy provided by the publisher.