I read this wanting more after having watched the anime (which I adored). So far the first volume hasn’t quite given me the same feeling. The first half of the book is mainly a collection of short stories which aren’t my favorite but are interesting enough. They do bring out the same sentimental feelings in me as the anime. However in the anime they are more impactful because they aide in Violet’s development whereas here she takes a background seat making it harder to connect with her as a character. The last chapter which makes up the second half of the book was my favorite. I enjoyed how it allowed a more intimate look into Gilbert’s emotions. It was here that I finally felt able to connect to the characters. I will read the second volume because I feel there will be more story development, but the first volume was certainly not my favorite book ever.