Book Review: The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 1 - Carlo ZenExpe

The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Vol. 1 by Carlo Zen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all a brief word on the tile - Youjo Senki was translated as The Saga of Tanya the Evil - but the correct translation would have been - The Military Chronicles of a Little Girl which I bet would not appeal to many people.




This novel was not that "light" to my opinion. With five chapters where each chapter dividied in subchapters of some sorts. Some were in the first person perspective of Tanya while others we followed other characters. The problem was that it was always in first person perspective - which at times got a bit confusing.

Nevertheless, I've watch the anime and it is one of my favourite - Tanya no doubt top 3 favourite characters of all times and I really enjoy the duality in her. Her thoughts being of a salaryman and her words the young 9/10 young girl.

Expect five or six drawings

Quite interesting - at times our salaryman told stuff from our world and incorporated in that isekai which gave some "credibility". But in the end it resumes to one sentence - if we would have been born in another time, era, place would we be what we are now? Our thoughts, way of thinking, actions and personality? I think not.

The anime focus a lot on action but the book focus a lot more on the personality of Tanya (from her and other characters perspective) and tactician - almost thesis on how to make war. - in others words what should have Germany done to win the first world war (or second) - and how her views are molding Germany Empire.

There are some other interesting monologues about evil vs evil which to me is gold!

Excellent book - eagerly waiting the second light novel while I wait for the movie thats coming out in 2018 (?).

View all my reviews