I'm hooked.
This LN reads like a book from one of my favorite genres : Intrigue.
I'm relatively new to the artistic media trinity that is Light Novel/Manga/Anime, having begun in earnest about 3 years ago.
And I have become VERY invested in this particular story.
I was first introduced to it by means of the anime series.
My jaw dropped at the end of the final episode of season 1.
All throughout, we, the viewers, were allowed to hear Ayanakoji's inner monolgue. We were freely invited to see how the wheels in his head turned. He was enigmatic, which, in turn, made him magnetic. We heard his mental notes : "Interesting", "Hmm", and the like. We saw him stealthily contributing in ways that were beneficial to the class and to individuals, all while denying any involvement. Rather, he was consistently shifting the credit to others.
Yet --- he appeared to be a walking contradiction.
Because, despite whatever good came out of his way of helping, it seemed that something was missing. There was an astonishing lack of warmth His actions were not those of a selfless person. They were clandestine, shadowy, and disaffected. That kept me wondering why.
I am intrigued by stoic characters in stories.
Great authors know how to keep that character's true intentions away from others within the plot, as well as from us, the readers. If the author is especially gifted at this craft of storytelling, things finally resolve in a way that we never saw coming.
And the final seconds of Classroom of the Elite season one?
I never saw it coming.
Ayanakoji's chilling, detached, private monolgue as the credits were rolling made me do a Keanu Reeves.
"Whoa . . . "
I needed to get to the source material as fast as humanly possible.
In short order I am thoroughly enjoying this amazing work of art. It's very much a page-turner, leaving me checking back repeatedly for the next installment.
I'm here till the end.
It has not disappointed me once.
And I'm confident the end will leave me feeling the same way.
