An intriguing story...four humans are stand-ins for the gods of the seasons, and four other humans are the guardians of these stand-ins. The setting was interesting, but the narrative moved slowly and took it's sweet time revealing backstory. The fact that the listing mentioned an illustrator led me to believe there would be way more art in this book than there actually is, which was disappointing.

✨ Oh my goodness, I could hardly contain my excitement while diving into Agents of The Four Seasons! This manga is not just a visual delight but also a heartwarming tale that beautifully intertwines themes of love, sacrifice, and the importance of balance in our lives. Kana Akatsuki has woven a captivating story that invites readers into a world where the seasons are personified as enchanting agents, and let me tell you, it’s as magical as it sounds! 🌼🍃

The synopsis sets the stage for an emotional journey: once upon a time, there was only Winter, who so profoundly felt the weight of loneliness that it created Spring out of love, leading to the birth of Summer and Autumn. The narrative takes a poignant turn when we learn that the Vernal Agent, Hinagiku, has vanished for a decade, taking Spring's warmth with her. Her return symbolizes hope and renewal, and the story exploring her quest to restore the seasonal cycle is both heartfelt and beautifully crafted. It’s a compelling reminder that love has the power to change and heal even the coldest of hearts! ❄️🌷

I absolutely fell in love with Hinagiku's character; her determination and resilience after facing unimaginable hardships truly tugged at my heartstrings! Through her journey, readers are treated to a rich exploration of what it means to belong and the sacrifices that come with love. Each agent represents not just a season but a facet of life, like the delicate balance we all strive for in our own lives. 🌈💖

The artwork is breathtaking! Kana Akatsuki’s illustrations elegantly capture the essence of each season, the ethereal beauty of nature, and the depth of emotions the characters experience. Every panel feels like a painting brought to life, transporting me into their world where flowers bloom, leaves dance, and snowflakes twinkle. 🌺🍁

In terms of pacing, while I found the beginning to be truly engaging, the story's middle did slow a bit as it delved into the complexities of the characters' relationships and challenges. However, this exploration added valuable depth to the story, reinforcing the idea that growth often comes through trials. I appreciated the moments of reflection, even if it took a little longer than I expected to get back to the main action. 🌸✨

Overall, Agents of The Four Seasons is a charming, heartwarming read that left me feeling enchanted and uplifted. It not only celebrates the cyclical nature of life and the seasons but also delivers a touching message about the interconnectivity of love and friendship. This delightful manga is perfect for anyone looking for a story that warms the heart and sparks the imagination! So, snuggle up with your favorite blanket and a cup of tea as you immerse yourself in this wonderful tale! 📚💖🌼

I liked the illustrations but sadly everything else fell flat for me. I wish there was more of actually what was happening instead to be told what happened. I had really high hopes for this but I guess it wasn’t for me.

In "Agents of the Four Seasons" the agents are actually humans that basically keep the seasons going for peace and order. Interestingly, there are people who actually rebel against this and will try to hurt the agents. I think the concept is unique however, I am not sure if I will continue on with the series. Though, I do sort of want to know what will happen between Spring and Winter.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

DNF. I couldn't get into the story from the very first chapters. I couldn't get into the story from the very first chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Yen Press and Kana Akatsuki for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book however I struggled with the dialogue. It felt like a manga written in a novel format which for me did not work. I also for some reason could not get into the book.

An interesting new entry into the manga space; the art is lush and the action well-plotted, but the voices of the characters felt off. not sure is it is a difference in culture or translation, but some of the Mains, especially Spring, were either not well fleshed out or had weird syntactical patterns which made them hard to read.

i could not finish this. The main characters way of talking made me cringe and made me look at her as childish. She is 16 year olds yet acts soooo much younger, its bad. I just found the writing to be childish. I also was confused, i didnt really know what the point was, also the switching of povs mid chapters with little to no indicator made me the most confused. I just did not enjoy this. The characters and the writing.

DNF. The writing itself wasn’t bad, but I felt very confused at times and I personally didn’t like the POV switching and and some of the dialogue felt off. Some of the illustrations were cute, and I think the concept is interesting.

DNF.

Unfortunately the watermark on each page of the book made this unreadable for me, it was way too distracting on the white pages.

From what I did read the writing seemed easy to read, however the main character does speak in third person which I think would have grated on me as time went on. I hope that it would stop at some point but didn’t read far enough to find out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Yen Press for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.

The cover of the book immediately drew me in, and although I looked forward to the premise of the book, the execution and writing style threw me off. Likely originally in Japanese, the translation to English fell short of the nuances in syntax and culture.

I dnf’d at 30% and just couldn’t finish it each time I tried.

I really like the premise of it and found the characters interesting but things were moving too slow and the writing style wasn’t my favorite. I saw that there is going to be a manga form of the story so I’ll try that out and see if the story being broken up into a bit less words help me get through it.

"Agents of the Four Seasons, Vol. 1: Dance of Spring, Part I" by Kana Akatsuki is a profound and emotionally charged journey that demands a certain mindset from its readers. This volume is not simply a novel; it is a work of art that delves deep into the complexities of human emotions, painting a vivid picture of trauma, anger, repentance, torture, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts, interwoven with themes of love, hope, trust, sadness, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Akatsuki's stylized writing and composition, including fragmented prose and sudden black pages, add a unique dimension to the storytelling, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the raw emotions depicted on the page. Each character is flawlessly crafted, with their strengths, flaws, and actions blending seamlessly with the spectrum of emotions portrayed throughout the narrative.

Approaching this volume as an art piece rather than a traditional novel allows readers to fully experience the depth and richness of the story. The poetic and introspective writing style enhances the emotional impact of the narrative, inviting readers to reflect on the characters' experiences and internal struggles.

It's important to note that this is volume one, not book one, signifying a substantial focus on world-building and character introductions. "Agents of the Four Seasons" is a heartfelt journey that navigates the darker corners of the human psyche, touching on themes that may require trigger warnings for some readers (which was never addressed at the start of the novel). Proceed with caution and openness, as you embark on this moving exploration of emotions and human experiences.

A massive thank you to netgalley for allowing me to review this beautiful book.

This light novel is really interesting, with a unique plot. It's always tricky when a Japanese light novel is translated, especially with the nuances that can be lost in translation. But this was done well and I enjoyed it a lot. I like the concept of seasons in this novel and I like the main characters.

I really did not like it. I had high hopes for it being a light, easy read. Sadly that wasn’t the case. I dnf-ed at 11%. I just couldn’t put myself through reading the dialogue any longer. The agent of spring has a childlike, introverted/hesitant way of speaking. Time and time again it took me out of the story. She also talks in third person. Last time I read something that had a person speak in a similar manner, it was trashta from ‘remarried empress’. It worked for trashta knowing that she’s the antagonist but it’s a different story for our main heroine, Hinagiku. What could have made it better was if the author just described her demeanor and her speech pattern in the beginning, incorporated it for maybe 2 pages and then ween of it so that it’d be more digestible for readers.

But here’s an example of her speech pattern: “Hey…Sakura. Could you…go…look for…her parents? Hinagiku will…stay with her…while you…bring…them here”

Just a reminder, Hinagiku is the speaker’s name, talking in third person. This continues on and on, there’s probably more periods than words on a single page.

Sadly, this wasn’t my cup of tea but dont let my bad experience stop you from picking up the series.

Thank you NetGallery and Yen Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Pretty prose, mystical setting, interesting characters! The dynamics of the seasons were fun to learn about.

* Thanks to the publisher Yen Press via Netgalley for an ebook.

The fantasy elements in this are great! Oh my, I was hooked with the seasons and how they worked. The writing though sometimes was just too much of me. The pacing was off and I just wanted it to end.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Netgalley send me and arc but this is my honest opinion.

I like the concept of seasons. It is an interesting take. It’s just that I am not enjoying the writing. It’s a bit boring for me. And I get confuse between Spring and her bodyguard (retainer) name. Especially because its a little similar so when they call Sakura by her last name. I get it mix up with Hinagiku halfway through the novel. I also do not like how there are so many changes of POV’s. I am invested in the relationships (the main couples and their retainers) but I think I will pick up the manga instead of the light novel.

3.75 stars
I was initially a little taken aback when I received the ARC, mainly because I was expecting it to be a manga, not a novel. Still, nonetheless, that didn’t hinder my experience in the slightest. Still, it was a unique concept (I haven’t read anything where ordinary people are used as a conduit for the weather) where children are born with powers to bring about the weather.
I am hoping the author dives a little deeper into each season’s agent in the upcoming novels. Because even though they have the same responsibility they have different methods of bringing about the change in the seasons. The reaction of the adults although very realistic was a little off-putting considering their opinions regarding their agents.
I do hope the this series gets picked up as an anime because the storyline would be translated really well into one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Yen Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.