So I'm a Spider, So What?, Vol. 1 (light novel) (So I'm a Spider, So What? (light novel)) Kindle Edition

This series is perhaps a bit one that could be thought of as more tailored to "girls", but I found it to be quite enjoyable and think it appeals well to all audiences. I especially liked the main character's spunk and fun personality and take on things. This series mixes Isekai with being thrown into a game world elements with an interesting take on both aspects. My sister and I have rather different tastes, but I liked it so much and felt it tailored to enough different tastes that I bought a few books in the series for her so we could talk about it.There are some aspects and parts that are confusing and to avoid any spoilers I will avoid any details, but most are actually resolved fairly well eventually in later books. I highly recommend the entire series and have yet to find a bad book in the bunch. There is a bit of a disconnect between certain segments of the story which I fear will lead to some inconsistencies and essentially "rewrites" with the inconsistencies ignored, but it isn't nearly enough to detract from the enjoyment of the series.With just one character for most of the book I was a bit worried, but she is such an interesting character she carries it on her own which in my reading experience is very hard to do well.The manga version isn't as good, but I seriously hope they turn this into an anime released here so I'm supporting both versions in that hope. I've been disappointed in anime versions of several of my favorite series in this "genre" like "Didn't I say make my abilities average", but I still hope for one of this series and that they don't fall for the same problems those other series suffered like cramming way too much into the first few episodes and major changes from the story for no reason like with "Average".

The show itself was fantastic but the book adds just a bit more detail and gives the main character just a bit more personality - which is amazing because she already had a lot. I have a lot more I could say but to sum up, a really fun read.

This series is a unique take on the fantasy genre of another world. The story revolves around a Japanese high school got reincarnated as a spider monster in a magical world that is like an RPG. Unlike other stories in this genre, our main character is neither a hero nor a villain. She is more like a jack. The series centers on the monologue of the MC. Occasionally, it switches to other characters' perspectives. It is important to read the story several times to get the full picture. Since the light series is adapted from the web series, I think the adaption is poor. I did check on the web series. There is virtually a little to no change comparing the two. Certain details felt out of place to me. However, I have no problem with grasping the picture if I read it once more. Unlike other series that I own, side stories in this one are very important. They do not only provide additional details regarding the main story, but they are also crucial to the plot.In term of the story, Vol.1 focuses on the MC's struggles. It's more action-driven comparing to the later volumes. Very little information is revealed regarding the new world. We won't see much of the plot until Vol.3. Every day, the MC has brushes with death several times. You will learn more about the MC more than anything else.PS: if you like the manga, the light novels have a much darker sense of humor. The MC is not nearly as likable as it's in the manga.

The other world genre is really exploding these days with the sub genre of being reborn in one. I’ve read a few of these, with some of my favorites being the Tanya the evil stories and Felicia’s second life. So I’m a spider, so what? (Siasow) is an interesting take, but even it isn’t alone in these genre. There have already been books about being reborn as a slime and other monstrous tales from indie authors and light novels alike. If you wish to dive into this pool, know it runs deep. Still, Okina Baba manages to carve a spot out of this crowded space with a fun romp through an otherworldly labyrinth.When first picking this book up you might be expecting light hearted humor and a quick and easy read. This expectation is remarkable since the book was originally written in Japanese and humor and style would need to cross the language and culture barrier, but it does so fantastically. There are some cultural sticking points, but for the most part there is nothing about this book that should give you any difficulty, or jokes that seem to fall flat. For the most part it felt like watching an anime (and in fact is being adapted as one). Okina’s easy style and a masterful translation results in a book that could have been written in the US and you might not know the difference.But, you say, spiders are ick, how could this possibly be fun to read. That is an excellent question and Okina does take a direct approach, going for the cute style rather than spending much time on the gross aspects of being a spider. Half of the book occurs in the human world, with a lot of time spent digesting the difference between this world and the one the characters came from, which is a rough approximation of our own. World building takes a shockingly large amount of time, even though politically and culturally you aren’t left with much. The actual world feels empty, but it is supposed to feel empty. The author was emulating something on purpose as part of the plot and she succeeds in doing so. I will not explain further as that might spoil something, but if you want to find out you’ll have to read it for yourself.Another similarity this book had which is enjoyable is to the Is it Wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon series. Both this book and that one take the role playing game aspects and incorporate it directly into the world. Which series does it better could probably span several pages of reddit arguments, so probably best to leave that alone, but it was still fun to see in this book. Geek culture takes center stage the entire time and lovingly pokes fun at itself. Since you’re reading a review for a light novel, you probably have seen a bit about geek culture yourself, so this should feel right at home.Culturally the book stands up pretty well, though it clearly occurs from a Japanese point of view, there are a few things that might seem a little off. For one, the notion that a boy who becomes a girl in a fantasy world is still a boy, despite having grown up as a girl. Were this told from an American author it might seem like a political statement, but here it seemed to be more an attempt at humor. Additionally, though this is a fantasy world, the notion of gender differences, despite the role playing game aspect, still play a role. Of course this could be on purpose too given the book is deliberately trying to make a play at fantasy worlds we have come up with which are typically kind of sexist. If the author was English speaking, I might of written to ask.In the end this book is one of my favorites and the second book is already on pre-order. The genre is getting crowded, but apparently that doesn’t prevent true gems from coming to the surface. If you’re on the fence then you should pick this book up and if you’ve read my review (You have to be to see this right?) then you need to pick this book up. You won’t regret your time spend in Okina’s fantastic world.