Juding from the word list on floflo, this book has a lot of onomatopoeic words, which I also struggle with. This review from @KazeTachinu talks about it and the book a bit. Because of this and the lack of kanji usage, Kiki (by looking at the sample) actually looks sometimes harder to read than some of the “intermediate” books I’m reading.
The first Japanese novel I read from start to finish. It was already covered in the book clubs, so I won’t get into too much detail. It is easy to read in terms of kanji usage, but beginners shouldn’t be fooled by that. You need to have a decent grasp of Japanese language in order to read this book with ease (and probably any longer book not strictly written for learning purposes). Grammar and vocabulary are not too advanced, but Kadono often uses language in a playful, non-straightforward way which might make it confusing if you still struggle with the words and grammar itself. I felt that the lack of kanji actually sometimes makes it harder to read. Also uses a LOT of onopatopoetic words that any non-Japanese person will probably not be too familiar with. Still, this is a good entry point and a good “tadoku” book. You will be able to make good progress if you don’t obsess over trying to understand everything. It’s also a wonderful series full of magic in the mundane, charming characters and you will be able to witness the growth of Kiki over a long span of time.
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