キノの旅 1

Surprisingly dark content matter

And I don't mean that in a bad way or anything; I came into this book knowing only two things: the series was popular and generally recommended as a good first book for a Japanese learner. The subjects of some of Kino's travels were far more serious than I originally anticipated, and I think it helped quite a bit in forming my impressions of the book. They left more of an impact that a generally light-hearted book would have, I think.

But I will echo other reviewers here: I don't think this is a great book for a first-time book reader. I started this book three times, and it was only on the third try (years after the first two) that I not only finished the book, but even made it past the prologue. You're going to want a very firm base of vocabulary to work your way through the different stories; the grammar I don't remember being particularly difficult (N3 level, perhaps), but the amount of vocab you'll need can definitely stop you in your tracks.

The prologue doesn't do the learner any favors, either: it starts in media res, with only vaguely defined speakers. If you start the book and find yourself struggling, I would recommend skipping the prologue and starting with chapter one to gauge how you feel from there.