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This was probably(?) my favorite of the 3 books... or the least worst of them? Idk, the last 1/3rd of this book delivers quite the payoff, but at least for me, the journey getting here wasn't really worth it. And I was a little underwhelmed by the execution of the ending. Like it needed an epilogue or an extra 10 pgs or something, to conclude properly. Maybe they already had the sequel series planned though, and weren't really looking at it as a full ending. But even still, the final wrap up left me unsatisfied.
Overall I felt like this series - despite having a lot of original elements, design, and aesthetic - had a lot of unrealized potential, and felt incredibly formulaic and repetitive. While it was an interesting read for historical purposes, I think the writing and characters really pale in comparison to their later series like Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, xxxHolic, or even Card Captor Sakura. I might watch the anime at some point, just to see if it's more enjoyable in that format.
While I can't say I didn't somewhat enjoy myself, I'd really only recommend this series to: 1. People who really love light shoujo, with little romance. 2. People looking for an easy fantasy read. 3. People really interested in seeing what CLAMP's early works were like.