Yes, the title says it all... or does it?

I really enjoyed Literary Tense, and it stands as one of the most captivating stories I’ve read among those in this contest. I’ll say it here: if you want to read a great and gripping story, you’re in the right place, my friends. I was completely immersed in it throughout all the chapters — so much that I often forgot the comment section even existed!

Let’s start with the worldbuilding, which is the main point for me. It’s the strongest element of the story — and why? Because you explore different places, all of which are so well described that you can easily lose yourself in them.

The characters all have distinct personalities and are endearing, but most importantly, they each have a role to play. There’s not a single useless character — everyone is there for a reason and contributes to moving the story forward. Naomi, the main character, is also very well written. Her decisions and development are completely understandable once you know what she’s been through and what she’s going through. The relationships built between characters make you genuinely wish those bonds will stay strong and never shatter, leaving you on the edge of your seat at every tense or heartbreaking moment...

As for the story itself, I think it’s a really well-constructed narrative that keeps you entertained with various events without ever feeling out of place. It always follows a logical path that builds naturally toward its conclusion — and never becomes boring.

So why only 4 stars? For that, I’ll echo what Haru mentioned in her review. First, the emotional scenes — far be it from me to say they were poorly written (they weren’t!). They did impact me, but I think they could have landed better. You often expect a particular scene to be emotionally devastating, yet the feeling doesn’t hit quite as hard as it could — it’s just not “satisfying” enough emotionally. Maybe focusing a bit more on the emotional delivery could enhance that, let the events truly reach a "climax" to land harder. My other point is about the ending. I really liked what happened, but the transitions between the final events were a bit fast and left me wanting more.

Overall, it’s a wonderful story with the potential to capture both your heart and your soul. So give it a read!