nothing & nowhere

Nothing & Nowhere is occasionally a decent slice of life story, but it lacks finesse when it comes time to resolve its conflict. Writer Cora discovers a young, rained-on girl (who is the real protagonist) outside her home. The girl has clearly run away from home, so Cora lets her stay until she works up the courage to return. At first, the girl is tight-lipped about her circumstances, but slowly, as she battles her inner demons, she opens up to Cora. The early, slice of life moments in Nothing & Nowhere are well written. The two characters have an interesting dynamic, with the girl barely saying anything lest she reveal something personal, and Cora dominating the conversation trying to make that happen. They share some cute moments together as their relationship grows. However, the second half of the story feels rushed and lacks subtly. First, Cora drops her back story in a lengthy exposition dump. Very Minor Spoilers: [spoiler]Then, they go on day trip, and the girl sees two siblings playing and more or less plainly thinks (paraphrasing), "Wow, I guess family is important, after all, huh. Maybe I shouldn't have run away."[/spoiler] A few more of these plainly stated revel…

Loved Cora has a character. Feel like she really highlights the theme of growing as an individual but also still being held back in the past in some respects. Reading this after the first VN Lynne, I feel like it does a great job wrapping up the story, any of its previous questions, and the theme of continued growth.

The ending is the cutest thing ever, I love it!

I enjoyed reading this and i thought it was a touhcing story. The art and music was nice, and the writing was great. It's very different from Lynne in style but still a nice conclusion.

[i]Nothing & Nowhere[/i] is a decent enough story if taken out of context. It isn't, however, the sequel [i]Lynne[/i] deserved in any regard; the art isn't there, the music isn't there, and the narrative most certainly isn't, either, utterly squandering the potential [i]Lynne[/i] had to produce something truly brilliant in a second visual novel or full fledged ADV. While there's a small handful of good moments to be had, not a single one comes close to the visceral discomfort of its predecessor, and even new characters like Cora feel utterly wasted. The decline in writing quality feels very phoned-in, albeit in a distinctly, "I didn't want to write this" kind of way, a concerning rarity from a writer whose passion is typically palpable, even in her weaker works. I'm rarely disappointed by ebi-hime, and never does it particularly bother me on an emotional level, but this one? A gut punch, truly.

When I first started Nothing & Nowhere, I admit, I wanted to drop it. I found it boring and drawn out. But, I stuck with it, and just as I was about to stop cold, I struck gold. N&N isn't about the mystery, it's about the story. About a young girl taking a break after a breakdown. Reading feels like a break from reality in of itself, the atmosphere is perfect, and best enjoyed with a fresh cup of tea or coffee. It does start out slow, but trust me, it's worth it.