Customer Reviews

Maid Machinegun: A Novel

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

by Matt Reeves

There are two types of books in the world: Fiction and Non-Fiction. They are literary entities that live opposite of each other; the librarian equivalent of a yin & yang relationship. Some might even go so far as to say that this symbiotic relationship between a truth and lie is one of the few universal truths this world has.

Of course, as most truths go, there can be exceptions at times.

When I first caught a glimpse of Maid Machinegun in a Barnes & Noble, I passed over it after a quick glance. Admittedly, I was a bit shallow. Not only is the book short and lacking a synopsis that promises depth, it's also written in an unusual style of writing. But as fate would have it, a year or more later I would eventually find myself with a bought copy in hand and ready for a read.

Maid Machinegun is the fictional/true story/guide of a maid/waitress in Japan/Akihabara and her adventures/work in perfecting her ability to serve her masters/customers.

If that sounds confusing and or contradictory, that's because that's exactly what this book is. Written by an anonymous author who goes by the name of the main character in the story, many in Japan have speculated whether this book is actually a loose memoir of one of the many waitresses that work in the popular Maid Café's all over Japan. Based off the style and composition, it wouldn't be hard to imagine this being true. However, regardless whether the book was written from firsthand experience, it is clear that the author has done his/her research.

The story is presented in first person and comes across as a cross between a guide and personal narrative as we are introduced to the maid Aaliyah as she goes about her job at a café in Akihabara. Dialogue is written much like a script and chapters are kept relatively short, creating a style of writing that feels somewhat familiar to a diary.

In many ways this book defies definition. It's obvious from the start that the goal of the narrative is to explain how a Maid Cafe works, which is not all that surprising since, though there are many shows and books that have covered the subject, few have explored the job itself with detailed research. Because of this emphasis though, the book comes across more as a non-fiction memoir than a novel. However, scattered across these pages of trivial information about costumed maids and their habits is a surprisingly interesting fictional story of a girl hiding her true identity and a forbidden desire to serve others.

One has to applaud the author for doing such a good job at creating a book which appears to swerve in and out of the proverbial yin/yang relationship of literature. It's obviously not the first to do so and I doubt it will be the last, but regardless, it does so well. A large benefit of this work of fiction is its size. Being short, the pacing of the book never seems too slow for comfort and story elements are introduced just when needed.

Readers who have ever been curious about the famously popularized maid café's in Japan, which have also begun to find their way to the west coast, will find this book filled with information which almost no other source can provide, and a few laughs to go along with it.

Though it's not the next classic or even bestseller, Maid Machinegun is excellent for what it is. Chock full of virtually unknown facts regarding Anime and Japanese culinary culture, it's sure to entertain those who seek a bit of knowledge along with their stories and who aren't afraid to read something different every once in a while.

Matthew Reeves is an aspiring novelist living in California. You can usually find him lost in thought on a walk or writing on Twitter as @MattReeves17.

Aaliyah is a talent to look out for. Her novel, "Maid Machinegun", is an interesting look at the maid (waitress) industry. Instead of tea cups, she deals with machine guns.

The interesting thing about this book is the diary style format that really sparkles when her struggles with her co-waitresses increases. She falls for a new hire at the cafe, and it's all confusing from there.

For those looking into new, hot reads, look for the hot pink cover with the dangerous Aaliyah! You won't be disappointed. Truly one of the best over the year!

www.delreymanga.com

Tim Lasiuta

When looking at its cover, Maid Machinegun seems fairly cliched with its only redeeming feature that of combining the generally docile maid with heavy weaponry. The summary does little to refute this, adding in a hint of mystery to the story.

But once you open the book, it becomes a different story.

The book is written from the first-person perspective of Aaliyah (or Ariya), an aspiring super maid that works at a maid cafe stationed in Akihabara. From the beginning, we see Aaliyah as a hyper, extremely optimistic person with an incredible fixation on maids. There has probably never been a literary work utilizing the word "maid" in such numbers.

Fortunately, Aaliyah's maid obsession is what drives the story's plot and characters forward. Her comments and remarks on herself and those around her provide the crux of the humor in the story, which is filled with social commentary, parodies, and satire. The otaku culture is delved into quite deeply and the addition of a glossary in the back of the book provides enough information for inexperienced readers to understand the cultural references. Each of the characters are defined by a stereotype that Aaliyah refers to, creating distinctive people that are hard to confuse.

Aside from the humor, there is also the format of the book. The novel is written in several different ways: first being the traditional diary sense, second being a series of Q&As, and other formats such as interviews or blog comments. The use of emoticons and the simple speech Aaliyah utilizes creates a comfortable, relatable connection with the reader.

Being mainly humor-driven, the story has the potential to burn out after the first read. However, the author circumvents this by adding various plot twists that create hidden layers in each situation. At the same time, Aaliyah's outrageous imagination blurs reality and fantasy to the point that reading in one way provides a different experience than the later.

Overall, Maid Machinegun provides the reader with a story that actually works like a visual medium and can be read again without becoming stale. Coupled with insight into one of Japan's subcultures and a hilarious narrator, Maid Machinegun is a must read for light novel or general readers.