“It is important to note early that women’s historically subordinate ‘place,’ in science (and thus their invisibility to even experienced historians of science) was not a coincidence and was not due to any lack of merit on their part, it was due to the camouflage intentionally placed over their presence in science.” – Margaret Rossiter from Women Scientists in America quoted in Smithsonian Magazine, “Sidelined” by Katherine Lam.

Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!, Volume 1, by Kaeruda Ameko, out in English from J-Novel Club, should be required reading for every- and anyone who is interested in RPGs, fantasy literature, light novels or, indeed, any pop culture genre.

Powerful Mage Tanya Artemiciov has been thrown out of her party by the leader, Ryan, a man whose fame largely rests on her shoulders. The reason? Because she’s a woman, Tanya is just not “suited” to adventuring. In fact, as we learn, everything in the world seems to be skewed in a way that limits women’s achievement, forcing them into lower-paid and scantily clothed classes.

During a well-earned fit of magical pique, Tanya accidentally frees a 300-year old legend, the powerful Sorceress Laplace. In thanks, Laplace powers Tanya up even further and the two set out to right wrongs, both personal and societal, and change the world for the better. And, so they do…and it’s magnificent.

Kaeruda states in her author’s note, that the motivating factor for this novel was the 2018 scandal in which Tokyo medical universities admitted that they’d been lowering women’s scores “to be fair to men.” This mind-boggling use of “fair” is imported whole into Sexiled, where it is just as enraging. This is not a book that hides the rage women feel at being systematically held back, having their accomplishments camouflaged by mediocre men who ride on our support, our unpaid work, unrewarded research, unnoticed housework, child rearing, extra hours, so they can be paid more, given promotions and be considered better “leaders.”

Sexiled is so pointed, I’m surprised I’m not bleeding.

That said, what made this book so delightful is not the rage. It’s not even the revenge – which was amazingly satisfying, I’ve gotta say. What made this book so wonderful was the humor, the teamwork, the humanity of it. And the Yuri was nice, not terribly intrusive and given a lot of room to evolve naturally, even if it had a ridiculous genesis.

It’s hard to not quote-binge Sexiled, because there are a lot of excellent passages. I’ll confine myself to one passage towards the end, that was a powerful gut-punch for me.

Women are so emotional. Women think they can cry their way out of anything. Society was filled with stock phrases designed to steal away a woman’s right to cry. Well, fuck that, Tanya thought. Everyone’s gotta cry sometimes.

As Nadine sobbed, Tanya pulled her into her arms, then looked over at Laplace. Together, they recited:
“And sometimes a girl’s just gotta cry.”

The original Japanese title, 女だから、とパーティを追放されたので伝説の魔女と最強タッグを組みました, Onnadakara, to Paati o Tsuihousaretanode Densetsu no Majyo to Saikyou Taggu o Kumimashita does not get shortened as “Sexiled”, but instead as “Onna dakara,” i.e., “Because I’m a Woman.” So, to some extent, the title nickname embedded in the English title is itself an example of the kind of sexism the book is written to surface and combat. “Ohhh…Sexiled, sounds good…” You are instantly forced to hear the kind of person who might find the word Sexiled appealing. ^_^; But, in choosing such a salacious word, the title might entice readers who need to read this. So, is it sexist or is it a title nickname version of a box on a stick with a hunk of delicious meat under it?

Above and beyond all of this, Sexiled was laugh-out-loud funny in several places. In large part I credit the exceptional translation by Molly Lee. There was no doubt that her work transported this book from a good read to a sublime one. J-Novel Club intelligently had a female translator and editor on this book, a choice that I think was damned smart. Lee’s translation and Hannah N. Carter’s editing meant that there was an extraordinary subtlety in the language; the way scenes are communicated beyond literal meaning. For instance, a description of the Inn our protagonists visit is done in the kind of marketing language that might be used to sell a cafe to women (delicious food, cute, drinks, friendly atmosphere…). The narration mocks and plays with itself in a way I have never seen before in a Japanese novel. If there is an award for adaptation of a light novel, Lee and Carter deserve nomination.

Ratings:

Art – 6 Once again, the weakest thing about the book. It wasn’t awful, the book just deserved better
Story – 10
Characters – 10
Service – 7 With actual intent. On purpose.
Yuri – 7

Overall – 10

I’ve been informed by YNN Senior Correspondent and excellent reviewer in his own right, Sean G, that Sexiled 2 will be available in December of this year. I cannot wait to see what the series has in store!

Many thanks to J-Novel Club for the review copy!