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squinnittowinit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Huā Chéng is funny and entertaining in his own way as he casually meddles once again in the affairs of the heavenly realm.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Self harm, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Abandonment, and War
rtaire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and War
mdride's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism and Death of parent
Minor: War
vigil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
it (mostly) moves past the arduous set up of volume one, while still introducing new plot threads and character information in an organic matter. this one had an actual plot within it that felt like a main story, even when it traveled in different directions. we begin to fill in the outline of xie lian, though much of hua cheng is still left a mystery. i will say it was nice to see him in his element in
the misogynistic undertones that are present in the first book are largely absent from this one thankfully, but that's only really because there's no women here.
the reason for it getting a 4.0 is the fact that for the last hundred pages of this book (and the next TWO hundred pages of volume three) we're relegated to a clumsily introduced flashback arc. my issue with mo xiang tong xiu's writing is that she will introduce concepts very early on, and when she suddenly decides its relevant to the plot, she shoves you backwards into at least around a hundred pages of flashback exposition, and then immediately tries to pick backup where she left off. this doesn't mean i don't enjoy the flashbacks themselves per se, just i don't enjoy their ham-fisted inclusion, and often unnecessary and odd length. too detailed on things that don't matter, and a paragraph of exposition on things that do.
the nature of most web novels is that when they move to trad publishing they could use professional editors. mxtx is absolutely no exception to that, and i'm really beginning to understand why this is eight books long.
as a final, seemingly everpresent disclaimer, translation and related issues abound. please stop saying xie lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry, i got it the first six times.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ye_li's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: War
fireswatch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Torture, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
atlanticgiantpumpkin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Outing, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
ankita1996's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cait's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It's hard to discuss Volume 2 of Heaven Official's Blessing without spoiling Volume 1. We continue to follow Xie Lian immediately after the events of the first book - as expected, since this was a serialized web novel that has now been split into multiple books as opposed to an actual series written in parts and over an extended period of time. The Crown Prince is still dealing with the consequences of his actions at Banyue Pass when the Emperor asks him to complete a secretive mission to rescue a missing heavenly official who was least heard from outside of the ghost city run by Hua Cheng. Xie Lian is the only person the Emperor thinks can a) be trusted and b) survive a potential run-in with Hua Cheng during the course of the investigation.
I loved this book almost as much as the first one. Hua Cheng and Xie Lian have the best interactions - who knew rolling dice could be so hot?! - and the second half of the novel is finally diving into Xie Lian's backstory from before he ascended the first time, giving us our very first opportunity to really get to know Mu Qing and Feng Xin and the tumultuousness of their relationship from the start. That, along with the introduction of Rong Rong, has me excited to learn more about how we got to this point with Xie Lian's good luck turned bad (I have theories), Mu Qing's seeming hatred of Xie Lian, Feng Xin's seeming indifference towards Xie Lian, and what exactly drove Hua Cheng to be Hua Cheng.
As ever, the character interactions are second to none, the dialogue is hilarious, and the story-telling maintains all of Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù's signature wit and skill. My only complaint is that I really, really wanted more Hua Cheng, which leads to the fact that I am so excited for Volume 3!
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment