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esmeloa's review against another edition
3.75
So, second danmei it is (just read TGCF so far).
First, yes, as many have said, lots of info dump. It does make it quite hard to read at times, and having watched the donghua first definitely helped me picture all the different characters better when reading the novel. (I was unsure if I should jump right to volume 3 or still read vol 1 and 2 first, but this volume has proven me that it's interesting to read vol 1 and 2 even after having watched the donghua - many scenes are remodeled quite differently in the donghua, toned down let's say.)
I also have some issues with the translation - it's fine for the most part, but"This Shen asks Sect Leader Yan to bring him away with you.” (171) : just why. Why, why. As a comparison in the donghua it went "Take me away with you." Granted that's probably quite a stretch from the original, but this is English we're dealing with. The impact of this line is completely lost in the novel's translation. I understand why it's translated that way, except the utter lack of localization lefts me a bit bewildered as a reader. You cannot possibly read this and feel anything other than "well what was that." As faithful as a translation needs to be it still needs to be natural English. "Bring him away with you" : is it him or is it you? That's just not a proper English sentence. In general I don't understand why danmei translators keep the third tense for characters talking about themselves in English. You wouldn't find that in any novel (I don't know much about Chinese literature, but I read Japanese, in which similarly the third person tense can be used to talk about oneself. Professional translators don't leave the third person tense when translating Japanese novels, because it does not make sense in Western languages.) I'm all for remaining faithful to the original but not when 1. It hinders your comprehension of the text and reduces its impact, and 2. It seems quite random. All the shixiong, shidi, etc are kept but Yan Wushi is somehow "sect leader." The sentence I quoted just really encapsulates why I disagree with certain translation choices in this novel, and wish there were more thorough editing.
Anyway do I love what's going on between Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao yes absolutely so I'm driving into volume 2 rn but here is why it's a 3.75 : info dump (on the author) and questionable translation (on the translator). Otherwise it's so far quite good.
First, yes, as many have said, lots of info dump. It does make it quite hard to read at times, and having watched the donghua first definitely helped me picture all the different characters better when reading the novel. (I was unsure if I should jump right to volume 3 or still read vol 1 and 2 first, but this volume has proven me that it's interesting to read vol 1 and 2 even after having watched the donghua - many scenes are remodeled quite differently in the donghua, toned down let's say.)
I also have some issues with the translation - it's fine for the most part, but
Anyway do I love what's going on between Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao yes absolutely so I'm driving into volume 2 rn but here is why it's a 3.75 : info dump (on the author) and questionable translation (on the translator). Otherwise it's so far quite good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and War
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, and Sexual harassment
laios's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, and Cannibalism
madao3's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual violence, Slavery, Cannibalism, and Toxic friendship
louisegraveyard's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual harassment
unforth's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I simultaneously enjoyed this book more and less than I expected to. Early on, the first few chapters, I was a little worried about how much manipulation would be involved in the relationship between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi. Those fears were quickly proved unfounded (so quickly that I'm not even going to spoiler tag it). However, when all was said and done, I didn't feel like Meng Xi Shi *quite* managed to complete the "enemies to lovers" bridge. While there's an author's note about why things are handled as they are, I didn't really find it satisfying, and I'll admit I'm already pondering writing a "fix it" that bridges what I perceived to be the gap. That said, I still enjoyed the book, and I thought the political aspects of the plot were handled interestingly, though again, I could have wished there was a little more detail so that it'd feel a bit more "complete."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Minor: Sexual violence
There's some dubious consent kissing between the main two characters, before they're in a relationship.