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peerless_princess_mingi's review against another edition
2.0
2,5/5
The begging was enjoyable then the misunderstandings started dragging into the infinite and I became bored the abomination of smut the author put in gave me the rest. Like communication exists please talk to each other. Especially the thoughts of the ML where disgusting, i even doubted his love for the MC.
Like I have meet black/red flags with more understandable inner voices than him.
I sign up for a lot of fuvked up shit (Profundis, code name Anastasia etc.) but they manage to make it work. Not in my fluffy “green flag” novels please
But let’s get to the writing: would you believe me if I say the author is just lazy.
The story starts chronologically from their childhood until now. First of all there is a reason most authors don’t start of that way. It’s supposed to give us familiarity and understanding of the characters. It’s basically a really long and almost unnecessary character introduction. An characterization that is ruined by the smut (which is dub-con bordering
The begging was enjoyable then the misunderstandings started dragging into the infinite and I became bored the abomination of smut the author put in gave me the rest. Like communication exists please talk to each other. Especially the thoughts of the ML where disgusting, i even doubted his love for the MC.
Like I have meet black/red flags with more understandable inner voices than him.
I sign up for a lot of fuvked up shit (Profundis, code name Anastasia etc.) but they manage to make it work. Not in my fluffy “green flag” novels please
But let’s get to the writing: would you believe me if I say the author is just lazy.
The story starts chronologically from their childhood until now. First of all there is a reason most authors don’t start of that way. It’s supposed to give us familiarity and understanding of the characters. It’s basically a really long and almost unnecessary character introduction. An characterization that is ruined by the smut (which is dub-con bordering
icedragonchilde's review against another edition
I loved the first third of the book, when the boys are kids together and growing up through all their hardships.
Once they became adults, and thr Garuda and Governor respectively, the pacing just felt really slow. There was a ton of court politics, which wasn't necessarily the problem--the problem was that the same basic things seemed to be happening over and over with very little real change, and it just got not only depressing but tedious.
I still like the main pairing a lot, and it's fascinating to see such a morally dark protagonist of a danmei, but in the end it just became a bit of a slog to read.
Once they became adults, and thr Garuda and Governor respectively, the pacing just felt really slow. There was a ton of court politics, which wasn't necessarily the problem--the problem was that the same basic things seemed to be happening over and over with very little real change, and it just got not only depressing but tedious.
I still like the main pairing a lot, and it's fascinating to see such a morally dark protagonist of a danmei, but in the end it just became a bit of a slog to read.
rachelselene's review against another edition
4.0
”he is other people’s hell, but he is my bliss.”
i cried!!! i loved xiahou lian’s arc and this romance was extremely tender hurt/comfort, aka my kryptonite. i feel like it took me a while to sink into the story, but by the time i reached volume two i was hooked and would have glued myself to my tablet if physically possible. now I’M the one who needs a hug
i cried!!! i loved xiahou lian’s arc and this romance was extremely tender hurt/comfort, aka my kryptonite. i feel like it took me a while to sink into the story, but by the time i reached volume two i was hooked and would have glued myself to my tablet if physically possible. now I’M the one who needs a hug
ranjulian's review against another edition
3.0
It's actually kinda not what I expected, it is both satisfying and dissatisfying
I belive the governor hair were black but gradually grow some white hair a little (probably due to stress) but the fanarts always had him is silver hair, kinda confused
At some part I just think that the building of their romantic rls kinda off at the beginning, I like possessive and obsessive xie jinglan a lot, didn't expect him to be the gong tho, not that I hate it, it just because I like smug, proud shou more idk, I'm making nonsense atp
This also probably the first time that I like side character as much as main character, if not more. Chi yan is just entertaining
I got bored by the second half of story, it just kinda tasking finishing this. Idk why. Probably reading block.
Anyway that's it
I belive the governor hair were black but gradually grow some white hair a little (probably due to stress) but the fanarts always had him is silver hair, kinda confused
At some part I just think that the building of their romantic rls kinda off at the beginning, I like possessive and obsessive xie jinglan a lot, didn't expect him to be the gong tho, not that I hate it, it just because I like smug, proud shou more idk, I'm making nonsense atp
This also probably the first time that I like side character as much as main character, if not more. Chi yan is just entertaining
I got bored by the second half of story, it just kinda tasking finishing this. Idk why. Probably reading block.
Anyway that's it
tap's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book is so damn good. A breath of fresh air, a couple that's so stubbornly in love with each other, it's like fire meeting fire.
Side characters are well written! Carries the book to a tee.
The Xiaohou or Chi family deserved so much more T^T In my mind, they are in an AU where Garan doesn't exist and they're just a normal family.
Side characters are well written! Carries the book to a tee.
sentriiel's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
annieni's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
3.75
the miscommunications throughout the novel actually wanted to infuriate me to death, but i did enjoy everything else….i’m glad it’s the ending i wanted for xiahou lian & xie jinglan :,)
abiss_ale's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
alexsiae's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
2.5
fruitys's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
if any publisher decides to translate and publish an official english version of this i would buy it in a heartbeat!!
on a more serious note, this book has such a good exploration of grief and strained mother-son relationships. i also love how it delves deeply into the lives of assassins, and the pressure and moral conundrums that they have to deal with while being forced into a profession that makes them take lives for a livelihood.
some other things i really enjoyed:
- the way the story circles back to xie jinglan and the old house where they first met
- all the character & r/ship foils to our main characters
- xiahou pei and xiahou lian in particular really made me cry inside. she wasn't objectively the most nurturing mother but she tried her best and she did a good job in the only way that she knew how to.
- the side characters were really good (situ jin and tang shiqi especially)
- shen jue is an enigma to me even by the time the story ends, and i like it better that way because i still keep thinking about him after finishing the book. but i look at some of the things he does and i'm like, the title is pretty accurate. he's sick alright. sick in the head, or love sick. whatever you want to call it. i want to discuss him and pick apart his character with someone else to understand his thought process.
- garan as an organization truly encapsulates mystery. everything from their masks to the clothes they wear, to their code of conduct, loyalties, rules, mid-july, the mountain location is so good. i would read an entire separate book exploring the politics and life of people within garan.
- the catchphrase (or wham line, if you prefer) - "sending XXX to the Land of Bliss". gives me chills everytime i read it. especially when we hear it being said to shen jue and when xiahou lian says it at the end.
- chi yan was just awesome. i really wonder what happened to him once he leaves the main stage and i really don't understand his motivations but boy is he one hell of a good assassin and fighter. i particularly remember some of the fight scenes towards the end when he joins forces with xiahou lian because reading them gave me chills too. somebody please take note of the body count he's racked up throughout this whole novel
- on that note, someone also please take note of the body count for the entire novel because i'm pretty damn sure a lot of people died. i've never read a danmei with this many individual death/execution scenes (so far)
- overall, a really good story. it's rare that i find a novel which i love wholeheartedly (enough for me to buy a hardcopy book and keep it) and i've only found them in danmei.
on a more serious note, this book has such a good exploration of grief and strained mother-son relationships. i also love how it delves deeply into the lives of assassins, and the pressure and moral conundrums that they have to deal with while being forced into a profession that makes them take lives for a livelihood.
some other things i really enjoyed:
- the way the story circles back to xie jinglan and the old house where they first met
- all the character & r/ship foils to our main characters
- xiahou pei and xiahou lian in particular really made me cry inside. she wasn't objectively the most nurturing mother but she tried her best and she did a good job in the only way that she knew how to.
- the side characters were really good (situ jin and tang shiqi especially)
- shen jue is an enigma to me even by the time the story ends, and i like it better that way because i still keep thinking about him after finishing the book. but i look at some of the things he does and i'm like, the title is pretty accurate. he's sick alright. sick in the head, or love sick. whatever you want to call it. i want to discuss him and pick apart his character with someone else to understand his thought process.
- garan as an organization truly encapsulates mystery. everything from their masks to the clothes they wear, to their code of conduct, loyalties, rules, mid-july, the mountain location is so good. i would read an entire separate book exploring the politics and life of people within garan.
- the catchphrase (or wham line, if you prefer) - "sending XXX to the Land of Bliss". gives me chills everytime i read it. especially when we hear it being said to shen jue and when xiahou lian says it at the end.
- chi yan was just awesome. i really wonder what happened to him once he leaves the main stage and i really don't understand his motivations but boy is he one hell of a good assassin and fighter. i particularly remember some of the fight scenes towards the end when he joins forces with xiahou lian because reading them gave me chills too. somebody please take note of the body count he's racked up throughout this whole novel
- on that note, someone also please take note of the body count for the entire novel because i'm pretty damn sure a lot of people died. i've never read a danmei with this many individual death/execution scenes (so far)
- overall, a really good story. it's rare that i find a novel which i love wholeheartedly (enough for me to buy a hardcopy book and keep it) and i've only found them in danmei.