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A review by kamreadsandrecs
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was peripherally aware of the xianxia/danmei boom some years ago, which was led by this series in particular. I remember the hype and excitement when the animated series came out, then when the live action version came out on Netflix. But despite all the hype, I wasn’t that interested; I had other things on my mind then.
Recently, though, one of my close friends managed to talk me into giving xianxia a shot, and after attempting to sell me on a handful of series, I decided to try this one. It was the one that appealed to me most when she started selling me on the genre, and what better place to start than the series that catapulted an entire genre to popularity, right?
And I have to say: I am HOOKED. Not so much on the pairing, though I can see why the entire fandom’s latched onto them and is very invested in them. Wei Wuxian is pretty entertaining, not least because he loves to stir up trouble, while Lan Wangji makes such a wonderful foil for him that the two of them are pretty fun to read about. I wouldn’t say their characterization is very deep, at least not yet, given that this is just the first volume in a series of five, but even if their characterization isn’t all that complex they are still fun to read about, and capable of holding the reader’s attention.
But what really made me latch onto this series were the world-building, and the plot. I am INTRIGUED by the world in which this is set, which is familiar to me from watching historical wuxia movies, but the fantasy-related touches connected to cultivation make it stand out in a different way compared to, say, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (though technically they belong to two different genres, and not just because one’s a book and the other’s a movie). And the plot is VERY engaging: it’s basically a series of supernatural mysteries, with the resolution of one mystery leading into another, with two or three overarching mysteries that will likely stretch across the entirety of the series. I am a SUCKER for that kind of story, and this book structures them in a way that is basically like candy for my brain, and makes me want to keep going.
Which is what I’ll be doing: I’m hopping right into the second volume as soon as I’ve gotten my mitts on it (which won’t be long, thankfully - this is why I got into ebooks!), and I’m going to keep on rolling with this momentum because I REALLY want to find out where this whole thing’s going!
Recently, though, one of my close friends managed to talk me into giving xianxia a shot, and after attempting to sell me on a handful of series, I decided to try this one. It was the one that appealed to me most when she started selling me on the genre, and what better place to start than the series that catapulted an entire genre to popularity, right?
And I have to say: I am HOOKED. Not so much on the pairing, though I can see why the entire fandom’s latched onto them and is very invested in them. Wei Wuxian is pretty entertaining, not least because he loves to stir up trouble, while Lan Wangji makes such a wonderful foil for him that the two of them are pretty fun to read about. I wouldn’t say their characterization is very deep, at least not yet, given that this is just the first volume in a series of five, but even if their characterization isn’t all that complex they are still fun to read about, and capable of holding the reader’s attention.
But what really made me latch onto this series were the world-building, and the plot. I am INTRIGUED by the world in which this is set, which is familiar to me from watching historical wuxia movies, but the fantasy-related touches connected to cultivation make it stand out in a different way compared to, say, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (though technically they belong to two different genres, and not just because one’s a book and the other’s a movie). And the plot is VERY engaging: it’s basically a series of supernatural mysteries, with the resolution of one mystery leading into another, with two or three overarching mysteries that will likely stretch across the entirety of the series. I am a SUCKER for that kind of story, and this book structures them in a way that is basically like candy for my brain, and makes me want to keep going.
Which is what I’ll be doing: I’m hopping right into the second volume as soon as I’ve gotten my mitts on it (which won’t be long, thankfully - this is why I got into ebooks!), and I’m going to keep on rolling with this momentum because I REALLY want to find out where this whole thing’s going!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Death, and Alcohol