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Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
11 reviews
laedyred's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It was...fine? The plot is not particularly interesting in terms of the actual events that happen, even though the idea of the situation, "series in a series" has a lot of potential. The romance component is forced, there's justification for It. The text was originally written on a writing website and it shows. The writing is high school level at best. Another thing that bothered me greatly is the language about women and the female characters, and the fetishization underage girls (and some boys). I understand that part of this story is parodying the nasty things in stories written for men, but there was too much of it and no "redemption" by reversing the criticism. I was surprised to learn that the author is a woman. I deducted half a star for the rampant misogyny.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
dolly_rocker's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.5
I have never binged a series so fast in my life. My love for this is like LBH’s love for SQQ — burning from the abyss and laden with the perpetual urge to slap the shit out of everyone.
I’d been putting off reading SVSSS because I heard it was MXTX’s worst and most problematic series. So I went into this expecting to hate it.
Boy, was I WRONG. Because yes, while this is not nearly as polished or romantic as the other two, this ended up being my favorite series of hers because it is funny, the characters are so damn likable, and —above all —it forces you to think about EVERYTHING.
This book is not what I would call MXTX’s most prolific or subtle writing. She hammers home, to a sometimes annoying degree, that nothing should be taken at face value. While the book certainly bears the trappings of a debut writer, everything she writes carries a deeper criticism, and she uses satire to do it, which I think is why I loved it so much even when I found the prose and the pacing lacking. (And it’s a translation, so I’m sure a lot of the nuance is lost.)
This series is full of characters that explore problematic BL and harem novel tropes, power dynamics, internalized misogyny and homophobia, and consent issues. And that’s the point. At its heart, this series is both a criticism of toxic masculine tropes AND terrible romance tropes. SQQ and LBH both embody and subvert the tsundere and yandere trope pretty well, and even as ostensible characters in an “uber-masculine” setting, they exchange gender roles and tropes frequently.
From the get go, MXTX lays the groundwork for a satire narrated by an extremely online internet troll who is, in reality, an unreliable and closeted gay guy. I have seen criticisms that Shen QingQiu is not in love with Luo BingHe, which are baffling to me, because his obsession (with the character, at least) is blatant early on, to the point where he is criticizing the other “love interests” for the way they interact with LBH and getting defensive about his own intrusive thoughts. And yes, their relationship starts off sketchy because it’s built on the idea that SQQ sees LBH as a book character without agency, not to mention a questionable teacher/student power dynamic.
I thought I would hate SQQ, but he is so damn lovable, even though his internalized homophobia is fucking annoying.
I’ll not spoil it more, but if you’re looking for an unproblematic comfort read or a heart-wrenching romantic drama, look elsewhere. But if you’re willing to sit with discomfort and analyze the text and have a fucking amazing time while doing it, this might be the series for you.
I’d been putting off reading SVSSS because I heard it was MXTX’s worst and most problematic series. So I went into this expecting to hate it.
Boy, was I WRONG. Because yes, while this is not nearly as polished or romantic as the other two, this ended up being my favorite series of hers because it is funny, the characters are so damn likable, and —above all —it forces you to think about EVERYTHING.
This book is not what I would call MXTX’s most prolific or subtle writing. She hammers home, to a sometimes annoying degree, that nothing should be taken at face value. While the book certainly bears the trappings of a debut writer, everything she writes carries a deeper criticism, and she uses satire to do it, which I think is why I loved it so much even when I found the prose and the pacing lacking. (And it’s a translation, so I’m sure a lot of the nuance is lost.)
This series is full of characters that explore problematic BL and harem novel tropes, power dynamics, internalized misogyny and homophobia, and consent issues. And that’s the point. At its heart, this series is both a criticism of toxic masculine tropes AND terrible romance tropes. SQQ and LBH both embody and subvert the tsundere and yandere trope pretty well, and even as ostensible characters in an “uber-masculine” setting, they exchange gender roles and tropes frequently.
From the get go, MXTX lays the groundwork for a satire narrated by an extremely online internet troll who is, in reality, an unreliable and closeted gay guy. I have seen criticisms that Shen QingQiu is not in love with Luo BingHe, which are baffling to me, because his obsession (with the character, at least) is blatant early on, to the point where he is criticizing the other “love interests” for the way they interact with LBH and getting defensive about his own intrusive thoughts. And yes, their relationship starts off sketchy because it’s built on the idea that SQQ sees LBH as a book character without agency, not to mention a questionable teacher/student power dynamic.
I thought I would hate SQQ, but he is so damn lovable, even though his internalized homophobia is fucking annoying.
I’ll not spoil it more, but if you’re looking for an unproblematic comfort read or a heart-wrenching romantic drama, look elsewhere. But if you’re willing to sit with discomfort and analyze the text and have a fucking amazing time while doing it, this might be the series for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
green_amaryllis's review
adventurous
funny
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Misogyny
graceskate's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Child abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Chronic illness, Sexism, Misogyny, Racism, Xenophobia, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Torture, and Adult/minor relationship
hamohero's review
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? Yes
3.5
Is this book well written? No. Does this book have depth? Not really. Is this book fun? Hell yeaaahh
I can't tell if it's a translation issue or more of of the actual writing style, but the narration reminds me of a summary/blog post. it actually reminds me the crackfics I read as a youth, paper thin substance but strangely addicting, turn-off-your-brain kind of story. Every character is pretty 2d but whatever, I still wanna know what happens.
Tldr: don't take it seriously and you might just enjoy this book
I can't tell if it's a translation issue or more of of the actual writing style, but the narration reminds me of a summary/blog post. it actually reminds me the crackfics I read as a youth, paper thin substance but strangely addicting, turn-off-your-brain kind of story. Every character is pretty 2d but whatever, I still wanna know what happens.
Tldr: don't take it seriously and you might just enjoy this book
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny
pvbobrien's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, Grief, Violence, Body horror, and Death
Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Medical content, Sexism, Misogyny, and Murder
levtolstoy's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
Fucking love it! The story is very amusing, but it still has some gore to it. Illustrations are stunning and translation is coherent! Character & name guide and glossary were very useful as well.
I actually started reading the novel even before the official translation came out. However, I didn't finish it. I had stopped somewhere in the middle. The novel didn't intrigued me as much as MDZS had (I've read it before reading SVSSS and my heart still belongs to Wangxian). However in this break I had learned the crucial piece of information: MXTX wrote this for her own amusement. Her work should not be take (to) seriously. With this I could finally enjoy SVSSS and I LOVED it.
I actually started reading the novel even before the official translation came out. However, I didn't finish it. I had stopped somewhere in the middle. The novel didn't intrigued me as much as MDZS had (I've read it before reading SVSSS and my heart still belongs to Wangxian). However in this break I had learned the crucial piece of information: MXTX wrote this for her own amusement. Her work should not be take (to) seriously. With this I could finally enjoy SVSSS and I LOVED it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Child abuse and Murder
Minor: Misogyny and Sexism
vigil's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
this a definitely a page turner, i read it in only three days, and definitely could have finished sooner if i cared too.
everything about the plot and dynamic between sqq and binghe is fucked up, but it’s given a much lighter weight due to the humor, self-awareness, and general satirical take by the narrative.
because this is one novel split over multiple volumes, the pacing is out of sorts. this rears it head especially in the ending, cutting off both anti- climatically and abruptly. however, considering the alternative is an about 1000 page book, i think it was ultimately the right choice.
all in all, i had a great time and if you’re into two solid red flags finding love, i’d recommend this series.
everything about the plot and dynamic between sqq and binghe is fucked up, but it’s given a much lighter weight due to the humor, self-awareness, and general satirical take by the narrative.
because this is one novel split over multiple volumes, the pacing is out of sorts. this rears it head especially in the ending, cutting off both anti- climatically and abruptly. however, considering the alternative is an about 1000 page book, i think it was ultimately the right choice.
all in all, i had a great time and if you’re into two solid red flags finding love, i’d recommend this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, and Violence
teagstime's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- 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
I read the entire novel when it was just an unofficial fan-translation, and words can't express how excited I am for an official one! This first volume sets up for the rest mostly by establishing relationships, giving the reader a feel for our main character's unreliable, hilarious narration, and by ending after a rather momentous (read: tragic) plot point !
Simply put: Scum Villain vol1 is a wonderfully fun read about a chronically online dude who dies & becomes the antagonist in his favorite book to hate-read. Shen Yuan/Qingqiu is a stupidly charming and charmingly stupid protag, and Luo Binghe is just perfect... He's never done anything wrong ever actually ( ꈍᴗꈍ) Don't be fooled by the lighthearted tone though-- next volume's gonna be SAD 💔
Simply put: Scum Villain vol1 is a wonderfully fun read about a chronically online dude who dies & becomes the antagonist in his favorite book to hate-read. Shen Yuan/Qingqiu is a stupidly charming and charmingly stupid protag, and Luo Binghe is just perfect... He's never done anything wrong ever actually ( ꈍᴗꈍ) Don't be fooled by the lighthearted tone though-- next volume's gonna be SAD 💔
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Torture
Minor: Sexism, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Misogyny
The CA happened in the past, and is never inflicted on the child again in the course of the novel/nor was it ever inflicted by the protagonist. A few scenes of bullying also occur, as well as descriptions of past bullying. The homophobia's very light-- mostly a few thoughts/jokes by an incredibly repressed 'straight' man. The sexist/misogynistic comments aren't too bad either, many are simply jabs at harem/stallion novel tropes, and are often called out for being ridiculous.adhdru's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A metastory – or more specifically, transmigration – by MXTX was bound to be excellent and so far, it has not disappointed!
I found the main characters easy to love:
I found the main characters easy to love:
- Shen Qingqiu (Peerless Cucumber) with his 'anti' attitude toward the book and the author, always criticising the logic of events or naming within the novel, and always bantering with the system and his absolute (unconscious) weakness for Binghe
- Luo Binghe being a real 'white lotus', remaining kind-hearted after all the abuse and pain he suffered in such a short life, even going beyond forgiving his Shizhun and completely devoting himself to him after only a couple shows of kindness (or plain human decency, to be honest)
This book touches on deep subjects like bullying, child abuse, socio-economic injustice, etc., in a way that – in my opinion – both acknowledges how important and terribly wrong they are, while still staying hilarious for the most part.
One thing that bothered me a lot was the sexism painted all over the novel portraying women – with a couple of exceptions – as weak and vain and in need to uphold absurd standards of purity and propriety lest they be undesirable to men... Which, unlike many of the things within the novel, did not strike me to be written in an ironic or mocking fashion, but rather in an unchecked internalised sexism kinda way.
I do wish, however, we'd gotten to see a bit more of
There's obviously the hint of a developing romance between the leads which could be disturbing for some as it's technically an adult/minor relationship, however, nothing of a sexual or romantic nature happens between them yet. This is really just setting the ground for what's to come, with the only signs of characters being conscious about this aspect coming from the minor (Luo Binghe) and not the adult.
DO READ CONTENT WARNINGS BEFORE PICKING THIS UP, ITS THEMES AND TROPES ARE DEFINITELY NOT FOR EVERYONE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent