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Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
6 reviews
minamouse's review
- 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
4.25
Not exactly a spoiler, but something to consider:
Moderate: Violence and Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
dolly_rocker's review
- 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’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.
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual content
lackadaisicat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Your mileage may vary, but to my eye almost every scene of romantic or sexual intimacy is coerced, painful, or in some way non-consensual. These content warnings are for the series as a whole, not for the first volume specifically, which doesn't feature such scenes. The first volume is more concerned with childhood bullying and a fixation on death and dismemberment.cait's review
- 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
Minor: Child death, Gore, Violence, Confinement, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Cursing, Death, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Abandonment, Body horror, and Genocide
tamo's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, and War
Minor: Sexism and Death of parent
vigil's review
- 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
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.
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