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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
This was soooo good with enough intrigue in the mystery and some tastefully placed bits of romance to keep me feeling invested. I liked Hyeon and witnessing her character grow as the story went on. I also loved Hyeon and Eojin's partnership. The romance between them didn't feel unnatural at all; it developed in a way that made sense for their characters. Plus, the descriptions of their interactions and Hyeon's feelings in the moment painted a vivid picture, like I was watching a K-drama. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Michelle H. Lee, and I think she did an amazing job portraying the mood and emotions of the story as well! :)
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
No
it was ok… wayyy too short and rushed though. romance was not romancing and was kind of unnecessary. idk next time i will just read the memoirs of lady hyegyeong
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
emotional
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
It's one of my favourite books of 2025 so far! The murder intrigue was nice, exploring Joseong era Korea was a nice change for me and I liked the historical aspects of it, and the romance was adorable. I adored this book and devoured it with much joy.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I swear, the epilogue of this book is the best part. The ending was so satisfying, oh my god??? Maybe it hit even harder because I spent three-quarters of the book struggling with boredom… so when everything finally picked up and started making sense, it felt like such a relief.
Because, honestly? I was so underwhelmed at first. The romance felt underdeveloped, the pacing was slow, the mystery wasn’t all that intriguing, and the characters didn’t really stand out to me. But thank god for that last quarter—it finally did the story justice.
P.S. I can't help but imagine Hyeon (the MC) and Eojin (the ML) as Maomao and Jinshi from Kusuriya no Hitorigoto—I have no idea why, but I just do 😭
Because, honestly? I was so underwhelmed at first. The romance felt underdeveloped, the pacing was slow, the mystery wasn’t all that intriguing, and the characters didn’t really stand out to me. But thank god for that last quarter—it finally did the story justice.
P.S. I can't help but imagine Hyeon (the MC) and Eojin (the ML) as Maomao and Jinshi from Kusuriya no Hitorigoto—I have no idea why, but I just do 😭
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
mysterious
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:
No