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![天官赐福 [Heaven Official's Blessing] by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu](https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/xudlw0f3khclp99ehbnt8vuvsshf)
4.7 AVERAGE
4.7 AVERAGE
yyds her works r ALWAYS A GODSEND i cried like 3 or 4 times
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ok this was my favourite book ever i’ll write a review at some point wtf sidnfkdkskdd
1. The thing is, I can intellectually recognize that TGCF is a work of epic scale and multiple intertwining plotlines but at the end of the day it did not cosh me over the head and drag me into the story as much as [b:魔道祖师 Mo Dao Zu Shi |33310533|魔道祖师 Mo Dao Zu Shi |墨香铜臭|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567521548l/33310533._SX50_.jpg|54048872] did.
2. Which is not to say that it's not a good story with interesting characters. I have huuuge soft spots for Ling Wen, Mu Qing, Quan Yizhen, Yin Yu, Shi QingXuan and our darling dianxia. I also have smaller soft spots for oh- almost everyone else and let me tell you I was not expecting to like Pei Ming's chauvinistic ass as much as I did.
3. The basic structure of TGCF is this- Xie Lian (aka our darling dianxia, who is functionally a newly ascended god but actually has been one for about 800 years a lot of things happened okay) gets sent to investigate various weird problems popping up on earth. Each of these problems involve multiple heavenly officials fucking around with each other and the stakes get higher with every mini episode. Each case also introduces us to a different set of gods and ghosts, and at times I was far more involved in their subplots than I was in the main plot. (And there is a overarching plot, even if it takes us a while to get there.)
4. There are a lot of little details I love about this story. Xie Lian looks and acts very much like a himbo who should not be trusted to lace up his own sandals (bless him. have him bless us?) but is actually very perceptive and that is continuously entertaining because everyone around him understandably thinks he is a dumbass. Just My Qing and Feng Xin in general. The gods and ghosts who aren't batshit crazy are hilariously entertaining. A lot of the worldbuilding is really good (there's a lot of gore, which I have realized is an MXTX staple). The flashback episodes were pretty emotionally ravaging. And okay, I was not the hugest fan of Hua Cheng (the love interest) when we started out but I started warming up to him once we saw more of his demented inner fanboy.
5. I do think the structure harmed my perceptions of the story because while I realize that this is just one long romance novel with side-quests, it didn't feel like one. Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are a perfectly lovely couple but I wasn't you know- emotionally invested in their relationship. Was I happy that there was one person who did not let down my sweet summer child Xie Lian in his darkest hours? Yes. Does unflappable eternal devotion make for a romantic narrative that is going to appeal to me personally? Not so much. HuaLian are sweet, but I was always more interested in the mystery (and carnage) subplots than I was in their relationship.
6. There were two subplots that did make me emotionally invested. Not to the point of tears, but oh I was very definitely invested. One was the story of the man who lost his wife and child which was- ouch. That was horrible. That was the Yi City equivalent of TGCF, except that there wasn't nearly enough of it. The other was the relationship between Quan YiZhen and Yin Yu. I would have happily taken more of those subplots. Or maybe not so happily because they were both very upsetting? Special mention to Mu Qing and his everlasting sneer (it's a medical condition) and his survivalist mentality. You're an ass, but I appreciate you.
7. I think MXTX has a real gift for tragedy. Not needless angst, but tragedy of the worst sort- where every person tried their best but because of circumstances, because of who they were or who their loved ones were, things still turned out horribly. It's a Trainwreck and you can't even take solace in the parts of your brain criticizing the characters because well- what else were they supposed to do? I also think that the humor in her stories (all three of the novels I've read have made me laugh multiple times) makes me appreciate the tragedy that much more. I'm a sucker for a tragic farce.
8. Anyway, this book was somewhat uneven, but there was definitely enough to keep me reading during a time where my patience was at an all time low. So yay?
2. Which is not to say that it's not a good story with interesting characters. I have huuuge soft spots for Ling Wen, Mu Qing, Quan Yizhen, Yin Yu, Shi QingXuan and our darling dianxia. I also have smaller soft spots for oh- almost everyone else and let me tell you I was not expecting to like Pei Ming's chauvinistic ass as much as I did.
3. The basic structure of TGCF is this- Xie Lian (aka our darling dianxia, who is functionally a newly ascended god but actually has been one for about 800 years a lot of things happened okay) gets sent to investigate various weird problems popping up on earth. Each of these problems involve multiple heavenly officials fucking around with each other and the stakes get higher with every mini episode. Each case also introduces us to a different set of gods and ghosts, and at times I was far more involved in their subplots than I was in the main plot. (And there is a overarching plot, even if it takes us a while to get there.)
4. There are a lot of little details I love about this story. Xie Lian looks and acts very much like a himbo who should not be trusted to lace up his own sandals (bless him. have him bless us?) but is actually very perceptive and that is continuously entertaining because everyone around him understandably thinks he is a dumbass. Just My Qing and Feng Xin in general. The gods and ghosts who aren't batshit crazy are hilariously entertaining. A lot of the worldbuilding is really good (there's a lot of gore, which I have realized is an MXTX staple). The flashback episodes were pretty emotionally ravaging. And okay, I was not the hugest fan of Hua Cheng (the love interest) when we started out but I started warming up to him once we saw more of his demented inner fanboy.
5. I do think the structure harmed my perceptions of the story because while I realize that this is just one long romance novel with side-quests, it didn't feel like one. Hua Cheng and Xie Lian are a perfectly lovely couple but I wasn't you know- emotionally invested in their relationship. Was I happy that there was one person who did not let down my sweet summer child Xie Lian in his darkest hours? Yes. Does unflappable eternal devotion make for a romantic narrative that is going to appeal to me personally? Not so much. HuaLian are sweet, but I was always more interested in the mystery (and carnage) subplots than I was in their relationship.
6. There were two subplots that did make me emotionally invested. Not to the point of tears, but oh I was very definitely invested. One was the story of the man who lost his wife and child which was- ouch. That was horrible. That was the Yi City equivalent of TGCF, except that there wasn't nearly enough of it. The other was the relationship between Quan YiZhen and Yin Yu. I would have happily taken more of those subplots. Or maybe not so happily because they were both very upsetting? Special mention to Mu Qing and his everlasting sneer (it's a medical condition) and his survivalist mentality. You're an ass, but I appreciate you.
7. I think MXTX has a real gift for tragedy. Not needless angst, but tragedy of the worst sort- where every person tried their best but because of circumstances, because of who they were or who their loved ones were, things still turned out horribly. It's a Trainwreck and you can't even take solace in the parts of your brain criticizing the characters because well- what else were they supposed to do? I also think that the humor in her stories (all three of the novels I've read have made me laugh multiple times) makes me appreciate the tragedy that much more. I'm a sucker for a tragic farce.
8. Anyway, this book was somewhat uneven, but there was definitely enough to keep me reading during a time where my patience was at an all time low. So yay?
MY GOD mxtx really knows how to write good stories. Xie Lian's arc aside, all the subplots were so well written and tragic and compelling and I honestly wish I could read more about them. The Black Water arc and Wuyong arc were my favorites and those two arcs alone already made this book an absolute 5 stars read for me.
Most romantic shit I ever read that didn't involve cannibalism <3
edit: that didn't involve the main characters engaging in cannibalism
edit: that didn't involve the main characters engaging in cannibalism
