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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
Complicated
if you like fantasy / historical manhwa/manhua, you will like this book.
because this book is manhua, but as a novel XD and I cannot say is a bad book, but the story - for me who read manhuas - was not challenging or mysterious at all. I expected the things that happened. Despite that, the story was good thing to relax and chill out. It's nice and light in reading, despite hard topics. I think the biggest flaw of this book is it's problem with feelings. All the scenes that should make me feel something, didn't do it. There were plastic and kind of fake... Still I liked the main character. The love interest didnt have a character though, I mean he had, but at the same time, he didn't if that's make sense. Just... its good book if you want something light and loose for relax, but not if you expect from book something more.
because this book is manhua, but as a novel XD and I cannot say is a bad book, but the story - for me who read manhuas - was not challenging or mysterious at all. I expected the things that happened. Despite that, the story was good thing to relax and chill out. It's nice and light in reading, despite hard topics. I think the biggest flaw of this book is it's problem with feelings. All the scenes that should make me feel something, didn't do it. There were plastic and kind of fake... Still I liked the main character. The love interest didnt have a character though, I mean he had, but at the same time, he didn't if that's make sense. Just... its good book if you want something light and loose for relax, but not if you expect from book something more.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli
★☆☆☆☆ || 1.5/5
---
TL;DR: I wouldn’t recommend this book when decently translated regression novels with this exact plot and better exist and are fairly accessible, but A Bright Heart is probably a good introduction to this particular subgenre.
Generic isekai/villainess/reincarnation/regression trope, written in English.
This is actually my favourite trope/plot to read when reading manhwas or light novels, so I badly wanted to love this story. I cannot emphasise enough how I never get tired of reading this particular plotline. Although the beginning of the stories may seem basic and start the same, there’s so many ways in which an author can take their story. It’s much like how all cookies have the same basic base ingredients, but so many little adjustments and additions that make each flavour unique. However, A Bright Heart doesn’t present any unique or new ideas, and the story feels too rushed overall.
I think the biggest downfall of this story is pacing. The beginning was unbearably slow, but then picks up halfway through the book. All main plot events are brief, under-developed and under-described, and resolved all too quickly. This is comparing to reincarnation light novels I’ve read: I find that CN/KR novels tend to focus more heavily on unraveling the opposition’s plot little by little and drip feeding future plot points (this is of course, aided by the usual 200+ chapters), but these pivotal events in A Bright Heart are too brief to have any impact (see: guqing incident, Hanxin’s sudden marriage proposal). They act as foreshadowing, and only just barely. The butterfly effect of Mingshin’s actions is barely explored in depth. I can concede that surely there must be a happy medium between the two lengths, but it felt as if A Bright Heart was trying to fit too much, in too little words.
The prose itself was quite off-putting as well. It reads juvenile and stilted at times, with an emphasis on descriptors for appearances, and not much else. *“We’re going to stay in my uncle’s home for a while. We shall be very careful. I must warn you, no one in the capital is what they seem. No one.”* This read so awkwardly I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. As an aside, the names Aylin and Lafne are incredibly jarring in a Chinese setting.
I was not a fan of Mingshin. After her regression, she starts off by trying to warn every one of the dangers of the city (seen in quote above), but then proceeds to visit a weaponry shop without a disguise. I understand that deciding to go to the weaponry shop as two women was a decision to push further plot points, but it annoys me that this is after Mingshin clearly said they needed to be wary. Would it not be better off to have Mingshin start off floundering in this newly regained life, then transition her into cunning and intelligent character as she has a firmer grasp on her current self? To add: what's satisfying about this particular subgenre is that you get to see the MC properly thwart obstacles, only to find new, unfamiliar obstacles rise up in her way as a result. None of this occurs in A Bright Heart.
As a rare occurrence, I thought the romance between Jieh and Mingshin was cute. The romance itself could have been better developed, but I think that’s just a issue as a result of pacing of the plot so I don’t have much to add in this case.
To conclude: would not re-read, unlikely to read the sequel.
★☆☆☆☆ || 1.5/5
---
TL;DR: I wouldn’t recommend this book when decently translated regression novels with this exact plot and better exist and are fairly accessible, but A Bright Heart is probably a good introduction to this particular subgenre.
Generic isekai/villainess/reincarnation/regression trope, written in English.
This is actually my favourite trope/plot to read when reading manhwas or light novels, so I badly wanted to love this story. I cannot emphasise enough how I never get tired of reading this particular plotline. Although the beginning of the stories may seem basic and start the same, there’s so many ways in which an author can take their story. It’s much like how all cookies have the same basic base ingredients, but so many little adjustments and additions that make each flavour unique. However, A Bright Heart doesn’t present any unique or new ideas, and the story feels too rushed overall.
I think the biggest downfall of this story is pacing. The beginning was unbearably slow, but then picks up halfway through the book. All main plot events are brief, under-developed and under-described, and resolved all too quickly. This is comparing to reincarnation light novels I’ve read: I find that CN/KR novels tend to focus more heavily on unraveling the opposition’s plot little by little and drip feeding future plot points (this is of course, aided by the usual 200+ chapters), but these pivotal events in A Bright Heart are too brief to have any impact (see: guqing incident, Hanxin’s sudden marriage proposal). They act as foreshadowing, and only just barely. The butterfly effect of Mingshin’s actions is barely explored in depth. I can concede that surely there must be a happy medium between the two lengths, but it felt as if A Bright Heart was trying to fit too much, in too little words.
The prose itself was quite off-putting as well. It reads juvenile and stilted at times, with an emphasis on descriptors for appearances, and not much else. *“We’re going to stay in my uncle’s home for a while. We shall be very careful. I must warn you, no one in the capital is what they seem. No one.”* This read so awkwardly I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. As an aside, the names Aylin and Lafne are incredibly jarring in a Chinese setting.
I was not a fan of Mingshin. After her regression, she starts off by trying to warn every one of the dangers of the city (seen in quote above), but then proceeds to visit a weaponry shop without a disguise. I understand that deciding to go to the weaponry shop as two women was a decision to push further plot points, but it annoys me that this is after Mingshin clearly said they needed to be wary. Would it not be better off to have Mingshin start off floundering in this newly regained life, then transition her into cunning and intelligent character as she has a firmer grasp on her current self? To add: what's satisfying about this particular subgenre is that you get to see the MC properly thwart obstacles, only to find new, unfamiliar obstacles rise up in her way as a result. None of this occurs in A Bright Heart.
As a rare occurrence, I thought the romance between Jieh and Mingshin was cute. The romance itself could have been better developed, but I think that’s just a issue as a result of pacing of the plot so I don’t have much to add in this case.
To conclude: would not re-read, unlikely to read the sequel.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
While I didn't outright dislike this book, I was disappointed reading it. In fact, I almost DNFed it after the first few chapters. The writing style was this book's biggest downfall; the writing was amateurish and sometimes felt very awkward to read. I liked Mingshin for the most part, she made smart decisions and didn't annoy me. Eventually, I started rooting for the romance between Mingshin and Jieh and I liked all the friendships.
The pacing of the story was fine but the world-building could have used a little more work.
Thank you to Netgalley and Union & Co. for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The pacing of the story was fine but the world-building could have used a little more work.
Thank you to Netgalley and Union & Co. for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
A fun adventure enjoyed learning the political machinations of the court, and outsmarting opponents.
adventurous
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:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture