Reviews - Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1

2.79k reviews for:

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1

Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

4.41 AVERAGE

historyfreak's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous funny mysterious medium-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

clockworkqueen's review

4.5

adventurous funny 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

cveenks's review

3.0

adventurous challenging fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Removing a couple of stars, because while I enjoyed it, the translation is really rough.

ally_ducky's review against another edition

5.0

“No one could be worshipped on divine alter forever. Legends were merely legends”

lutawolf's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

Set in a richly imagined xianxia world of cultivation sects, spiritual arts, and political intrigue, Volume 1 introduces Wei Wuxian—brilliant, irreverent, and destined to walk an unorthodox path. The novel opens after his mysterious death and sudden resurrection, then alternates between present‑day investigation and flashbacks to his youth, friendships, and the choices that shaped his reputation as the feared “Yiling Patriarch.”

Dual Timeline Structure
The back‑and‑forth between past and present builds intrigue while slowly revealing the emotional core of the story, particularly the bond between Wei Wuxian and the reserved, principled Lan Wangji.
Moral Ambiguity & Survivor Resonance
The narrative refuses to flatten characters into “good” or “evil.” Instead, it explores how loyalty, trauma, and societal pressure shape choices, a dynamic that invites survivor‑informed reading without demanding moral purity.
Worldbuilding with Texture
Sect politics, cultivation techniques, and supernatural threats are woven into the plot without overwhelming it. The result is a setting that feels lived‑in, with cultural rituals and interpersonal etiquette adding depth.
Humor as Lifeline
Wei Wuxian’s wit and irreverence act as both charm and shield, balancing darker plot elements with moments of levity that keep the emotional load manageable.

While Volume 1 contains violence, betrayal, and grief, it’s framed within a narrative arc that promises, and eventually delivers, deep connection, loyalty, and hard‑earned joy. The romance is a slow burn, with emotional beats that reward patience rather than shock.

corsetedfeminist's review against another edition

5.0

dark funny 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

The Yingling Patriarch was dead: to begin with….
There is no doubt that he was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate.
Everyone knows that he died as a result of his own demonic cultivation backfiring.
It had been 13 years, and he was still dead.
Until Yingling Patriarch, courtesy name Wei Wuxian, wakes up in the body of young man being roughed up by his family for the sin of being mentally insane and a cut sleeve- in other words, very gay.
Wei Wuxian embraces this personality as a way to hide his own identity. This only sort of works, but thankfully he hasn’t been around anyone yet who knew him in his past life.
That doesn’t last long, however, because a paranormal incident brings in Lan Wangji, a dignified young man who Wei Wuxian knew as a young man when he spent some time in the Lan cultivation sect. Lan Wangji was the crisp, proper foil to Wei Wuxian’s perpetual chaos and mischief, so naturally they did not get along at all.
Lan Wangji takes one look at this strange man, enthusiastically pretending to be out of his mind, and recognizes that weird kid he went to school with who then tried to take over the world.
However, there is no time to hash out such minor details as That Time You Took My Booze, because there is a possessed hand to deal with. And a building that eats people. And several other supernatural incidents that make up a wonderful paranormal plotline to frame the relationship development between our main couple.
I love Wei Wuxian. He’s competent, and good hearted, and also absolutely unhinged. It turns out that maybe his act of being an insane homosexual was about 90% real. The other 10% is his denial about how often he comments on how hot Lan Wangji is.
Lan Wangji is very quiet and stoic and dignified, but he has a deeply gentle soul that Wei Wuxian spends the entire book trying not to notice. However, the scene where he gets drunk and calls Wei Wuxian “Mine”?!?! Swoon. (Wei Wuxian quickly explains this away.)
I’m really excited to see where both the paranormal mystery and the relationship will end up, and to spend more time with these (very straight) characters.

theroyalsavage's review against another edition

4.5

have you tried turning your grandmaster of demonic cultivation off and then back on again?

kassiopeiamithut's review against another edition

3.0

challenging funny mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Spannende Charaktere und gutes World-building. Zeitsprünge sind spannend. Für meinen Geschmack zu viele technische Details und langwierige Beschreibungen. Die Bilder drin sind ultra ästhetisch. Sind mir zu wenig weibliche Charaktere. Habe einige Zeit gebraucht, mich an die Fantasy-Welt und vor allem die chinesischen Namen zu gewöhnen, deshalb sehr sehr slow read. Will wissen wie es weiter geht aber weiß noch nicht, ob ich mich dazu überwinden kann, mich durch den zweiten Band zu beißen.