Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong (Novel) Vol. 3 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

4 reviews

dolly_rocker's review

adventurous dark emotional funny fast-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

The series gets 4 stars because I loved it as a whole, but, whoooo boy, did this book go downhill in the third act. It feels as though MXTX ran out of steam at the end and wanted to wrap up the story. So I’m giving this book 3.75 stars. I wanted to love it, but it left me unsatisfied, especially because this is the ending of the main storyline. Although there is another volume with follow-up stories.

I was with this book through many of the wonderfully heartfelt scenes in the holy mausoleum, and getting a developed backstory on Shen Jiu and Tianlang Jun was pretty satisfying. The climactic twist felt earned, if abrupt and underdeveloped.

But that NSFW scene and the resolution thereafter? I dunno. At this point we know full well that Shen QingQiu and Luo BingHe are an emotionally unhealthy pair whose miscommunications have led to a result that feels fated — and not in a good way — no matter what version of the story they’re in.

LBH goes fully yandere at the end to a degree that is borderline abusive and certainly not satisfyingly resolved. He channels the cruelty of the original LBH in many ways, and without the constant reminder of his empathetic backstory, it would leave the reader dreading that maybe he was the villain all along, or maybe SQQ’s choice to deny LBH’s agency made LBH’s progression to darkness unavoidable. It’s a huge red flag that SQQ is left with little choice but to endure a violently painful and weirdly written dubcon scene in order to “save the world.”

While I understand that this was intended to subvert the fuck-or-die trope, as well as certain tropes about love and consent, even so, this is trauma that is ultimately under-explored. So yeah, the author kinda missed the mark on this one. Which sucks, because it was the most important mark of all, IMO. And in this work that is not known for subtlety in subtext, the final act certainly could’ve used more substance and less subtlety.

I know we were never going to get heartfelt love confessions from either of these two, but I worry for their future relationship, and I hope the fourth book allows for some healthier relationship growth.

Overall, this story is about breaking out of roles: the ones a system forces on us, the ones we endure because of circumstances or the choices of others that impact us, but — most importantly — the ones we force on ourselves. It’s also about learning how not to force those roles onto others. I do feel like the series ultimately addressed that topic well. I just wish the author had stuck the landing better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Homophobia, Ableism, and Misogyny

keddy4306's review

dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

If it wasn't for the

extreme dubcon

I would probably give this 4⭐️ I just can't overlook

papapa to save the world

This book does contain all of the good content.

Shen Qingqiu's soul is pulled back to his original body and he wakes up in the Holy Mausoleum of the Demon Race. Sqq meets Luo Binghe's daddy, Tianlang-jun, and snake-bro, Zhuzhi-Lang.

Lbh shows up to rescue Sqq, but gets beat up because his qi is depleted from trying to keep Sqq's mushroom body sustained for multiple days, then busting into the holy mausoleum and fighting two demons. Sqq protects Lbh and we get the sexy coffin scene of the book.

Our boys almost get away, but Sqq has been gargling too much demon blood and has Zhuzhi-Lang, Tianlang-jun and Luo Binghe's tapeworms fighting inside. Daddy demon and snake-bro take sqq and we get a bunch of funny throuple jokes. Liu Qingge comes to rescue Sqq and Lbh tags along. Hilarity ensues. 

We do all the character work for several characters, including the sect leader and Lbh's parents, then defeat the final boss and Lbh gets taken over again by the demon sword. Extreme dubcon happens and we papapa to save the world.

The story ends with

everyone happy and Bingqiu being coupley.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Abortion

extreme dubcon

vigil's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

adhdru's review

adventurous dark emotional funny tense 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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Abandonment, Ableism, Grief, Mental illness, Sexism, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Violence, War, Outing, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Slavery and Trafficking