leslie_mg 's review for:

The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 1 by Natsu Hyuuga

2.5

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This was fine? I’m not sure I quite understand the reaction to this, but that could very much be because I haven’t read the actual manga yet. This was fairly short and somewhat easy to get through, but despite its length I found it be kind of repetitive. The mini plot lines for the mysteries between chapters were pretty formulaic, and certain bits of information and even exact sentences were repeated throughout. The writing itself is also very blunt and monotonous and it made things feels boring, which made it hard for me to connect with the story and characters. 

There’s also some topics that are discussed in an… interesting way. There’s a lot of talk about the eunuchs not being “real men”, and  I understand there’s both cultural and historical context, as well as translation in the mix, but it still wasn’t my favourite. There’s also mentions of pedophilia and consorts of Emperors being quite young, and while again there’s historical context, it didn’t make it less uncomfortable to read about. 

I did enjoy Maomao’s weird girl energy and how she talked to people, especially those who are above her station. I thought her antagonistic relationship with Jinshi was interesting and funny, albeit with some odd moments, and I also liked her interactions with the consorts and their handmaidens. 

I’ll probably try the manga or anime, because I did see promise with premise and characters, but this execution wasn’t for me.