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A review by deliciouscheese
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
4.0
Over the past few years I've watched the drama, watched the donghua, read the manhua, and finally picking up the book series (so I could be a little biased towards my original introductions to this story).
While it was an easy and fun read, I was quite a bit disappointed to find this official translation is far more a transliteration. This is my first time reading an official translation of a danmei, and while it's certainly cleaner and a bit easier to read, it just didn't quite feel right? I was already put off on the first page seeing what I assume was a particular dialect translated into what looked like a southern accent (never did I think I'd see the word "ain't" used in a danmei). In fan translations I've read of other series they're usually heavily footnoted because they choose to leave in all the intricacies of the Chinese language (proverbs, idioms, addressments, etc) which I feel especially aides in better understanding the relationships between the characters. You really don't get that with this novel.
On the story itself I was quite surprised to find that, in contrast to its adaptations that only briefly start as such, the original source spends the majority of this first novel in the 'present' day. We're briefly introduced to Wei Wuxian's death right before the present story of his 'rebirth' begins but then, other than a quite brief flashback to Gusu, most of the past events are being told through short moments of remembrance on Wei Wuxian's part or passing remarks. I have to wonder, with this method of telling the story, if first time reader's miss out on a lot of the emotions certain events, actions, and chracters evoke knowing the characters' pasts.
Sure once you finally get to the past story you can think back on those moments and think "oh" but I don't think it'd have any where near the same impact, especially considering the importance the past holds on the current events. So certainly makes sense that the adaptations decided on a more linear method of story telling.
Now, this is the third series of MXTX's I've read, and while I've never found the writing itself outstanding I am always blown away by the world building (and of course the gut-wrenching tragic pasts of their characters). In just the first novel we're introduced to many different sects/clans and their standing in the world, important figureheads and past events, and methods of hunting, capturing, and killing the different types of ghosts in this world. All while on an exciting hunt for the body parts of an unlucky dismembered individual that gives us connections here and there to tragic past events.
While it was an easy and fun read, I was quite a bit disappointed to find this official translation is far more a transliteration. This is my first time reading an official translation of a danmei, and while it's certainly cleaner and a bit easier to read, it just didn't quite feel right? I was already put off on the first page seeing what I assume was a particular dialect translated into what looked like a southern accent (never did I think I'd see the word "ain't" used in a danmei). In fan translations I've read of other series they're usually heavily footnoted because they choose to leave in all the intricacies of the Chinese language (proverbs, idioms, addressments, etc) which I feel especially aides in better understanding the relationships between the characters. You really don't get that with this novel.
On the story itself I was quite surprised to find that, in contrast to its adaptations that only briefly start as such, the original source spends the majority of this first novel in the 'present' day. We're briefly introduced to Wei Wuxian's death right before the present story of his 'rebirth' begins but then, other than a quite brief flashback to Gusu, most of the past events are being told through short moments of remembrance on Wei Wuxian's part or passing remarks. I have to wonder, with this method of telling the story, if first time reader's miss out on a lot of the emotions certain events, actions, and chracters evoke knowing the characters' pasts.
Sure once you finally get to the past story you can think back on those moments and think "oh" but I don't think it'd have any where near the same impact, especially considering the importance the past holds on the current events. So certainly makes sense that the adaptations decided on a more linear method of story telling.
Now, this is the third series of MXTX's I've read, and while I've never found the writing itself outstanding I am always blown away by the world building (and of course the gut-wrenching tragic pasts of their characters). In just the first novel we're introduced to many different sects/clans and their standing in the world, important figureheads and past events, and methods of hunting, capturing, and killing the different types of ghosts in this world. All while on an exciting hunt for the body parts of an unlucky dismembered individual that gives us connections here and there to tragic past events.