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veronikav's reviews
224 reviews
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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? N/A
4.25
SVSSS is MXTX's hilarious debut novel that makes fun of stallion novel tropes and delivers a Very Shippable Ship.
The main character is fully convinced he's a heterosexual man, is a reddit bro and an avid reader of trashy web novels that reads them For The Plot Duh. He transmigrates into the latest stallion novel he'd been bashing into the character of a villain who gets to die a Very Horrible Death in canon. Well obviously he wants to save his own life so he starts treating the protag well and then proceeds to have a 50 chapter long denial about having become the love interest of the novel. The protagonist is a little walking dsm-5 checklist who has huge trust issues and imprints on his shizun like a baby duckling. His main superpowers include not being able to die and crying to get what he wants. You get to watch these two roll around to their happy ending (with the Most Awful sex scene as their first time, I truly underestimated how bad it would be).
And of course there's many viable side ships for those who are picky. First of all reincarnated Shen Qingqiu has a harem of stern shidi and shixiong who Really want to take care of him and is Very Oblivious about it even after the thunderous realization that the protagonist is gay for him. For those of us who are of the lesbian persuasion there is great potential between a demoness who really likes to bully her love interest and The Most Beautiful Woman in the whole universe who happens to be a huge shipper and writes fanfic about the main couple on the side. And lest we forget the MVP of side couples we have the awkward and willing-to-do-anything-to-stay-alive transmigrated author of the novel servant and his demon ice king who flirts in the most awkward demon way possible which comes off as homicidal intent.
Good, funny, great to relax with. Can't wait for the rest of the official ENG translation.
The main character is fully convinced he's a heterosexual man, is a reddit bro and an avid reader of trashy web novels that reads them For The Plot Duh. He transmigrates into the latest stallion novel he'd been bashing into the character of a villain who gets to die a Very Horrible Death in canon. Well obviously he wants to save his own life so he starts treating the protag well and then proceeds to have a 50 chapter long denial about having become the love interest of the novel. The protagonist is a little walking dsm-5 checklist who has huge trust issues and imprints on his shizun like a baby duckling. His main superpowers include not being able to die and crying to get what he wants. You get to watch these two roll around to their happy ending (with the Most Awful sex scene as their first time, I truly underestimated how bad it would be).
And of course there's many viable side ships for those who are picky. First of all reincarnated Shen Qingqiu has a harem of stern shidi and shixiong who Really want to take care of him and is Very Oblivious about it even after the thunderous realization that the protagonist is gay for him. For those of us who are of the lesbian persuasion there is great potential between a demoness who really likes to bully her love interest and The Most Beautiful Woman in the whole universe who happens to be a huge shipper and writes fanfic about the main couple on the side. And lest we forget the MVP of side couples we have the awkward and willing-to-do-anything-to-stay-alive transmigrated author of the novel servant and his demon ice king who flirts in the most awkward demon way possible which comes off as homicidal intent.
Good, funny, great to relax with. Can't wait for the rest of the official ENG translation.
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games Vol. 2 by Eri Ejima
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
TGCF is probably the best of the first volumes of MXTX's works that just came out in English. This volume covers the Banyue arc and ends around the same time as the donghua so if you've seen it, you might think there's not much new here but actually reading it is much different to having seen the animation. MXTX's novels are great for their worldbuilding and that is showcased very well in TGCF. Her style of writing is a bit less conventional for people who aren't already used to the web novel danmei genre - however it only takes a little bit of getting used to.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Genocide, Gore, and Blood
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Shen Yuan just wanted to flame a perfectly awful male power fantasy novel online not knowing he'd die and transmigrate into it as the villain. Now he must struggle to rewrite his original fate (getting brutally murdered by the protagonist) while not realizing he's slowly taking the place of the harem of wives from the original novel.
MXTX's hilarious literary debut. All aboard the mobei-jun/plane train!
MXTX's hilarious literary debut. All aboard the mobei-jun/plane train!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence
There's like fantasy racism against demons.
二哈和他的白猫师尊 [Dumb Husky and His White Cat Shizun] by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou, Meatbun Doesn't Eat Meat, 肉包不吃肉
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
"Why did you comfort an executioner? Why did you comfort the man who stabbed you in the heart, why did you ask me before you died to forgive myself?
Why didn't you kill me back then?"
Dumb Husky and His White Cat Shizun is an amazing fantasy fiction with a deceptively silly name. It begins similar to other reincarnation/transmigration books with a simple enough premise and yet as you keep reading you uncover more and more heartbreaking secrets and truths behind all the happenings in this world. As the reader your limited perspective only allows you at glimpses of what's going on and as you discover the deep conspiracy behind everything you start doubting the way you have judged the characters harshly in the previous chapters.
2HA begins with a scene of a dilapitated empire in which the tyrannical emperor finds himself not enjoying this life anymore and committing suicide. Only to wake up in the body of himself, aged 15. He is now dedicated to protecting the man he loves who had died in his previous life and started his downward spiral.
Nothing is as simple as it seems. Mo Ran slowly realizes he never truly understood the world in his first life and regrets his mistakes. He's ready to fix everything but he can't escape the scheming of the person behind the scenes and ends up shunned by the whole world for his crimes. The crimes which we slowly realize had been orchestrated by someone else using Mo Ran as a tool.
In this deeply emotional story of empathy, innocence, human cruelty and selflessness we are confronted with the morally grey fabric of the world laid out in front of us. It's a story of a boy who tries to save earthworms from drying out in the sun being turned into a cruel person that doesn't remember even the slightest bit of happiness from his past.
This story is genuinely the best danmei I've read so far. It's strong enough to compete with some of the famous and beloved fantasy series of our times.
Why didn't you kill me back then?"
Dumb Husky and His White Cat Shizun is an amazing fantasy fiction with a deceptively silly name. It begins similar to other reincarnation/transmigration books with a simple enough premise and yet as you keep reading you uncover more and more heartbreaking secrets and truths behind all the happenings in this world. As the reader your limited perspective only allows you at glimpses of what's going on and as you discover the deep conspiracy behind everything you start doubting the way you have judged the characters harshly in the previous chapters.
Nothing is as simple as it seems. Mo Ran slowly realizes he never truly understood the world in his first life and regrets his mistakes. He's ready to fix everything but he can't escape the scheming of the person behind the scenes and ends up shunned by the whole world for his crimes. The crimes which we slowly realize had been orchestrated by someone else using Mo Ran as a tool.
In this deeply emotional story of empathy, innocence, human cruelty and selflessness we are confronted with the morally grey fabric of the world laid out in front of us. It's a story of a boy who tries to save earthworms from drying out in the sun being turned into a cruel person that doesn't remember even the slightest bit of happiness from his past.
This story is genuinely the best danmei I've read so far. It's strong enough to compete with some of the famous and beloved fantasy series of our times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Abortion, Abandonment, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, War, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
Poverty by Baek Sin-ae
In Poverty, Baek Sinae describes the grueling conditions in which an old poor woman has to work to make a living for her family. She has to take care of herself and her two sons and their wives as they are pregnant. She not only has to suffer the indignation of poverty, she also has to make ends meet for her family. Through this story she faces ridicule and discrimination, both of her sons are complete failures and the whole family relies only on her. Baek Sinae's work is not particularly noteworthy when it comes to literary value however it still expresses very well the dire conditions of impoverished Koreans living in colonial Korea.
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
In Poverty, Baek Sinae describes the grueling conditions in which an old poor woman has to work to make a living for her family. She has to take care of herself and her two sons and their wives as they are pregnant. She not only has to suffer the indignation of poverty, she also has to make ends meet for her family. Through this story she faces ridicule and discrimination, both of her sons are complete failures and the whole family relies only on her. Baek Sinae's work is not particularly noteworthy when it comes to literary value however it still expresses very well the dire conditions of impoverished Koreans living in colonial Korea.
The Heat of the Sun by Kim Yu-jeong
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
"It was the midst of the hottest days of summer, and the heat was enough to melt the horns off a bull. As Deoksun plodded home, wiping away the sweat pouring off his back like rain, first with one hand and then the other, his wife continued reciting her last will and testament, interrupted by tears."
In this heartbreaking short story an impoverished husband carries his wife to the city hospital. They hope to get money for them studying his wife's disease as they've heard is the case sometimes. Instead when they're delivered the news of his wife being due to die within a week they have the option of choosing between a surgery that could potentially save her life but isn't very likely to succeed or leaving. Deoksun's wife decides not to get the surgery. Despite the ridicule from the doctor and nurse who don't understand their decision, they go back to their home as Deokson's wife talks about her last wishes.
In this heartbreaking short story an impoverished husband carries his wife to the city hospital. They hope to get money for them studying his wife's disease as they've heard is the case sometimes. Instead when they're delivered the news of his wife being due to die within a week they have the option of choosing between a surgery that could potentially save her life but isn't very likely to succeed or leaving. Deoksun's wife decides not to get the surgery. Despite the ridicule from the doctor and nurse who don't understand their decision, they go back to their home as Deokson's wife talks about her last wishes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Miscarriage
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games Vol. 1 by Eri Ejima
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
A funny and charming parody of the typical Yuri girls boarding school manga.
Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
"Rejoice, Wei Wuxian is dead!"
With this banger of a first line starts this banger of a novel. I had been desperate to get my hands on this for the last month and finally (!) I had the chance to read it. It is a great story with a good flow, many hilarious moments. Absolutely in love with the fact that lack of censorship means the side characters can be just as homophobic as they like - the only thing more hilarious would have been if they'd just replaced cut-sleeve with the f slur every time Jin Ling or Jiang Cheng use it. Not arguing for this for the sake of accuracy, simply hilarity.
Anyways I was okay with the translation. I still think this translation is closer to fannish translation practices than professional translation but that might be a good thing in the context of this story. After all danmei is a very particular genre and people who read it expect it to abide by genre conventions (similarily you will see anime fans very angry if you localize their translations too strongly - a feature of communities that rely primarily on fan translations I guess).
With this banger of a first line starts this banger of a novel. I had been desperate to get my hands on this for the last month and finally (!) I had the chance to read it. It is a great story with a good flow, many hilarious moments. Absolutely in love with the fact that lack of censorship means the side characters can be just as homophobic as they like - the only thing more hilarious would have been if they'd just replaced cut-sleeve with the f slur every time Jin Ling or Jiang Cheng use it. Not arguing for this for the sake of accuracy, simply hilarity.
Anyways I was okay with the translation. I still think this translation is closer to fannish translation practices than professional translation but that might be a good thing in the context of this story. After all danmei is a very particular genre and people who read it expect it to abide by genre conventions (similarily you will see anime fans very angry if you localize their translations too strongly - a feature of communities that rely primarily on fan translations I guess).
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Got interested in it because of the premise of lesbian fisting , stayed for the eunuch general.
I didn't have some extra high hopes going into this. All I had known about this books were little tidbits and memes from tiktok (some of the more explicit scenes were very popular there) but nothing of real substance. Oh also I had seen some quotes on tumblr and surprisingly enjoyed them. Still I was expecting another run-of-the-mill YA/new adult fiction that gets mass produced and published these days. I was wrong and I am happy that is the case.
First of all - whoever described this as "Mulan meets Achilles" is doing the story a big injustice. While you could draw parallels between those it does feel like whoever wrote that just saw "Chinese girl who pretends to be a man fights in a war" and "gay" and thought it an appropriate comparison. But rather than that I would draw a comparison to what is the predecessor of this book which is the Chinese fantasy web novel genre which then gave birth to wuxia/xianxia dramas.
As much as there are many elements that you would find in a Chinese fantasy web novel it is clearly different - first noticable difference being the language it is written in. After all despite translations the cadences and writing styles of each language are vastly different and it is clear that SWBS was written for English not transformed into it as an afterthought. Therefore it proves a much easier and smoother read while having the same overall tone.
From what I had heard about the novel I didn't expect it to have such a profound message pertaining to conceptions of gender. That was what honestly drew me in more and more with each chapter - the construction of gender in a highly patriarchal society - the existence of Other gendered states of being in such a space. My favorite character of course ended up being Ouyang because there was something so incredibly fascinating about him. Actually in the first book I'd say the romance between Ouyang and Esen is much more well-developed and intriguing compared to the main couple - who despite having more actual moments are on a smoother path. I've always been into the tragic love stories.
Anyways, I rate this book highly - had to hesitate between a 4 and a 5, but ended up giving it a 5 because I know I can't apply my classical lit standards to everything. Think of it as a rounded up 4.5.
I didn't have some extra high hopes going into this. All I had known about this books were little tidbits and memes from tiktok (some of the more explicit scenes were very popular there) but nothing of real substance. Oh also I had seen some quotes on tumblr and surprisingly enjoyed them. Still I was expecting another run-of-the-mill YA/new adult fiction that gets mass produced and published these days. I was wrong and I am happy that is the case.
First of all - whoever described this as "Mulan meets Achilles" is doing the story a big injustice. While you could draw parallels between those it does feel like whoever wrote that just saw "Chinese girl who pretends to be a man fights in a war" and "gay" and thought it an appropriate comparison. But rather than that I would draw a comparison to what is the predecessor of this book which is the Chinese fantasy web novel genre which then gave birth to wuxia/xianxia dramas.
As much as there are many elements that you would find in a Chinese fantasy web novel it is clearly different - first noticable difference being the language it is written in. After all despite translations the cadences and writing styles of each language are vastly different and it is clear that SWBS was written for English not transformed into it as an afterthought. Therefore it proves a much easier and smoother read while having the same overall tone.
From what I had heard about the novel I didn't expect it to have such a profound message pertaining to conceptions of gender. That was what honestly drew me in more and more with each chapter - the construction of gender in a highly patriarchal society - the existence of Other gendered states of being in such a space. My favorite character of course ended up being Ouyang because there was something so incredibly fascinating about him. Actually in the first book I'd say the romance between Ouyang and Esen is much more well-developed and intriguing compared to the main couple - who despite having more actual moments are on a smoother path. I've always been into the tragic love stories.
Anyways, I rate this book highly - had to hesitate between a 4 and a 5, but ended up giving it a 5 because I know I can't apply my classical lit standards to everything. Think of it as a rounded up 4.5.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, and War
body mutilation
one of the important characters is an eunuch and it's a very important part of his character arch. so constant comments about this etc.