this has gotta be one of the most gut-wrenching enemies to lovers that makes me wanna bang my head against the wall that i've ever read. what's even fthis has gotta be one of the most gut-wrenching enemies to lovers that makes me wanna bang my head against the wall that i've ever read. what's even funnier about this book is the fact that xiao chiye keeps on salivating over shen zechuan like some kind of omega in heat. he keeps on describing szc's body very sexually poetic LMAO (and i was gobbling all that up). at first, it was difficult for me to get into this book because the groundwork of the plot was being done, hence a lot of inner politics was explained, and the introduction of the side characters (which fried my brain bc it's hard to keep track of who's who). but as i read more, the story kept on drawing me in to unpack all these political intrigues, mind battles, and schemes—plus the fact that the sexual tension between xcy and szc is so intense i keep on squealing like a teenager whenever they try to go after each other's throats. heh. anw, i'm off to read vol. 2 now. thank god it's already released or else i would be losing my mind (not really bc i will find fan tls online :D)...more
i thought this was an hq doujinshi for a sec because the mc's name is daichi and he really looks like daichi LMAO.
anyway, not until the final chapter i thought this was an hq doujinshi for a sec because the mc's name is daichi and he really looks like daichi LMAO.
anyway, not until the final chapter of this volume was i on the verge of cussing the hell out of that ml, and how pissed off i was at the mc. the last chapter kind of lessened my rage for this manga, but i still hate some things.
(view spoiler)[at first, i was expecting a generic being-in-love-with-my-sister's-boyfriend kind of schtick, where the sister and her boyfriend break up and the mc and the ex end up together. oh boy, i was way off. this went in a direction way more annoying than i could’ve imagined.
you know what? i can overlook crazy and messed-up stuff in a yaoi manga, but only if the characters make sense. it just pissed me off how blindsided the mc was. his rose-colored glasses went far beyond reason. he ignored the fact that the conman scammed his sister, drugged him, manipulated them both, and then had the audacity to pay him off after they spent the night together. it’s honestly painful to read someone throw away their dignity for a man who clearly doesn't care, judging by how awfully he treats him. and then the mc went even lower when he chased after that guy after he got released from prison. if i could beg this guy not to do this to himself, i would, because it’s excruciating to see him go after the ml at the expense of his self-worth. (hide spoiler)]
in the end, they got their happy ending. congrats, i guess? ...more
when i first read this, i was expecting a typical historical bl fantasy manhwa with a mediocre plot and flat characters—something predictable, maybe ewhen i first read this, i was expecting a typical historical bl fantasy manhwa with a mediocre plot and flat characters—something predictable, maybe even forgettable. honestly, i just wanted something to pass the time. yet this story completely caught me off guard. it unfolds with an unexpectedly rich and thought-provoking plot, delving deep into themes of reincarnation, religion, and the intense political strife born from clashing ideologies and national identities. it doesn’t shy away from showing the ugliness of human greed, and it poses hard questions about faith, identity, and the price of peace.
what truly hooked me, though, were the characters—layered, human, and painfully real. especially ian. his journey is one of quiet anguish, of constantly being torn between what he was taught to believe and what he slowly, vulnerably begins to feel. there’s something deeply moving about watching him wrestle with the foundations of his identity. he was told all his life that he was cursed, burdened with shame and fear, yet he still searches for something to hold on to—something that tells him he’s worthy, that he’s more than the darkness people cast on him (which he initially found through the 'intentional' affection of cardinal brixton but i digress). the way he struggles to reconcile his duty with his heart's desire, to rebuild his self-worth piece by piece, was such a gripping thing to read. and the way he slowly found to accept himself because of 'jack' because they have the same 'curse' or power within them. jack became the one who truly helped ian to accept himself.
this is my third time rereading it, and yet it still grips me just as much as it did the first time. it's truly one of the high-class historical manhwa out there, and i genuinely recommend it to anyone who’s looking for something beyond surface-level romance. (i might be exaggerating and bias but there is some truth to what i'm saying!)...more
all romance aside, it's kinda sad how they had to beg kotani's parents just to get their approval for their marriage which was just a stark contrast tall romance aside, it's kinda sad how they had to beg kotani's parents just to get their approval for their marriage which was just a stark contrast to shishikura's folks who genuinely supported them on the spot :(...more
bro every chapter, i kept on wishing for things to end so that gu mang and mo xi could finally be together at peace. but meatbun has other plans. PLS bro every chapter, i kept on wishing for things to end so that gu mang and mo xi could finally be together at peace. but meatbun has other plans. PLS I WANT TO SEE THEM BE HAPPY—not just that fleeting happiness, but that stable, comfortable joy....more
we're getting secrets being finally revealed but at the cost of the characters' sanity what the hell is thiswe're getting secrets being finally revealed but at the cost of the characters' sanity what the hell is this...more
“Daybreak's wind blew colder than ice, only to wither so quickly into mud and filth.”
and the yearner of the year goes to... mo xi!
this boo
“Daybreak's wind blew colder than ice, only to wither so quickly into mud and filth.”
and the yearner of the year goes to... mo xi!
this book absolutely grounded my belief of hate and love being intertwined because the conflicting feelings of mo xi to gu mang perfectly encapsulates this. mo xi loves (progressive verb because he still is at the present timeline) gu mang even though the latter broke his trust over and over again. he loathed him, but despite that, he still cares for him. and the way this juxtaposition is in grained in mo xi's love for gu man is so mind altering i keep on wanting to bash my head on the way for i cannot take his deep yearning anymore !!
going straight to volume 2 because my boy mo xi needs a witness to how he takes seriously his program in bachelor of arts in yearningism...more
god i'm such a sucker for male leads who has been pining over the main character for years even when they're apart... whew unconditional love is my drgod i'm such a sucker for male leads who has been pining over the main character for years even when they're apart... whew unconditional love is my drug fr...more
this is so underrated! i love how they communicate so well. and because they're self-aware, they are able to express their thoughts and feelings well,this is so underrated! i love how they communicate so well. and because they're self-aware, they are able to express their thoughts and feelings well, telling the other person what's bothering them. PLS I LOVE READING RELATIONSHIPS LIKE THIS ...more
i'm so into reading stories about adult relationships these days because the maturity of the characters and what they're generally go through resonatei'm so into reading stories about adult relationships these days because the maturity of the characters and what they're generally go through resonates with my experiences. and honestly, i learn more about the dynamics of relationships here than my almost nonexistent real life experiences (bc i dont interact with men)...more
honestly, i don't find fwb trope appealing, but this manga feels so different and deep seated i can't help but find the couple realistic and interestihonestly, i don't find fwb trope appealing, but this manga feels so different and deep seated i can't help but find the couple realistic and interesting...more