- #1
This novel was honestly such a fantastic read.I had put it off for the longest time, partly due to mixed ratings and some of the critiques about the author's style. Now, I can understand those perspectives but I ended up loving it. I found myself fully absorbed, neglecting much of my daily life just to read it for a solid week. Although the story does slow down around Chapter 220, it was still somewhat hard to put down.The plot is packed with angst and heart-wrenching moments that make you feel like it's tearing at your insides.I enjoyed the depth of the main characters. The relationship between the main CP is admittedly toxic at times, and the ML (Feng Ye) can be so infuriating with his double standards during certain parts of the story, making it so exhausting to read. Yet, seeing how the relationship challenges were eventually concluded felt satisfying.The side characters are well developed too, which is a refreshing change from novels that focus solely on the main leads and leave everyone else feeling flat.The political intricacy felt authentic. The world-building and the way the author explored ancient China's political landscape added a realistic and immersive layer to the story.Personally I felt this novel was a blend of QJJ and 2HA. If you enjoyed both of those, there's a strong chance you'll enjoy this one as well.
