- #1
This one is probably Jee Gab Song's masterpiece. I always thought the setting in the Villain Wants to Live was something super unique and the plotlines were quite good, but no matter how far that story went there was a sense of something missing, this novel is one that has built up on all the things from his previous works with, so far, absolutely none of what makes it bad. The story is great, the characters are not one dimensional at all with each of them following different motivations and goals, the plotline and world setting is unique and fresh, it's a self contained system that is very loyal to the rules it has set for itself. The best part of it all is that all kinds of possible misunderstandings are handled right away and the story consistently seems fun. By all means, this one is a 'mature' work.I can go on and on about how fun it is and how much I like it, so instead I'll talk about some of the common complaints in other reviews.1) MC is a pushover, bootlicker, idiot, unlikeable:100% troll reviews. Shion is a very nice protagonist and gets better as chapters go down. He isn't a mu*der hobo which is likely what's making many of these kids seethe. It takes a while for him to adjust to his place and for us to adjust to the very different world setting, but once the focus truly goes on Shion and his goals, he quickly becomes a very fun protagonist and kind of the best lens to see the world through.2) The World doesn't make sense:I don't understand this point. The world is very mystical, it follows the rules it has set for itself very strictly. There is a lot of mystique in things. I see that a lot of people these days absolutely need explanation for everything, this work, in my opinion keeps the 'magic' in its definition of magic and that reflects the best through the world. It never goes too far to stretch the thread of suspension of disbelief too thin. I think it is done well.3) Slow paced, slice of lifey:It isn't exactly slow paced as it is dense. You see a lot of stuff from the beginning of the story, it is very happening in very little time which makes it seem slow paced. The fact that there are some info dumps doesn't help. That said, it has the perfect mix of tension and relaxation, and it's definitely not an issue of things going too slow since a lot is constantly happening.4) Notepad is a strange ability:Yes. This is a very valid critisism. Notepad is a loose power that isn't exactly following any determined rules. I personally think it was a good decision from the author and makes things very fun, but if you are someone who absolutely needs quantification behind every ability, then you might have some qualms with Notepad. It is fun nonetheless and I am certain won't work as a deux ex machina wherever it counts.5) Characters suck:Absolutely not. The characters are the best part of the novel.6) female leads suck:You might think this for exactly one person in the beginning, Elise. But that character's transformation is done so well that Id bet everyone would want her to be the main heroine.The other female leads are good. They're funny, quirky and all of them have their own ambition.7) It's Jee Gab Song so there will be a lot of annoying misunderstandings.Believe it or not, there was a moment very fit for a misunderstanding. If it was in The Novel's Extra or Villain Wants to Live the misunderstanding would have easily continued for a hundred chapters if not for the whole novel. And this time, it was resolved, in a grand total of 1 chapters all thanks to a mature dialogue with a side character. Unbelievable for one of this author's novels, but it is so. There is still a vague one sided misunderstanding that can't exactly be called that, but I don't see it being a problem in the future either since the MC has been very clear about his stance on the character and the event.Overall, I think the rating currently is too low and not really reflective of how good and mad fun this story is. Would highly recommend.
