- #1
Warning: if you're uncomfortable with the concept of a truly messed up, evil yandere being the ML, this one is not for you. Honestly FL and 2nd ML are also not good people. The other barrier is the pacing; it's deliberate and excellently written but very slow. But these are not critiques, just a matter of personal taste.Wow, this story is brilliant. I don't think the summary or the opening chapter do it justice, because it sounds like a standard trope-filled brainless but hot romance. But no, it plays with and deconstructs those tropes in interesting ways. And this novel is, like, art. It uses symbolism and metaphors, hints and misdirection, Shakespearian references, and complex characterization to build a story that is just as thought-provoking as it is heart-rending.If I could sum up the novel in two words, it would be "mind games". Ravia (FL), Tidwell (ML), and Herod (2nd ML) are all very intelligent and wary of each other, so they develop these dense triangular strategies to outmaneuver each other. This is why the pacing is slow- there is much more exposition than action. It reminds me of Light vs L in Death Note, except for the lack of distinction between the "good" side and the "bad" side. It's not for everyone. Like how the DN manga had many pages with full paragraphs of text, one scene in TMLFS can span multiple chapters as it explains why and how each party acted using which intel and deductions.I love how unlike most stories, Ravia is every bit as capable as the men and rises to the challenge of beating them despite dreading her death. She isn't likeable, but she's cool as hell. Tidwell effectively straddles the line between pitiful heart-struck boy and vengeful demon, always simmering with tension. Herod's motivations are less clear to me, but I trust the author will make his arc pay off too.But the relationship between Ravia and Tidwell is where the sparks truly fly. Their lives diverge and parallel in such interesting ways, showing how both cope with their trauma yet are extremely lonely. Despite feeling strong negative emotions towards each other, they can't help but be pulled together like two people in quicksand, pushing off each other for leverage only to sink more and more. I'm honestly not sure if there will be a happy ending or not.Finally, the translation is excellent, though a bit slow. I imagine that as the story is not straight-forward, the translation is similarly challenging. Lately they've been uploading one chapter a month, but I'm very grateful they're still working on it. If you're reading this, TRY TMLFS! IT'S GOOD!
