- #1
5/5.Well worth the read! It's been a while since I've read such a well written and translated story. Up there with Rebirth of Malicious Empress of Military Lineage and Rebirth of Han Yuxi.Intially I had my doubts - there is quite a bit of smut intially and I was worried the plot would suffer. Likewise I wasn't keen on the ML for obvious reasons. He starts off very strongly a product of the setting; dubious consent, having a strong dislike for scheming especially when it comes to intimacy (some reviews said that he was shaming a character but really he was super mad because he had been drugged, as for a the anti LGBT reactionSpoiler
It says he's disgusted after seeing his wife with a female lover. His disgust makes sense later on when you see how much he hates people using him and how his wife pretty much married him knowing she'll never want to give him kids or be intimate
[collapse]. All I can say to most of those complaints is keep reading!! I think most people think the ML is irredeemable or the plot is going to be terrible but the author makes it work in a believable way (well believable within that setting).What I disliked:The family outside. I really don't care about Yan'er, I hate how she gets away with so much and that she's so delusional. Also her mother ugh.The smut. There's only so much before it can be a bit repetitive, also it kind of sucks that the relationship between the ML and MC is built from that especially when the reader is given such a bad opinion of the ML at the start. It just makes me sad that some people will miss out on a really good story because of that.World building. I love descriptions of scenery and beautiful rooms etc. Literally tell me about the weather and the mood I love it. This story doesn't go into great detail about the scenery or the general mood of things. Clothes are described though and we actually get detail about the ML other than that he's handsome.Anticipation. The pacing is pretty good but there was one plot point where the reader is in the know but most of the characters are in the dark. It almost drags on too long, I ended up going through most of the reviews here just to find out when it was resolved because I couldn't stand it anymore (and nobody had mentioned it). For those that are wondering > Spoilerhappens in the late 80s chapters
[collapse].What I'm enjoying:I like that the MC isn't some omnipotent badass after she's reborn. I also like that she's not super intelligent. You read knowing that the MC can suffer bad consequences. You gobble up the chapters and are left wanting to read more because there's actually something on the line for the MC and she's not going to resolve everything with a couple of sentences.I like the kid, I like that the author gives him a character and doesn't just use him as a flaw for the MC.I like that the side characters are developed and interesting. Boy I have read so many where the side characters are just boring cutouts. That's not the case here. Developed side characters who are multidimensional, provide comic relief and have their own lives.The villains are interesting so far. I really liked how the author made the main wife's situation believable because of her feelings. I also like that even though the ML was awful about it (see 1st spoiler) that the author added it because people had those feelings and those relationships should be represented Spoileralthough I am hoping that she ends up running away/living with her lover
[collapse].As to the smut - yes there's a lot of it but there's reasons for that which become clear later. There's also less of it later on. That said if you don't want to read that kind of thing then probably best to avoid this one.All in all its been a long time since I've read one of these novels that has actual suspense, three dimensional characters and a good plot.Other than giving it 5/5 stars the best reference I can give for this is that I ended up spending some change so I could read the translated chapters ahead of time (instead of waiting or switching to MTL).