- #1
This was not an easy read for me. Definitely not a feel-good/face-slapping type of story, it's a mature, complex story.Spoiler
It just really feels like it's not worth it for the MC. ML is very good to him later on but it feels too little too late. MC wasn't perfect, he stumbled the ML a lot of times, but he always had a bottom line, e.g. He found proof that the ML was gay but decided not to use it. Meanwhile, the ML was the one who revealed MC wasn't the biological son - even if he didn't do it with malicious intentions, he still is the one who overturned MC's life. The ML tells the children in the family not to call MC names, but no one in the family gets any retribution for how they treated the MC other than a "don't call him that" scolding. And I can't help but feel that the ML basically was the root of why MC grew up with a distorted mentality, even if it was not his fault. As MC says, meeting the ML was a "fated tragedy." MC is really mature though, he doesn't feel like he needs an apology or any compensation for how he was treated. [collapse]This story is well-written and isn't over-exaggerated for a "switched at birth" novel. Neither MC nor ML was "good" people in the traditional sense and they're both strong. MC is a cunning, lonely, and paraniod. ML is gentle blackbellied scum. They're both a little crazy. It was a frustrating but good read.
MC had a bad childhood, which later makes him incapable of love. His family favored the ML as his elder brother, blamed him for his mother's death, and would pit him against the ML. For example, no one in the family had ever even celebrated his birthday because it was also his mother's death day. His father didn't treat him badly but he also gave him no family affection when he was young, and wants to compensate him later on because he feels bad. After he finds out they are not blood-related, ML starts to feel attracted to the MC. The MC grew up obsessed with becoming or beating the ML and pushes the boat along.
It just really feels like it's not worth it for the MC. ML is very good to him later on but it feels too little too late. MC wasn't perfect, he stumbled the ML a lot of times, but he always had a bottom line, e.g. He found proof that the ML was gay but decided not to use it. Meanwhile, the ML was the one who revealed MC wasn't the biological son - even if he didn't do it with malicious intentions, he still is the one who overturned MC's life. The ML tells the children in the family not to call MC names, but no one in the family gets any retribution for how they treated the MC other than a "don't call him that" scolding. And I can't help but feel that the ML basically was the root of why MC grew up with a distorted mentality, even if it was not his fault. As MC says, meeting the ML was a "fated tragedy." MC is really mature though, he doesn't feel like he needs an apology or any compensation for how he was treated. [collapse]This story is well-written and isn't over-exaggerated for a "switched at birth" novel. Neither MC nor ML was "good" people in the traditional sense and they're both strong. MC is a cunning, lonely, and paraniod. ML is gentle blackbellied scum. They're both a little crazy. It was a frustrating but good read.