- #1
I feel like this novel was a kind of love letter to the mother of Who Made Me a Princess.The FL suddenly recalled the future of what happens if she becomes the 'empress consort' (aka concubine) of the emperor, where she dies giving birth to the ogFL. Its a really good premise and one that's oddly not explored a lot. I loved the ending of how it explained how she could remember the future.In the novel, you can see the growth of the MC from a cute 'hamster' to someone who Spoiler
lures and kills her half sister that has ab*sed her throughout her childhood by getting her ripped apart by animals in the woods
[collapse]. She doesn't become cynical and bitter though, but she definitely grows into becoming a true Empress in her pursuit of power in order to be able to protect herself.The ML, for once, isn't the indifferent and quiet brooding type. He's more of a playful but politically smart emperor that likes MC for her spirit in the beginning and thinks of her as a pet, but then gradually genuinely falls in love with her.The progression wasn't too slow and they actually become a real couple just midway through the book.Now for a HUGE SPOILER (don't read if you don't want to) :SpoilerI love love love how they made the future ogFL basically become a badass genius who lives to over 500 and becomes tired enough to want to redo one of the few regrets in her life: saving her mother, even though it would mean probably never being born. You never really see what happens to those FLs beyond they married and had a kid, the end. I wish she had some scenes though, instead of just being mentioned by some characters.
[collapse]The FL is definitely not combat-savvy, or has some grand financial plans, but she learns from the people around her and does a pretty good job of becoming more politically savvy.This novel was more of a romance than anything though so there's a lot of scenes between her and the emperor, and for once, communication! We love to see it.