Puffers

This was a wonderful read seeing a passionate fl work hard for her dreams and with a good will. A modern past life of historical setting troupe that doesnt tackle on revenge or dark themes. It explores Yuri's challenges as she navigate through another life in a man-centered world that undermines women's contributions to society, forcing her to take on the garb and image of a man just to gain a standing, and the ordeals that come with it. The story also delves into the perspective of feminism, exploring social phenomenons that happens in a transitioning society that started from a patriarchal system to a system that places women of equal value, standing and position to men. There are many characters that incredibly portrays this view from Yuri, Plum, Ivy, Matilda, Veronica, the Countess, Arsinoa and to the queen, Cesia, all of whom displayed great character growth throughout the story. This story also explored various trauma, unique problems and issues that comes with a transitioning society/government through those characters together with the other male characters; Aenon, Lesta, bandit, and even the chamberlain. Yuri managing to solve and improve the daily lives of the people, the very same that may have condemned her for various reasons, was a great way to show her unlimiting love to the new life she was given, albeit many criticisms. Many scenes contains deep introspection that further adds nuance to the characters, which not many story does. Collectively, the story made me relate and be immersed into its world.

The artstyle is also one of the factors that made this a pleasant read. The creative decisions and direction made the story able to portray Yuri's vision, as well as grounding the story in realism through somewhat accurate and effective visuals. Approaching the end, the artstyle became more developed and expressed more details that really enhance readability.

Onto the plot, the yuri's ardous journey began and progressed slowly, raising her self- esteem, skills, comnections, and standing in the society. For me, it was well phased, together with many underlying side plots of other characters. I liked how well they are all connected to each other, causing influence and impact that reflected through their actions and decisions in the story. I dont remember any bad parts here though that it really took its time and written comprehensively. Oh they also frequently utilized flashbacks that redefines previous scenes, which adds something, i found it unique

The subsequent arch, more or less brings up the overarching problem/romance? about yuri's gender and her and the ml's affection for each other. For me, its sweet, and they approach it with respect and value for the other, including their emotions and views in life. It made the story mature for me, in a sense that they recognize the responsibility and deals with the situations with the interest of the other. They are not blinded of things that could stray them, or yet they help each other not to stray. Their love mainly comes from helping the other grow and not by gifts or favors. Compared to others, this didnt appear superficial.
The phasing of this is incomparably fast, utilizing more and more timeskips by the end just to speed up to other plot points left to conclude the story on an open note. This timeskip didnt really felt justified as compared to the former half of the story, it was utilized frequentlt and consecutively. It resulted in a fragmented feel of the story and that it felt to me that i missed many of the character's growth, making the story kinda disconnected in the end. Another word for it is that it felt rushed.

I also felt that other character's plot didn't really reach a proper conclusion or reach a point that adequately explains their character fully, such as with Arsinoe, Nigel, and maybe even Lester. I think that the story could have delved into them more to explain some scenes by the end that were left hanging or disconnected. Lester, for example, was last seen with queen cesia negotiating, even before that, was not close to her at all. I know for plot sake, that lester gradually fades from the scene as Aenon become more significant to Yuri, lessening his screentime for him to interact with other characters. With that said, It didn't really connect that all of a sudden, by the end and his last appearance, that he and the queen are conversing in a witty or close manner. The scene may have even felt more abrupt by the reveal of their much more close relationship. Arsinoa with her problems of understanding her people through the husband competition, and Nigel as well, of his side with his people and his approach to both the queen and arsinoa werent explained that well, even if it was supposed to be inexplicitly or for the sake of his enigmatic motivations.

Nonetheless, I liked all of the characters. All of them faced unique challenges, and with it displayed growth that highlights their strength, commitment and courage towards their ambitions. Their nuanced backstory feels adequate, and fair to make people like or not like them. None them were defined with just a single characteristics, flat with shallow motivations and involvements.

Haha Moreover, they are all cute, gave me good laughs, and opened me to new perspectives of life and of challenges in differing societies. All of this I couldn't say the same to other works of the same troupe/genre.

I could go on longer, but Ill spare you all who have read this far into my humble review and thoughts of the story. Many thanks for your time to read this, albeit me not really that good of a critique. Goodness I write really long.

It feels like a fresh take on the villainess troupe where revenge is the center until romance took over by the end. The story and characters were developed well and concluded properly at the end of the main story. It was specially nice that both aria and the ml took the lead equally in their respective part of the story, later depending on eachother. Cant say that the character development of other characters were well written (i dont have a great memory rilly but some felt off by the end, and i was left confused). Some key plots couldn't be more predictable with this genre tho. Moreover, the story couldn't properly establish how aria was led to her end in her first life thereby forming and properly solidifying her revenge. Instead of first person experiences conveying her emotions and actions through introspection, her first life was told in an outsider perspective even when she herself narrates and recalls the events. Hence why one may find it hard to relate and connect to her in the beginning. She explains notable events that may have led her to that point while emphasizing her ignorance in many things but never shown how she encountered hardships, what she felt throughout of it all, or even a glimpse of her actions to arrive at the conclusion of her dying because of the hands or manipulations of her family. In other words, no emotion so intense that warrants a deep revenge were shown, such that the reader would understand.

Also, the art noticeably improved by the end, which emphasized clothing details and character features. Many scenes where drawn with subtle symbolisms and details that adds to the story telling, which I liked

Like some others say, seeing the mc accomplish what she sought to do one by one felt satisfying. Seeing her challenged and getting right back definitely make one cheer for her even if what she does is morally wrong. Nonetheless, thats what makes her unique being somewhat of a morally grey character even until the end. She displayed quite well her role as a villainess and what makes her stand out from other such characters. Plus her looks is really done well. The ml on the other hand feels just like an expected prince; comes to her rescue, intimidating but very caring, overly understanding, and feel dependable. He cares too much and too fast is what makes him feel flat for me. I guess its would be expected with this kind of light story with a happy ending but his character could have been written well. On that note, the other characters doesnt really have dept in their personality either.


Onto the epilouge ish part, without going into detail. It overall felt rushed and added confusing details that should have otherwise tied everything into a cohessive plot. Instead of answering some leftover confusion or glossed scenes, the story was stretched, filled with whatever unique ideas that makes the plot more interesting without proper development, phasing, nor conclusion and stiched together into something that still connects to the main story. Although this part explored aria and the ml as a character facing a new aspect of themselves and of their future together, the plot in this part definitely could be better. There were numerous instances where I was confused with what happened, of how some of it was even necessary, or even why it has to be portrayed that way to showcase that particular scene. Moreover, this part felt like it showed a lot of written thoughts or text boxes of the the 2 mc's thoughts which felt weird. I take this as lazy because while it is a tool to peer into the character's thoughts and reasons for actions, the main story were done well without it. Even if it is necessary to tell their thoughts, it can still be reflected through their slight movements or creative visuallization of scenes that hint towards it. It is a reader's great satisfaction to understand a complex character well without too much internal narration, at least for me. Scenes that are too straightforward are boring. The art in this part peaked and it looked like the artist had fun drawing.

Overall, i dont feel like giving it a high praise. Plot-wise its ok— the climax felt nonexistent tbh, characters were quite ok too (for me, i really liked lohan's personality, but many felt flat), it all ended in an open note and all happy, and the delivery and phasing may feel slow, so its so-so.

Anyways i just felt like putting my thoughts here like this albeit unorganized and not really cohesive or even making sense haha..buy tenks fer perusing this long ass text