The pacing is just off somehow. Slow and dragging over the main premise, while the relationship stuff seems to be at warp speed. I shouldn't be complaining but it feels forced, almost. Instead of building their relationship together, it feels like everyone else is pushing them together instead. Idk, I just have conflicting feelings in regards to how it feels rushed.
"Isn't that hypocrisy?"
First off, when did she ever say she wanted to save "everyone"? It's not once stated in the manga that she wants to save everyone. Second, I'm so, so, so very tired of someone helping someone else less fortunate than themselves and it being framed as a negative because "self-satsifaction." Genuinely, so what? Why does that matter? So an act was done out of pity or compassion. That's not wrong.
The reason people frame this as negative or wrong is because they feel uncomfortable with the idea of those emotions being directed at them. Yes, it could be done in excess but that's not being shown here. She heals a mother, heals a child, and gives them some money. The mother cries and thanks her. And yet, we the reader are being told this is a "horrible" thing because it was done out of pity. So, should she have ignored them? But if she ignored them, THAT could be framed as hypocrisy. So what's the "right" and "moral" thing here?
It seems to me that this story doesn't even know what morals it wants to espouse. Hee ex husband is shown to follow blind righteousness and then "wake up" from it after she died. And now she's being lambasted for having compassion.
I'm dropping here because while the story had potential in theory, the writing is a muddy, confusing mess. It doesn't help that the person who created this is making a mess of the "two love interests" trope, either. At this point, I can't tell who I'm supposed to root. Certainly not this wishy washy FL who let's herself be influenced by literally every person she meets. She was accosted by two knights and couldn't fight back because one had an expression that gave her a flashback? Be so fr rn.
I'm not saying she should suddenly learn to fight, I'm fine with her being rescued and a damsel in distress, but that wasn't just unnecessary but actively worked against her. If she's going to freak out over an expression, it shouldn't be when she's dealing with a man but with a woman. That would make sense. And you're telling me he wants to SA her but his expression was one of "disgust" so strong, it gave her a panic attack? Um. No. That's NOT the expression he would be wearing. He would be wearing a disgusting expression but he would not be looking at HER in disgust. It doesn't even make sense in the context of the scene. Maybe it was meant to be contempt? That's not how it came across tho.
Regardless, this whole story is a mess. I gave it a fair shot but it's not for me.
This is mostly just for me. I basically skimmed thru the first few pages or so of each chapter and skipped to the next one and still understood the overall plot since the 10s. 40+ chapters and I skipped almost all of it and still got the big picture. Damn. Needless to say, you don't even need to turn your brain off for this story, it's literally a no brainer.
Also this story is a shameless cuck book towards the reader. With that cover and the general way is portrayed in the story, there's zero sex. I'm not asking for porn with plot but at least give SOMETHING to keep the reader invested. Kissing every 2 chapters, half of the time forced, gets old real quick. He took an aphrodisiac and the most they did is kiss. Meh.
I can't explain it but the proportions on people seem just slightly off. Just enough to give an uncanny or uncomfortable feeling but not enough to be obvious.
Just once, I want to see the reactions of people outside the family/servants once the switch is revealed and they go back to their regular hair/eye color. I'm assuming that they don't just announce what happened to the whole world every time, so it must be so weird to the regular people. After years, maybe even a decade of this couple being sweet together in public all the time, suddenly, here is their lord, being even sweeter and more caring to a completely different woman. Sure, she looks kind of similar but she has a different hair color, eye color and name. She's being her genuine self, so she doesn't even act exactly the same as the previous mistress. It would probably have some very uncanny vibes, like someone came in and swapped one person but no one comments on it. I just think that has the potential to have some nice psychological elements to it. A new lady came in one day, replaced the beloved mistress, and nobody is allowed to comment on it. She looks similar but different. She acts similar but not exactly the same. Everybody in the noble household sees happy but there's a gag order in place. Anything related to the previous mistress is strictly not to be brought up. Any reference to her gets cold looks and dark glares. But villager A remembers how sweet the previous couple is and can't get over the change. It's slowly driving them crazy. What happened? Give me that story, please.
Give me them confronting the new mistress, her telling them the truth and them not believing it because it sounds too far fetched. Give me a story where the people aren't immediately accepting of the change and it causes issues in the territory. Give me the story where the switch is revealed and it isn't just brushed under the rug. The noble family manages to spare her life but there are serious political ramifications because of it. Give me a story where it isn't happily ever after, because now the people are unhappy after everything is brought to light and they have to pay the price for a deception they had no part in. Show me a story where the new bride actually has to work to make up for the deception afterwards, even if she meant no harm in it. I want a grittier story.
I want a story the focuses on an outside perspective, where the people unrelated to the deception are the focus. I want a story where instead of a happily ever after, things are still tough after the main "villain" is gone, because life isn't easy or fair. It doesn't matter that she meant no harm by lying or was forced into it. Explaining that to a random person won't erase what she did. Society, both regular and noble, won't overlook this so easily. The same way today, identity theft wouldn't be easily forgiven simply because it was done under duress. "I stole someone's identity but I was being threatened!" Doesn't sound believable to the average person, but it's brushed off in novels. I want someone to call BS on that, to ask hard questions and demand uncomfortable answers. That's what I want to see.
Idk, I just think this every time I see someone who looks completely different changing their hair color. What would it be like for someone who knew nothing about this, who wasn't a servant of the estate and new nothing about the switch, think? If I was watching from afar, with zero knowledge of what was happening, I would have so many questions. This is what builds conspiracy theories. You know what, I'm totally okay with some random villager B being convinced that lizard people replaced the first wife. Why not. Throw in some wild conspiracy theories to add some humor and cut the tension, too. That would be a fun background element. "George is telling wild tales again." "I'm telling you, it was aliens! Aliens, you hear!" Or "She's a changeling, I just know it!" "Sure thing, George. Sure thing."
I hate, hate, hate this stupid trope. You also remember your previous life. And you're sitting here, asking her what she thinks happened after she died? She DIED. She wouldn't know. And then you proceed to BLAME HER for not knowing anything. This is BS. He has full ability to tell her what happened but instead plays the stupid game of, "The future is changing and it's all your fault!"
Also, also. If you want a better outcome for the future, take an active effort. Don't give me this BS of, "Oh they made a promise not to get involved with other houses!" THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE??? LEAVE. If you're not going to interfere, don't make any effort at all.
Evergreen is 1000% at fault for anything that happens in the future. Unless that stupid god Vincente or whatever his name is sealed his mouth shut himself, he has zero excuses. He's just making a huge mess of things. Fuck him. I officially hate this character now and nothing can redeem him.
I'm sorry but this whole chapter took me out of enjoying the series. It was TOO "empowering women" without basis. Don't get me wrong, I love empowered women but it has to make sense. Acting like her father won't hunt her down and drag her back after she's "independent" is insane. There's no change to the laws or how the kingdom has been run for likely hundred of years now. Her doing art in private doesn't change anything. She's just doing it in a dangerous setting now, instead of the safety of her home (near that lake, on her father's property). She's still hiding it, she isn't independent, and her father still opposes it.
Then you're telling me that she knowingly is in this dangerous area and sends away the mercenaries SHE hired? For what reason? Makes zero sense. And when they run into robbers, her bright idea is to bite the guy? In a normal scenario, instead of "getting away" that would just escalate the situation and then they'd BOTH be in danger. Why didn't the other guys grab her now that she was closer? Again, doesn't make sense.
The whole chapter annoyed me. I was able to turn off my brain for most of this story but not this chapter.
I hate, hate, hate it when they do stupid tropes like this. "She's never painted a day in her life, never had any experience with any art medium, and has never been taught any techniques. She's a genius!"
That's not how art works. At all. Some might have a better beginning talent than others but it takes time to get to the point where you're recognized for your talent. It takes practice. It takes repetition. You have to practice again and again to get that good. It's the same with music, the same with cooking. You might do a good job on your first try but that doesn't mean you're immediately ready to join competition. It's fine if they want to do a girl learning new things or whatever. I'm fine with her being better than average at art. My issue is that it's stupid to say that someone who never picked up a paint brush spotless compete against people who have been nurturing this talent their whole life. That's disrespectful to the people who actually put in the effort to learn and that's harmful to the amateur.
Both a friend and I were in a city competition in elementary school. We both did fairly well. I won 2nd place. They won 3rd. But we were judged against our peers. We were both only in the 3rd grade. That competition went all the way up to professionals. If they're going to do a competition, they should take that kind of thing into consideration, different levels, but they never do. It's just irritating.
This is for myself if I ever come back here again. Got to chapter 4 and the pacing isn't for me. The concept was interesting but the pacing feels both fast and slow, as well as forced somehow. I can't put it into words but the pacing of the story just feels completely off to me.
Rereading chapter 3 with the context of chapter 10 makes that scene hit harder. Her family remembers her first life too. They remember both their and her pain, her death. And her father was sent back to right after she was born.
So rereading chapter 3, where she asks him if he hated her (in regards to her past life, when she had scars) and him not seeming to understand but saying he just needs to love her more from now on... But if you read carefully, he says "it's painful being misunderstood as someone who hates you" and knowing he remembers their first life, he's secretly addressing what happened that time around. He was drowning in guilt and grief and wasn't able to take care of himself, much less his hurt and grieving daughter. He sent her away, hoping she would have a better life, only to see her again after she died. And to know that the entire time, his beloved baby thought he hated her but he can't address that, because then he'll only be reopening painful wounds.
I like it. Is the story amazing so far? No. But I love subtle things done like that. I noticed it the first time I read chapter 3, which is why I immediately thought to reread it after chapter 10. I love stories like this.
I can already tell that I'll just be annoyed if I keep reading past this chapter. I don't need answers to everything, some imagination is fine for me. I'll leave it at that and move on.
Thought I could put up with it but I can't. I was willing to overlook an adult being reborn as a baby. Not my favorite type of trope but I can look past it. But I hate stupid tropes of "this person is now a baby but can survive being nearly killed." Nope. Nah. Yes, babies are more flexible but they're not harder to kill than an average adult. Especially a newborn? That is when they're most fragile. The flipping her over was interesting but an actual assassin would have put light pressure on her back, until she stopped struggling as much. Just enough so that all sound is muffled. Then, after she's weak or passed out, let gravity handle the rest. No baby is going to be able to lift themselves up enough to help themselves breathe. I went a couple of chapters more but it was still just as frustrating. Don't bother reading more, you won't enjoy this, future me.
Candell or whatever his name is. Nah. I would never forgive him. None of them ever, EVER set up proper boundaries with her. THEY crossed the line first. THEY brought her to the spirit world first. Sure, they gave her some "warnings" if you could call it that but it was never made clear WHY to her. They knew she was from a completely different world and didn't know how this one worked when it came to spirits. They knew and explained nothing in regards to themselves. The only thing they explained was that she didn't create this world, only "read" about it. All they asked in exchange was for her to tell her about what she read.
There was never ANY explanation for why she shouldn't call them. The minute he took my eyesight, there would be no reconciliation on my part. I would wish a curse on the household he serves, so that they never know peace. She called him because she was ABOUT TO DIE and he was offended that she didn't know better than to ask for help? Nope. A curse on his household and I would never speak or acknowledge a spirit again. I wouldn't have anything to do with the ML, either, specifically noting it was BECAUSE of the spirits. And I would leave that kingdom immediately, so that this could never be repaired.
I don't forgive the Spirit King or whatever for "making it better" because that boundary was NEVER ESTABLISHED before. It's treated like a boon but she had no way of knowing that and just because she's nice, it's hand waved. Nah. I'm spiteful af. I hadn't liked the spirits in the story so far but chapter 112 made me actively hate them. I can't think of any way the story can make me enjoy them as characters again.
Leaving this here in hopes some kind soul will notify me when this is finally fixed. I can't read this as is.
So in chapters 8 or 9, he gets kidnapped, and tells her it's because he went to the festival with her brother. He was given a cookie and made him pass out. He then fights for his life for a chapter.
Then, in chapter 11, they go around the festival together. What is the first fucking food she gives him? A fucking COOKIE. B*TCH ARE YOU DUMB??? It's such a minor thing but it took me completely out of the story. I'm not saying he should be traumatized forever or can never have cookies again but the first thing you give him is the exact thing he was dr*gged with??? Make it make sense.
So I'm 28 chapters in and I have zero interest in the ogML. I'm hoping he doesn't become the actual ML because it's not interesting and not believable. It would be more interesting and cute if she spent all her time trying to heal his younger brother and slowly got to know him. Spending all her time on trying to keep him happy, so that the ogML doesn't kill her dad, and slowly falling for him. I'm very very VERY tired of the attitude problem with the ogML. I get it and in another manga, I might enjoy, but in this one? It feels tired and overdone already.
I wanted to like this but the plot feels all over the place. I'm only 9 chapters in but it felt like a slog. If they took out the gathering of materials for clothes, maybe I would like it more but ig this just isn't for me. It also feels like they want the tailor shop to fix all the problems and I just can't. The first interaction with the gnome was cute. I wasn't invested in the salamander story but I was willing to go along with the plot because I'm not expecting to get emotionally attached to every customer.
But then they threw in those stupid "poop" jokes, the melting bunny, the yeti family.... Stupid jokes aside, each time I'm supposed to believe they just showed up and solved ALL THE PROBLEMS for everyone? Nope. I'm out. To those who do enjoy, I'm glad. Not for me.
The last 20 to 40 chapters could have been cut and it would have been better. The ending dragged on. The entire "friend" plotline was such a nothing burger. It went no where. It was literally a circle, starting and ending in the same place. I was a little hopeful for a second when she said she would leave her to her fate when the friend couldn't overcome dark magic but nope. Seconds later, she's arrested and "saved." Same with the little brother plot line. It added nothing to the story. I think he had less than an entire chapter worth of screen time in 120 chapters. I felt zero investment in his story. He's illegitimate? Okay. He's weak since birth? Ok. He has an inexplicably bad relationship with Sherin despite her early on characterization having her only being concerned about her mother and her brother as a child? Makes zero sense but okay. Corrupted by dark magic? Cool story. Randomly overcomes it because of a fucking GLARE???? Kay. All of this was shown in about 15 pages over more than 20 chapters. We spent zero time with him so by the end, I don't care what happens to him.
The sorcerer and the jealousy arc was also pointless and SHOULD have been cut. It was only thrown in to make the sister and the princes a Tony bit more threatening. It just dragged things on way too long. And it's resolved with a food kitchen??? Reminder that the girl who got fucking SCAPHISM as a punishment only fucking stole jewels. Everything else she was framed. HE LEGIT THREATENED THE FATE OF THE ENTIRE KINGDOM.
By the ending, the first half seems like a joke. That's the issue with adding in medieval punishments. If you don't keep up with the horror of that time, it just makes everything else feel lacking.
Don't even get me started on the father story line. The ending makes me think that they forgot how they set up the father and mother. It was an arranged marriage. She claimed to love him and died for him. He felt only difference and dismissive towards her, worth some disgust mixed in whenever he had to see her. He was in love with another woman. There is no logical reason he would want to be together with her in a painting, even after death. There's no romantic reason, either, because he had zero interest in what happened to her even after he found out she was poisoned. I could be maybe MAYBE convinced to believe the mother wanted to torture him for all eternity in the painting but she no longer loved him by the end. Or are we just ignoring her feelings in the couple of days before she died?
And most pointless plot line of all, the north duke. So tired of the multi-directional dukes, to start of with. Might as well call one southwest at this point. I hate it. On top of that, the grandparents mention him like they're was some secret or forbidden romance between him and mom. Nope. He was just in unrequited love with her. He there to be yet another unnecessary war plot line. He probably has about a chapter worth of relevance. He adds zero to the plot overall. The war? Plot device so that ML goes away for a couple years to "age up" quickly. The info he gives? Another character already knows. He isn't necessary. He adds nothing.
I don't even want to try to fix it because that would mean rereading and I never want to slog thru that again.
I had complimented feelings while reading this but I think that's exactly how it's supposed to make you feel. This is a manga about a young man, a boy, going through puberty. His feelings about his mother are mixed only because he occasionally sees her through his father's eyes. Which is weird but it's not like he WANTS to experience that.
In the end, he picks the classmate he's developed a relationship with and slowly grown feelings for. They're cute together and it's sweet watching them get closer.
All in all, it was a weird read but not BAD. Would I read it again though? Nope, never again. I'm well out of the complicated feelings of puberty and in a way, I think so is the author. This felt more like the IMAGINED version of puberty rather than puberty. Either way, as much as I miss the recklessness I had in my teens, I would never want to deal with all that other stuff. Too uncomfortable, no thank you.
6.5/10