xxx.cUmellia_Quick.xxx's Favorite

So, I have some major qualms about this Shoujo. Where do I even begin?

This Shoujo is absolutely terrible, I cannot understand for the life of me why this is garnering such praise, and a score of 9.3/10. The characters are flat and one-dimensional, there’s no textual integrity, world-building is shoddy and the plot is too complex and hard to follow.

To begin with, none of the character’s actions make any sense. Areum finds herself in an alternate realm and somehow adjusts almost instantaneously? If someone from the 21st century were transported into what appears to be the Victorian Era, I think they’d be more than a little shocked. As the story progresses, it almost seems to forget this plot point and is rendered completely insignificant. What was even the point of the entire ‘reincarnation’ aspect if it isn’t referenced or explored further?

Some parts of the story detail her inner monologue and thoughts, however this is not effectively utilised. This could provide real opportunities to further develop her character, reveal her motivations and her feelings. Following the first few chapters, she rarely, if at all, thinks about that fact that she is somehow in an alternate universe. She doesn't question how exactly she ended up there, or how any of this is possible. She never thinks about her life on Earth, her family or friends etc. Her entire character seems to revolve around her interactions with the Duke.

She is trafficked and sold into the slave trade, facing verbal abuse from society for her appearance and doesn’t seem the least bit bothered by it. She harbours no resentment towards the people who trafficked her, the Duke who bought her and treated her terribly at first or the background characters that attack her. The effects of such a seemingly traumatic experience is hardly referenced further.

Which leads me to my next point. The motivations of background characters attacking her makes no sense. Throughout the shoujo, the fact that he is supposedly a cruel and ruthless man is repeated. So why would his workers attack someone he clearly values, if he has no problem killing them?

The character of Travis/Duke Millard/whatever is also wildly inconsistent. Other background characters continually reinforce his apathetic and cruel demeanour, however the story portrays him as essentially falling in love with the lead upon first glance. He is cold and stoic in all interactions with other people, but as soon as he talks to Areum he blushes and becomes flustered like a schoolgirl? It simply doesn't make sense at all. If he truly is hundreds of years old, a vampire etc., a pretty face isn’t going to do much for him. Nor is someone as flat and uninteresting as Areum is. Whilst I understand she resembles a vampire in whatever universe this is, her character as a whole is not unique or different than any of his other workers. The audience cannot understand WHY the Duke has taken such a liking to her, because the Shoujo makes no attempt to develop either of the leading characters.

The plot is also a major problem I have with this shoujo. The plot is simply too complex and too disjointed that I honestly don't even know where this is going. From what I remember (and I'm not going to go back and reread this garbage), a curse is placed on him, so that he dies if he falls in love with someone? And many people are invested in his death and so plot to make him fall in love? Wouldn't that make him apprehensive of everyone he meets, and wouldn't he be suspicious of Areum?

Following along this plot thread, the Duke is definitely aware of this curse. He knows that falling in love will kill him. So why hasn't he killed her, as soon as he felt himself have the smallest bit of affection towards her? Objectively considering this, he doesn't act like a duke. As this is an alternate universe, I am assuming that societal values are very against classes acquainting with one another and is very frowned upon. So why does he concern himself with Areum when he doesn't care about anyone else belonging to her class?

Their romance plot thread is too sudden. The story doesn’t show their love, but rather shows Areum spouting some sappy shit and him blushing, which again makes no sense when you consider his characterisation. I simply couldn’t empathise with any of the characters because I don’t care about them. At this point, I couldn’t care whether either of them suddenly dies or what because this story is utter garbage.

The only redeeming aspect of this shoujo I can think of is the art style. I, however, cannot think of the reason for the artistic choice to make Areum's eyes so large in comparison to all other characters. It's a personal opinion, but I think it's strange.

To conclude, I am shocked by the amount of praise this has received. Anyone that has read a decent shoujo can clearly see how terribly written this is in terms of the characters and the plot. Characters are bland, the plot is too complex and disjointed and the story does not leave me with a burning desire to find out what happens next. I don’t care about any of the characters, in fact I hate the majority of them. Their actions don't make sense. Either way, I'm already too invested in this and will finish it to see if the shoujo somehow miraculously improves.





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