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[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: I Don't Want To Be a Magpie Bridge

Author(s): 살오른 곱등이

Artist(s): Chubby cricket

I’ve been reincarnated into a side character of a novel. On top of that, I am the character who is like a magpie bridge in the mentally-exhausting story, "The Guys Around Hestia." There is no romance in store for me, and it absolutely horrifies me to think that my family is destined to drown in debt! I planned on becoming a civil servant, enjoying a life of wealth and honor that I was unable to attain in my previous life but… why are the guys behaving out of character? Why are you blushing in front of me? Why do you keep giving me food? “Can you Imagine Shushu being shy when looking at someone?” “Whoa… It’d be amazing if that happens.” As Cory absent-mindedly said to Hiley, Eve frowned and murmured under his breath. “Should I run away with her…” Swan remained silent while he hid his face with his sleeves. His face and ears turned red. What’s up with you guys? Why are you guys doing other things instead of being obsessed with the female lead? Get yourself together! This is the survival story of an academy student, Schulaina West, who wants to pursue a wealthy future in a reverse harem novel. TL/N: Magpie Bridge is the bridge made by a flock of magpies that connects the two star-crossed lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi in the legend behind the Tanabata festival.

Thoughts:

This...this is incredible? I don't even know how to start my review. The characters are incredibly constructed, with believable flaws and motivations. The friendships are complex and textured. The plot is intriguing. Of course it is a manhwa and the standard suspension of disbelief is mandatory but the webtoon manages to straddle the fence between believable and outright ridiculous incredibly well. The protagonist is fun and even as readers realize that she's not a very reliable narrator, they can't help but root for her since she's so utterly charismatic. Of course, the magic school, the bickering and the banter between several very pretty people doesn't hurt. All in all, I want to read more. Now.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: The Falcon Princess

Author(s): Hanryui Artist(s): Swe Status: Ongoing Chapters Read: 71

After losing consciousness while fleeing the war raging in Roymund Kingdom, Princess Zeline wakes up in the body of a messenger falcon! She’s now the bird in charge of delivering information for Commander Valhyle and his army, who are searching for the remaining royal descendants. She may be tiny and feathered, but Zeline is determined to use her missions to find out what happened to her family. Can this little birdie gain the skeptical commander’s trust and give her kingdom new wings?

Thoughts:

I had been seeing this around but never really felt the urge to read it until one night I decided to read just a chapter. Here I am, 71 chapters later, completely in love with both the story and the art. One of the most wonderful? intriguing? aspects of this webtoon is the time and care it dedicates to flesh out the characters of its protagonists. It is told mostly from the perspective of the princess but does occasionally switch to the Valhyle's pov and boy, does he have it bad for her. The romance is a slow burn and really well-developed but that's not the point of the story. The premise is the coming of age (albeit belatedly) of the kingdom's 8th princess who has been scared for her life for as long as she has been alive. The authors don't shove her snowflake-ness into readers' faces but take time to show why she is probably the best monarch of the country even as she stubbornly insists she's just holding the place for one of her siblings (she has 11). The politics is complex and logical; there's humor and a whole lot of heart. Strongly recommend.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: Ashtarte

Author: Daon Artist: Soon Status: Ongoing Chapters read: 50

“The Firenze Empire will be met with a new light and darkness, but the darkness will swallow the light and bring the empire to ruin.” In an imperial family praised for their silver locks, Princess Ashtarte’s unique black hair is immediately stigmatized as a bad omen. With her family shunning her for being the prophesied darkness, all Ashtarte wants is to be loved, and learning magic is her sole option to achieving that. One day, she stumbles upon a spell of destiny that teleports her to an unknown place. Waiting for her there is a boy in shackles named Abelion Elforman, who is anchored by a grim past of his own. Will these two be able to work together to bring light to their dark fates?

Thoughts:

Excellent in all the ways that matter. The art is gorgeous, the story is incredibly readable. I appreciate Ashtarte's continued anger at her family. She doesn't immediately forgive them because that's the right thing to do when they treated so so atrociously. The glimpse of something sinister at work is intriguing. I'm not looking forward to the romance because I like the priest guy (the blonde) and how sincere he is in his love for the MC but eh, hearts will break. Definitely recommended.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: The Duke's 99th Bride

Creator: Choinokki Status: Ongoing Chapters read: 52

When the daughter of the Erdona barony is forced to marry the infamous Duke Noel Felton, her loyal servant Grace McClean saves the day… by posing as the duke’s 99th bride-to-be! She’s doing her best to impress her fiancé by making him treats, rescuing a child, and even befriending the imperial princess! All seems well, until one day, Grace stumbles upon the duke’s journal and learns about his master plan... Will Grace survive her marriage? And what does the duke have in store for the empire?

Thoughts:

This was absolutely delicious. Both the female and male leads have interesting personalities. There's thick backstory to unpack. The worldbuilding is well done. The antagonists are pleasantly complex. The side characters are well developed with their own stories. This doesn't evoke mad obsession like other webtoons can where you have to read the next episode or die but it is does offer hours of fun reading if you should prefer.

Also, the art is beautiful.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: An Unexpected Marriage or When the Count's Illegitimate Daughter Gets Married

Creator: Ratshu Status: Ongoing Chapters read: 42

Laritte Brumayer, the illegitimate daughter of a count grew up in an abusive household. As if that wasn't enough, she's sent to marry Duke Ian Reinhardt after he was killed and named a traitor, instead of her sister. Despite her dreary prospects of being a dead man's wife, Laritte is ecstatic to escape and start her new life! Just as she's settling in, Ian returns, claiming he was framed. Though wary of him at first, she agrees to help clear his name, oblivious to the hardships that lie ahead...

Thoughts:

Okay, first of all, the art in this is deserving of all the superlatives. Unlike the cleanliness of the other well-drawn mahwa, these are truer to stylized illustrations that take a while to get used to but are utterly captivating once you do. The main character has been a victim of astonishing physical, verbal, and mental abuse simply because she was sired by a bastard who blames her for existing. The Duke is an interesting character; he is a flawed human being but his sincere concern for Laritte shines through. Laritte's half-sister though, I hope the manhwaga draws her getting boiled in a vat of oil because only then will I be satisfied that justice has been done. She treats Laritte so atrociously that at times I wanted to break through the screen, isekai myself into the webtoon, and do some major damage to her. Ahem. I guess you can say I feel strongly about her. Anyway, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to seeing how the relationship between the two unfurls further.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: Sierra on Strike

Author(s): Cyam Artist(s): Menanik Status: Ongoing Chapters read: 40

As high society's most eligible lady, Sierra Fernein did whatever it took to please her family, despite their flagrant disregard for her. But upon discovering she has only a month left to live, she decides to go on strike from being a prim and proper lady and live life on her own terms. Shedding the Fernein name, she declares war on anyone who dares get in her way, including her family and a few pesky admirers. But with just 30 days left, can Sierra finally enjoy the life of her dreams?

Thoughts: It's pretty obvious the manhwa isn't going to be a tragic one, as it is pretty liberally hinted that the terminal illness diagnosis Sierra receives is most probably wrong. So, the absurdity of the actions of the majority of the characters add to the charm of the webtoon rather than detracting from it. Sierra is refreshingly enough an outspoken, intelligent protagonist, one who has kept her real personality under wraps so she can marry the crown prince whom she has, by her own words, loved since she was three. It is suspect, however, that though she says she loves the man, she doesn't really show it. Not in her expressions, not with the rapidness with which she gets over him. The other lead (I'm not sure who the ML is, tbh) is interestingly non-machismo though he has all the physical qualities of being one. The story is brisk and moves forward fairly quickly and the female characters are varied in their presentations. I enjoyed how Sierra put up with no crap from anyone and she gave zero fucks about the high society she had led for many years of her short life. The mystery that presents itself at about chapter 20 is an interesting one and I am quite invested in figuring out how Sierra and her coterie of people will solve it.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: Preventing the Making of a Tyrant

Author(s): 람글 Status: Ongoing Chapters read: 57

In contrast to her past life in Korea, the storybook world Rayne Haatz inhabits is full of wonders—think dreamy powers, nobles inspired by card suits, and anthromorphs. There’s just one issue...her destiny in this world is to die! Luckily, it seems that someone wants her alive. In her fourth life, Rayne vows to stop her scheming family from giving Emperor Jaynen the dark nightmares that drive him mad and lead to her death. But after three deaths, has Rayne learned enough to change her fate? Or will her feelings for Jaynen complicate her plans?

Thoughts:

Before I say anything else, let me iterate: I like this one. Mostly. I wouldn't have read as many chapters as I did if I didn't but the gaping holes in logic is just about ready to drive me nuts. The most obvious one being, if her foster family has malicious intentions towards the emperor, why in the world does she not tell the emperor about them and their conspiracies instead of unsuccessfully trying to stop them? Wouldn't he be able to take better care of the rebellious subjects than her? Also, why in the world does she need to hide her identity from the emperor? What is this subterfuge going to achieve? I don't get it and it drives me crazy that I don't because it detracts from the story immensely. Otherwise, the story is quite pleasant in the romance fantasy sort of way one would expect an isekai to be. The relationship between the two leads is fleshed out enough to be believable. There are female friendships and no obvious second lead. The worldbuilding is interesting and the hierarchies created in society leave room for thought. It is immensely readable and I suppose that's why the lack of logic irks me so.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: Hawar of the Winter Garden

Author(s): Minato Artist(s): Raret 미나토 Status: Ongoing Chapters Read: 18

Princess Canola arrives in wintery Tripol expecting a warm welcome from her future husband, Edel, and his kingdom. It's love at first sight the moment she lays eyes on him. But her picture-perfect fantasy comes crashing down when the people of Tripol reject an outlander for their prince. Now, Canola has to jump through hoops just to remain in Edel's orbit. Most would crumble under the pressure, but Canola isn't about to miss her chance to land herself a dreamy husband. She just has to find a way to melt prince charming's heart, and all the icy hearts in Tripol.

Thoughts:

Not gonna lie, when I started this manhwa, I was prepared to be annoyed by the female MC because she gave me the blinded-by-romance vibes and, to be quite honest, she does appear to be swayed immensely by her emotions but the narrative suggests that there is a fine mind behind the character she presents to the outside. A mind that is fully aware of her identity and her worth and the position she is in due to her royal siblings. The way she conducts herself in this new strange land she is in is not annoying but intriguing. She comprehends people's hostility to her but rather than letting it bring her down, she fights their xenophobia. As for the romance, the prince is hardly icy towards her. He is aware he is attracted to her but he also knows how precarious his position as crown prince is and marrying an outsider is not going to win him any favours from his people. I am pretty keen on finding out how Canola (yes, that's her name, the oil) is going to win over the hearts of the people she'll eventually rule alongside her husband who seems to have already fallen for her.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: I've Become a True Villainess

Author: Flowing Honey Status: Ongoing Chapters read: 32

I have to survive, no matter what! I've died and been reincarnated as the villain of a romance novel! In order to avoid the hideous fate that awaits me, I've righted her wrongs and even gotten engaged. I should be home free, but strange things have started happening ever since the heroine appeared. Why won't her fiancé leave me alone?

Thoughts:

Despite this making use of very common tropes (villainess, world-hopping saintess, magic, monsters, etc), this webtoon is extremely readable and one of the major reasons for that is the lack of melodramatic antics from any of the characters besides the OG heroine.

I really like the MC, Seria, who is making the best of a very shitty situation. She even made some preparations that ought to have let her live through the plot safely but as we all know, life has its own plans. When her fiancé disappears right before her wedding with him and she is almost dead (this was interesting) because her position as Sterne makes it imperative that no sudden actions take place as her divine power will go wild, the OG male lead decides to marry her.

In any other manhwa, this would have a lot of ellipses, blushing faces, etc. In this one, it was simply a matter of fact. She wanted to live and he wanted her to live. The thick skin of the OG heroine infuriates me as does the erstwhile fiancé. But it's fun to see them get their dues.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the chapters I've read and am intrigued enough to continue with it.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: I Became the Villainess in a Disastrous Novel

Author(s): Hagyeon Artist(s): Yoonrim Status: Ongoing Chapters Read: 19

It's just Ara's luck to be hit by a car and reborn in a novel as the villainous "Meliara." To make things worse, she knows that the empire in this novel is about to get destroyed by the world's Demon King in a few months, so she must make a quick escape to the far corners of the empire while she can. She just can't catch a break! But as she's leaving, she runs into the dashing and mysterious Rehett, who, for some reason, immediately offers to accompany her on her journey as her bodyguard. What's stranger is that Rehett seems to know an awful lot about Meliara's tastes and preferences from her past life, despite meeting her for the first time. How could this be? Though she doesn't know it yet, Meliara's past and current lives are inextricably intertwined for a higher purpose beyond her imagination.

Thoughts:

The webtoon utilizes the all too common isekai trope, bringing an office worker from modern Korea into a fantasy world where she is misunderstood by family, friends, and fiancé. Funnily enough, the crown prince fiance is not introduced except in flashbacks so I'm unsure whether he'll play an active role. Which is fine. The webtoon started out promising but the lack of character-building and some very convenient plot developments led me to like it a lot less than when I started. Of the two male love interests, one of them is very snaky but is, of course, excused of his scheming and manipulations by the holier than thou female lead who conveniently ends up being a saintess. The art is pretty but the story is mediocre. Perhaps it will pick up later on but I don't know if I have the desire to continue.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: A Whirlwind Campus Affair

Creator: Uiyong Status: Ongoing Chapters Read: 59

Rumor has it that Baram Oh had an affair with her married art school professor. It’s been four years since that debacle, and now she’s back at campus to try and enjoy her college life. But she’s not the only thing who’s returned: there’s rumors of a water ghost roaming the halls, and it just might be following her around.

Thoughts:

A very lighthearted romp through university days. Though the webtoon deals with serious themes such as heartbreak, betrayal, stalking, and suicide (among others I may have forgotten), it does so in a very un-serious way which does not always benefit the tale or the characters. I liked the emphasis on friendships and the gradually deepening complexity of the characters of the webtoon but there is always a sense of distance that keeps the reader from becoming completely invested into the story. Perhaps because the creator shys away from discussing the affair in any depth or because the MC is so nonchalant about what must have been an incredibly painful experience, I always felt unsettled while reading. The stalking isn't treated with the gravity it deserves and that annoyed me. As for the romance, I liked them all and didn't like either of them. Too many choices make me unable to decide who would be best for Baram who seems to be happier single than she would be with a man. *shrug*

Do I recommend it? Sure. It is cute and if you find yourself with a couple of hours with nothing else to do, by all means, binge.

[literaryphilanderer]

Manga: 7th Time Loop - The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy

Author/Illustrator: Amekawa Touko , Kino Hinoki

Synopsis:

Rishe, the daughter of a duke, is stuck in a time loop that begins at the moment her engagement is annulled and ends with her early demise at the age of 20. She has now begun her seventh loop. In her past do-overs, Rishe experienced various occupations, including being a merchant, a pharmacist, and a knight. But this time around, she simply wishes to live a long and leisurely life! That was the plan, only for it to be derailed by an unprecedented marriage proposal from her killer in the previous loop, the neighbouring country's Crown Prince—?!

Thoughts:

Excellent addition to the genre. The so-called villainess is refreshingly pragmatic, embodying the feminist ideal without explicitly stating so. "Nobody can decide my worth except myself." I especially adore that skills and intellect are prioritized in this manga where others of its ilk are more immersed in the beauty of the protagonist. I shall continue reading this.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: Talented Baby Squirrel

Korean Title: 아기 다람쥐가 다 잘해요 Author/Illustrator: Humpback Whale/Han So Young

Synopsis:

Beatty, a weak squirrel shapeshifter born into a lion family. Because of that, I grew up, abused in my aunt’s home in the Capital. When I told my only friend and fiancé, the Second Prince, that I’d be leaving to realize my dreams, “Litér, you bastard…!” I died from his poisonous fangs. When I opened my eyes again, I returned back to my childhood, to the moment before I got entangled with the Second Prince. What do you need when you’re young? Speed. I immediately escaped with just my body and set off to my father, the Lion Duke’s territory. Though I probably won’t be welcomed, if they take into consideration the incredible secret, which will only be discovered in the future, that I possess, then maybe they won’t kick me out… “Welcome, my lady!” “My God! When did you get so tall…?” “” Milady’s walking on those cute little feet!” ……Huh? Why are they welcoming me like this? Is that really my statue?

Thoughts:

Designed to tug at the heart strings, this manhwa has three great things and one bad. The great things include, glorious art, cute babies, and a solid plot. The bad thing is the atrocious translation. Still, the five chapters I read convinced me to carry on because I really need to see that aunt die. Or hurt. Plus, the squirrel baby is cute.

[literaryphilanderer]

Webtoon: A World Without My Sister Whom Everyone Loved

Korean Name: 사랑받는 언니가 사라진 세계 Author/Illustrator: Hamal, Na Yoo Hye

Synopsis: “I hate you so much that I wish to kill you, Sienna.” I was my sister’s shadow my entire life, then I was betrayed by her. My only option was to die. “I’m sorry, sister. I can’t listen to you wishing to kill me.” But… the people at the Nacht estate were different from before I went back in time. “You’re the only chosen child of Nacht of the Underworld.” “His Highness, the Archduke, acknowledges you as his family.” Something is wrong. I think these people have mistaken me for my sister. “Please believe us just this once. We cherish you.” Once, I wished to receive affection. Now, I’m afraid those feelings would become my weakness. I’ve had enough from that one betrayal that took away my entire life. The time I risked everything for love has passed. I just want my life back. ‘I won’t be hurt anymore if I don’t love.’ “Let’s stop now and just go our separate ways.”

Thoughts:

Excellent. I burned with rage. I frowned, intrigued by the unfurling plot. The art made me gasp. I shall read more to see how the story unfolds.