#god i wish i didnt live with my parents bc their reaction is the only thing thats actually stressing me out

[szczylpierdolony]

i think i will dye my hair so the problem now is choosing the exact shade of pink i want

[zhuhongs]

Here’s my long ass review of TGCF that literally no one asked for it i have opinions and I have no one to tell them too so i must write them out and post them. (also part of this is abt the mdzs novel bc i can’t not compare them and I have a lot of thoughts abt that too)

This is very very long so it’s going under a read more. Spoilers ahead!!

Okay so first off this book was a fucking behemoth i can’t believe i read all of that (minus the extras) in under a week.. what the fuck. I definetly got reading fatigue halfway thru book 3.

I’m gonna separate my thoughts into sections bc i  have a few points that don’t all relate

firstly, overall writing and organization:

I said it earlier but tgcf is a lot more structurally sound than mdzs imo. My biggest criticism of the MDZS novel (minus the bad sex scenes, homophobia, and general I hate mxtxness of it) was the way the flashbacks were presented. 

Like OH MY GOD they were presented so badly. I hated that the flashback was told intermittently and only when one of the characters invoked the past. For example, when WWX meets Jiang Cheng and a second time, Jin Ling distracts JC to release “Mo Xuanyu” bc he saved his life in the Nie Ancestral hall earlier. WWX then proceeds to be the self sacrificing dude he is and take away Jin Ling’s curse and put it on himself. When he escapes and returns to LWJ, LWJ offers to carry him.

 If you watched CQL, you know exactly what LWJ is referring to when he says smth to the effect of “You once offered to carry me too, remember.” HOWEVER in the novel you don’t know what he’s talking about. This is because the flashback wasn’t been revealed to you yet. The next chapter goes to tell the flashback. I think that this takes away all of the emotional depth away from the scene. But in CQL, having the flashback already be known, you make the connection on your own and are like “awww wangji remembers that.. even 16 years later.“ Its a lot sweeter bc you know what the two have gone thru. At this point in the MDZS novel its barely the 30th chapter or so and you have no real idea what wangxian have been thru together or what reasons wangji has for loving wwx. You just think, well obviously they like each other bc this is a danmei novel and they are the two leads, ofc they have to like each other. But in cql, you learn through watching them that they’re in love. It’s not just like”well they have to be!! its a bl!!”

Okay that was a rlly long side tangent but it makes me so angry. So what did any of that have to do with TGCF?? well tgcf doesn’t have this issue. In fact, i believe that it gains a lot from having the flashback withheld from the reader. 

I really liked how the flashbacks were contained to books 2 and 4 respectively because it adds a layer of mystery. Hua Cheng is a very secretive man so it makes sense for us to not know everything about him upfront. The way that the author teases and hints little things at you make you want to know more, making it all the more satisfying when the truth is revealed. Because in a way you Know that Hua Cheng meets Xie Lian before and you know that he’s the child XL saved during the God Pleasing Ceremony but you don’t know all the details. Like obviously since Hua Cheng is a ghost you know that he’s died and it was likely for Xie Lian or Xian le’s sake but you probably never expected that he actually died twice. Once on the battle field and second when he took the human face disease. I think the difference between these flashbacks and the flashbacks in MDZS result from the length. In TGCF you get two long concise flashbacks that make sense to be placed where they are. Book 2 because you already have a feel and hint at what the characters have been through and book 4 because the White No Face appears again so then you learn how he and Xie Lian met before. It wouldn’t make sense to place book 2 any earlier bc there is no emotional impact. And it doesn’t make sense to place book 4 earlier because you don’t know what the white no face’s deal is so it’d be confusing. In MDZS, you get numerous short flashbacks happening alongside the main story and it makes it hard to piece together the timeline in a way that feels satisfying. Ik a lot of ppl grill cql for having a confusing intro episode and having a rlly long flashback but its much better than the mdzs novel. However the mdzs donghua handles the flashback in the most concise way imo.

Overall i think the way the story is structured is very good and is a step up from mdzs. Also the horror aspects of tgcf are rlly enjoyable and honestly i think mxtx should just write short horror stories at this point. like enough long ass novels chock full of fetishization. just write some fun horror with no romance and call it a day.. pls

Side Characters:

okay so straight up, i think the side characters arent used as well as they were in mdzs bc mxtx wanted to focus on hualian and didn’t want to give the side characters as much focus. This is a weaker point of the novel.

I’ll get into it more below but i think hua cheng was done dirty as a character by having him rlly only care abt xie lian. Since he doesn;t have any real relationships with others outside of xie lian this takes away from having more depth in the side characters. They’re really only related as far as xie lian’s relationship with them. Though thankfully xie lian gets rather close with a few officials and the ones we get to see more of are rlly interesting. I especially loved the reconciliation of mu qing, feng xin, and xie lian at the end of book 5. honestly their relationship was one my favorites and i’m glad they finally said what they had to say to each other after 800 fucking years. Also Shi Qingxuan is a delight. we stan sqx in this house.

The characters i wish we had seen more of were yushi huang (although she didnt rlly want to be there, good for her), Quan Yizhen and Yin Yu. I very much wish yizhen and yin yus story happened earlier on and we had more time with them. It felt strange to have their subplot occur towards the end and it was sort of out of place but i liked them a lot!! i wish there was more to it. and that there was a reconcilation but mxtx hates happy shidi’s doesnt she, (glares at novel jc). Also man yin yu did NOT have to die like that i’m sad.

Also, honestly.. i don’t think qi rong added to the story whatsoever and i have no clue why he and guzi were there. qi rong just pissed me off the whole time and added literally nothing.

going back to yushi huang, i’d like to say for the millionth time that i hate how mxtx uses any of her female characters. like we get it.. u hate women being useful... im still pressed but what i want to say has been said many times before so ill leave it at that.

Hualian:

I really really did like hualian at the end. They had a truly epic love story and it was so beautiful, especially when hua cheng repeated his words as wuming to xie lian as he started to disappear. But, I said it once and i’ll say it again. I don’t think Hualian is a super healthy relationship. As fiction its fine (i firmly believe fiction impacts reality but let me finish), i guess bc literally nothing about their situation can be replicated irl and none of it ended up containing manipulation or abuse or anything bad but there was a potential for it to and i’m really glad it didnt go that route.

Hualian is a highly idealized and romanticized relationship full of some truly troubling feelings of self worth. While its “beautiful” in a way that hc really was xls most devoted believer, it wasnt healthy for him to live for xl like this. Nor was it healthy for xl to feel so unworthy of hua chengs love.  

Hua Cheng’s devotion to Xie Lian is a little too extreme and it bothers me. When the truth was revealed abt the Temple of 10,000 Gods I had the same reaction as Mu Qing and Feng Xin. I was like... HEY WHAT THE FUCKK that’s a little uh... thats NOT HEALTHY,, dianxia PLEASE say smth. But ofc Xie Lian didn’t say fucking anything and and i was so pissed. Like the whole thing of Hua Cheng living his life solely for XIe Lian is really kinda fucked up and not romantic. I was holding out hope that at some point XIe Lian would sit him down and be like “Hey! I love you and i’m really grateful that all these years you’ve still believed in me when no one else did. But you can’t just live your life for my sake. You deserve love from many other other people and deserve to have a life and happiness outside of me. I still want to spend the rest of my life with you, but you need to not only think of me.” or something to that effect

It bothers me that after Xie Lian learns the truth he doesn’t once reassure Hua Cheng that he didn’t have to make Xie Lian his reason for existence. Like.. idk i just think that’s rlly kinda unhealthy. Like I understand why Hua Cheng is so deeply devoted to Xie Lian-- he saved his life twice and was the only one to ever show him kindness and he’s seen xie lian suffer a fate worse than death multiple times. I get that he wants to protect him and make his life easier, but to not let anyone else into his life and spend 800 years looking for xie lian is just overkill. Like if the whole 10k statues thing never happened i’d be 100 percent fine with hualin but the whole devotion to that extent... uhhh yea.. no that put a bad taste in my mouth. Obsession should not be romanticised. I don’t think any reader of tgcf is going out and deciding to live like hua cheng obviously but still.

Also Side note, the whole 100 swords scene.. bro i felt for hua cheng, the way he screamed seeing that, i don’t blame him. I was so horrified reading that chapter. i don’t think i’ve been so horrified by a piece of media like that in a while. Poor fucking xie lian.. oh my god. I understand the intense reaction he had and how seeing that prompted such a degree of loyalty but still.. 10k statues?? the cave that mu qing and feng xin saw... thats a little too much obssession... like please.. dial it back.. im begging u.

I was talking to mary (liviahyes) and she said smth abt how Hua Cheng doesn’t have a character outside of xie lian. And she’s right, he kinda doesn’t. If Xie Lian didn’t exist neither would Hua Cheng. I get that that counds kinda romantic but in practice i don’t think its a good things. Especially because Xie Lian has a story outside of Hua Cheng, hehas goals, he has friends, he has something. Hua Cheng said it-- his only dream is Xie Lian. Which is romantic but very very unbalanced. 

THAT BEING SAID, i still rly liked their relationship and i think theyre cute they just have issues they need to work through. I mean they have time but yea. It wasn’t perfect but eh. overall i’m bitter bc they couldve been THAT COUPLE but theyre so many bad implications as mentioned above and i.. smh. They still have amazing moments. Like the lantern scene, the alter scene, the “what matters is you, not the state of you”, the end when hua cheng helps release the shackles on xie lian, the scene where hua cheng disappears, the way xie lian waited for him, like they were so close to being THAT COUPLE but then mxtx and her fujo ass just had to make it uncomfortable like that. i’m so bitter. Like the reason why i wrote out all of this is bc this novel could’ve been great but so many little things added up and made the experience far more sour than it shouldve been.

MXTX did hua cheng SO DIRTY by not giving him a character much outside of loving xie lian and being good at everything. Like when I first learned abt how Hua Cheng beat 33 heavenly officials at what they excel in best i was like WHO IS THIS LEGEND but honestly.. he rlly doesn’t have any motivations outside of helping xie lian and I wish he had more to him . Like if we had more situations like the one where hua cheng dug out his own eye to save the group of mortals on mount tong’lu then he’d have been a much more well rounded character. Honestly, that’s rlly the only instance where he seems to have taken xie lians ideals to heart. I wish we had more of that bc that scene was so cool. i wish it hadn’t been revealled so late and there was more than one occasion where he defends others (minus xie lian ofc) without anything for himself to gain that.

To contrast hualian with wangxian, i think wangxian work so well bc at their core, they have the same life goals and same ideas about people and the world. Where in hualian, xie lian has core principles and morals and hua cheng is just like, anything for xie lian. SMH they couldve been great but overall i think hualian falls flat for me because of my own fear of dating someone who doesn’t have a life outside of dating me. Moreso, my parents had this sort of unbalanced relationship towards the end of their marriage and it ended very badly and yea, i just can’t whole heartedly love relationships that in any way resemble this, even if it ends differently. that’s a personal thing tho.

I don’t think Hua Cheng has ANY bad intentions towards Xie Lian or ever will. I don’t think he’s ever manipulated xl or tried to force him to love him. But again, it’s my own personal feelings that makes me feel kinda.. ehh conflicted abt hualian. There was potential but again.. fujoshis ruin everything... smh. Overall i think the way it ended redeemed the issues it had but still there were issues and i really wish xie lian like,, reassured hua cheng about living his life freely at some point but whatever. 

IN CONCLUSION

TGCF had the potential to be better than mdzs, it rlly did but it was bogged down by the authors own toxic mentalities abt love, and mlm relationships, and treating women like ppl and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I enjoyed this book, truly i did (otherwise i wouldn’t have stuck through and read 750k words of it) but there are some flaws that cannot be glossed over. I hope that tgcf when it does get adapted, goes through the same miracle that cql did and makes the characters more like ppl and less like tropes but i doubt it. Also i highly doubt that a live action tgcf is feasible given the supernatural aspects of the series but we shall see. I’m excited for the donghua when it eventual comes out but i will continue to be critical of the novel bc..well.. you see why. idk if i’d reccommend this book tbh bc like yes i would, no i would... well.. </3. yea. overall, it sure was something that i enjoyed in spades. especially the last 5 chapters. I generally liked it but had many issues with it at the same time, but honestly, yea thats the standard fair for a mxtx novel. 

[lameiskate]

Facts you would never know if you didn't ask

1.) applesauce or pudding? it depends on the day tbh

2.) what was your initial reaction when you first realized that your parents had to have had sex to have you? ...IDK tbh i was probably just like ok

3.) if you could create ANY mix-up or mythical animal and have it be brought to life, what would it be? UNICORN but u know what half unicorn and half dinosaur would also be cool

4.) what kind of bread do you prefer? rye

5.) describe a moment that is a prominent memory, but didn't have a strong impact on your life. idk y this is the first one i thought of but i remember in 8th grade the boy sitting next to me in math took my book out of my hands as i was reading it and i didn’t even realize he was trying 2 be mean to me bc i was just like LOL GOOD ONE MAN

6.) what is the quote/lyric that you relate to most? ok there’s this character from this kdrama called age of youth and the main girl is literally me and it;s fuckin scary but idk a quote from her off the top of my head but ik there’s one about needin 2 man up and speak up for herself and i was just like wow me!!!!

7.) if there was one problem/issue you could wipe off the face of the earth, what would it be? OH MAN I CAN ONLY PICK ONE UMMMM ima go w all terrorism that sounds good im lookin at u white boys who never get a proper punishment

8.) do you think everyone in our lives serves a purpose, or are some people just there? ...u know this is a hard question tbh i think we’re all just out there man

9.) Favorite knock-knock/cheesy joke? KNOCK KNOCK WHOS THERE???? UNDER UNDER WHERE??? LOL UNDERWEAR

10.) how do you feel about getting your picture taken? I HATE IT JFC

11.) most embarrassing poster you've ever owned? probably the one direction one morgan (????) gave me that’s still hanging on my door

12.) what are the 3 worst movies of all time? THE ROOM, tbh idk any after that

13.) when was the last time you were in a public setting and a stranger annoyed you? ALL THE TIME

14.) strangest pet peeve? i dont think any of them are strange?????

15.) what is a quirk you find cute in a significant other? .....idk

16.) if you could make a guest appearance in ANY show, which one would you choose? ELLEN SHE GIVES AWAY A LOT OF STUFF

17.) who do you think is the most underrated comedian? idrk anything about comedians srry fam i only know the well known and overrated ones

18.) based on your personality, what do you think your spirit animal is? DEER IN HEADLIGHTS IF IM ALLOWED TO BE THAT SPECIFIC

19.) color combination that you hate? idk orange and blue was the first one i thought of

20.) what is your favorite childhood memory? I HAD AN HP THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTY WHEN I WAS LIKE 10 but tbh i think i cried idk y i picked that one

21.) what cartoon character do you most resonate with? CARL FROM JIMMY NEUTRON

22.) what game do you never lose at? I LOSE AT EVERYTHING

23.) what does your dream home look like? im too lazy for this question tbh

24.) Honestly, do you love your family, like them, dislike them, or hate them? I LOVE THEM THEYRE JUST ANNOYING

25.) pettiest argument you've ever been in? WHO KNOWS

26.) what is the weirdest article of clothing you've ever come across? idk

27.) what is your favorite day of the week? NONE THEY ALL SUCK

28.) Do you feel offended by swear words? not really

29.) Stupidest dare you've ever done? i dont do dares :)

30.) Did your parents ever compare you to your siblings or cousins growing up? Did that affect the way things turned out? no

31.) You get to be any person in the world for a whole week. Who do you choose? whos the wealthiest person is itstill bill gates ill be him and pay off my own student loans :) 

32.) one food you hate that should be destroyed at all costs? ANY FOOD WITH SALAD IN THE TITLE THAT ISNT A TRADITIONAL SALAD

33.) What is your favorite past time for each of the four seasons? i’m too lazy 4 this one too but honestly i do all the same things regardless of the seasons aka laying in bed and wasting my life away

34.) what is something that will always make you laugh? THAT VIDEO ABOUT THE IRISH PUG WHO CAN’T RUN

35.) what does your pet look like? fuck u i don;t have a pet

36.) describe your favorite outfit. my light washed jean shorts w a black t shirt and cream colored cardigan w gold colored dangly earrings and my black wedges

37.) most annoying noise you've ever heard? CHILDREN CRYING

38.) at what age did you learn to drive? LOL 22

39.) What is something that you own which you know you probably shouldn't? i have a shirt that says bitch on it?????

40.) last thing you made with your own 2 hands? what idk

41.) Favorite time of day? day. not morning but not evening???? does that mean afternoon

42.) Do you believe in ghosts, spirits, or any kind of afterlife? OH GOD DONT ASK ME ABOUT THIS PLS

43.) what sports did you do in school? I DIDNT i played softball once when i was younger to impress my dad but he didnt go to a single game :)

44.) if you had been voted for a 'superlative' in your last yearbook (class clown, laziest, most likely to become president, etc) what would you have been voted? TRIES HER BEST BUT FAILS but also doesnt try as hard as she tries to make it sound :)

45.) reality show idea that you would most definitely watch on television? idk but i want the x factor to come back to america but w judges who actually know what theyre doing thats right im calling u out demi paulina and britney and sometimes simon (ok yall but remember that mess he made emblem3 do w a mashup of my girl and california gurls to the music of what makes you beautiful)

46.) do you still own a landline phone? my parents do???

47.) scariest storm you've ever had in your town? idk

48.) skill you wish you had? THERE ARE A LOT OF SKILLS I WISH I HAD

49.) what is something you wish you could talk more about, but don't for fear of what other people would think? MY AFTERLIFE THOUGHTS that sounds weird

50.) last book you read? well if we’re being specific rn i’m rereading goblet of fire and the last one i finished was prisoner of azkaban

51.) what does your calendar have on it? i dont have a calendar i only have one when school is goin on

52.) what do you do if you get stopped by a person selling something from a mall kiosk? i usually pretend i cant hear them oops :)

53.) infomercial you're beyond tired of seeing? i can’t think of any i don’t usually watch real tv????

54.) what was your first stuffed animal/doll's name? baby bear

55.) have you ever said something out of anger and instantly regretted it? probably

56.) how do you feel about raising minimum wage? HELL YEAH

57.) how would you spend a perfect day with your best friend? ...............................i.......... do not know.......................

58.) when was the last time you changed the oil in your car? i do not have a car

59.) did you ever have to do speech therapy? no

60.) something you're looking forward to in the future? GRADUATING COLLEGE