#4-stars — Public Fediverse posts

Endless Protection (2025) review

A special team, including prosecutors Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu, works to protect children through the legal system. They come across crimes that test their emotional strength, but despite the horrifying cases, they have to fight for justice for one of society’s most vulnerable: the children.

Characters

Lin Zhi Tao (played by TBD): A no-nonsense prosecutor who becomes part of the special Juvenile Crime Division.

Bai En Yu (played by Vengo Gao): A corrections officer at a juvenile corrections facility who later joins the prosecution team.

What I liked

• I really love our main sleuthing duo, and I especially like the gregarious Bai, who adores his wife. What a refreshing character to take on, and I’m glad Vengo Gao got a chance to play him. He’s so far from the usual suave characters I keep seeing him play that I’m delighting in the chance to see him do something else.
  
• I like how multi-faceted the drama is. They don’t portray the juvenile delinquents as irredeemable but show that they’re likely the result of their environment. I find myself unexpectedly rooting for some of them.
  
• I like how each case isn’t predictable. I always think that I’ve pinned down the culprit, only to be surprised each time.
  
• I really appreciate the plain ol’, logical, and good scriptwriting. You do wonder why idol dramas just can’t do this while dramas like these can.
  
• This storytelling is what I love about Endless Protection – it’s never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.
  
• All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant. If there’s one reason to watch Endless Protection (among many), it’ll be this.
  

What I didn’t like

• The crimes are so… difficult to watch (sobs). But anyway, I really, really hurt when I see young people suffer in any way, even on TV.
  
• Some episodes were slow, and it took me a while to get through them, but the rest of the drama is fine.
  

Thoughts about the ending

It’s pretty fulfilling and satisfying, but it doesn’t exactly give you emotional highs.

The case that made the mark for me is that of the master teen schemer that we are teased about throughout the show.

As our budding villainess stood in the dock, hearing her sentence, she broke down, understanding that everything she did was for the wrong reasons.

The fact that the show enabled me to sympathise with such an infuriating character is a testament.

Kaitong’s arc wasn’t violent, fortunately, nor was it action-packed, but the final scene in the courtroom delivered such a punch: Don’t waste your life. Don’t waste your intelligence on revenge and evil.

Conclusion

Story: This storytelling is never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.

Acting: It’s such a delight to watch Vengo Gao in such a good role. I’ve only seen him as an aloof heavenly emperor, an aloof kinda-vampire, and an aloof swordsman—you get the idea. So, to see him just let loose as the brash, hot-tempered but good-hearted corrections officer is such a delight. All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant.

Costumes and sets: Viewers of Western crime dramas won’t find anything new in this one, but it will give great insight into how Chinese society works and also the mechanics of law and order in the country.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Generally a positive drama that will uplift you, even if the crimes can be depressing.

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review: LEGO 11372 Autumn Cottage Garden https://www.allforgardening.com/1524521/review-lego-11372-autumn-cottage-garden/ #11372 #11372AutumnCottageGarden #4Stars #4/5 #AutumnCottageGarden #botanicals #garden #GardensOfTheWorld #icons #January2026 #lego #LegoGardensOfTheWorld #LegoIcons #LegoReview #Review

I am Nobody 2 (人之下之决战! 碧游村) Chinese drama review

In the second season of I Am Nobody, our heroes Zhang Chulan and Feng Bao Bao are tasked with capturing a rogue “temporary worker”: Chen Duo, who killed her handler.

However, she is being protected by the head of a mysterious village, which appears to be a haven for people with manufactured superpowers.

Characters

Zhang Chulan (played by Peng Yuchang): Zhang Chulan tries to pretend he’s just a “nobody” but he has actually inherited a much-coveted cultivation technique.

Feng Baobao (played by Wang Yinglu): A skilled Outsider with a deep connection to Zhang Chulan whose entire existence is a dangerous secret.

Wang Ye (played by Hou Minghao): A calm and powerful Outsider. He becomes entangled in the conflicts of Biyou Village while grappling with his own moral dilemmas.

Chen Duo (played by Wen Qi): A former task force employee who turns rogue, Chen Duo’s actions spark a chain of events that reveal dark secrets within the Outsider’s world.

Ma Xianhong (played by Yin Fang): The enigmatic leader of Biyou Village, Ma Xianhong harbours grand ambitions and a dangerous plan to alter the balance of power among the Outsiders.

Xiao Zizai (played by Yan Yikuan): The calm, bespectacled Outsider is both powerful and extremely efficient at hunting down enemies.

Lao Meng (played by Pan Binlong): A mild-mannered but seasoned Outsider with a complicated past tied to Chen Duo.

Liao Zhong (played by Zhao Da): The late head of the Southwest Region, Liao Zhong’s murder sets the story in motion, revealing deeper conflicts within the Inhuman community.

Zhuge Qing (played by Luo Zheng): The heir of Wuhou Qimen, Zhuge Qing faces personal and external trials in Biyou Village, ultimately confronting his inner demons.

What I liked

The drama is hilarious, yet it also delivers a profound, moving message about trust, camaraderie and agency.

The temporary workers were initially suspicious of each other, trained to distrust and kept isolated by their company. I expected a major showdown between them, but the story surprised me by delivering a heartwarming message.

The humor is another thing I loved about I Am Nobody. Its over-the-top brand of comedy could easily fall flat if mishandled, but the cast just does it so well. The special effects are also impressive, and Chen Duo’s actor, Wen Qi, delivers a wonderfully nuanced performance.

What I didn’t like

Near the end, there’s an abrupt info dump from Chulan, where he rattles off his actions in a way that feels disconnected from the show’s usual “show, don’t tell” storytelling. It’s a small misstep in an otherwise stellar drama. I honestly wondered why it even happened. Did the scriptwriters suddenly feel lazy?

Thoughts about the ending

It was an ending I really didn’t expect. I honestly thought our team would end up tearing each other apart because, after all, each had their own agenda.

However, they surprisingly united in a show of compassion as they watch Chen Duo choose death after years of terrible pain and suffering.

Despite the manipulation of their superiors, and their dangerous abilities and distrustful natures, they still formed genuine bonds, and that defied all my expectations.

Conclusion

I Am Nobody is a rare, well-executed urban fantasy from China, packed with hyperkinetic energy and emotional depth. It’s a bright spark of innovation in a CDrama landscape dominated by costumed dramas and modern romances.

Despite its short runtime, it delivers a powerful punch, proving that strong storytelling doesn’t need endless episodes. A beautiful, unusual drama that stands out in every way.

Story: Fast-paced, innovative and hilarious, it packs a lot of punch in a short number of episodes.
Acting: Pretty good overall!
Costumes and sets: Average.
Camerawork: Above average.
Rewatchability: High

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#4Stars #CDrama #China #ChineseDrama #Fantasy #IAmNobody2 #TV #xuanhuan

Feud ( 临江仙) review

Li Qingyue, an insignificant disciple of the Jingyun sect, finds herself in a unique position when she gains the attention of the mighty immortal deity Bai Jiusi who “agrees” to marry her.

However, Bai Jiusi hasn’t fallen head over heels for her. Instead, he believes that she’s playing a game with him. This belief lies in a centuries-old feud he has with Hua Ruyue, a powerful goddess and someone he loved and hated.

Characters

Bai Jiusi (Joseph Zeng Shunxi): A deith whose element is ice. Hua Ruyue’s husband. As they were birthed from Hongmeng and made from the same source, they’ve been entangled in each other’s existence since the dawn of time.

Li Qingyue (Bai Lu): An unremarkable junior disciple of the Jingyun sect.

Hua Ruyue (Bai Lu): The fiery goddess and Bai Jiusi’s former flame. She has a deep grudge against Bai Jiusi.

Fan Ling’er (He Ruixian): A 200-year-old immortal with great craftsman skills.

Zhang Suan (Chen Xinhai): Li Qingyue’s senior at the sect. He secretly likes her.

Xiao Jingsan (Hong Yao): An immortal with shady motives.

What I liked

• Well-developed characters with solid arcs of their own. Excellent character writing!
• It’s beautiful. I like that it broke the trend that divine realms and everyone in it had to be in white, pastels or gold. Instead, the sets and costumes are colourful and seem to get a lot of inspiration from Dunhuang art.
• The complex exploration and depiction of love, especially between a married couple. It dared to go to plot places that more generic xianxias would not dare explore.
• The acting of the main leads is great! They sold me with their performances.
• It’s an original script! We need to celebrate these.

What I didn’t like

• The show took way too long to get to the meat of the story. It painted itself too hard as a tropey, cookie-cutter xianxia (presumably to get a bigger ‘gotcha’ reaction when the real plot is finally revealed). Impatient viewers would have abandoned the drama before it got to the good parts. In fact, I nearly did! Out of curiosity, I decided to spoil myself and discovered that the drama was more than it seems.
• The writing quality is uneven and felt as if it was a case of “too many cooks spoil the broth”. The writer, Zhao Na, who also wrote the mostly-wonderfully-written A Moment But Forever is credited as the first draft screenwriter, but Ren Yanan is credited as the final screenwriter, so we can imagine what changes happened to the script on the way to the screen.
• Some plots were left unexplained.
• Some plots didn’t make sense. (For this, look at the spoilery section below)

Spoilery thoughts about the drama

They tried a little too hard to be mysterious in this drama. Some dramas explain too much. This drama, explained a little too sparsely. This made for entertaining discussions online. People’s speculations about the plots were more entertaining than the actual plot!

Most of my problems with the script were in episodes 1-10, or Ruyue pretending to be the naive, innocent human Li Qingyue. It didn’t make sense that Qingyue would behave the way she did in private if she was Ruyue in disguise. For example, at one point Ling’er spoke threateningly to Qingyue in private, and I wondered if they were putting on a show for the secret cameras in the room or something.

Then there was the main villain’s plot. Just … what was it for? If Jingsan wanted to bring his family back, and he realised the only way was to use the Time Dial that he invented, and it required his sacrifice, why go through all that trouble manipulating Bai Jiusi and Hua Ruyue? Why divide them like this and ruin their lives? If it was to erase a name on the Infinite Steele, the monument that holds back the demon realms, wasn’t there a simpler way to do this?

Far too many questions, and they could do a little bit more explaining with this one!

Thoughts about the ending

It was a most philosophical ending, leaving viewers with a lot to chew on: The role of the divine, forgiveness after unforgivable acts, and rising above hatred and regaining love that was lost.

In the end, Hua Ruyue discovers that while she cannot change her present, she could gift the people in the past a different future, creating a parallel timeline in the present.

I respect the writers for not using that convenient time device to change the future and wiping out our couple’s tribulation in the process. As the deity of time said, you can’t change the past, but I guess you can spin off another existence.

I really did want Bai Jiusi and Hua Ruyue to get their son, Shi An, back. Badly. And I was disappointed that it didn’t happen. But I acknowledge that a “reset button” would’ve cheapened their suffering and would’ve rendered one of the drama’s biggest themes meaningless: Actions have consequences.

Also, I’m also moved that the writers chose to honour such a realistic path for a married couple. Because in real life, so many couples never survived the death of their child. If a convenient reset button had been pressed, it would send the message that a couple’s love can only survive if the child is alive. But by retaining Shi An’s death for our main timeline couple, it sends a hopeful message that love can survive even such disasters, and that even gods cannot conveniently reset the consequences of their actions.

In the end they finally passed their love tribulation, but oh wow, this has to be the most traumatic and difficult love tribulation I’ve ever seen!

Still, even though I am satisfied with our couple’s ending, the last four episodes left me oddly hollow.

For one, there are unexplained plot holes. For example, they never explained that resurrection formation Xiao Jingsan made Ruyue cast. Why would Jingsan help her to resurrect her child if it didn’t help his cause? How would it help him in his quest to blot out the name? Was that even his true motivation?

I think if anything, the plot holes made the discussions about the drama more intense, and for once, for the right reasons. Often, writers and producers of a show would shoot a frustratingly open-ended ending, inciting viewers to generate lots of social media chatter, only the chatter is mostly viewers screaming at the producers for producing such a vile ending.

This time, it isn’t so. Viewers are genuinely debating the villain’s motivations, our couple’s decisions and the parallel worlds. Now, that’s how you generate after-drama chatter on social media! And you don’t need a vague, open ending for this!

I’m glad at least that Bai Jiusi didn’t end up with the dreaded reborn without memories thing, but retained all his memories. That somehow, despite the bitterness of their love tribulation they were still able to ascend beyond that. And that’s, well, godlike!

In the current timeline and the new ones that Ruyue created, Bai Jiusi and Ruyue will be happy, and no longer will they be parted by the schemes of others. Their love has literally survived the cruellest of love tribulations.

And at the risk of sounding blaise and crass, our version will have another child one day, and that’s a kind of hope.

Conclusion

Story: The writing is choppy, with a 10-episode delay into getting into the real meat of the plot. This could drive less patient viewers away. Some plots seem to end nowhere and some themes don’t seem consistently executed. But the character writing is stellar, even for side characters.

Acting: Bai Lu has been accused of “phoning it in” by playing the same characters over and over again. I don’t watch enough Bai Lu dramas to be a good judge of this. To me, the most important question is this: Does the actor fit the role?

Here, Bai Lu fits it and then some, and so does Joseph Zeng.

Admittedly, I was a little sceptical about Joseph Zeng. I first saw him in Mysterious Lotus Casebook and later Snowy Night, TImeless Love. Thanks to his big eyes, people think he can only play playful and idealistic heroes. But a cold, divine lord? Even I had my doubts. But Zeng delivered and then some. He sold me the role, and that’s all that I care about.

In one pivotal scene, I actually found myself tearing up. In general, it’s very difficult for CDramas to make me cry, so this means that their performance has moved me emotionally.

Costumes and sets: I am absolutely enthralled that the divine realm is for once, looking close to how Chinese heaven looks like, full of colour and uniqueness. Gone are the white, pastels and muted golds at last!

Camerawork: Above average, but not what I call amazing.

Rewatchability: Some heart-wrenching moments may be difficult to watch, but there are bright spots of fun that I’ll probably watch again and again.

This drama is for those who love more philosophical xianxias in the same vein as A Moment But Forever. However, if you’re looking for a xianxia with strong “CP vibes”, or one that will have romantic sweet moments, this may not be for you, as romance is just a veneer in this drama. In Feud, the philosophical exploration of love, marriage, fate and divinity takes centre stage.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

#4Stars #baiLu #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #Fantasy #josephZeng #Xianxia #zengShunxi

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty season 2 (drama review)

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty season 1 was my comfort watch during the tail end of the pandemic. iQiyi had dropped the entire season free on Youtube, which totally boggled my mind as it seems like a totally unChinese thing to do (speaking as a Chinese myself) to offer someething 100% free, but with the number of ads I had to endure watching it maybe they’re making a killing.

The strength of Strange Tales is the relationship between our two main detectives: The hot-tempered, obstinate, stubborn-as-hell Lu Ling Feng and the sly and charming Su Wu Ming, the legendary sleuther Di Renjie’s disciple.

Its episodic nature was also a draw, which meant that I could watch episodes arc by arc and take a rest.

It doesn’t have the usual “idol traps”. (For one, this drama isn’t considered one.) While Yang Xu Wen is indeed a looker, there are not many gorgeous men here, and the romance is dialed down so low I completely forgot that Su Wu Ming and Lu Ling Feng both have love interests now!

This drama’s season 1 was fairly popular in China, can season 2 do just as well?

The story

The team is once again embroiled in several mysteries:

Mara’s Defeat
Su Wuming is called out of seclusion after Lu Lingfeng disappears on a case. Apparently the god Mara is out hunting for souls… has Lu Lingfeng become his latest victim?

The Death of the Coroner
A coroner is found mysteriously murdered at his funeral shop.

Mo’s in a Snowstorm
On the way to their new outpost, the team gets stranded at an inn in the middle of a snowstorm. Many strange things happen at the inn, starting with them having to “prove” their worth to lodge at the inn.

Qianchong Dock
The team tries to board a ship on a mysterious dock, but finds themselves at the centre of a strange mystery.

Tongtian Rhino
Rebel factions from an old empire threatens to kill off the Tang Dynasty.

Drunk in Yunding

Letter from Shangxian Hall
A man is found dead in a bathtub after having read a mysterious letter.

Provider
The team finally reaches the West, and meets a prominent and mysterious family with many secrets.

Characters

• Su Wu Ming (苏无名) – Played by Yang Zhi Gang (杨志刚) A brilliant detective and disciple of the famous detective, Di Renjie.
• Lu Lingfeng (Yang Xuwen): Su Wuming’s sworn brother and capable partner in solving cases.
• Wu Ting(Liu Zhiyang): assisting the duo with key insights.
• Pei Xi Jun (裴喜君) – Played by Zhai Zi Lu (郜思雯)
  A clever and resourceful woman who assists in the investigations.
• Fei Ji Shi (费鸡师) – Played by Chen Chuang (陈创)
  A quirky and eccentric character who provides comic relief and assists in solving cases.
• Xue Huan (薛环) – Played by Shi Yun Peng (石云鹏)
  A young and talented individual who aids the team in their investigations.
• Princess Taiping (太平公主) – Played by Yue Li Na (岳丽娜)
  A powerful and influential figure in the Tang Dynasty, involved in the political intrigue of the era.
• Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (唐玄宗) – Played by Zhang Zi Jian (张子健)
  The emperor of the Tang Dynasty, whose reign is marked by both prosperity and mystery.

What I liked

• The writing is solid.
• The cases were not only intriguing and kept me guessing, they had an emotional payoff and a deep message. It’s not a mystery box for mystery box’s sakes.
• The friendship between our main detectives remain solid and entertaining.
• There were character growths for almost everyone.

What I didn’t like

• The female characters remained bland, even if they had more things to do in the second season.
• The romance for Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng feels rather forced. Fortunately, this isn’t a romance drama!

Final thoughts

The second season of this drama was, in my opinion, better than the first—or at least of equal quality. The writing, camerawork, sets and costumes have gone up in quality.

Our duo still retains their contrasting and delightful personalities, even if they are sworn brothers now.

While the first season focused on building the relationship between Su Ming and Lu Lingfeng, the second season deepened their friendship while introducing new obstacles.

At the end of the first season, Liu Lingfeng’s true identity was revealed (though never really confirmed, leaving it a big question mark). This explosive revelation complicated their crime-solving work and the dynamic between the now sworn brothers because it forced the team to navigate political sensitivities to ensure Lu Lingfeng’s safety. This adds lovely layers of tension and intrigue to the story.

Su Wuming took the noble idiot route as a result, acting unilaterally, making choices for the team without consulting them. (Which of course, didn’t go down well with any of them.)

While this behavior frustrated some viewers, I actually thought it was in line with his personality and an understandable trait for his character.

It created significant tension within the group, which, in my opinion, was necessary to keep the story engaging. Without this friction, the drama would have lacked the emotional stakes that made it so gripping.

That said, the season wasn’t without its flaws. Our two female leads is still bland compared to our male cast, who were far more interesting and memorable.

And the romantic subplots? Oof, it felt forced, especially the one between Su Wuming and his love interest. Their relationship lacked natural chemistry, and I couldn’t help but feel that a platonic friendship would have been more compelling.

Thankfully, romance isn’t the focus of the show, so these moments didn’t detract too much from the overall experience.

Where the drama truly shines is in its mysteries and cases. Each case is not only creative and unpredictable but also carries a deep emotional and social message. One standout mystery involved the coroner—a poignant and emotionally charged story that kept me guessing until the very end. Another favorite was the Mo’s Inn mystery arc, which felt like a classic whodunit reminiscent of Cluedo. The team gets stranded at an inn during a snowstorm, surrounded by mysterious characters whose motives are unclear. The twists and turns were masterfully executed, making it one of the most enjoyable episodes of the season.

Another memorable case was Tongtian Rhino, which explored themes of legacy and fate. It told the story of someone dragged into a life they never wanted, simply because of their family’s history. The emotional weight of this story stayed with me long after the episode ended. Similarly, Letter from Shangxian Hall was another brilliantly written mystery that delivered a powerful message by the end.

As you can see, drama’s biggest strength lies in its writing. While the acting was uneven in some parts, the main male leads were the glue that holds the drama together, and without them, the story would not be as fun. The supporting characters also played crucial roles, particularly Fei Ji, whose quirky personality provided much-needed comic relief.

One of the most surprising aspects of the second season was how quickly Lu Lingfeng’s identity was addressed. The first case of the season revolved around his disappearance, which immediately set the tone for the rest of the series. This arc introduced a cult-like faction aiming to topple the Tang Dynasty, and it featured some of the best fight sequences in the drama. The eccentric painter, played by a singer who also happened to sing the show’s credit song, was another standout character.

While the drama isn’t entirely historically accurate—costumes are tailored more for appeal than authenticity—it still captures the essence of the Tang Dynasty era. The production quality has noticeably improved, with exotic settings like the western regions and the caves adorned with ancient art adding richness to the story. The fight scenes remain stellar, and the cinematography, while not groundbreaking, is solid and effective.

Themes of justice, loyalty, and brotherhood are central to the drama, especially in light of Lu Lingfeng’s secret identity. Throughout the season, the bond between Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng is tested, but they ultimately prove their loyalty to each other. Their relationship is the heart of the show, and seeing it withstand political intrigue and personal challenges was deeply satisfying.

The second season left me eagerly anticipating a potential third instalment. It’s rare for Chinese dramas to have second seasons, let alone third ones, so if the series continues with the same level of quality, it will undoubtedly stand out as a unique and remarkable production in Chinese entertainment history.

What’s even more impressive is that the drama doesn’t rely on big-name traffic actors to succeed. Instead, it proves that strong writing, good acting, and high production values are the keys to creating a compelling story.

So, what are you waiting for? This drama is a rare gem that combines intricate mysteries, emotional depth, and stellar production quality.

If you haven’t watched Season 1 yet, I highly recommend giving it a chance. (Yes, I feel you need to watch Season 1 to truly enjoy the team dynamics to the full, even if the mysteries are self contained.)

Here’s hoping the team behind it continues to create more exceptional dramas in the future, because we sure need more of those in CDramaland.

Final rating 4 out of 5 stars

#4Stars #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty2

A Moment But Forever (念无双) review

I’ve never seen a platform (or industry) more determined to set up its own drama to fail.

Like many Chinese drama viewers already tired from years of blah xianxia dramas, I went: “Meh, another xianxia.”

First, A Moment but Forever’s first trailer 100% did it dirty. If the goal of the producers was to create the blandest, most generic xianxia trailer, they’ve succeeded handsomely.

I barely even registered that Liu Xueyi, one of my favourite actors, was in it. And when it finally did, I went: “Tis a pity, I don’t think I can endure this factory-line xianxia for him.”

Fortunately, I came across a random post ranting about how the promo didn’t do the script justice; I found out more about the story and was intrigued. I read some of the novel, and got really invested in following the drama if it airs.

Then, the drama’s airing got delayed and delayed … and delayed some more, until most fans despaired at ever seeing it. So, when it finally aired I breathed a sigh of relief that I was finally going to see it.

The drama was heavily mocked by China’s very terrifying fan circles; many mocked it for being a “middle-aged fairy drama”, as if people older than thirty don’t deserve to star in this genre for some reason.

Anyway, long story short: The expectations for this drama was so abysmal that most people said it would be a failure. So, I was bracing myself for a tepid xianxia. But I ended up being surprised by it!

Hilariously, on xiaohongshu, most of the comments I saw were: “I didn’t intend to watch the drama, but I ended up binging all six episodes and now I’m going to office with panda eyes”.

Now let’s get to the meat of the review, and why I say it’s worth your while despite its less-than-stellar marketing and appearance.

The story

In the war between gods and demons, the artifact, “God’s Left Hand” used by the Heavenly God Taihe to seal demons, is cut off and falls to Mortal Realm.

Taihe and the other gods fall into an eternal slumber.

The Youhu fox clan, having discovered the artifact, has used it to get rid of their enemies, the War Demons, and establish their dominion over the world. In a realm cut off from the divine, they are now the gods of the world.

The goddess Wu Shuang (Tang Yan) is sent to the mortal realm to take back the Hand, which will kill Yuan Zhong (played by Liu Xueyi), the high priest of Youhu Clan, who is now host to God’s Left Hand.

She enters the Youhu Clan as Ji Tanyin, to become Yuan Zhong’s personal maid. But during her time with Yuan Zhong she discovers that he is not as evil as people say, and that there’s more to the story of the High Priest of the Youhu clan.

What I like about it

Here are big reasons why you should give the drama a try:

The acting is great!

Now, I wasn’t surprised by Liu Xueyi’s performance having followed him from his days of playing second leads (and almost always outshining everyone else). I expected him to put in a great performance, and he seems to have one scene that wows people in almost every drama he’s in. The scene in the prison is really amazing.

Since I have only watched Tang Yan in Blossoms Shanghai I didn’t know what to expect from her, especially in a genre so different from Blossoms Shanghai.

I’m glad to report that Tang Yan is fantastic. Her voice may make some people brace themselves for the dreaded bubbly xianxia girl (TM), but I reassure you that her character, Tanyin, is nothing like that.

She is straight-forward, sharp-tongued, unimpressed by authority and has this “stop wasting my time with nonsense” air about her that I adore. What’s more, she is a very smart, likeable and honourable character. I’ve not seen a character like hers in a xianxia for a long, long time.

The writing is solid

The scriptwriter is the writer of Love and Destiny, a xianxia praised for its plot. She knows the importance of laying the foundation of making us care for the characters.

Sometimes, it does feel as if some things were left out, but it’s by design.

For example, we, the audience knew (or guessed) at the beggining that the little cute fox that woke Tanyin from her slumber was Yuanzhong. We find out that Tanyin has been searching that fox for a long time.

We are left scratching our heads, wondering why she’d care so much for that fox. Only in a later episode do we find out that Yuanzhong had been talking to her through the jade for years, and she grew fond of him. When he abruptly stopped, she couldn’t let him go and wanted to find out what happened to the little fox.

We, the audience are screaming at the screen. “It’s Yuanzhong! The guy you’re trying to take that arm from!”

Only to find out later that she already knew, and we see a scene where she discovered the half of the jade the little fox had spirited away.

Was this because the writer forgot about it and inserted it later?

No, it’s mostly to create a sense of anticipation in the viewers, the “I really need to watch the next episode” feeling that not many writers can pull off convincingly.

There’s no love at first sight either. Both Yuan Zhong and Tanyin started out suspicious of each other. However, you can clearly see their relationship getting warmer and warmer in a logical manner as the series progresses.

I really loved how she wove Tanyin and Yuan Zhong’s stories together, and I can’t wait for them to finally fall in love.

They do not insult the viewers’ intelligence

There’s no Dude Who Tells You What’s Up, something that I really hated in another xianxia that I mildly enjoyed: Love of the Divine Tree.

Writers of factory-assembly-line xianxias are just too lazy these days, turning characters into Exposition Machines that tell us what’s happening instead of showing what’s happening.

For example, I love how they dramatized the strained relationship between Yuan Zhong and Tang Hua. The longing odd looks they send each other, the reactions both have when other people mention their names. You know they have a history, and then we see by episode 6 that they were besties and Yuan Zhong’s imprisonment changed Tang Hua.

I love this careful storytelling, no right-hand man or woman just being Exposition Machine asking: “Hey, you guys used to be best friends, what happened?”

The message and heartbreak of their lost friendship was communicated merely by the actors’ expressions.

I love that they don’t treat us viewers as simpletons who needs everything to be explained to.

Interesting and well-written side characters

This is a rare drama that gives its side characters proper arcs and growth. Except for most of the War Demons, which felt like paper mache villains, most are memorable and fascinating.

It’s a return to xianxia’s roots; it’s deeply philosophical

Many Western viewers have only come to watch xianxia in the last few years. While it’s great that more foreign viewers are now watching Chinese dramas, this is a personal heartache of mine, because what they think of as xianxia isn’t really the “classic” or “true” xianxia of old.

There are many ways modern xianxia like Love Between Fairy and Devil, and Till the End of the Moon have diverged from its xianxia roots.

However, one primary way is that modern xianxia has abandoned the idea that one can become gods through meritocracy and by cultivating the right virtues. In the old tales, anyone can become gods. Even rocks! One attains immortality by cultivating the right mindset, their abilities, and doing good deeds.

Instead, in modern xianxias you see that one becomes gods or immortals because of their race or through mastering some kind of magical spell.

This “you are an immortal because you’re born into a race” is a modern injection from webnovel writers who are possibly influenced by Western fantasy*. And since most modern xianxia these days are adapted from webnovels, we get this transference.

Many long-time viewers like me have longed for a return to xianxia’s more meritocratic, Taoist and Buddhist roots.

What’s more, the purpose of immortals have been lost, with many xianxia dramas focused on the love affairs between immortals, when the many xianxia of old focuses on immortals caring for human beings and rescuing them from peril.

*Many Chinese dramas are adapted from webnovels. I’d say a majority of them. This can be problematic, but that’s a very long story for another day.

What I didn’t like about it

• The drama’s last arc was really rushed, and our villains were dispatched too quickly and unconvincingly.
• That ending. Not a bad and terrible ending by any means. (I’ve seen so much worse. Look at the ending section for more information.)
• Admittedly, the set design and costumes were rough in the first few episodes. There were some costumes and hair pieces that made me go: What in the world was the stylist thinking? But I have to say, unlike most folks in China, it didn’t bother me so much that it turned me off watching the drama completely. That honour belonged to Burning Flames.

At the end, the flaws of the drama is mild to me, and despite my complaints about the ending, it did not spoil the drama or my appreciation of the drama.

About the ending

I’m not going to go into much detail about the ending. For that, do read my episode recap and analysis of A Moment But Forever, where I go into detail about my theories about what happened and why I firmly believe it’s a happy ending.

But I’ll be honest with you, when I heard that it was an open ending, I wanted to scream.

However, I was quite relieved after watching the ending that it was not one of those frustrating open endings, but one that firmly leaned towards a happy ending.

In a way, it is thematically fitting for the drama. (After all, the Chinese title, 念无双 basically means “Missing Wu Shuang”, but what can I say?

The ending was unnecessary and for once I want the director to stop trying to be ‘arty’ with endings like these.

Viewers want closure, (and if possible, kisses and babies) and in this day and age dominated by fast food dramas, they do not have patience for philosophical endings. Give them some closure, give them some sugar after so many episodes of bitterness.

I was mostly upset that this open ending would affect its Douban scores. And I was right, It opened at 6.7, gradually rose to 6.8, though in my mind, it deserves at least better than Love Under the Divine Tree’s 7 above rating. (To me, a 7.2 Douban score would’ve been fair.)

I liked Divine Tree well enough, but that xianxia had vastly inferior writing and acting, and it just rubs me the wrong way that it got better marks just because it had a crowd-pleasing ending.

Final verdict: 4 stars

Like so many Chinese dramas these days, it is highly flawed, but it came very close to perfection and is probably one of the best written and performed xianxia in years.

#4Stars #AMomentButForever #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #Fantasy #LiuXueYi #LiuXueyi #TangYan #TV #念无双

Lucky Shot by K. Bromberg https://thebookdisciple.com/lucky-shot-by-k-bromberg/ #4Stars, #GoodGirl/BadBoy, #Soccer

Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force (slightly spoilery review)

I have a very soft spot for the good old-fashioned shenmo genre because I grew up watching dramas about gods like Nezha, Sun Wukong and Erlang Shen. These are stories adapted from ancient Chinese folk tales and mythology, and classics novels that are centuries old.

Creation of the Gods I came at a time when the Chinese entertainment scene was dominated by dramas and movies about gods falling in love (generally referred to as xianxia). As a result, any drama with supernatural elements have come to be known as xianxia.

Creation of the Gods would probably be labelled a xianxia by some, but it’s more of a shenmo because the gods and demons are on more serious missions than romance. The return of this classic genre was a breath of fresh air in a market full of xianxia romances.

In case you’re not aware, Creation is based on the 16th-century, Ming Dynasty novel, Fengshen Bang (封神榜) or “Investiture of the Gods”. It has about 100 chapters and was first published between 1567 and 1619. (According to Wikipedia.)

Creation of the Gods I was a tour deforce of Chinese cinema, and it predictably and most deservedly won several prestigious awards in China. But will Part 2 live up to the first part’s fame?

The story

In Creation of the Gods I, we see the rise of Yin Shou (Kris Phillips), a revered general-prince who seizes the power of the throne by murdering his father and brother, and then his once-loyal vassals one by one. Eventually, even his wife and son falls to his ambition. At the end of movie, his son Yin Jiao (Chen Muchi) and Ji Fa (Yu Shi), a once loyal soldier and heir to the Xiqi fiefdom, rebels.

In Creation of the Gods II, Yin Shou is now losing his strength and power despite the help of the fox spirit, Su Da Ji (Naran), and the dark sorcery of the three-eyed Wen Zhong (Wu Hsing-kuo).

Female general Deng Chanyu (Nashi) promises to kill the traitor, Ji Fa, and bring back the powerful Fengshen Bang for the ailing emperor.

The immortals Ne Zha (Wu Ya Fan), Erlang Shen (Ci Sha)and Jiang Ziya (Huang Bo) ends up in Xiqi city to help defend it against Yin Shou’s forces, which includes giants, monsters and a three-eyed general with fearsome magical powers.

What I liked

• The special effects have improved over Part I
• The stakes are higher and the battle scenes very cool
• More cool powers and cool gods!
• The plot is tight, fast-paced and exciting.
• General Deng Chan Yu (played by Nashi) is going to set the bar for all female generals in Cdramaland from now on.
• Yin Jiao makes one heck of a grand re-entrance!

What I didn’t like

• Ji Fa makes a number of frustrating decisions, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment that much as I see him as an inexperienced leader more used to following than leading. He is not as cunning as Yin Shou and that’s his Achilles’ heel. We see him being bitten by this over and over again in the movie. I really hope he has learned his lesson by the end of this movie, because he faces a foe even more formidable in the third movie!
• Er Langshen and Nezha remains bland, personality-wise and mere sidekicks. Oh well, can’t demand for the sky, I guess!

Final thoughts

I’m not the sort to overanalyse popcorn movies. Because this is what Creation of the Gods I and II is, an enjoyable holiday movie to enjoy with friends and family. This isn’t a Rooster-award winner that makes you think about the meaning of life. This is supposed to be fun, so don’t expect it to do more than entertain the heck out of you. And I think in that respect, it sure fulfilled its mission very well.

I think that if you want to find something wrong with Creation of the Gods 2, you will find it. As there are a number of major movies jostling for No.1 in China right now, understandably everyone is comparing the movies with each other. Weibo being Weibo, the criticisms of Creation of the Gods II can be harsh.

But I tell you right now, that reading those before watching the drama is not a good idea because it will colour your perception more negatively than necessary. As usual Weibo is all about the horse race, which movie got a better rating, which movie got better viewship or box office earnings, blah blah. People seem more interested about which movie is no.1 instead of discussing a movie’s merits without comparison.

I was aware of the criticisms, which mostly is about Ji Fa’s bad decisions, but didn’t read them in depth. Now that I’ve seen it, I think a lot of it was nickpicky and probably with an agenda to push certain movies to be no.1 in the public’s eye. (I mean, this is Weibo, after all. Hah!)

Personally, Creations II reminds me of the second part of the Lord of the Rings, where our heroes face an impossible siege and a terrible army. I tend to love these “it gets dark before the dawn” moments in a trilogy, so Creation II was no different.

As a result, Part 2 of any saga tends to suffer the most because the story feels incomplete because there’s satisfying resolution because the major big bad has not been beaten.

So do I like Part I or Part 2 better? I do think Part 1 is a better story as it built up the world, everything is new and fascinating, and the tight suspense that led towards the end result was nail-biting. Seeing Ji Fa and Yin Jiao face reality, escape their brainwashed upbringing and finally seeing what Yin Shou’s true nature … that character journey and development can’t be beat.

However, personally, as I said before, I often prefer Part II because it is the classic “things get worse before it turns the corner” part of the overarching story.

I felt that Creation II ended at a very good place, not cliffhang-y, but yet leaving you with a thirst for more.

The action and plot never faltered even one second. And there were many cool battle moments. And the female general Deng Chan Yu? Now that’s a right proper female general!

If it’s playing in a theatre near you, do make the effort to see it in the cinema. It’s that kind of movie that you need to experience on the big screen.

PS: There are three end credits scenes so don’t leave the theatre when the movie ends.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#4Stars #ChineseMovies #CreationOfTheGods #Fantasy #InvestitureOfTheGods #Shenmo

Raised by a Serial Killer by April Balascio https://thebookdisciple.com/raised-by-a-serial-killer-by-april-balascio/ #4Stars, #Memoir, #Psychology

Snowy Night Timeless Love (review)

Swordsman Huo Zhan Bai seeks medicine for a friend’s child and encounters Xue Zi Yue, a renowned healer. Eventually, she tells him that to make the medicine needed to cure the child, she needs a number of rare ingredients that the martial arts world covets or are in the hands of evil actors. Huo sets out to find them despite the terrible dangers involved.

Over the years, their relationship grow from distrust to a deepening understanding, and then, love.

However, the forces of the evil Yuan Yi Palace complicates things.

1. Characters
2. What I liked
3. What I didn’t like
4. Obsessions will lead to suffering
5. The ending
6. Final thoughts
7. Final rating: 4 out of 5

Characters

• Xue Ziye (Li Qin) – A skilled healer who shares a deep, complex relationship with Huo Zhanbai.
• Huo Zhanbai (Joseph Zeng): A free-spirited swordsman who embarks on a quest to save a child, leading to his encounter with Xue Ziye.
• Tong/Ming Jie (Edward Chen) – Yuan Yi Palace’s top assassin
• Qiu Shui Yin (Shao Yu Qi): Zhanbai’s fellow disciple and mother to the sickly child, Mo.
• Miao Feng (Wang Hong Yi): One of the “sages” of the evil Yuan Yi Palace.
• Miao Shu (Jenny Zheng): Also another sage, and she particularly hates Miao Feng.

What I liked

• This drama’s old-time, melancholic wuxia vibe. It’s been a long time since I watched a good wuxia. A lot of dramas are mistakenly called “wuxia” when they’re actually just romance dramas in costumed form. Wuxia may have romantic elements, but its focus is always about good and evil, nobility of character, brotherhood and righteousness.
• I’m glad that the crew took pains to shoot in real locations because the scenes in Xinjiang were breathtaking. The fight scenes in the later part of episode 19, for one, were gorgeous.
• Joseph Zheng and Li Qin are perfectly cast for their roles. While he didn’t play anything out of his range, I thought it was wise that Joseph Zheng played the role he’s pretty good at: Noble, idealistic warrior. Li Qin was elegance personified.
• The story was a solid journey from start to end. The writers never lost sight of drama’s theme, so the message never wavered and the ending 100% made sense.
• The character journeys for Tong, Miao Feng and Miao Shu, was beautiful to me. The actors all did well to bring it to life.
• It has a profound and deep message, and the characters are beautifully drawn.
• We have one whole episode dedicated to giving the story and characters a proper goodbye and resolution. In a landscape full of abrupt open endings, this was a gift.

What I didn’t like

• The camerawork is uneven. I wouldn’t call it 100% bad—the use of wide lens on certain scenes was frankly mind-boggling because the distortion was so painfully obvious.
• Uneven quality. Sometimes we have breathtaking scenery shots, and sometimes we are suddenly back in the studio with a badly done, fake forest. The swing in quality can be jarring. It is unrealistic to expect them to shoot all their scenes in the snow, but the fake backdrops are pretty painful to look at, and I wished they minimized or at least have creative ways to avoid them. For example, there was a scene where Huo Zanbai meets his master in a fake studio forest. Couldn’t they have met at an inn instead?
• The CGI can be painful to look at.
• I know the Snow Harrier bird is cute and all, but it’s a rather convenient plot device: A bird that can perfectly understand complex human interactions? Is he perhaps a spirit from the heavens in the form of a bird? (That would’ve been more believable lol.)

Obsessions will lead to suffering

Snowy Night’s theme revolves around the Buddhist philosophy that attachment leads to suffering.

Chang Wu Jue’s obsession with immortality is the spark that led to the obsession of many of our characters.

The Sixth brother, obsessed with besting Huo Zhanbai, chose a destructive path that ultimately left his wife and son alone.

Huo Zhanbai is obsessed with fulfilling the “oath” forced upon him by his senior brother—to take care of his wife and son, even if it were impossible.

Ziye is obsessed with “saving” her adopted brother, long dead but kept under the ice for that hopeful, but impossible day. You would think as a healer, she’d know this. But she refuses to accept it.

Miao Shu, unable to detach from her deep hatred, suffers for it in the end, even if she achieved her goal.

Tong’s inability to detach from his hatred ultimately affected the lives of everyone.

“It’s fate. There’s no need to cling to obsessions,” says Huo Zhan Bai, when they were stuck in a cave, trying to survive the snowstorm outside.

“But sometimes, obsessions are like crutches,” says Ziye.

Over and over again, Huo Zhanbai and Ziye knew that their obsessions would lead to no good, and were maybe even futile. But they were unable to free themselves from them.

Attachment or obsession is a form of suffering – it prevents you from seeing the beauty of the present and to embrace opportunities that come to you, all for a goal that may not be achieved, and even if achieved, will only bring emptiness.

Our characters could have chosen a less obsessive path that would lead to more contentment.

I liked how they showed Ziye’s former master and the Fifth Sword Sect disciple as an example of people who did just that. They abandoned their attachments to the jiang hu to lead simpler lives. Their choices provide a sharp contrast to everyone else’s.

The ending

I’m not sure why the producers created an Easter egg finale for the drama, only to shove the snippet at the end of the credits of the last episode, where most people will miss it.

That snippet will put a smile on your face, and to me, it is the proper ending of the drama.

In that scene, Huo Zhanbai is seen walking to the edge of a cliff when the skies suddenly burst into colours. Suddenly, he notices someone at his side. It’s Ziye, who gives him a knowing smile. He smiles, at least relieved, and they return to look at the sky … like they used to do when they were alive.

Here’s what I think happened: Huo Zhanbai, after dying of old age, appears at the “tip of the world”, the place that Ziye had mentioned when she was alive. Free from her “cold disease” she could finally watch the colourful skies and Huo Zhanbai, free of mortal shackles, could finally reunite with her.

It is in line with the Chinese spiritual philosophy that life/death/rebirth is a cycle, and no matter what happens in life, we will reunite in the afterlife.

When they were alive, they never got to say goodbye to each other, which is a huge part of the tragedy. I think it is no coincidence that when Ziye left the Apochethary Valley for the last time without saying goodbye to many there, she said: “If I don’t say goodbye, we will meet again.”

And it happened just like she said.

I am glad our two heroes are finally together, free of their troubles.

Ultimately, despite the obvious tragedy of the way things ended, it was a satisfying ending for most characters, even Ziye, who fulfilled her dream to save her brother, even if it’s not the same brother under the ice.

Her death was not a surprise, because we knew that she’s the type to sacrifice her life for others’, but in the end she did what she had always wanted to do: Save her family.

The people that she had saved, including Miao Feng and Tong went on to stop killing, and to lead more peaceful lives like she had wished.

Huo Zhan Bai also got to fulfill his dream travel the world upholding justice. And at the end, he reunited with the woman he had loved but never openly declared love for.

To me, that’s why Snowy Night is such a satisfying drama.

Final thoughts

The show got a lot of flack for its poor quality, but I think the criticisms are exaggerated. While it may falter at camerawork and the quality of the sets, it excelled at where it mattered: the story and script. (Kill Me Love Me did the opposite, it excelled in the looks department but faltered at the script and storytelling. I may love it, but this missed opportunity to make it a classic, timeless tale still galls me.)

I know people think Huo Zhanbai’s repetitive injuries tedious, but to me, it serves an important purpose in emphasizing his obsession with getting a cure for his junior sister’s son and also serves as a way for him to get closer to the icy and aloof Ziye, who would never get to know him otherwise.

I believe, however, that this is not a drama for the casual Cdrama viewer who wants romance, fluffy CP moments and what not.

In fact, I don’t consider this drama a romance at all. I think the name really affected how this drama is perceived. The original Chinese title is 七夜雪 which simply means “Seven Nights of Snow”. (Dear CDrama creators, please stop adding love to everything and thinking it’ll sell better.)

Snowy Night is actually a deeply philosophical story about the impermanence of life and the Buddhist belief that obsession/attachment brings about suffering.

I feel rather sad that it has been so quickly dismissed by so many, and called (gasp) boring. 🥴

People may think that I’m accusing them of being too stupid to appreciate this drama, but I mean that it’s not for the viewer who just wants to kick back, relax, and think happy things. This is 100% not that kind of drama.

I can’t help but think that this is the result of our short attention spans, to expect content to deliver like Tik Tok videos, and to binge dramas like we do on Netflix.

I got a lot of enjoyment from this drama because I watched it very slowly, an episode a day, and savoured, paused, and thought about what I watched that day.

In the fraught landscape of gu zhuang (costumed) dramas where the best you can wish for is a coherent plot that ends properly, this drama delivers and then some.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

#4Stars #CDrama #ChineseDrama #featured #kDrama #romance

Bank on Me review

After the fabulous Are You the One, I was struggling to find a drama just as good to fill in the gap. Never thought that a drama about shenanigans at a bank would win me over The Double, but it is what it is!

But there’s a good reason why: The drama is helmed by big weights in the Chinese drama industry, and the quality shines.

It’s directed by Shen Yan, Magnolia Award best director winner at the 23rd Shanghai TV Festival, and written by veteran playwright Zhang Ting, an award-winning scriptwriter who has written award winners Wild Bloom and The Long River.

In the article, A TV series viewers can bank on Zhang Ting shared that he became fascinated by the online novel Qian Tu (meaning “a career in money”), which the drama is loosely based on. He found the novel’s insider perspective fascinating, as it offers a fresh look at the banking world, far beyond typical interactions like withdrawing cash.

To prepare, Zhang and his team visited multiple banks, interviewing presidents and staff while learning about industry regulations and terms, especially in light of China’s recent financial reforms. This research has paid off because having worked in a bank in my past, I can nod and think to myself, yup, been there done that!

I shared my first impressions of Bank On Me a few weeks ago. Do read it, if you haven’t.

The story

Lin Qiang was the deputy director at United Bank, but after refusing to sign off on a shady loan, he’s demoted to a struggling branch called Longyuan. His buddy Zheng Shuai also gets demoted and follows him to the branch.

Lin Qiang has to figure out how to turn the place around while clashing with the branch president, Hao Wei. As the story unfolds, Lin Qiang not only helps the branch recover but also uncovers a bigger conspiracy behind the loan mess.

Lin Qiang, is too upright to be a “team player”. So, HQ tries to make him quit by demoting him. Didn’t work. So, they promoted him. Lin is worried about the sudden good favour from the bosses. And he was right…it was the start of an even bigger plot against him.

I don’t think I would have survived office politics at a bank ☠️

Characters

• Lin Qiang (Bai Yu) – the principled banker
• Zheng Shuai (Wang You Jun) – his loyal friend
• Hao Wei (Li Hong Tao) – the Longyuan branch president
• Cheng Xing Yuan (Wang Zhi Fei) – a power banker and mysterious moover and shaker in the boardrooms
• Luo Sha (Esther Wang) – A key female character, known for her sharp personality.
• Xing Li (Dong Yong) – One of Lin Qiang’s superiors.

What I liked

The plot and characters kept me guessing
Throughout the series, you are kept guessing about the real masterminds. The people whom you think are the masterminds turn out not to be, and then you question the “noble intentions” of the supposed heroes.

Surprising character moments
You think you understand how this world and the characters operate. Then, there are moments where everything is upended. The most moving moment for me was when a brown noser confides in our hero, saying: “You are a talented man who can get a job anywhere. People like you can afford to be idealistic, for the rest of us, we have to be dogs.”

Oof, that hits hard if you’ve spent any time at all in corporate environments.

An equally devious protagonist
What’s amazing about Lin Qiang is that he uses the people who use him just as deftly. He may hate the game that he’s in, but he knows how the game is played.

A fascinating look into the Chinese finance industry
Banking is an industry where, if you f*** up, there will be dire consequences. This is true around the world, but God help you if you are a lawbreaking banker in China. Let’s just say that they don’t play around when it comes to consequences over there.

Realistic depiction of vicious corporate politics
The moves are made in boardrooms and meeting rooms. I’ve worked in corporate, and let me tell you, it gets scary up there! I’m actually appreciative that it did not resort to the murder/violence plot to heighten the suspense or tension.

Amazing actors
The actors are absolutely masterful. I am actually in awe of how they even make me care about villains.

What I didn’t like

To be honest, there’s very little I disliked! The pace could’ve improved, but it’s a very minor niggle.

Conclusion

This drama is more complex than it looks. It’s not just the story of an underdog corporate idealist fighting against his sycophantic and psychopathic corporate colleagues.

It’s the complicated dance of Machiavellian men, and in this world, our hero understands that he has to be as manipulative and cunning as they are to beat them.

Additional reading:

Final rating 4 out of 5 stars

#4Stars #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #ModernCdrama #reviews #TV

Are You the One (review)

There’s something very nice and relaxing about watching a fake couple be a couple.

The story

Liu Mian Tang seems to have an idyllic life—a gentle, loving husband and a comfortable home. But there’s one issue: she doesn’t remember any of it. All she knows is that her husband, Cui Jiu, has devotedly cared for her and spent the family’s fortune to nurse her back to health after she was gravely injured by bandits. In gratitude, she vows to be the perfect wife and help him rebuild their finances.

However, there’s a hidden truth—Cui Jiu isn’t her real husband, and she isn’t truly the dutiful wife she believes herself to be.

In reality, Cui Jiu is Cui Xing Zhou, Prince Huaiyang, and he’s using her as a pawn in a scheme to trap the notorious rebel, Lu Wen, because he believes that she’s the notorious rebel leader’s concubine.

Characters

• Cui Xing Zhou (Zhang Wan Yi) – A prominent feudal lord, Prince Huaiyang rescues Liu Mian Tang and nurses her back to health … while pretending to be her husband.
• Liu Mian Tang (Wang Chu Ran) – She was found badly injured and amnesiac. She mistakes Cui Xing Zhou for her husband.
• Zhao Quan(Zhang Chi) – Loyal and humorous companion to Cui Xing Zhou
• Nanny Li (Xu Mei Ling) takes care of Cui Xing Zhou’s household.
• Zi Yu (Chang Hua Sen) – A mysterious figure who used to be Lu Wen’s accomplice.
• He Zhen (Yuan Yu Xuan) – daughter of a prominent merchant who longs for something more
• Shi Xue Ji (Liu Ling Zhi) – a prominent official’s daughter who ends attracting Zi Yu’s attention
• Sun Yun’er (Huang Can Can) – Prince Sui’s adopted daughter and co-conspirator. She loves Zi Yu.

Thoughts

What I liked

A strong female lead who is comfortable in her femininity
Wang Chu Ran was perfectly cast as Liu Mian Tang. Big kudos to her performance because she did very well here.

Want Chu Ran exhibited the grace, elegance, and gentility of a refined lady of the house. I found her character unique. She’s a “traditional wife” figure, yet possesses the qualities of a warrior. These days, many producers choose the easy way out when it comes to portraying strong females — deck them in armour, make them loud and commanding, and worse, bully the men in some way. Liu Miantang is proof that you don’t have to do all that to portray feminine strength. A woman can be perfectly feminine, a dutiful wife and yet be strong. I find this very unique in our current CDrama landscape.

Zhang Wanyi’s deft handling of angst and comedy
This was my first time watching Zhang Wanyi and I like what I see. (Yes, yes, I’ve not watched the megahit, Lost You Forever, yet.) Very few actors can handle angst and comedy skilfully, and he demonstrated his versatility with this role.

The uplifting portrayal of women
I am impressed that the female characters were written in such a balanced and progressive manner. I loved that Shi Xue Ji, a demure and timid woman who doesn’t appear to be strong at all, demonstrates her strength in quiet ways. I’m even surprised that a villainess ends up being given a sympathetic portrayal towards the end.

Our main couple’s mature and beautiful relationship based on mutual respect
Besides the understandable imperfections of our couple, what also appeals is that, despite the lies, our couple has a healthy way of being husband and wife. It is very calming and relaxing to see a couple who supports and is kind to each other.

While I agree with many that there should be more “spice”, I strongly disagree with the complaints that they lost their chemistry , and had a “mother and son” vibe after they wedded for real.

I found that stage of their relationship very comforting, actually. By then, they were almost an “old married couple” who’ve had their routines down, and have become so comfortable with each other that they’ve fallen into “old familiar routines” of relating with each other.

I found it terribly sweet. I like that their relationship is not all about skinship and big demonstrations of love, but just complete trust and support for each other.

Fun and memorable side characters
In most dramas, I just don’t remember the side characters much. But in this drama, not only do I remember their names, but their quirks. Nanny “what a sin” Li, Mr. Fang the hapless bodyguard/fellow con-artist, Mo Ro the long-suffering manservant, Mr. Zhang the quarrelsome neighbour, and even Lord Beizhou, who ended up being roped in as Cui Xing Zhou relationship advisor, despite technically being his enemy!

These minor characters appeared for just a few episodes, but were so memorable, likeable and well-rounded that it was so satisfying watching them celebrate along with our couple when they resolve their romantic difficulties!

No “creative” twist ending just to be memorable and to juice up social media attention.
You know what I mean. I was really, really worried that the producers would go that way and cook up a tragic ending just to get people ranting on social media (and earn them some after-drama buzz.) I’m glad they honoured the story and the characters.

What I didn’t like

The make-up/filtering
I don’t know why they need to slap so much foundation on the actors’ face or make it so smooth. It was distracting.

Relatively poor production quality
The camerawork. You can say it never goes beyond standard idol fare with overlit sets.

Downgrading political or war plots
Indeed, the political conspiracies and Liu Miantang’s past as the rebel leader was all very vague and not properly fleshed out.
The battles didn’t look convincing, and major political shifts are just brushed away or happens off-screen. Still, I suppose the nice side effect is the romance plot remains the highlight of the story, which it should be.

Conclusion

One thing notable about Are You the One, was that its initial Douban scores was a very high 8.0. This led people to believe that this was not a genuine rating, and it was somehow manipulated by fans or that, hilariously, they don’t have enough anti-fans. The rating has since then settled to a 7.8 rating, which is still considered very high for an idol drama. (Many idol dramas would count themselves incredibly fortunate to touch a 7 rating.)

Still, despite what people say about Douban ratings, not only do studios in China take it seriously, I generally feel that it’s a good enough rating barometer and waaaay better than My Dramalist’s, which I can most assuredly say is very fan driven.

As for me, I chose to believe the Douban score because there are very good reasons for its Douban ratings, which I have already listed above.

A rare drama that you can rewatch to lift your spirits on a dreary day.

Final rating 4 out of 5 stars

#4Stars #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #romance #ZhangWanyi

The Legend of the Cat Demon (movie review)

When I watched this on iQIYI, I had very low expectations (having been burnt by so many movies on that platform before). However, it turned out to be incredibly poignant and beautiful, and no wonder – it’s from the legendary director, Chen Kaige.

https://youtu.be/Yba215606Mc?si=WL3WJNKAhxqUHW95

Interestingly, it’s adapted from the Japanese novel “Samon Kukai Tou no Kuni nite Oni to Utagesu” (沙門空海唐の国にて鬼と宴す) by Yumemakura Baku (夢枕獏).

The story is an interpretation of what happened to Yang Guifei, the favoured concubine of Emperor Xuanzhuang of the Tang Dynasty.

I found it indescribably poignant. It’s told in a dream-like manner which makes you wonder whether what you’re seeing is real or not, and if what’s narrated is true.

PS: If I’m not mistaken, Emperor Xuanzhuang in this movie is the same one in Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2 (where he just ascended the throne).

More info: https://mydramalist.com/21665-the-legend-of-the-cat-demon

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#4Stars #ChenKaige #China #ChineseMovie #ChineseMovies #CostumedDrama #Fantasy #TV

Yolo (movie review)

Many people think that Le Ying is a loser. She’s very overweight, still living with her parents, doesn’t have a proper job, and is a doormat in almost every relationship in her life. One day, she gets into a huge fight with her sister, and leaves home to seek an independent life. 

After a series of disappointments, she decides to train to become a boxer – even when everyone is laughing at her for even trying.

My thoughts

Some of the criticisms levelled at Yolo is that it’s not very funny.

Well, if you expect it to be a laugh-out-loud comedy, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

This movie is a character study of a woman who has spent most of her life pleasing or giving in to others and denying her true feelings and desires, in the faint hope that they would finally love her in return.

Somehow, subconsciously, she knew that this approach to life was the wrong one, but do not know how to live life another way. So, she mentally gives up on life … she overeats to comfort herself and doesn’t even bother to try better herself because all her efforts had been in vain before, so why bother?

When she endures a betrayal, she decides to change her life. However, because she did not change the way she approached life, she ended up in a worse place that she had been.

And this was the last straw. For the first time, she wanted to fight and not give up. Now the last three words is very crucial – it’s not about winning, it’s about not giving up on herself.

This movie beautifully shows you how she moves on from being a person who didn’t think she was important enough to fight for, to someone who who fights tooth and nail for herself – to do something that everyone said she could not.

That final battle in the ring was very important because she wanted not to just prove to herself that she could last till the end, but not give up on herself.

So, Yolo may not be the exciting comedic romp that some people want, nor does it follow the “ugly duckling becomes swan” trope, but it has an important message. If you live your life by cutting up pieces of yourself to please others in the tiny hope they will love you or appreciate you eventually, that’s the wrong approach.

Instead, always believe in yourself even if people say it’s impossible; never give up on yourself. In the end, you should not snuff out your desires or dreams so that others can live their dreams – it’s important for you to pursue yours too.

A beautiful movie, but you need to look deeper beyond the surface of “fat girl finally becomes pretty”.

Rating: 4 out of 5

#4Stars #China #ChineseDrama #ChineseMovie #ChineseMovies #Movie #Movies #yolo

Draw the Line (review)

I’m really fussy with my dramas, but in the last few years, I’ve been actively trying to overcome my biases by watching dramas that I assume I’m not going to like. The results have been pleasant and surprising; I’ve fallen in love with dramas like Love and Redemption and Wonderland of Love, and discovered that I’m more partial to some genres than I initially thought.

Draw the Line is the latest “drama I thought I’d hate” that surprised me.

Sometimes, especially after lots of wuxia and xianxia, you want a break and need a dose of real life. Draw the Line fits the bill.

The story

Fang Yuan (Jin Dong) is the chief judge of the Xingcheng District People’s Court who has a seemingly bright future in his career. However, when Ye Xin (Elvira Cai), a young female cadre of the Supreme Court Research Office, “drops in” and becomes a part of the team, tension immediately develops in his court. Some are wondering if he’s being quietly replaced!
Zhou Yi An (Cheng Yi), Fang Yuan’s assistant, develops an instant dislike for Ye Xin who criticises him for his unconventional methods.
But the cases must go on in Xingcheng Court. Draw the Line centres around three generations of court personnel and how they work together to carry out their duties.

My thoughts about the drama

Admittedly, I chose to watch Draw the Line because of Cheng Yi, an actor I noticed since watching probably my favourite wuxia of the 2020s, Mysterious Lotus Casebook.

I just wanted to see him in something different; something without long hair (he does look so good with long locks though) and hanfus. And, not that I doubted it for even one second, but he is really good in Draw the Line.

Cheng Yi is one of the better idol actors out there, but admittedly, he has some work to do, especially with line delivery. However, he could stand his ground with veteran actors like Jin Dong who heads this drama.

Another downside to watching Show is that while it is available on YouTube, its subtitles are so bad that it’s distracting. I’m pretty much at an intermediate level when it comes to Mandarin listening skills, but because this is a legal drama with legal terms in Mandarin, I still needed English subtitles.

But, alas, MangoTV is notorious for terrible subtitles; for example, the word “court” is translated as “hospital”. Well, at least the word 法官 (fǎguān, judge) is now burned into my memory!

However, it’s not entirely terrible as you can still understand the gist of the dialogue.

So, if you are up to the challenge, I encourage you to watch it but just be prepared for weird nonsensical translations.

But I can understand that it’s not a bingeable show. If possible, just watch the drama case by case. Each case has about three to four episodes.

I find the cases fascinating, even more so that they’re based on real cases! (In fact, the drama producers got in trouble for adapting still-running cases. Oops.)

Admittedly, some episodes were not interesting to me. (The one about divorces was a snooze fest to me.) But I really enjoyed the case of an influencer dying from overwork, the one about a woman who may or may not be guilty of her friend’s death due to her cowardly actions, and the one about a dying woman trying to divorce her missing dead beat husband and cut ties with his toxic family to ensure her daughter’s future.

One of the chatter around this drama is that some people dismissed Draw the Line as mere propaganda.

I think that’s a pity because this show has a lot to offer. For one, what I loved is that these cases give you an insight into the social dynamics and lives of the Chinese people.

It also shows you that judges are not perfect people, and the sentences met out by the court are not perfect either. If it is indeed an outright propaganda film, won’t every single sentence be perfect, as the court is never going to get things wrong?

Then there’s the depiction of the Chinese public. It really challenges the narrative that the Chinese are an oppressed, sheep-like lot.

For example, some of their reactions are pretty intense. You see them protesting some of the decisions on social media and by picketing, the judges feel really pressured by this and also conflicted about whether they should obey the letter of the law, or be a human being and be more sympathetic.

So, I think it’s a very well-rounded depiction in the sense that it shows how lawyers, judges and the public interact with one another to ensure that the right sentence is meted out. But often, this process isn’t always smooth.

Personally, as I’m always interested in how different cultures and countries manage their affairs, Draw the Line is really fascinating to me as it gives me a look into the Chinese justice system, and also into the lives and society of Chinese people. If you’re interested in things like that, Draw the Line is for you.

I find it interesting that in China, judges are not aloof or distant but very hands-on. They are heavily involved in the mediation process and are literally there in the room to mediate between two parties.

They will also visit clients personally to sort out matters.

Often, there’s a panel of judges that will decide together and in that room, where they decide the final sentence, there are often huge arguments between the judges as they come to a consensus.

Even if you have a specific view of China, I highly encourage you to watch it with an open mind and absorb the different cultural realities and ways of doing things.

The good and the bad

The good:

• The performances of the cast are great, especially veteran actors like Jin Dong and Chen Kang, who plays Fang Yan’s mentor.
• Believe it or not, the nationalistic moments are sometimes endearing. I think I’m so used to the cynical depictions of politicians and civil servants in dramas that it is refreshing to see the government regarded positively. But as I said earlier, this is not always so. The public has some strong words about judges, and some even react violently. (One of our characters suffers the brunt of it at one point.)
• The show has been lauded for its accuracy in depicting the Chinese legal system and profession. As we learned from the Yang Yang drama, Fireworks of My Heart, this doesn’t always happen, so it’s nice to see something closer to reality.
• I find it so cute that Fang Yuan and Zhou Yi’s mum tried almost immediately to matchmake him with his arch nemesis Ye Xin, and his utter horror at this development. Makes for so many comedic moments in the show!
• I enjoyed Cheng Yi’s character because it was so different from his usual angsty, blood-spitting wuxia roles. Here he is sassy and gossipy. A political animal, but with a heart!

The bad:

• The subtitles can be … dire.
• There are jingoistic moments that can rub some people the wrong way. But let’s remember that movies or dramas from any country can be jingoistic in their own way. China isn’t unique in this.
• Some cases can be boring, and towards the end of the show, it seems to lose steam somewhat as we get more involved with the personal lives of our judges. Maybe it comes down to my taste but I’m not interested in people’s romantic lives lol.

You can watch the drama on YouTube.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

A feel-good legal drama that you can take your time to savour.

#4Stars #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama

Meteor, Butterfly, Sword (review)

In this martial arts world, two major clans dominate: The Dragon Gate Clan, led by Sun Yubo and the Twelve Flying Peng Clan, led by Fan Xuan. These two clans are constantly trying to outdo and annihilate each other.

Watching all this with shrewd eyes is Gao Lao Da, the madam of a brothel who secretly operates an assassin’s group. Gal had rescued four orphans and turned them into assassins: Ye Xiang, Shi Qun, Meng Xinghun and Xiaohe.

When Gao agrees to send one of her assassins to kill Sun Yubo, she inevitably steps into the hot feud between the two powerful clans.

The lives of the four assassins get irreparably changed as a result, with Meng Xinghun and Ye Xiang at the centre of it all.

This show was adapted from a wuxia novel by Gu Long, first published in Taiwan in August 1973.

Cast and characters

• Gao Lao Da (Wang Yan) – The leader of an assassin’s group. She rescued three orphans and turned them into assassins.
• Meng Xing Hun (Baron Chen) – An assassin disillusioned with his lot in life.
• Sun Yu Bo (Roy Liu) – The warlord and leader of the powerful sect.
• Lu Xiang Chuan (Victor Huang) – Sun Yu Bo’s right-hand man
• Sun Xiao Die (Ivy Chen) – Daughter of Sun Yu Bo.
• Ye Xiang (He Gang) – An assassin who questions his purpose after meeting Xiao Die.

My Thoughts

In CDramaland, Jin Yong’s novels get much love, with TV adaptation after adaptation being made year after year. Gu Long’s novels? Not so much. Perhaps it is because they are often grittier and darker. It’s a mystery to most Gu Long fans, honestly, because Gu Long novels are as good as Jin Yong’s.

Still, Meteor, Butterfly, Sword will probably never pass China’s strict censors today due to its numerous dark themes such as rape, prostitution and Machiavellian, murderous “good guys”. (If you find these themes uncomfortable, you’ve been fairly warned.)

People had to do what they do to survive, and the prime example is Gao Lao Da, the brothel madam, who became a prostitute so that she and her charges – Ye Xiang, Shi Qun, Meng Xinghun and Xiaohe – could survive. But perhaps the price of survival is too great, as she ends up being too focused on weallth and power, using her brothers as tools and earning their hatred towards the end.

I first watched Meteor, Butterfly, Sword around 2010, and fell in love with this deep, dark and complex tale of an assassin trying to escape his past after falling in love.

Unfortunately, I lost my original DVD set (probably a casualty of one of my overzealous minimalist de-stuffing purges), so I have been looking for Show online forever. To my delight, I found the entire series on YouTube with English subtitles one day and quickly started rewatching it.

Meteor, Butterfly, Sword was as good as I remembered it! (It’s even better now that I can watch it with good English subtitles – I originally watched it without). You know it is a good sign when you binge up to 11 episodes of the show in one afternoon.

Every episode of our Show is a banger. There are no fillers or let up in the storytelling pace. I sorely miss complex, dark stories like this, where things are not sugar-coated and people are in shades of grey.
While this was a 2011 production, I find it interesting how rough and real people looked. No perfect hair or pretty men. They were manly, ya know? They didn’t have to be idol-pretty to have a presence. For one, I loved the actor who played Sun Yubo, the ruthless sect leader. What a presence!

(Fun fact: Since I watched the Show right after watching Mysterious Lotus Casebook, it was extremely weird to watch the actor He Gang as a righteous assassin when he was the total opposite in MLC. 😆 That’s a good actor right there.)

After I completed all the episodes, I felt sad, suddenly. Shows like Meteor, Butterfly, Sword are a rarity these days. I’d be glad and super grateful if one was made each year.

I find it tragic that most international audiences, who got into Chinese dramas via streaming platforms such as Netflix will never get exposed to these shows, and that’s a pity.

This is an anecdotal observation, but I noticed that a lot of internationals started watching CDramas during the pandemic. The shows that roped them in were The Untamed and Love Between Fairy and Devil. (And I have to confess, these were dramas that I started watching but just couldn’t and do not understand why people love them so much.)

While I am glad they got started in Chinese dramas, I hope that some of these folks would branch out from idol dramas and watch older dramas and realise that there are lots of great shows that were made before 2020.

So I feel like it’s my mission of sorts to expose them to older shows, and hope that they will somehow appreciate these gems from the past.

Note: You can watch Meteor, Butterfly, Sword on YouTube with English Subtitles.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Meteor, Butterfly, Sword deserve so much more than 7.5 rating it has on My Drama List. It is easily an 8.5 show, better than the modern CDramas rated with the same rating being produced these days.

#4Stars #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #Wuxia

Mini Review | The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Inspired by a little known piece of history this brilliant novel explores the intersection of family, identity and internalised racism. Recommended! - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Stars

https://thewallflowerdigest.co.uk/books/book-reviews/4-star-books/mini-review-the-vanishing-half-by-brit-bennett/

#4Stars #MiniReviews #BookReview #Books #Family #Fiction #Identity #MiniReview #Racism #ReadIn2023

The Red Scholar’s Wake

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free of charge for review purposes only. Receipt of a book does not guarantee a review or endorsement.  “The Red Scholar is Dead.” The words, at first barely a whisper, passed through…

#4-stars #aliette-de-bodard #review #the-red-scholars-wake

https://www.curiositykilledthebookworm.net/2022/11/the-red-scholars-wake/