I finished all of Guardian's final volume last night!
Quick thoughts, though this novel deserves much more:
I remembered a scene where Guo Changcheng took Chu Shuzhi to his family's for the holiday... but that wasn't in the book. So either I 1. Made it up mentally. 2. Someone wrote a fanfic like that and I've held it in my heart as canon (if so please point me to it again! I remember it being cute), 3. There's some part in the chinese version of the novel like that and it didnt get translated 4. Its in an extra that came out after the english translation of the book was published? (Which i don't remember, but it's possible).
Shen Wei felt like a new character in a way, compared to the show which I love. Still in a "the show is a faithful AU version of him" way. But there really was significant work done to Shen Wei and Ye Zun in the drama. Compared to Zhao Yunlan, who just gets to be overtly sexual and curse more in the novel, he's otherwise mostly the same. Book Shen Wei is bashful, easily embarrassed, very beastial in how he's motivated mainly by his singular desire or repressing it. The terror of him is the same - that he could kill if he chose, his cold displeasure at those against his goals, his animalistic need to consume Zhao Yunlan and never let go, his calculated lying. But in the book, its just? Around Zhao Yunlan he usually feels YOUNGER than Zhao Yunlan, despire being the Emissary and definitely older. He turns into the little ghost somewhat, bashful and eager to please and ashamed of himself, a lot of the time with Zhao Yunlan. Whereas book Shen Wei around Jin Ling, or when Zhao Yunlan sees Shen Wei with the mortar guy, or there's scenes of Shen Wei orchestrating his plan (lile what Zhu Hong sees), he's much CLOSER to the show shen wei we see - calculating, opaque, suspicious, in control, cold, passionately focused on accomplishing his plans.
So I dunno, maybe this is my roundabout way of saying actually book and show Shen Wei are Close in personality, just the book shows off Zhao Yunlan's bias and the side he sees of Shen Wei (adorable and bashful) more than the show (possibly just because pov in the book can show Shen Wei appearing nervous in an intimate way that a show cant, since we don't see his internality as thoroughly in a show). The desperation, shy avoidance, repression, intensity, thats all in the show too. I think the show maybe mm... just shows Shen Wei on his own working and plotting more, so we see the calculating repressed ready to decieve to save Zhao Yunlan side more often in the show? Idk. I love both versions. Of Shen Wei, and of the whole story. I really admire certain choices in the show now that I realize where they might have come from (in what they might have been trying to reference). The whole SID crew, and mostly everyone, felt like their essences were the same (even Ye Zun, although I think the show added some humanization to ye zun more - with the scenes as brothers and zhu yilong's performance choices). I am frustrated the mortar in Zhao senior was really a thing - so the thing in the Guardian show was a real book plot point they adapted, the biggest thing I pretend didn't happen in the show lol! Its more bearable in the book, since Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei live. (I am again grateful to Justice in the Dark for the happy ending similar to Modu, when Guardian show's ending was NOT like the book... maybe the book if it ended the chapter Shen Wei dies, the show ends SO tragic in comparison, and while I liked it when I watched it as it reminded me of Xena's scenes where gabrielle/xena die and we know they'll find each other in the next like - which I'm fine with - in comparison to the book? The show ending does hurt. But hey ToT I wrote a post canon fix it fic for that so thay's my headcanon for the show).
I have a lot to say plot wise which maybe i'll say later. I loved the omniprescent 3rd person priest wrote. I loved Modu's writing more though. I read bits of Guardian in chinese before, and i realize now how many scenes i thought i was reading "wrong" that were just that confusing in the mythology story explanations/sections in the english translation too, so i did read them right back when i read in chinese: the chaos, the gui being born from it, shennong's mortar being a Character, the conflicting scenes with Kunlun remembering (since apparently shen wei LIES - very shen wei of him). Now that i know its supposed to be that way, and i wasnt reading wrong, i might read again in chinese or listen to the audiobook. Also my chinese version has an intro scene with kunlun and shennong talking (before guo chanchengs intro scene) and i have no idea why its not in the english translation.
While not being my favorite priest novel, i did love it. I see some aspects that felt a bit clunky and that i think priest has polished in her writing since. But it did make me devour the books within a week once i started - so it certainly captured me. I think if you liked Guardian, try out priests other novels - i imagine the newer ones (not just modu) are all tighter written. If you loved Guardian, you're in good company lol. I am not sure how much of my fondness for the show colors my perception of the book (i know it does, even though the show is like an xmen torchwood au which is its own reason for me to love it). The book is comedic (i love that), shen wei and zhao yunlan are still iconic (theyre ridiculous in the best way), the SID crew is memorable and lovable, the themes of why live, why live kindly, love without restraint, being kind is enough in this world (you dont need to do great things), be honest (shen wei you hear me!), you can ignore the bullshit (bullshit cruel people and systems, bullshit social norms and expectations), yourself is lovable (so many characters symbolize this not just zhao yunlan). They're all lovely points made.
Now I have to decide what to read next. ;-; Erha or Sha Po Lang, or something else...
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