#danmei review

[makedonsgriva]

Devil Venerable Also Wants To Know : A Review

So I generally don't do reviews. But going through the tumblr tag and then on AO3 and seeing the abysmal amount of posts and fanfics, I am writing this review in hopes of someone reading this and then getting convinced by my agenda.

Because Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know deserves to be read by yall.

IT. IS. SO. GOOD.

To summarize, we start with the leader of the demonic Xuanyuan Sect, Wenren E, getting a copy of a trashy romance novel, Abusive Romance.

What baffles him is that he, a logical, rational person who has never felt love in his life, is the second lead and falls in love with the Mary Sue female lead and gives up everything for her and dies in the end for her too.

What makes him even more confused that after he dies in the novel, his loyal subordinate Yin Hanjiang is driven to madness and is hell bent on revenge, pursuing the female lead to kill her.

Wenren E decides that this cannot be allowed. He is not afraid of death, (although he does mind that it was for a stupid reason and not on his own terms) but he very much minds the fact that his subordinate went insane after it. So he sets out to re write destiny.

Now let's talk about the highlights of this book

The Characters

DVAWTK is full of interesting, fun and exciting characters who will remain etched in your memory. Whether it is the sensuous, ruthless and ambitious Shu Yanyan or the wise, perceptive and kind Zhongli Qian, there is a multitude of characters to pick from to love and adore and all of them have deeper and hidden depths that give them layers of complexities.

Not to mention, DVAWTK has several strong and amazing female characters. I have mostly read MXTX books and this is where she lacks the most: hardly any strong female characters. She writes shockingly amazing characters but most of them are male and I mostly don't mind but I do wish I got some great girls to cherish in there too.

Cyan Wings does not disappoint in that aspect. All their female characters are wonderfully well fleshed out. Especially Baili Qingmiao. Seeing her go from the biggest girlfailure to an absolute girlboss over 70 something chapters is satisfying in a sense the way, and I quote the book here, "one feels about their first daughter finally grow up" Chef's kiss truly.

The Plot

The plot is engaging but nothing too crazy, if I am being honest. Apart from a couple of reveals and plot twists that were shocking, it mostly stuck to a more or less predictible story line. That does not mean it was not good; it was. Most of the arcs keep you engaged enough to keep reading without being able to put the story down and tie into each other seamlessly. As such, there are no plot holes and stupid or unnecessary story lines. It works very well to support the characters and their personal growth and arcs.

The Humour

Top notch. So well done. Got me laughing out loud multiple times and earned me a lot of weird looks from my roommate but all worth it. SVSSS was the funniest work I read but DVAWTK gives it a run for its money in terms of the comedy it has and also it's general unhinged-ness, mostly thanks to it's characters. Everyone at the Demonic Xuanyuan Sect is a goofball although they are not trying to be. The skeleton lady Qiu Congxue has no brains. Literally. A ghost ate it so you can guess just how well she is faring in the books.

(she still is immensely powerful tho)

The Romance

So far the biggest freaks I had found while reading Danmei are Mo Ran and Luo Binghe.

Yin Hanjiang is a hundred times worse.

He is an absolute psycho, a complete nutter, powerful beyond comprehension and hopelessly devoted to Wenren E. And Wenren E, once realising his own feelings, thinks it is all so hot!! (makes you really wonder just who is more insane among the two)

My subordinate wants to destroy the entire cultivation world after my death? He has my full support that's so cute of him <3

Freak4freak with some very beautiful and tender moments and an absolute badass power couple who kick ass together in battles. Truly amazing. I love love love wenrenjiang.

The World building

Wonderfully well done and also easy to follow! I especially liked how cultivation was viewed from a different light in this novel and how the book explores the ways it is actually harmful to mortals. I actually learnt a lot about various cultivation stages from this novel and came to understand some common aspects of xianxia novels. DVAWTK uses many technical terms in terms of cultivation and it is fun to read and learn about it

Found Family

Need I say more? Like what's better than a bunch of idiots coming together and growing on their journey thanks to each other? *gently holds Su Huai, Baili Qingmiao, Qiu Congxue and Zhongli Qian in my palms* they are so important to me

Final Thoughts

DVAWTK is a great read with a very satisfying ending. It keeps you hooked till the very end and I am honestly surprised it is so underrated. I am very glad it is getting an official translation soon so hopefully, it will amass more readers although the unofficial translation I read is also very good. It deserves way more hype and fans then it has because it's so silly, so good and so well done. Ugh I hope it also gets some kind of adaptation some day to make it more popular because it deserves it all.

Please read this novel. That's what I want to say. You will not be disappointed.

[nolongersubtext]

This month, we finished Thousand Autumns!

Read Pa Ying's book review here >>

There was no way that we could include everything we have to say about why we love this book in the podcast episode. In this month's newsletter, we expand on the discussion and talk about the allure of the opposites attract trope in Danmei. Be sure to sign up to get our next newsletter!

Thanks for listening! - @wrtnbypaying & @artbyarlo

[true-rat-king]

Books review: Legend of exorcism

Look.. this book was so good. I’ve been in a slump recently with reading, and I finished this book in two days. If you like good world building with natural character flows this is the book for you. Normally I find it hard to get into side characters, but honestly I want to pocket them all and keep them happy. I ordered book two which is coming today I think. I’m looking forward to learning more about this world, and honestly need more. Also the art is beautiful, and that is such a big plus. I got the special edition and honestly it’s very worth it!

This isn’t it all but omg that book mark, I adore it! Pls read this series! This was all a mission to get more fans now for the real review WARNING SPOULERS

I love a good cultivation story, and honestly the world felt very real. Hongjun is a lovable protagonist and honestly I don’t hate his naivety! Mergen is one of my favourites, and I really want to learn more about the white deer? Also his gray wolf abilities! Qui Yongsi has so interesting powers, his art is also beautiful although the artist did do most of the work (in the writing he is a bit chaotic in that scene) and I want to learn more about his powers. A-Tai… oh my boy… as a bard in dnd I applauded when he used the lutr(?) as a physical weapon! It did hurt when the fox Yao got killed (as an avid kitsune lover) but honestly I do want to learn what Hongjun is (I don’t know if they already said) in his animal? Form. Li Jinglong is such a great character, his backstory (as much as I know) and his ambitions are very interesting. I’m not sure if he has caught on Hongjun being a half Yao yet or not, but I feel like it’s leading to angst. Honestly it’s very well written, the power system is cracked (AUGH AUGH SVSSS [lovingly]) but please I need to see Hongjun jsut full out unleash his powers ina. Scene.

Criticism would be maybe fleshing out a few things, but it is the first in the series. Sometimes the story is a bit hard to follow, and somethings I do find myself getting confused at. I did have to look at the glossary to understand a few things, but that is honestly all I have had to say.

Story: 8/10

Characters: 7/10

Writing: 7/10

Re readable?

YES! I would reread this very much. I’m only stopping myself because I’ve got 2 new series I’m reading XP

[wrtnbypaying]

Book Review: Peerless Vol. 1

The world of Thousand Autumns by Meng Xi Shi continues in Peerless as we follow Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu as they navigate a politically charged murder mystery. Compared to its “parent story,” Peerless is more approachable, yet it preserves the magnetic push-and-pull dynamic of its leads—embodying a dragon-and-phoenix balance that is sharp, witty, and emotionally charged.

[book spoilers ahead]

Feng Xiao is introduced as beautiful, skilled, and startlingly intelligent; aware of all three and unbearably arrogant because of it. He is decisive to a fault, cutting through politics with clean, ruthless efficiency. His impulsiveness entangles him with Cui Buqu, a sickly Daoist priest whose frailty conceals razor-sharp insight and an unapologetic shamelessness. Their first meeting sparks immediate tension: neither is what the other expects, and both refuse to yield.

Their relationship thrives on verbal sparring and strategic one-upmanship. They insult, provoke, undermine, and challenge one another—and they enjoy every second of it. Their exchanges are so sharp that even onlookers start questioning the choices that led them to be caught in the crossfire. The humor here shines: their disciples are earnest, confused, and easily flustered in contrast to the leads’ gleefully chaotic energy.

The attraction between Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu is ever-present, but it enhances rather than overshadows the story. Their connection is not framed as “pure vs. impure,” but as something organic and undeniable. They scheme together, against each other, and for each other, forming a partnership built on matching wit and mirroring ambition.

Where Thousand Autumns is complex and introspective, Peerless allows itself to be more playful—without losing narrative depth or emotional texture. Everyone, including the leads, is comfortable in their desires and motivations, and the story treats that comfort as simply part of who they are.

Hilarious, sharp-edged, and unexpectedly tender, Peerless offers a character-driven mystery that is as entertaining as it is intelligent.

[save-the-earthworms]

I just finished yet another danmei that now I'm dying to get in physical form when I already have so many that I said I would re-read. Why do I do this to my wallet?

But anyway, Governor's Illness

I really enjoyed it! The action scenes were so awesome and I loved the lore of the Garan assassins. This might be the most violent danmei I've read so far. Yeah, violence is nothing new in danmei, but this was more like a Kill Bill kind of violence (there may be better comparisons lol). The world of this novel is very cruel and the author has no mercy.

The relationship between Xiahou Lian and Xie Jinglan was very compelling, but I would have liked to see more romance in the main story. Don't get me wrong, they undoubtedly love each other, but I feel because their connection was already established in their childhood years, by the time they reunite they're mostly helping each other through the plot. There were some sweet moments, but then they had to go back to the plot. I needed more. The angst in the second half was good though.

I liked the side characters too, including one of the best danmei villains I've ever seen.

Now, spoilers!

As expected of a story revolving around assassins, so many gruesome character deaths! Xiahou Pei's was the most traumatizing for me. And the way her body was treated afterwards omg 😭 Then Xiahou Lian casually walked by her corpse, covering his nose from the smell before realizing it was her... Agh! It's awful. There's also Tang Shiqi whose corpse was used as a puppet to fight Xiahou Lian. He did not deserve that. And in the first chapters when that consort was assassinated as she was giving birth, along with her baby. That's when I knew this novel would not hold back. Situ Jin's death as not that graphic but it was very sad. He was such a good person and he had just reconciled with his wife 😢 It hit me hard.

Chi Yan became one of my favorite characters and his ending was so bittersweet. We don't even know if he's alive by the end. Speaking of that, what do you mean Xiahou Lian was unconscious for three years?! I'm still not clear if he was completely cured from the poison, but that element created some great angst. That point when there was no hope to cure him was heartbreaking. The way he just accepted he would die while Xie Jinglan was so desperate he climbed up that mountain to beg Buddha to save him 😭

Baili Yuan was so creepy. I usually don't make facial expressions when I read but I remember that when I was reading the scene where she stabbed that eunuch in the eye my jaw literally dropped. I wish she had showed up earlier because she's one of my favorite danmei antagonists.

More on Jinglian, at first I was happy that there's finally a sickly, delicate top for a change. However, Xie Jinglan is... not the best top. Is it because he was not good in bed and Xiahou Lian didn't enjoy it at all? Is it because I'm more used to delicate bottoms after all? Is it the pettiness he treats Xiahou Lian with sometimes? I'm not sure, but there was something lacking in their intimate life that left me unsatisfied, which has never happened with other danmei before.

And now the biggest spoiler and my true complaint: Xie Jinglan does not have white hair.

[zebonifer]

I didn’t complete inktober this year, but I sure did finish reading The Husky and his White Cat Shizun and let me tell you- the complex human relationships in this book. Dear god. My heart has been swept away. Also, let me just say, I love how bold Meatbun is, in a book reading climate where every character seems to have to be morally perfect anymore, she made a pretty much irredeemably bad villain(s) and I couldn’t be happier. I struggled with some of the SA stuff, but it’s also *wildly* complicated and that makes it just so damn fascinating to read. Mo Ran’s constant internal struggle feels so intense and real to me. -chefs kiss-

Meatbun really knows how to take the reader for a ride. I can’t wait to read Casefile Compendium and of course finish Husky when the last two books come out.

All that being said, I do think Remnants of Filth is still my favorite, but who knows, that could change. There was just this absolutely magnetic push and pull with Gu Mang and Mo Xi that had me losing my mind every other page. And the twists were more surprising and wild to me. The deaths more dramatic and the stakes felt higher. And I really like that in my danmei.

Gonna have a nice little Meatbun break and read Saye 3 and Legend of Exorcism 3 before diving into the almost certainly scalding hot waters of Casefile :)

[verena-harimau]

Hi idk I did a review of The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish. It was such a great read for a book I randomly bought specifically because the title was so absurd

[y-owieee]

Peerless: Wu Shuang (Vol. 1) Review

Should you read it?

Written by Meng Xi Shi · Published by Seven Seas Entertainment

I recently finished the first volume of Peerless: Wu Shuang, written by Meng Xi Shi, the same author behind Thousand Autumns (Qian Qiu), which I absolutely loved. Since Peerless takes place in the same universe, I was immediately curious and picked it up.

At first, I’ll admit it wasn’t an easy read for me. The story throws you into political intrigue and martial-arts dynamics right away, and I found myself struggling to tell the main characters apart for a good portion of the book. It wasn’t until halfway through that I finally felt confident in distinguishing the two leads: Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu, which made the experience smoother. (I even looked them up online at one point!) For that reason, I actually recommend checking out the manhua adaptation first if possible; it does an excellent job of visualizing the characters and sticks closely to the novel, even though it was unfortunately discontinued.

Once I got a grasp of who’s who, I found myself completely charmed by the characters. Feng Xiao is witty, proud, and effortlessly charismatic, the kind of person who lights up every scene. Cui Buqu, on the other hand, quickly became my favorite: a sickly, invalid strategist who’s constantly underestimated until he completely outsmarts everyone around him. The two of them together? Perfection. Their banter, rivalry, and mutual understanding are what truly made this volume shine for me. It’s that “two geniuses who annoy and admire each other in equal measure” dynamic, and it had me grinning every time they shared the page.

As for the plot itself, I found it more hit-or-miss. The story begins intriguingly, with a chilling murder in the snow and a missing jade that sets the investigation in motion. However, as the book progresses, the mystery branches into several side stories and introduces a large supporting cast. While that world-building can be interesting, I often found myself losing interest whenever Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu weren’t actively driving the story. My favorite moments were always when they were together solving puzzles or clashing wits.

At the moment, I’m not rushing to buy Volume 2, but I’m definitely curious about how their relationship will evolve. Peerless might not have hooked me completely plot-wise, but it absolutely won me over through its characters and chemistry.

If you enjoyed Thousand Autumns, I’d say Peerless is well worth at least one volume to try. Even if you’re new to Meng Xi Shi’s work, it can still be read independently. It’s a thoughtful, witty danmei with two strong leads whose interactions make the entire journey worth it.

In short: Peerless might take a little patience at first, but once it clicks, it’s a delightful read that proves why Meng Xi Shi’s character writing is so beloved. I’m glad I picked it up, even if I’m taking my time before diving into Volume 2.