Kaleidoscope of Death

Description

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It started off peculiarly; first, his domestic cat refused to let him cuddle it.

Lin Qiushi soon found that a sense of disharmony and incongruity began to pervade everything around him.

Then, one odd day, he pushed open a door, and he discovered that the hallway he was familiar with turned into a boundless corridor.

At both ends of this corridor were twelve, identical iron gates.

He pushed one of the doors

Thus, the story begins.

Ruan Nanzhu said to Lin Qiushi, “When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will also gaze back into you.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiushi sank into deep contemplation. He then pulled down the zipper of his trousers and aimed at the abyss…

Ruan Nanzhu: “…Put your pants on properly!”

Super shameless, ill-pampered gong X Shameless, calm shou; a combination of double [or extreme] shamelessness.

Associated Names
One entry per line
KOD
Kính vạn hoa chết chóc/Tử vong kính vạn hoa
Sǐwáng wànhuātǒng
The Spirealm (Drama)
Калейдоскоп Смерти
ฝ่ามิติประตูมรณะ
死亡万花筒
死亡萬花筒
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Global Examination (13)
The Earth is Online (13)
Escape the Infinite Chamber (6)
Supernatural Movie Actor App (6)
The Trial Game of Life (6)
Paintings of Terror (5)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Chinese Novel and Danmei
  2. The consequence of my BL binge
  3. Greatest Unlimited Flow - BL (long reviews+ratings...
  4. Unlimited Flow BL
  5. BLs Adapted into Dramas ( live action )

Latest Release

Date Group Release
07/18/21 Zin extra 10
07/01/21 Zin extra 9
05/30/21 Zin extra 8
05/28/21 Zin extra 7
05/24/21 Zin extra 6
05/24/21 Zin extra 5
05/22/21 Zin extra 4
05/22/21 Zin extra 3
05/20/21 Zin extra 2
05/19/21 Zin extra 1
05/19/21 Zin c139
05/19/21 Zin c137
05/19/21 Zin c138
05/18/21 Zin c136
05/18/21 Zin c135
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272 Reviews sorted by


k24_isavid
k24_isavid rated it
August 24, 2021
Status: Completed
You have no idea how this is the best until you finished the novel.

Let me tell you my experience, I started reading this two months ago. In the middle of the novel, well my taste changed and I dropped this. Still, I keep missing this novel and the mysteries bugged my head so I picked this novel up again from where I left off. I feel so happy and satisfied now that I've finished the novel. I never regret reading this, honestly this is truly soo goood. You can really... more>> feel the characters grow, u know? The side characters aren't two-dimensional either. I really love this, idc what u say.

The couple is something special. I wish all bl relationships are as good as theirs. Tho they forged their love from survival games, must be why their love is so strong. In the eleventh door you will really feel the love they have for each other. I love the eleventh and twelfth door so much.

After you've finished the book, Don't forget to read the extras. A revelation lies there that will shock your knowledge of the whole book. <<less
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guwon
guwon rated it
August 21, 2021
Status: c72
If you like novels that:

  • scare the sh*t out of you
  • wouldn't let you sleep at night, whether alone or not
  • have really good world-building that doesn't interfere with plot but helps enhance it
  • loveable characters, albeit antagonistic, side, or fodder
  • subtle romance (still touches your heart regardless)
Then this novel is for you! Praying for your heart when you decide to read it though
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Vyathra
Vyathra rated it
August 19, 2021
Status: --
This novel is good! For me, everything is realistic, the world building is solid, and there is almost no plot holes. Although sometimes I think that the author can just use some excuse like, "this is inside door after all." But not that far, because I agree, this is fantasy-themed and everything happened because there are reasons.

I really really love the arcs. Gosh, this is the type of novel that I have to read whenever I feel I'm being dumb recently lmao

But let me warn you, the way the... more>> author describe those gory scenes, is quite frightening. Body split in half, head got copped, etc. Personally I too can't stand gore, like "fin*al dest*ination", or "s*aw", but I still can enjoy this novel. Although with some willpower and break times between. So yea.. If you can tolerate gory, and want to burning warming up your brain, I really recommend this. <<less
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EUGEO SYNTHESIS
EUGEO SYNTHESIS rated it
July 28, 2021
Status: --
The basic theme of this novel itself actually is a theme that is often used in Chinese horror novels (It's like the same kind of quick transmigration but at the same time it's different, well it's hard to explain but I'm sure you guys understand what I mean).

But while the basic theme is something common, the plot itself is not (Especially I really like the way the author makes each story based on mythology or folklore, but at the same time it is also made different because the author added... more>> his own ideas in it).

There is also a very extraordinary storyline, where it depicts a realistic story and the depiction of each different character which is also depicted very real.

The only flaw in this story is that some minor characters don't get much explanation at the end (Chen Fei, Lan Yanxue, Li Dong Yuan GF, and others), I mean yeah, we understand that they're just some minor characters, but it's just weird when they just disappear at the end of the story.

Spoiler

Actually I don't know if this is a hole in the story or not but back when Ruan Nanzu didn't know whether he passed through the door or not, he was passed his leadership to Chen Fei.

But at the end of the story it was given to Ye Nio, and there was not even a sign of Chen Fei and the other two obsidian old members.

Which means there are only two possibilities, If it's not a hole in the story then what's left is that in the real world (Where Lin Qiushi was the obsidian leader) there was never such a thing as Chen Fei and the other obsidian old members.

Because after all they were the ones Ruan Nanzu had invited before Lin Quishi entered the door, which meant that if it weren't for Ruan Nanzu they wouldn't be connected to obsidian.

Btw this also applies to the twins.

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The essence of what I want to convey is that this novel is perfect. Don't be fooled just because this novel has a general theme. Because after all a novel is called good not because of the theme that they have, but because of the plot that they have.

Btw this is was my favorite dialogue in this novel
Spoiler

"If there weren't any doors, I might already be dead. I would never have joined Obsidian, and would never have met all of you. This is all stolen time, and we can't be too greedy... "

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Dultse
Dultse
July 23, 2021
Status: Completed
I am still in that awful mood you get when you finish a good book so I really can't find my words to leave a proper review. All I can say is that I really enjoyed reading the book.

I think the brain teaser-types of books are really good and enjoyable to read. Off the top of my head I can't really think of any major flaw I encountered while reading.

Although I like the last plot twist, I'm a bit upset there was absolutely no foreshadowing. None that I personally could... more>> think of. Unless RNZ's name itself has a specific meaning? Don't know if anyone translated it and found something there?

The last chapter leaves the reader with a lot of questions to debate and think on. I really like that. I like having to think about all the bits and bobs and try to come to an understanding. Unfortunately, my brain fog that comes with fibromyalgia doesn't always allow me this so sometimes I'd just have to read other's explanation. But this time my brain was close to normal function so I could really enjoy the process of discovering the meanings of the last chapter all by myself.

  1. All in all, do give the book a read. The translators have both done a good job, so thank you so much. This book really can't be experienced properly with a bad translation.
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ravendrees
ravendrees
June 20, 2021
Status: Completed
I've read many infinite flow novels before and this is really one of the best ones out there! The pacing is good & the plot is pretty decent. The side characters don't feel entirely like cannon fodder (well, to a certain extent they still do). You can argue that the MC & ML are quite OP - which they are, but lowkey if you want an explanation for it, there is a possible theory at the end of the story in the extras. But they aren't so OP that they... more>> are beating up ghosts and destroying the entire sanctity of the infinite flow worlds like some other novels do. Highly, highly recommend!!

Romance storyline is a slow build up but it does hit you like a truck when it starts. And what I really like about the author is that

Spoiler

they aren't afraid to kill off characters LOL i'll stop here

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however, I have one minor complaint regarding the ending (but tbh it doesnt matter)

Spoiler

honestly I though the story concluded pretty well then we get hit with extra 1 which, subverts the entire plot line but also lowkey gives an explanation on the OP nature of MC & ML? Honestly I'm still mildly confused but ok go figure I guess

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Translation work is done really well, especially Zin near the end! For anyone interested, there's also the audio drama that is available but there's extra content there + they change up quite a few things in order to make it work in an audio format but imo it's worth checking out after you are done with the novel! <<less
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shreyshrey
shreyshrey
June 16, 2021
Status: --
someone recommended this to me and I, out of good bls to read picked it up.I read this up in two days so yeah, the novel sucks you in real fast.

There MC and ML both have their distinct personalities and it's not lost in the whole 'gong-shou' business. The 'shou' is very much a man himself.

Also, there's lots of gore there but maybe it is the quanitity or maybe it's the way it is narrated, interweaved with humor and banter that you just read on about all those blood baths... more>> without even blinking.

The novel does take on a darker note at some point but it offers emotional releif pretty quick.

All in all everyone does get a satisfactory ending and story development was good to <<less
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Ouryane00
Ouryane00 rated it
June 15, 2021
Status: Completed
Amazing... definitely amazing.

Within this similar genre, Earth is Online was my favorite one but now it's this. Everything fell into the right place, everything was really well thought of, definitely ** awesome!

Positive:

Unique ML/MC ... more>>
Spoiler

ML's are usually cold, gentle to MC only, strong, somehow always unbeatable but not our ML! Damn! First, he cross dresses and he's definitely not so powerful (he is powerful but not like other novels that seemed so unbelievably powerful) MC on the other hand is a gentle soul.

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Every arc is amazing (some arcs were really scary I had to hide under my blanket while reading)
Spoiler

especially the door eleven arc, I had goosebumps

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The ML/MC were powerful but there were a lot of moments were they weren't like some moments really felt hopeless and that's what made this story something special, I can't explain it because when you're reading the story yourself, it's different, I was scared for them a lot of times
The story also doesn't bombard you with too much info at once, it feels like you're a new comer as well and it's just kind of unique for me
The love story here between MC/ML isn't forced at all, they did have a good impression of each other at first but they didn't fall in love right away, it was so heart warming, here's their lines that really struck to me
Spoiler

Ruan Nanzhu's tone was simple, but carried with it an air of obduracy: "but if you're willing, if you are—I can protect you forever. Whoever's—your forever or my forever."

"I won't leave you behind, " Ruan Nanzhu said. Having seen what Cheng Yixie became, a certain idea in his mind grew firmer. "If something happens to me, I won't insist that you keep living."

[collapse]

Not everybody get a happy ending
Spoiler

Ling Dongyuan's death surprised me a lot cause I wasn't really expecting someone close to them to die then there was Wu Qi's death and Tan Zaozao and of course, Chen Qainli's death devastated me the most : ( ( (it was so heartbreaking

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The plot twist about
Spoiler

ML

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was something that surprised me so much, I won't spoil it because I swear, it's better if you don't read about it so that you'll feel all the emotions and everything
Negative:

I'm not sure if I just forgot about it but it seems how they pick a hint that matches their door wasn't explained much, I mean if you weren't the one who got the hint, how would you know how to look for the hint for your door?
There were some plot holes but really only minor ones, mostly at the later part of the story
Overall:

Haaaa... I wish I can forget about this story so I can read it all over again and experience all the emotions and thrill and everything about this story. This is definitely a top, high-rated, gem. Really.

EDIT: I've always wanted to re-read this novel because I just love this so much. I couldn't before because it's just still so vivid in my mind until like a year after I've read it

And dang, still incredible! Still so amazing, love this still so so much! <<less
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Michelle-08
Michelle-08 rated it
June 13, 2021
Status: Completed
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!

This novel is best read blind, just dive in! Don't read the reviews or spoilers! Wasn't expecting much because of the synopsis/description but..... wow!!!! Very interesting plot and characters! Story 10/10!
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zintl
zintl rated it
June 9, 2021
Status: Completed
The thing that I love most about this novel is how purposeful it is? I think it set out to demonstrate several thematic points, and absolutely did so through the concept, the stories it chose to tell, the development of the characters, the dynamic of the main ship, and that ending plot twist.

  1. In order to live, you must demonstrate willingness to face what terrifies you. The choice of horror as the genre does not feel incidental; Xi Zixu characterizes people by their choices in the face of abject terror, and it's not as black and white as "the bad guys are scared and the good guys aren't." She gives you good guys whose inabilities to escape their fears are treated sympathetically. She gives you bad guys whose nerves get on your effin' nerves. The only thing they all share is a desire to survive, and this is a story about the prices that people are or are not willing to pay for that.
  2. The doors are not a malevolent force, but rather a judicial one. This isn't a spoiler really because a main character says as much within the first 5 chapters. I love stories that engage with their genres on a meta level, and KoD definitely does that—the characters and readers begin by wondering why horror? Why such awful tests with ghouls and demons and monsters? The answer that's offered definitely propelled me through the entire novel, and I thought it was super touching and compelling, given the ending plot twist.
  3. The abyss looks back, so you decide what first look you give it. Look, the official summary of the novel completely threw me for my first two read-throughs of the novel, and I hated it! I thought the description was so unconnected and foolish!! But after finishing the translation and discussing everything with other incredibly thoughtful readers, I get how it's supposed to connect now. Yes it's a s*upid piss joke, but it does also point to a value at the core of this novel: you get what you give. (This is also not really a spoiler beyond the first door.) It's absolutely connected to points 1 & 2, and applies to the concept of the doors and how all the demons and ghosts inside the doors (whom I adore, by the way) behave.
I also think Xi Zixu is really interested in deconstructing the... more>> concept that sacrificing yourself for your loved ones is a good and heroic thing. That dynamic lies at the heart of the main ship once that starts kicking off, and we also get multiple foils to the main ship in numerous side characters. All in all, the novel makes some incredible claims about the relationship between love and death, and the main ship's choice at the end of the Tenth Door kind of blows my mind to this day.

Spoiler

When Ruan Nanzhu says that he won't force Lin Qiushi to survive after his death, if Lin Qiushi doesn't want to? My jaw literally dropped. I'm so used to sacrifice as a narrative trope, and I found it so incredibly touching that Nanqiu could get to this point of calm acceptance of the fact that they would prefer to die with each other.

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It's a very mature love story!!!!! The emotional maturity of (most of) the beats was so compelling to me.

Scariness: 9.5/10. My first read-through was in Chinese, and I def got chills down my back, tossed and turned at night, had to keep my back pressed to the walls to move around, etc., and I'm a big fan of horror in general! Door 1, Fitcher's Bird, Sister Drum, and Slenderman are standouts to me in terms of eeriness. Woman in the Rain, Mirrors, and Hako Onna win best psychological thrillers. The Minotaur door takes the cake for being absolutely revolting. It's not that the others aren't scary, it's that they are focused on something else.

Pacing: 8/10. There were some doors I was less than patient with, and I kind of wish more work had been put into the found family element of the story. More side characters were introduced than actually used, though I certainly appreciate characters like Tan Zaozao, Li Dongyuan, Gu Longming, and Bai Ming being repeatedly relevant.

Tropes: 10/10, knock 'em out of the park. Other people misunderstanding their actions for something sexual? Check. Oblivious MC and a smart aleck ML with endless flirtatious tricks up his sleeves? Check. Roleplaying as domineering dark-sided ML and helpless hero (ine) MC? Check. Masquerading as a disgusting couple? Check. And so much more.

I LOVE THE CROSSDRESSING, and I'll say right now that the ML is very headcanon-able as genderqueer. I love the arc he gets, and I personally love the ending for him. It didn't feel unnecessary because it was thematically coherent!

Plots: 9/10. All the puzzles were clever!

I'm the translator for the second half, so I obviously have strong feelings about this book—but imo that counts for something! I vouch for KoD as a novel with something deeper than a will-they-won't-they romance going on. It has something to say, and I think Xi Zixu did a terrific and nuanced job of asking first what it costs to survive, and then what it costs (and means) to live. <<less
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neuxxx
neuxxx rated it
June 2, 2021
Status: extra 8
Really hoped it wouldn’t end, not that I love reading people dying miserably but just love strong couples. There was not a single moment of boredom when reading this story and every line and characters were well structured and written. To be honest I was a bit scared of the ghosts in the doors which was new to me because I don’t really get scared of this kind.
... more>>
Spoiler
[collapse]

Loved ML and his love for dramas and MC. <<less
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uriels_neverending_love
uriels_neverending_love rated it
May 31, 2021
Status: Completed
The summary makes a lot more sense after finishing the novel, it's so cool, really ;;

Concept - 100/10; the reason for the doors, the door mechanics, I personally really love it. KoD is such a creative danmei novel and it asks some really great questions near the end.

Plot - 10/10; every single door was amazing!!! The horror aspect is done really engaging that I literally couldn't tear my eyes away, I had to know what happened next.

Characters - 10/10; I'm some of a devil's advocate, but I have to say... more>> that the ghosts/monsters/ghouls/whatever-term are so cute. Like they're terrifying, but by the end of the arc I somehow managed to adore most of them (but it's not like the author is specifically writing them to be wholesome, so the horror element is still VERY there). My normal thought process while reading an arc of KoD was like:
Spoiler

"omg so thrilling, the death conditions are so scary" -> "hahahahaha funny flirting" -> "scARY OH GOSH" -> "wait why is the ghost so amazing though" -> "YOU GO, GHOST"

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Ship - 10/10; this ship is very strong. Especially near the end, you can see the trust and asdfdjsag

Translation - 100/10; it's so easy to read!!

All in all I HEAVILY, STRONGLY recommend this novel to anyone who loves horror, loves CREATIVE horror, and dares to love/make fun of ghosts. (Seriously you will love the ghosts.) <<less
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SleepyTy
SleepyTy rated it
May 31, 2021
Status: Completed
...I say this for alot of novels, but KOD is my absolute favorite novel so far. This may be a bit of a bias bc of my love for novels that make me cry, but I absolutely love KOD.

The main cp us very cute, ML is super into acting, always putting on plays in the doors. The MC is pretty cute, and they both love each other alot, the twist at the end was very unexpected (the one with the ML). Lots of fun humor.

This isn't a super happy novel... more>> constantly though, the angst hits you hard, it's mostly a little later in the novel, but be prepared, I sure as hell wasn't. I sobbed like a baby.

Spoiler

I sobbed so much after CQs death. And thinking about the twins story... their 'happy ending' gives me such melancholy feelings. Maybe this is good for CQ, he doesn't have to remember the doors, the people who died, and his own death. I'm sure CY is content with that, and happy that the doors won't plague him. I just cant help but feel sad.

[collapse]

Spoiler

TZZ... after reading her extra, I couldn't help think about how she's doing, is she also in the 'illusion world' living life how she would've without the doors? Never to remember what she went through, and who she met?

[collapse]

Spoiler

Other than the mains couple and the side couple, everyone's happy endings make me feel sad. I dont have enough words to explain it, but it makes me feel desolate.

[collapse]

I suck at reviews lol. <<less
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secondthots
secondthots rated it
May 31, 2021
Status: Completed
My biggest advice: just jump straight into this novel.

I know we all have that tendency to browse through reviews, especially once we've had a taste of a shit-tier story. We don't want to waste our time. However, this novel is BEST READ BLIND. In other words, don't even bother reading the synopsis; from my perspective, it's better to go in not knowing nor expecting anything. It makes it more fun & worthwhile.

IF YOU REALLY NEEDED TO KNOW WHAT IT IS: it's a horror BL with life-threatening instances. For veteran readers,... more>> y'all know the drill. For newbies, this novel is chockful of ghosts, spooks, & gore. There are deaths & they're far from pretty. This novel has its comedic & lighthearted moments, but it cannot be compared to that of I Wasn't Born Lucky, which was built like a gag. Instead it really dives into the heart-wrenching, gritty moments of what deathly instances produce. It touches on the psychological consequences, the surrounding aftermath, & how people cope or sometimes how they don't. It's a rather stark world, but it's nonetheless gripping. The plot is well-written, the concept of the doors make more sense as opposed to nonsense, the characters aren't dull, the instances are wickedly interesting. & Yes, I'm sure that I would die first if I was ever roped into this world; my pea-sized brain cannot compare to that of MC's.

MY TAKE ON IT: Maybe it's because I read a pretty subpar QT novel before reading this one, but I honestly admit that KoD is a pretty spectacular novel in its genre. It doesn't overplay its comedic tones & everything was kept balanced. Personally, I think the plot can be stretched out more for better pacing & unraveling but as far as execution, it wasn't terrible. I'd prefer if the ending was more spaced out, but I can say, looking back now, that the author has strung along hints (very subtle ones) from the very beginning that justify the end. At first, it felt like there was too much plot armor, but now that I'm reflecting on the novel as a whole, I think the author had laid out the foundation. Some instances had me like WTFFFFFFF THAT'S NASTYYYYY while others had me glancing at the shadows in my room due to my unwise decision of reading the novel at night. Overall, the instances were unique! Although some included lore I already knew, there was always something noteworthy per door.

Now the characters were actually the highlight of this novel. I love the concept of the doors, the spooks, the thrills, but I thoroughly enjoyed the cast that gave life to the story. They captured the essence of the world of doors so fantastically & made it just a much better story. Not even mentioning the main characters yet, the individuals on the sidelines- from their cunningness, desperation, mental breakdowns, longing, determination- the myriad of feelings that you experiencing upon entering the doors are just so raw & rich. My shoutout goes to my twins! You can't hate the main CP either; they're a match made in heaven. They're the type of couple that doesn't coddle each other & they seem to always be on the same wavelength. Very reminiscent of the main CP from Earth Online & Surprise! I just adore couples who bring out the best in each other & spur growth.

Spoiler

& Don't get me started on the crossdressing hobby... 1000/10 for me. I LOVED IT WAY TOO MUCH

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AM I UPSET THAT THERE ARE NO SPICY MOMENTS????? Yes.

ALL IN ALL, this is a rather good horror BL read. It has a great blend of spooks, action, & mind-boggling escapes. But most importantly, there's also a lot of heart. This novel tugs on your heartstrings. The pros outweighs any cons, but take each review with a grain of salt & enjoy the novel with a blank opinion. <<less
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glitteryjoon
glitteryjoon rated it
May 26, 2021
Status: Completed
I honestly don't even know where to start.. All I know is a lot of unexpected things happened and I think this is the hardest and most consistently I've ever cried over a novel. Like, while I have cried over novels a lot, it's usually been just a quick tear or to dripping but in this I was boohoo sobbing.. I won't get to much into it because it's still really painful for me, but

... more>>
Spoiler

This is the first time I've ever read authors killing off the most loveable characters. like bro... they could have killed off any of the other 3 people in that house that never had much sense of precedes..... BUT NOOO they just had to take the people I loved the most. I am in real life tears over here

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anyway, it was really really good read. I love how intricately the doors were written out and how real life tales took difference twists to arrive at these stories in the doors. I really enjoyed it. and the translations were great! thank you for your hard work. <<less
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Misa07
Misa07 rated it
May 25, 2021
Status: Completed
This novel is such a wonderful mix of horror, gore, found family trope and psychology that comes only once in a while. I honestly detest horror, but I had heard very good reviews about this novel (which were definitely true I loved this book) and I don't regret it one bit well except for that one time I got so scared of my own shadow that I felt my soul moving out of my body but hey, things like that happen often, right?

The Plot:

Now, the horror is on point. I... more>> cannot stress this enough, the horror is amazing. I am going to sh*t my pants cause it's so scary, but I also cannot stop reading it.

We all know how horror goes, so I'll save a block of text and talk about the psychology instead. I love how the author highlights all the feelings and conflicting thoughts a person goes through when they come to a predicament, and how ugly the human nature gets when their survival is on the line. Just, fabulous. I don't remember the exact words, but the book once mentions something like, 'Sometimes, humans are far scarier than ghosts' and I think about that a lot.

Another part of the plot I love is, as I expected, each increasing door becomes more and more complex. But the first door was so complex that I was worried that the author would not be able to deliver higher intensities of horror in the subsequent doors. And yet, the author exceeded all expectations, and gave each door it's own charm and characters, all of which assimilates perfectly. Every single time I felt that the next door couldn't be better, it just happens to be more than better. Takes my breath away every time, 10/10

As for the most talked about 11th door, I did feel like it was anti-climatic, just because I had been waiting for a real epic battle of wits. But that doesn't mean that I disliked it, or even disappointed in it. Because what they took away from epic brainstorming and horror, they replaced with wholesome found family feels and warmth. I did want an epic showdown, but I am not complaining about the ending we received either. I enjoy it anyways.

And the other controversial plot twist, put in the spoiler box cause please don't read it if you haven't read the book.
Spoiler

In the beginning, I was skeptical about Ruan Nanzhu being the 12th door entity, cause I felt like it was unnecessary. But now that I think more on it, it actually is a genius idea. We know that Lin Qiushi is naturally adept at the doors. Why? We were never told. Maybe he's just born like that, maybe he's a natural at the doors, right? I can accept that, a lot of MCs are that way anyways.

But if Ruan Nanzhu is the 12th door, and he reshaped reality to be with Lin Qiushi, then it explains why Lin Qiushi is so good at solving the doors. He too broke down when he first entered the doors (before he met RNZ), he too was depressed, but he had the courage to go on, and he passed till the 11th door. And then when Ruan Nanzhu repeated the entire process, Lin Qiushi did not go through all the psychological stress, and trauma. Not because "he's the smart and prodigy MC" but because he's gone through it once already. Even if he could not actively recall the memories, his brain had them stored.

In my opinion this is by far the best plot twist I've seen, not just in terms of "wtf dude I did not expect that?" but also because it breaks down the "MC is powerful cause he's the f*cking MC" trope and I love it. I absolutely love the plot twist.

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The Characters and CP:

Holy sh*t. I cannot express how much I love them. I love how both characters have their own traits and slowly, over time, you can see that their personalities rub off on the other. Each gather bits and pieces of the other's personality and it shows brilliantly. The growth of the MC from just a calm person in the midst of terror to a calculative, smart and independent player in the doors is so smooth and beautifully depicted. The ML is also shown to be of a complicated character, with a teasing shameless side which he usually shows in front of the MC. I love all the side characters as much as I love the mains, all their difficulties and lives were also described generously. Seriously I did not expect to shed so much tears on side characters, but I did.

The romance isn't the focus of the novel. The book just shows how two individuals, who work as a team grow, themselves, while motivating the other to grow too, and in the process they grow closer to each other, until they realize they do not want to live without the other.
Spoiler

In fact, that's the whole point of the 11th door

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The characters are also a 10/10 for me.

Translations:

Both the translators are amazing, and did a wonderful job

TL;DR: Definitely worth a read, worth more than one read if I were to be honest. The characters are beautifully written and the plot is gorgeously executed, and it is a pleasure to read. Go check it out! <<less
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IntrovertedElf
IntrovertedElf rated it
May 20, 2021
Status: Completed
If you are reading this comment and looking for a sign if you should read this story or not. This is the sign! Don't dilly dally and read this gem!!! You won't regret it.

Spoiler

I cried buckets because of the twin's story. Theyre actually not the major characters but I love them so much I wished they could live forever my two cinammon rolls

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FanGirlNoha
FanGirlNoha rated it
May 9, 2021
Status: c120
THIS IS BRILLIANT!

There aren't many chapters left, but I'll wait for it to get completely translated before I read any further. Otherwise, I'll die from the cliffs!

This novel is very good! I'm not a regular reader of the horror genre, but the horror here made me almost pee in my pants. Although not every arc was as scary, but some of them gave me chills both from fear and excitement. The story is well-written with the daily lives of the protagonists enmeshed well within the horror stories. The MC &ML... more>> are both very clever, but not completely cruel. At this moment, I'd say both of them are shades of grey with the ML being the darker shade of the two. The romance between the two did not seem that forced especially because the MC had plenty of time to cultivate his feelings. I DID feel that the romance was focused on very little compared to the excellent horror aspect, but this is a shounen-ai. So, it's expected.

As a matter of fact, anyone who feels queasy about BL can start with this novel since the initial "romantic" interactions can just be seen more as teasing on the part of the ML. Even after the confirmation of their relationship, the emotional outbursts are very rare.

This was overall a VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE. DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED! 😁😁😁 <<less
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Lunica
Lunica rated it
May 7, 2021
Status: Completed
It's the perfect blend of horror, survival, comedy and BL. I've read many of this author's works and while her fantasy settings and humor can be hit or miss in her other works, it comes together perfectly in this novel to form a masterpiece.

The MC and ML are hilarious together and their relationship progression is really sweet.

Just read it, you won't be able to put it down. The translations from Taida and Zin are also great and perfect for reading.
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nazgul8126
nazgul8126 rated it
February 5, 2021
Status: c62
4/5

Story: Horror/supernatural and survival in modern AU. People nearing death (e.g. Advanced cancer) are unexplainably chosen to enter the world of Doors. The pro side: surviving these door worlds extends the person’s health and lifespan; survive door number 12, and a person will be cured completely and live normally. The con: each door hides a gruesome world where many participants die and each subsequent door becomes increasingly difficult in survivability. Worlds focus on urban legends and myths such as Slenderman, cursed paintings, and Eastern horror stories. MC joins the... more>> organization that ML leads to tackle these doors.

The horror aspect is well written, and the suspense actually keeps readers on the edge of their seat. There are some seemingly loop holes in the beginning—such as why ML is so confident in his actions that go against common sense, other than that he is the ML and has been through these scenarios before—are appropriately explained as the story progresses.

MC: Presumably the shou. Aware of ML’s favor but still oblivious to the latter’s affection, he is none the less is a very calm individual that adjusts to the Doors and each challenge well. His shamelessness is mild in comparison to ML’s.

ML: The gong. ML is brazenly shameless and a joy to read. Honestly, his actions towards MC would be considered s*xual harassment If ML weren’t so good looking and caring towards MC. See how fast you can identify who the ML is :)

Relationship development: Fun to read. ML becomes jealous when MC seems to favor (platonically) other men or women and also pouts when MC is frustratingly oblivious to ML’s actual feelings; however, ML doesn’t cross any major boundaries and remains shameless but respectful.

Commentary: Again, well done horror aspect. What seem to be deus ex machina, plot holes, or otherwise jumps in logic during the early chapters are mostly explained as story progresses. And this is mostly a thriller rather than mystery so any remaining holes in coherency don’t detract from the story’s entertainment value.

The story is actually fairly funny as well. Interactions between MC and ML and others balance the horror well. There is actually quite a bit of crude humor that is usually censored in Chinese writing. This, other idioms, memes, motifs that could be lost in translation still get their meaning across to add to enjoyment of reading this story. Kudos to translator! <<less
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