Kusuriya no Hitorigoto

Description

Links are NOT allowed. Format your description nicely so people can easily read them. Please use proper spacing and paragraphs.

There is a certain large country in the central plains of the mainland. In the imperial court of its emperor, there is a girl. Her name is Maomao, a pharmacist from the pleasure district, who is currently working as a maidservant in the inner palace. The girl, who surely can not be considered a beauty, is keeping a low-profile waiting for her contract to end. She is confident that she will not be “visited” by the emperor. During that, she learns about the short lives of the children of the emperor. Maomao, hearing that the two surviving children are critically ill, begins her investigation for the cause—.

Set in the middle ages of the East, the “Food Taster” girl continues to solve difficult cases in the imperial court one after another.

Associated Names
One entry per line
The Apothecary Diaries
The Pharmacist's Monologue
药屋少女的呢喃
薬屋のひとりごと
藥師少女的獨語
약사의 혼잣말
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
The Tang Dynasty’s Female Forensic Doctor (6)
Hyouka (4)
Ascendance of a Bookworm (3)
Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto ni Ikite Orimasu (3)
Common Sense of a Duke’s Daughter (2)
Bone Painting Coroner (2)
Recommendation Lists
  1. enjoyed my time
  2. want read
  3. My Library Of Treasures
  4. ALLJP+
  5. Novels with Clever Strong Female Protagonist

Latest Release

Date Group Release
02/25/24 FOSSDesk Translations v11c1
02/19/24 FOSSDesk Translations v10c35
12/26/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c34
12/18/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c33
12/14/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c32
08/20/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c31
08/17/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c30
07/15/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c29
06/05/23 The KNH Discord v10c27
05/17/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c28
05/17/23 The KNH Discord v10c26
05/12/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c27
05/12/23 FOSSDesk Translations v10c26
11/03/22 The KNH Discord v10c25
09/15/22 The KNH Discord v10c24
Go to Page...
Go to Page...
Review
35 Reviews


saosaosmr
New saosaosmr
Mar 11, 2024
Status: v7c5
The characters feel half-finished, even the MC. Maomao’s obsession with medicine/poison feels shallow, I don’t understand why she is so obsessed with it other than her apparent masochism and selective curiosity, which feels weird since this is central to her character, she reads like a caricature instead of a fully developed character. This shallowness extends to most other characters and relationships. Maomao’s aversion to Lakan (very poorly justified, like most of what happens in this story) gets repeated so often (still tired of it now in volume 7) that whatever... more>> purpose it is trying to fulfill (comedy? Tragedy?) is completely overshadowed by how annoyingly repetitive it is.

The characters are supposed to be quirky and endearing but they are not. Maybe the writing style has something to do with it. It will jump from stiffly formal speech to modern anachronisms, taking you out of the middle age like period it supposed to be set in. The word choices take you out of the story constantly, either with how hilariously out of place they are or how advanced it is, every chapter should not have you reaching for your dictionary. The official translation reads like they were paid per word, telling of how much of a slog it is to read through. A lot of emphasis on side characters that are poorly developed and presented.

I had high expectations as it is highly rated on most platforms I see it on. But it is disappointing, worse in quality than most fanfictions. Which is saying a lot. <<less
0 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Akemin
Akemin
Jul 15, 2017
Status: c160
I was hooked after reading the translations and went on to read the original on the syosetu website. A big thank you to the translator who introduced such a great novel! I have just caught up to the latest chapter so I though I would like to share some thoughts on this novel.

The story:

I really enjoy this mystery novel because it is not overly dramatic or tragic despite being mostly set in the imperial court. Although it does have a serious overtone, the author provides enough lighthearted moments that the... more>> story does not become heavy.

I also like how the mysteries are not complex but is done in such a way that it is intertwined and ultimately has a big impact on the overall story. I find it very satisfying when everything 'clicks' and finally makes sense. The author also explains the mysteries thoroughly so it is easy to understand. Readers who are worried about not understanding the mysteries can be reassured because all you have to do when Maomao finds something suspicious is to take note of it and wait for the author to explain it later.

The characters:

Maomao is hands down one of the best heroines I have ever seen. She is unfriendly, poker faced, but at the same time intelligent and brave. She is definitely not the usual heroine you see in novels, and that makes her a really fun and endearing character to view the world through. Despite her poor upbringing, she is confident and really can't care less about others who look down on her, and I find that to be really refreshing.

I also like how the side characters are given unique personalities and backstories. For example, the 4 consorts all have their turn at the spotlight, and even the Yabu doctor has his turn as well.

My favorite side character is probably Gaoshun because he is always the voice of reason and a dependable figure. And he always made me laugh when he literally transcends into godhood during certain parts of the story thanks to Jishin and Maomao...

Romance:

I would say that the novel is more story oriented that romance oriented, but romance is definitely present. However, due to Maomao's personality and the environment she was brought up in, readers hoping for some light sweet and fluffy romance might be disappointed. This is not only applicable for Maomao but for other characters as well. The imperial court and the red-light district is not a place where romance blooms, and the author makes it very clear. Even when there is romance, there are also problems with differences in status.

I will be talking more about Maomao's love interest in the spoiler tag below, so if you don't want to be spoiled please skip!

Spoiler

The male lead and love interest of Maomao in this story is Jishin. And in case anyone is wondering, no, Jishin is not an eunuch and yes, he is someone very important.

There is no second male lead in this story so if you dislike seeing second male leads getting their heart broken, you can read this safely. However, the job of getting a heart broken falls onto Jishin instead... (www)

Jishin is definitely the most pitiable male lead I have seen thanks to Maomao's stubbornness and poker faced personality. She is able to react calmly to Jishin's advances, and even misunderstands his intentions which results in various funny situations. Despite this, Jishin does not give up and continues to pursue Maomao in a way that is 'sticky' but respectful. He also thinks highly of her capabilities and trusts her enough to the extent of trusting the people she trusts.

On the other hands, the Jishin from Maomao's point of view feels more like a troublesome boss who assigns her difficult tasks and likes to harass her.

So does Maomao have feelings for Jishin? - At this point (c160), I don't think so. Jishin still has a long way to go...

[collapse]

All in all, the romance is slow, but there's not way it won't pay off right? :D

Conclusion:

The story is just reaching its peak and there are a lot more mysteries left to be solved so I am really looking forward to how it is going to end! I strongly recommend this to readers who like shoujo and romance, but wants a fresh breath of air. <<less
98 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Seryph3
Seryph3
Nov 18, 2017
Status: v6c29
KnH is a mystery novel at heart, driven by romance on the sidelines.

If you're looking for a deep and introspective story that has both serious and light-hearted moments, all in the right places, this might fit your bill. The characters are three dimensional. The mysteries in this story are foreshadowed. Even the jokes are foreshadowed. The planning of this story is meticulous. The clues are all there if you know where to look. When everything clicks, it is beautiful.

--- Of course, I might be biased, being the TLer. Set in a world reminiscent of Ancient China, we follow the story through a young woman who is imprisoned within the inner palace as a simple maidservant, who yearns for the freedom she once had, and yet lives as though she is not bound by her circumstances.
Spoiler

She is of lowly birth, the daughter of a high-class courtesan, raised in the what is essentially the backstreets of the capital. Because of that, she isn't fazed by much. She is smart. She is humble. She is true to herself. She lives as she sees fit, not held down by the chains of name, power, and wealth. Nor does she want any of those. She knows where she stands in this society. (Of course, unbeknownst to her, or us, there is more to her than that. This is a mystery novel after all.)

It is a refreshing perspective. A breath of fresh air from all the power struggles, the jealousy and resentment, all the scheming, factions and whatnot like what you would expect from a novel set within the inner palace/imperial court.
Not that it's not there, mind, but not from her. She's an observer that gets dragged into it from the sidelines. Curiosity killed the cat, didn't it?

[collapse]

Anyways, enough talk. I bid you guys to give this novel a try :D It'll be worth it, really.
41 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
worldtraveller
worldtravell
Jun 29, 2017
Status: c17
This is actually pretty good.

If you like a level-headed, smart, and rational MC then you might enjoy this one. It's also a nice change of pace that she's not participant of the in-fighting between consorts to gain King's favor as she's simply a maid. However, she can still be considered an important figure as she became a confidant of those in power/influence (ML being one of them) due to her knowledge.

Just my two cents since no one left a review here yet. Might add more as I read into it... more>> and see if there's any development with the male lead (it seemed like he's a eunuch but I'm suspicious about his identity). <<less
25 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
AC253
AC253
Aug 11, 2017
Status: --
My reviews may contain slight spoilers and references to the plot throughout, so please skim or skip if you want to read this with fresh eyes.

The translation. The characters. The setting. It's been a long while since I've found another novel I've absolutely fallen in love with and I'm far from upset.

I love politics and I love tension, but this time, these kind of aspects are used to create the atmosphere rather than being the main limelight of the story. Honestly, I have no complaints. This is more of a... more>> atmospheric story, and the problems are carefully explored and resolved, never being dragged out or rushed to solved. Taking place in ancient China, there's references to many aspects readers might fine themselves familiar with if they read CNs.

Unlike most ancient China stories (or any LNs, really) where the story rushes to the action and romance, this takes it's time to build a world that feels real. At times, it feels like I'm reading an actual novel instead of a LN. The characters are so down to earth and three dimensional. I absolutely love the MC. She has all the qualities I like down on paper: snarky, intelligent, cool, and calm, but after seeing so many LN butcher this character trope via OP MCs, I had my reservations. Luckily, the execution is nothing less of amazing. This applies to the rest of the cast as well proving that tropes work if they're written well.

There's the lingering hint of mysteries that carries throughout the story and little romance. It's subtle if you squint for it and works as a sub-plot rather than the main goal. Story and character driven, this is definitely up in my list of top-tier LNs. If it's not already obvious from my praises, I highly recommend this - though if you're currently interested in OP MCs or a romance based story, skip this. <<less
20 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Senethari
Senethari
Jun 30, 2017
Status: c18
Really enjoying this so far. Maybe because of the mixed backgrounds -Ancient Chinese harem setting, Japanese author- while all the trappings are there, we aren't beaten to death with all the usual tropes. (Admit it, as much as we love those stories with the sassy, brilliant woman in the harem and her romantic lead, the handsome, arrogant, domineering black-belly etc, it can get a little formulaic.)

So yeah, she's a pretty girl, and she's a medical genius, and there's a guy who's so gorgeous, it should be illegal, but... more>> their interactions are funny without being over-dramatic, and she gets along alright in the world of the palace without everything being a matter of schemes and oneupmanship.

I look forward to more translations with delight, especially since the MTL of japanese peppered with chinese terminology is about as readable as toddler babble or divinations using chicken entrails. <<less
18 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
CrowFX
CrowFX
Aug 23, 2017
Status: v2c7
Maomao is a cute girl, nuff said.

Anyway, the setting of the novel has a huge influence from the Chinese novel tropes, but very surprisingly never abused them. In fact, it can be seen as a very shallow reference to popular Chinese trope but never delve deep other than just 'borrowing' the setting.

The MC is not a subject on the power struggle of the politics, but instead gradually becomes an object of desire by different parties as her skill gets (reluctantly) known. Considering Maomao's achievements are done by goodwill (she is... more>> not a goody-two-shoes mind you), and those in power struggle are not really evil (Just their circumstances causing them to face each other), it becomes obvious these people want Maomao's allegiance -slash- affection. While not distinctively shown, It's clearly seen there is a tension to get the 'ownership' of Maomao, leading to hilarious situations as they try to mark her as theirs.

The MC is cute, both in personality and appearance, though she tries to downplay the latter via makeup to get under the radar. As a reader, you would probably see her as that little sister you cannot leave alone because if you do, disasters and misunderstandings awaits. The MC knows her limit, but definitely does not pull back to push things to the limit. She is a bit unhinged as well, in a cute way, (I mean c'mon, she prefers to drink more poison since she thinks it's not enough to get deeper analysis). In modern settings, you would probably see her as that mad scientist little sister trope, only she is the MC.

Basically, she is a very, very lovable MC. The kind which you want to hug and sit on your lap, but she tries to get away because of her personality, which makes you want to hug her more. <<less
17 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
vasiliassy
vasiliassy
Dec 25, 2017
Status: v3c33
The saddest ML love story ever in romantic novel thay I read.

ML is actually ... more>>
Spoiler

crown prince

[collapse]
so it doesn't suit MC taste and status. But fortunately ML is patient in chase MC heart. Otherwhise he is already give up...

Its because ML want to out from his actual status (want to free), he working hard in the background, but eventually fall into more big problem than he prediction so MC always help him.

Actually I really want to see if ML in the end become emperor or not. If yes then MC can become empress and can be called very dangerous Poison Empress lol and ML will be called beautiful poison flower Emperor. <<less
14 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Starvenus
Starvenus
Nov 06, 2017
Status: v3c10
I have been searching for an ancient setting novel (be it fantasy, middle ages, or historical) where the MC didn't come from/experience our modern earth (be it past life, transported, transmigrated, reincarnated, and all that stuff).

Maomao, our female main character is a genuine person of her world. Her personality and knowledges come from years of her experiences growing up with her dad and her living environment.

The story is good, the mystery keeps you coming back for more, make you wondering and guessing especially our MC background story while she... more>> is unraveling the royal intrigues that's happening in the palace. Through these cases we can see glimpses of her own story too.

It's the first time I read a Japanese novel that uses a Chinese ancient setting. We see terms like Inner Palace, Consorts, Concubines, King, Royal Families, and all the other terminologies from chinese ancient setting. But the influence in the novel is just that. The author just uses that to make a story and personally I find it refreshing.

Maomao has a mind of a detective. She is sharp and thorough, always try to keep in mind; "don't just assume/guess but prove it".

It's quickly become one of my favorite novel for female main character.

I haven't got the chance to read the raw even though I'm itching to do because the novel is really good but from what I skim through mtl it's really hard to understand (maybe cause the author uses old languages like if you see 'thy' in English). <<less
13 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Fantasy-Magician
Fantasy-Magi
Jun 30, 2017
Status: c24
This novel have different take on narrating the story of harem in alternative ancient China, and written by a Japanese, which is unusual enough so some of traditional term is mixed up with Japanese. Funnily enough, the author does show influence of typical Chinese web novel in describing one particularly attractive male, throwing flowery words the translator admit is giving her hard time to come up with variation of heavenly, celestial, immortal and so on. Yet not so much when describing female characters, so rather than cringe worthy quirk like... more>> in some Chinese novel it's more of a running gag.

Also, a warning for this translation project. According to current translator, unlike typical web novel the author occasionally use classical Japanese grammar, perhaps to match the setting of this story. So translating it to English is hard and the translator sometimes use awkward phrasing to match the original story. The raw text with online translator is also impossible to read due to this so no reading ahead ;_;

The main character is Mao-Mao, a pharmacist as the summary said. She is level headed, smart and snarky type of MC, and she is almost obsessed with being low key.
Spoiler

It gets to the point she use her make up skill to uglify herself. She is still average looking, but this is emphasized from her point of view and she described her face as neat.

[collapse]
The story is narrated mostly from her perspective so if you enjoy snarky monologue, this story is your cup of tea. I think what highlight this character the most is her curiosity, and yes... she is a pharmacist/doctor by trade but she is more of a researcher and a mad scientist at that as she even experiment of herself.

The 'possibly' Male lead is a mysterious character, but it's almost confirmed since he has the most interaction with her. Jishin is described by Maomao as a man so sinfully beautiful, it's a shame he is a guy *and since he can walk around in harem, she assume he is an eunuch* and in spite of his 'unclear' but obviously high rank seems to have too much spare time to bother her. Jishin seems to have a lot of interest in her quirky personality, talent and disgust for him. Yes... this guy is pleased Maomao is creeped out by his perfection, though it doesn't stop Maomao from doing dubious errand on his behalf
Spoiler

Like making aphrodisiac/love poison, and very enthusiastic at it in spite of not knowing what Jishin wanted it for.

[collapse]
SO IF this guy is indeed the male lead we can expect a strange romantic dynamic developing in this story.

Plot wise, it's a slow going as the MC act as problem solver all over the inner court. She is very knowledgeable, and doted on by her superior. Definitely not what you would expect in imperial harem kind of story, as Maomao in spite of being an odd ball isn't a domineering character at all. There's no clear direction of where is this story head for now, but it's pretty enjoyable as slice of life as it is. <<less
12 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Ritu
Ritu
Jul 24, 2017
Status: c33
The only reason I'm rating this a 4 is because I have to reread the chapters multiple times to understand the story. I don't think it's the fault of the translator as two translators have picked up this work and the story was still a little hard to comprehend at some points. From what I've heard the author used traditional Japanese (if that makes any sense) and its harder to translate to English. But kudos for the plot. I like the MC and every single character ! It's a... more>> really fun read and the plot is very unique. The story is not flowery at all as in it isn't your typical shoujo story. The romance is very little till the first arc too. I'm in love with every character. The characters are nicely developed and I might be in a little bit awe of the MC. She is cute in her own poisonous way. As the story proceeds mainly in her perspective, you get to experience her unique thought process and love her some more. <<less
10 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
dini46
dini46
Dec 10, 2020
Status: side story 2
This story is really good you know... I guess this is the first mystery genre that I love so much... While reading it, I felt like I became quite witty so I play chess and Sudoku 🤣🤣🤣🤣 well, I am still learning Go though....

However, I am a fan of quick-romance thus this shipping is killing me... 😭😭😭 for other people with the same symptom, I suggest you consider about that...

Overall, it was great, educating, funny, painful, and other emotion that enriched this experience...👏👏👏
8 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
chiakiss
chiakiss
Jun 24, 2020
Status: v8
I came here from the manga, and I don't regret it. I love this novel so much, so yeah I'm going to write a whole ESSAY here. i'll write a spoiler-free review in pros and cons style:

Pros:

1- enthralling mysteries: the mu*ders and the mystery solving are super great. It's never a boring case, and MaoMao is super charismatic, so it makes it beven better to see her solve it. I also like how they aren't "isolated" cases. At the time, it seems like it is only that, but... more>> as the novel progresses you can see that there's more to those mu*ders and they're all connected. Super engaging.

2- Heck, even the slice of life is good- There are a lot of chapters that are just maomao living in the inner palace/ setting the stage for the "climax"/ meeting new people, but it is super enjoyable to read too. The pacing is nice, and all the elements are well balanced, this doesn't drag out, but also doesn't make the novel feel like the events are progressing too fast

3- The author has balls - History has a lot of ugly sh*t that most novels don't talk about, to not break the wonderlust of "oh I wish I were in olden times", and because it gets complicated. And when they do write about poverty, famine or s*avery, they depict it as a very horrible thing, but dramatic and kind of isolated from the protagonists. But the authors in this novel went above and beyond. Maomao was raised in a brothel, and in as a normal peasant. So they don't romanticize history, they write about these difficult topics just like "things that happen" (they do condemn it, but don't pretend like it isn't a reality), because those really are commonplace things, especially at that time. For example, the novel starts with maomao getting kidnapped and sold to work at the inner palace for money, and she's never like "woe is me" or people are like "wow this horrible thing happened to her and she's still fighting, what a gal", it's just a thing that happened, and she's not special; these things happen a lot, and the book acknowledges it. This happens with other topics as well, especially related brothel life, women's life in general [the lack of options, liberties, and the dangers (r word) of existing in olden days], the power structures in the castle. This is a detail is unique to KNH (as far as the novels i've read), and it really makes a difference in making the setting more realistic.

4-Maomao herself - Okay, the biggest reason I love this novel, is maomao's personality, she's a female protagonist like no other, and I mean it. She's such a balanced character, doesn't fall into any archetypes, and feels really real. She's not an idiot in the ways of life. She wants to pursue her interest in medicine and is a very curious person, but never naive or dumb. Although the ML gets drawn to her because she doesnt fawn over him like the other girls, she just doesn't like his personality, but never stubbornly pretend he's not attractive (tsundere style), or straight up tells him off like there isn't a subordinate-boss relationship that she could get killed for disrespecting. She's not super exagerated, like picking fights and getting offended everytime someone says sh*t to her, or getting super gloomy. She stands her ground when she need to, but goes with the flow and deceives people most of the time just to avoid trouble. She's clever, practical, passionate, and although pictured as unsocial, it's clear she's not cold and loves her adoptive dad and family at the brothel, and values her friendships at the inner palace.

4- The secondary characters are well written. All the four high ranking consorts have different personalities, qualities, and backgrounds (makes political scheming more interesting). Gaoshun is the fun "person with common sense watching two idiots", and is hilarious to read him react to the misunderstandings that happen between jinshi and maomao. The girls and the old lady in the brothel, the official who's friends with maomao, the maids, her adoptive father and real father, everyone is their own person and that makes it more interesting

Cons:
1- phrases are weird sometimes - I don't know why, but this is a reocurring problem with japanese translations, so I think some meaning just gets lost in translation and that inevitable, it can't be that all jp tl's are bad. Because this is a mystery-solving novel, that has a lot of detail, speculation, etc, I can't say that it doesn't interfere with the story. This is annoying, since the original writing is already kind of beating around the bush to tells us who did what, and paired with the subtext lost in translation, you end up having to read things thrice to understand.
2- The mysteries don't wrap up completely. That's right. Things will happen, and the climax of the arc will pass, but you will still be filled with questions. I though I was just a dumbass who didnt read it right, but as I read more I realized the novel really is set up like that; sometimes that one thing that you didn't understand will be brought up unexpectedly and answered 30 chapters later lol. I'm not sure if it is a con, I guess there's nothing wrong with this kind of writing? but it's confusing for starters, so...

PS: the romance in this story is minimal, but I like how it is staged. Jinshi likes her personality, but for now, maomao just sees jinshi as "annoying guy" (but she does remark that she likes him more when he's not faking his personality, so a very good thing to build on) . This, paired with the power dynamic in their relationship (shes a maidservant, and he's kind of a big shot), creates a big gap between them.

In the first 3 volumes or so you won't get that romance vibe, their interactions are mostly played for laughs, but as you dwelve deeper into the story it starts to get more serious. You can see more of their personalities, their flaws, the things that keep them apart, their struggles, and how they awkardly stumble around clashing at times, and complementing each other at times. Too slow burn even for me tho, I'm suffering from jinshi deficiency <<less
8 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Elivi
Elivi
Dec 24, 2017
Status: v3c32
What to say? I am not really the type that is fond of "imperial court" story, so I was skeptical the first time I saw this Novel. However, that all changed on a bored day of mine, with nothing to do, I just open my novel bookmarks and "hey, why don't I give this a try." Damn boy, I was hooked in by the quirky main character, the way the story unfold as a mystery combined with cute moments, the side cast that stands out... In fact, this hooks me... more>> in so much to the point that I spent like 8 hours to blink read til the latest chapter.

The only small turn down for this novel would be the translation as there are some structure faults and a little bit hard to understand in the beginning. However, the translation quality only gets better chapter by chapter, and as of the time I write this review, the quality has, though not flawless, risen to the point that is more than acceptable.

So, good plots, quirky main character, nice side casts, cute, improving translator... What are you waiting for, just try it out! <<less
7 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
DableUTeeF
DableUTeeF
Aug 09, 2020
Status: v9c23
One of a very few novels that doesn't make MC smart by having everyone else s*upid.

No game elements that sometimes become nonsense, no brainless nobles like you see in everywhere else.

Quality seems slips a lot lately as I read 9 volumes in one go but as a slice of life it's honestly forgiveable.
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Niias
Niias
Apr 05, 2018
Status: v4c13
This is my favorite novel. The mad scientist Maomao, the poor Jinshi, Gaoshun, and other are characters with their stories filled with interesting things. I hope the anime gets published soon and they don't change many things from the novel for the manga and anime.
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
a greedy seed
a greedy see
Feb 28, 2021
Status: volume 1
If you read the translation from Creative Novels and thought it was flat and incoherent, just a mangled mess, definitely try reading the official translation before rating the story.

-----

Maomao is a wonderfully stoic protagonist and her steadfast approach to life is refreshing. She's analytical and thoughtful about her actions. I really enjoyed reading from her perspective. The writing is detailed enough that I can appreciate the subtle nuances which were omitted in the translation from Creative Novels.

All the major characters work wonders to flesh out the world. They are multidimensional... more>> and believable, with interactions that served to move the plot forward smoothly.

If you like your story with intrigue and and character development, this is for you. It really is a wonderful read. I'd also recommend Saiunkoku Monogatari if you liked Apothecary Diaries. The fan english translation is not bad. <<less
5 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
MissZer0q
MissZer0q
May 18, 2018
Status: --
The best light novel that I have read so far~ Although the romance is slow (because female lead is oblivious) but that's what makes it super cute and all of the male lead's advances are super hilarious~ LOVE IT!!
5 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
mariaphoebe
mariaphoebe
Aug 07, 2019
Status: Completed
Really refreshing with an actually interesting MC. There is just a tad of romance here, so if you mainly came looking for it, you will be disappointed.
4 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Maple
Maple
May 16, 2019
Status: v2c1
Damn this novel is really good and brilliant. I really like the main character because she's so fresh to read and the story's setting maybe cliche itself but the story is really something else.

Btw, this a selfish request but I'm hoping you can upload this novels to google drive I really want to add this on my collection for things to read while traveling and idling.

And thank you for translating this wonderful novel. I want to support the group for this. Keep it up.
4 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
RAGA
RAGA
May 14, 2019
Status: --
Only found the manga version of this and it blew me away with its smart and practical (though eccentric) MC and realistic setting. In fact, all the characters are very well-done in terms of characterizations, motivations, reactions, etc. No one was a caricature of a personified stereotype or single-trait 2-dimensional person. Sure, some moments (mostly for slight comedic effects) were sensationalized in a cliched manner (like how people might go gaga over someone's beauty or how the MC goes gaga over questionable substances), but there really weren't any real mob... more>> or cannon-fodder characters.

I definitely recommend the manga for people to read.

So, I'm looking forward to reading the novel version of this even more, especially as the written version tends to be the best form of a work (in my opinion). <<less
4 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Leave a Review (Guidelines)
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.