There's things about this novel that are rubbing me the wrong way right off the bat. The main character Helen, has been abused by her father her entire life. Humiliated in front of her sister and in general treated like dirt, now is being positioned to take one for the family and kill their enemy the emperor. It's not that this is unrealistic, it's a little too real for what I want from escapist fiction.

Redeeming the novel, is the fact that both the storytelling and the translation are top shelf.... more>> The author makes the reader hate the abusive father and sympathize with the downtrodden Helen. It reads very well and drags the reader in.

Bottom Line: If it weren't for the subject matter I'd give this 5 stars in a heartbeat. <<less

Translation is great. Read this if you like this type of Korean-josei-Western-historical genre & don't want to read something overly complicated. This is a great read after a long day of studying where you just want to unwind.

It has a cool plot line. Common trope of the ML saying he has never been interested in someone because he is emotionless (aka, I've never found a woman interesting before this FL) but the ML's situation makes it a more fun trope and not as cliche. I'm enjoying it.

It's taking a while... more>> to get to the point where our FL finding out who her lover actually is. ML is not a very fun character so far

Spoiler

but his cursed self is vulnerable/interesting so it will be interesting to see how they merge

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Ah the poor fl, that family of hers is tr*sh and still grasping for some love from her father is painful to read, hoping that little hatred develops soon because they deserve to be crushed. The ML let's call him complex because at least his nasty temper is somehow justified with what's going on with him and I'm glad that has not extended to mistreatment of the FL as far as I've read.

The plot is interesting so do give it try.

Well right from the first chapter, the author really makes the reader sympathize with the MC Helen. The poor girl has been abused all her life and now she's being made a sacrifice to kill the emperor.

(I didn't expect to get hit with such heavy situation right off the bat)

The translation is top notch and so far the story seems to be going as expected. May MC rise in power later.

3 stars