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Perle Vol. II: A Memoir of the Empire Joachim
Once a catamite to a noble, Jean grew up and returned to the imperial capital of Joachim as Duke of Erhardt. In the dying days of the empire, Jean Erhardt paves the way for a new world. All the while, he searches for his Little Pearl, the mysterious benefactor who granted him freedom and altered his fate. At a grand banquet filled with the empire's elite, Crown Prince Maximin recognizes Jean's hidden past—a secret that could destroy Jean's plans.
“I wonder how many there are who would remember a boy from a decade ago. I wonder who would remember a boy who wasn’t even in their own household, or recognize the man he had grown to become... [...] Objects of beauty do not escape my memory.”
In exchange for his silence, the prince demands Jean serve as his muse for painting.
“I wonder how many there are who would remember a boy from a decade ago. I wonder who would remember a boy who wasn’t even in their own household, or recognize the man he had grown to become... [...] Objects of beauty do not escape my memory.”
In exchange for his silence, the prince demands Jean serve as his muse for painting.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 31, 2025
✰ 4.25 stars ✰
Bittersweet. Heartbreaking. Beautifully written. Despite having read the manhwa already, the final act still hit me much harder than expected. 🤌🏻🤍
“Before Jean kissed the lips again, the prince pronounced his name once more, as if whispering words of secrecy.
“...Jean.”
Their chemistry was burning and craving - a playful jest where they both enjoyed each other's pleasure - an intoxication neither was simply satisfied with one taste. ❤️🔥❤️🔥 It was a feral beast whose name was devotion, where reason and rationality were overtaken by blind affection. For even when the prince cast that final hurtful lethal strike, it was impossible for them not to fall back into each other's embrace. 🎀
The writing captured Jean's torn state between desire and duty so viscerally '—the overwhelming emotions and confusion rattled him to his very core' that I yearned as hard as he did for a different path to follow. 😣 You could feel the tension of a ticking clock of what they both instinctively knew was their fate, but chose not to voice it aloud.
“He is all but the greatest enemy to our cause. How could he possibly be your most treasured one?”
How I desperately crave for a side piece where we get to see into the Prince's thoughts. How so delicately and intricately Maximillian, the greatest of men planned everything - how he shouldered his burden alone - those last few chapters that tore at my heart. And how it was impossible for him to stop his Montespan from falling deeper in love with him. 🫂💘
Rereading my highlights and I wish I could share all their intimate moments, every heartfelt declaration of love and trust. Every touch felt like the last - something slipping away if they didn't hold on tighter to it, amidst a nation on the brink of upheaval. 🥺🥺 The writing style's formal tone evokes all of the presence and essence of the time and how critical and crucial each next step is. And I felt each anxious flip of the script, and how devastated Jean was in his determination to save his loved one. 🫠
“The devil whispered.
“Out of the blue, I missed you.”
It was more than just the implication that Maximin could have been his savior of the past - I so dearly wish to meet you. 🥹 It was now his love for him that fueled his decisions and took precedence over all that he had fought to achieve in the name of the Joachim Empire - the irony of the title not ever lost on me. It was watching the clues fall together and the dawn of understanding fall upon him that made it all the more painful to watch. 😔
The writing captured it painstakingly perfectly, a beautiful balance to the manhwa, too, which allowed me to compare each intimate scene's details. Every delicate touch of affirmation Maximin bestowed on Jean hurt me more. 💔💔 The tenderness behind his words of promise that made Jean so eager in his search to protect him and prevent him from reaching that fateful stage - even though they both knew they could not escape. 😢
“I sit here at the cost of that which I hold dearest to my heart.”
For that truly is what makes their love story such a tragedy. Cherrymanju has written a beautiful and memorable read in Perle. 👍🏻📜 'It was love and nothing else.' Maximin and Jean are the epitome of star-crossed lovers that I will probably never forget the magic behind their ill-fated romance - how it was stolen from them before it even began. 💌💌
“It was Maximillian. La Petite Perle. Jean’s most precious and beautiful redemption.”
Bittersweet. Heartbreaking. Beautifully written. Despite having read the manhwa already, the final act still hit me much harder than expected. 🤌🏻🤍
“Before Jean kissed the lips again, the prince pronounced his name once more, as if whispering words of secrecy.
“...Jean.”
Their chemistry was burning and craving - a playful jest where they both enjoyed each other's pleasure - an intoxication neither was simply satisfied with one taste. ❤️🔥❤️🔥 It was a feral beast whose name was devotion, where reason and rationality were overtaken by blind affection. For even when the prince cast that final hurtful lethal strike, it was impossible for them not to fall back into each other's embrace. 🎀
The writing captured Jean's torn state between desire and duty so viscerally '—the overwhelming emotions and confusion rattled him to his very core' that I yearned as hard as he did for a different path to follow. 😣 You could feel the tension of a ticking clock of what they both instinctively knew was their fate, but chose not to voice it aloud.
“He is all but the greatest enemy to our cause. How could he possibly be your most treasured one?”
How I desperately crave for a side piece where we get to see into the Prince's thoughts. How so delicately and intricately Maximillian, the greatest of men planned everything - how he shouldered his burden alone - those last few chapters that tore at my heart. And how it was impossible for him to stop his Montespan from falling deeper in love with him. 🫂💘
Rereading my highlights and I wish I could share all their intimate moments, every heartfelt declaration of love and trust. Every touch felt like the last - something slipping away if they didn't hold on tighter to it, amidst a nation on the brink of upheaval. 🥺🥺 The writing style's formal tone evokes all of the presence and essence of the time and how critical and crucial each next step is. And I felt each anxious flip of the script, and how devastated Jean was in his determination to save his loved one. 🫠
“The devil whispered.
“Out of the blue, I missed you.”
It was more than just the implication that Maximin could have been his savior of the past - I so dearly wish to meet you. 🥹 It was now his love for him that fueled his decisions and took precedence over all that he had fought to achieve in the name of the Joachim Empire - the irony of the title not ever lost on me. It was watching the clues fall together and the dawn of understanding fall upon him that made it all the more painful to watch. 😔
The writing captured it painstakingly perfectly, a beautiful balance to the manhwa, too, which allowed me to compare each intimate scene's details. Every delicate touch of affirmation Maximin bestowed on Jean hurt me more. 💔💔 The tenderness behind his words of promise that made Jean so eager in his search to protect him and prevent him from reaching that fateful stage - even though they both knew they could not escape. 😢
“I sit here at the cost of that which I hold dearest to my heart.”
For that truly is what makes their love story such a tragedy. Cherrymanju has written a beautiful and memorable read in Perle. 👍🏻📜 'It was love and nothing else.' Maximin and Jean are the epitome of star-crossed lovers that I will probably never forget the magic behind their ill-fated romance - how it was stolen from them before it even began. 💌💌
June 1, 2026
My feelings towards this end volume are conflicted. This is a 3.5-star for me. I expected many of the mysteries, vague hints, and unanswered questions to eventually come together in a satisfying way. Instead, I found myself torn between admiration and frustration. Please, I will be ranting long. ( ｡ •`ᴖ´• ｡)
The best way I can describe this novel is that its major emotional moments feel like listening to a magnificent orchestra, only for a few stray notes to interrupt the performance every now and then. The highs are genuinely incredible, but there were several moments where I felt the execution fell short of the story's ambitions.
One of my biggest frustrations is how much of the story remains implied rather than properly explored. I understand that Cherrymanju likely wanted readers to connect the pieces themselves, but personally, I found myself wanting more concrete answers. The novel strongly hints that Maximillian was Jean's patron all along, yet never fully commits to explicitly explaining the circumstances. Likewise, the revelation that Maximillian had seemingly known Jean long before their actual meeting should have been one of the most significant emotional payoffs in the story, but it remains frustratingly vague.
The situation involving Ariel as Jean's false Pearl also felt underdeveloped. It is introduced as an important deception, yet I never felt the novel properly unpacked the emotional consequences of it. More than anything, I was disappointed by the scene following Maximillian's death. Cornell finally begins explaining Maximillian's past, his motivations, and the decisions that led him toward the coup and his sacrifice—precisely the information I had been waiting for throughout the entire novel—only for the narrative to abruptly cut away. Instead, we transition to Montespan revealing Maximillian's treasured painting of Jean. While the scene itself is beautiful, I couldn't help feeling that the story abandoned one of its most important conversations at the very moment it mattered most.
What makes these frustrations stronger is that I genuinely believe Perle possesses all the elements of something extraordinary. The political backdrop is fascinating. The themes surrounding class, revolution, dignity, and sacrifice are compelling. The romance is devastating. The symbolism of the tiger and the pearl is memorable. Everything is there. I simply wished the novel had trusted itself enough to explore those ideas more thoroughly rather than leaving so many details between the lines.
And yet, despite all of my complaints, I still liked it. ૮₍⇀‸↼‶₎ა Because no matter how frustrated I became with the narrative choices, the tragedy of Jean and Maximillian never stopped affecting me.
“Throughout the entire day, all I have wondered was when you would find me. I was so entirely consumed with the thought that it was piteous.”
At its heart, Perle is a story about two people searching for each other from opposite ends of the same path. Jean spends years longing for the mysterious Pearl who gave him freedom, purpose, and dignity. Meanwhile, Maximillian quietly watches over Jean from afar, treasuring him long before Jean ever realizes it. The cruel irony is that Jean only fully understands his feelings once every excuse has been stripped away. He wanted Maximillian to be the Pearl because otherwise he would have to admit the truth: he had fallen in love with Maximillian himself. Their relationship is tragic not because they never loved each other, but because they finally arrive at that understanding when history has already decided their fate.
What affected me most was Maximillian himself. Beneath all of his arrogance, wit, and theatrical shamelessness is an incredibly lonely person. Jean constantly views him as a corrupt prince, yet Maximillian repeatedly demonstrates a level of self-awareness, dignity, and acceptance that few characters in the story possess. He understands how others see him and simply refuses to define himself through their judgments. There is something deeply heartbreaking about a man carrying the weight of a dying empire while quietly loving someone he knows may never choose him.
The final tragedy is that Jean spends the entire story searching for his Pearl, only to realize that he had already found him. By the time he finally understands everything, Maximillian is gone. Perhaps that is why the ending still devastated me despite my frustrations. For all the questions left unanswered, the emotions themselves were never unclear. The image of Jean as the tiger and Maximillian's final treasure being a painting titled:
"Ma Petite Perle.
My Jean."
encapsulates the entire story. Jean spent years searching for his Pearl, while Maximillian had already found his.
One detail I particularly loved was Jean's constant tendency to frame his feelings for Maximillian as a form of damnation. Throughout the novel, he repeatedly compares his attraction to temptation, sin, and even the devil's whisper, often finding himself cursing in God's name whenever Maximillian manages to unsettle him. There is something both amusing and deeply tragic about watching Jean convince himself that he is marching toward eternal damnation simply because he cannot stop thinking about one man. Yet beneath the humor lies one of the novel's most effective ironies: Jean spends so much time believing that loving Maximillian is his downfall when, in many ways, Maximillian has always been his salvation. The person he associates with temptation and ruin is ultimately the same person who gave him freedom, dignity, and a future. So funny and cute.
I only wish the novel had given itself more room to tell the story that was already hidden within its pages. I'm not really emotionally wrecked but I appreciate how good the potential of this story is.
The best way I can describe this novel is that its major emotional moments feel like listening to a magnificent orchestra, only for a few stray notes to interrupt the performance every now and then. The highs are genuinely incredible, but there were several moments where I felt the execution fell short of the story's ambitions.
One of my biggest frustrations is how much of the story remains implied rather than properly explored. I understand that Cherrymanju likely wanted readers to connect the pieces themselves, but personally, I found myself wanting more concrete answers. The novel strongly hints that Maximillian was Jean's patron all along, yet never fully commits to explicitly explaining the circumstances. Likewise, the revelation that Maximillian had seemingly known Jean long before their actual meeting should have been one of the most significant emotional payoffs in the story, but it remains frustratingly vague.
The situation involving Ariel as Jean's false Pearl also felt underdeveloped. It is introduced as an important deception, yet I never felt the novel properly unpacked the emotional consequences of it. More than anything, I was disappointed by the scene following Maximillian's death. Cornell finally begins explaining Maximillian's past, his motivations, and the decisions that led him toward the coup and his sacrifice—precisely the information I had been waiting for throughout the entire novel—only for the narrative to abruptly cut away. Instead, we transition to Montespan revealing Maximillian's treasured painting of Jean. While the scene itself is beautiful, I couldn't help feeling that the story abandoned one of its most important conversations at the very moment it mattered most.
What makes these frustrations stronger is that I genuinely believe Perle possesses all the elements of something extraordinary. The political backdrop is fascinating. The themes surrounding class, revolution, dignity, and sacrifice are compelling. The romance is devastating. The symbolism of the tiger and the pearl is memorable. Everything is there. I simply wished the novel had trusted itself enough to explore those ideas more thoroughly rather than leaving so many details between the lines.
And yet, despite all of my complaints, I still liked it. ૮₍⇀‸↼‶₎ა Because no matter how frustrated I became with the narrative choices, the tragedy of Jean and Maximillian never stopped affecting me.
“Throughout the entire day, all I have wondered was when you would find me. I was so entirely consumed with the thought that it was piteous.”
At its heart, Perle is a story about two people searching for each other from opposite ends of the same path. Jean spends years longing for the mysterious Pearl who gave him freedom, purpose, and dignity. Meanwhile, Maximillian quietly watches over Jean from afar, treasuring him long before Jean ever realizes it. The cruel irony is that Jean only fully understands his feelings once every excuse has been stripped away. He wanted Maximillian to be the Pearl because otherwise he would have to admit the truth: he had fallen in love with Maximillian himself. Their relationship is tragic not because they never loved each other, but because they finally arrive at that understanding when history has already decided their fate.
What affected me most was Maximillian himself. Beneath all of his arrogance, wit, and theatrical shamelessness is an incredibly lonely person. Jean constantly views him as a corrupt prince, yet Maximillian repeatedly demonstrates a level of self-awareness, dignity, and acceptance that few characters in the story possess. He understands how others see him and simply refuses to define himself through their judgments. There is something deeply heartbreaking about a man carrying the weight of a dying empire while quietly loving someone he knows may never choose him.
The final tragedy is that Jean spends the entire story searching for his Pearl, only to realize that he had already found him. By the time he finally understands everything, Maximillian is gone. Perhaps that is why the ending still devastated me despite my frustrations. For all the questions left unanswered, the emotions themselves were never unclear. The image of Jean as the tiger and Maximillian's final treasure being a painting titled:
"Ma Petite Perle.
My Jean."
encapsulates the entire story. Jean spent years searching for his Pearl, while Maximillian had already found his.
One detail I particularly loved was Jean's constant tendency to frame his feelings for Maximillian as a form of damnation. Throughout the novel, he repeatedly compares his attraction to temptation, sin, and even the devil's whisper, often finding himself cursing in God's name whenever Maximillian manages to unsettle him. There is something both amusing and deeply tragic about watching Jean convince himself that he is marching toward eternal damnation simply because he cannot stop thinking about one man. Yet beneath the humor lies one of the novel's most effective ironies: Jean spends so much time believing that loving Maximillian is his downfall when, in many ways, Maximillian has always been his salvation. The person he associates with temptation and ruin is ultimately the same person who gave him freedom, dignity, and a future. So funny and cute.
I only wish the novel had given itself more room to tell the story that was already hidden within its pages. I'm not really emotionally wrecked but I appreciate how good the potential of this story is.
November 27, 2025
this was so tragically beautiful. Its as tragic as it is breathtaking. It’s not a story I will ever recover from. It was a bittersweet read but it was so beautifully written.
Jean Erhardt and Prince Maximillian Joachim were so tender. words will not be able to describe how much love and adoration I have for them. Maximin was such a selfless prince but him pursuing Jean was his only selfish act for himself before his plan came to an end. He was the epitome of loneliness but Jean filled in that void with the small amount of time they had. knowing he was part of the plan (the uprise of the revolution) from the beginning made me realise how much of a great man Maximillian was. willing to sacrifice himself so the revolution could happen.
It was selfish but selfless at the same time. all that is left is a painting and the memories of the moments during which it was painted 💔
I would sell my soul to have this novel in Maximillian’s pov. I know it will kill me but I would love to know all his thoughts and feelings for Jean when he wrote to him and when he had him by his side 🥺
“𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞. 𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧, 𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤, 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲.𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥.”
“𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧.
𝑳𝒂 𝑷𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒆.
𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐦.”
Jean loved Maximillian than he hoped and prayed that he was his “little pearl”. it such a tragedy that his prayers were answered after Maximin had died 😭 Act IV was brutal.
“𝑴𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏.”
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐞, 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞.
“𝑴𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍.”
‘𝑴𝒚 𝑱𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒎‘
‘𝑴𝒂 𝑷𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒆.’
‘𝑴𝒚 𝑱𝒆𝒂𝒏.’
the endearment they both had for each other 😭 I want to be loved like this.
“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝.”
oh they were so happy together. these tender moments felt like a massive weight on your chest.
Spoiler: I cried my eyes out throughout the whole novel but in the end finding out Maximin was blind and that he drew that painting for Jean just by remembering the strokes, hit the nail on the coffin for me 😭
Jean Erhardt and Prince Maximillian Joachim were so tender. words will not be able to describe how much love and adoration I have for them. Maximin was such a selfless prince but him pursuing Jean was his only selfish act for himself before his plan came to an end. He was the epitome of loneliness but Jean filled in that void with the small amount of time they had. knowing he was part of the plan (the uprise of the revolution) from the beginning made me realise how much of a great man Maximillian was. willing to sacrifice himself so the revolution could happen.
It was selfish but selfless at the same time. all that is left is a painting and the memories of the moments during which it was painted 💔
I would sell my soul to have this novel in Maximillian’s pov. I know it will kill me but I would love to know all his thoughts and feelings for Jean when he wrote to him and when he had him by his side 🥺
“𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞. 𝐈𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧, 𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤, 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲.𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥.”
“𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧.
𝑳𝒂 𝑷𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒆.
𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐦.”
Jean loved Maximillian than he hoped and prayed that he was his “little pearl”. it such a tragedy that his prayers were answered after Maximin had died 😭 Act IV was brutal.
“𝑴𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏.”
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐞, 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞.
“𝑴𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍.”
‘𝑴𝒚 𝑱𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒎‘
‘𝑴𝒂 𝑷𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒆.’
‘𝑴𝒚 𝑱𝒆𝒂𝒏.’
the endearment they both had for each other 😭 I want to be loved like this.
“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝.”
oh they were so happy together. these tender moments felt like a massive weight on your chest.
Spoiler: I cried my eyes out throughout the whole novel but in the end finding out Maximin was blind and that he drew that painting for Jean just by remembering the strokes, hit the nail on the coffin for me 😭
November 13, 2024
Maybe my rating is a little inflated because I only read Act 4, but it was because I couldn't wait for the rest of the chapters of the webtoon to be released. I think the translation is smooth and reads well. It doesn't read like edited MTL (the bare minimum) and doesn't hinder the action going on. All in all, it's a good translation safely turns Korean into English and adds a bit of old-timey flair with the "ayes" and "nays".
As for the contents of the book itself:
It is a short duology that captures the climax of emotions in an age where nothing can be changed. It honestly could've been one book instead of split into two so I'll consider it a stand-alone book. I won't say it deserves classic status like Charles Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities but the setting reminds me of it. The story trades a developed historical/political world building for focus on the conflict between love and duty. There is no explanation for how the Joaquim empire finds itself at the end of an era, but the reader is left to imagine what the cause could be. What is explained is its impact on the people, and the people are sick of nobles who flagrantly spend their wealth when the common folks suffer. Jean is one such person who is part of the revolution to end the royal lineage.
Jean's characterization is very clear; he is devoted to his anonymous patron who lifted him from a life of being a noble woman's pet. As he gets more involved with the playboy crown prince, his heart starts wavering between his duty and what could be love... Jean is to his core, an intense romanticist. Since his feelings are so intense, he drives the story onward with ferocity. It's hard not to get wrapped up in his fervor. Perle never gets boring because it only focuses on moments of change. You can get whiplash from how fast it seems to be, but I believe the novel to be tightly edited.
The merits Perle has, it has in spades. I've only read most of it through the webtoon, but I believe the e-book to be the same. The reader is helplessly swept away in a torrent. Revolution is an exciting time to read about. The tension is palpable as the winds of change are blowing. The time to make a choice doesn't exist anymore. The die has already been cast and all the game pieces must move to their predetermined places. Drama, intrigue, passion. Lies, missed opportunities, yearning. Reading Perle is like a watching a play you can't look away from. Literary flair is imbued in its DNA. Read it if you're in the mood for something a little more artistic than most modern day BL lightnovels.
Other things Perle reminded me of: A Solo for Two (webtoon), Kishiar from Turning (k webnovel), Lelouch from Code Geass (anime)
As for the contents of the book itself:
It is a short duology that captures the climax of emotions in an age where nothing can be changed. It honestly could've been one book instead of split into two so I'll consider it a stand-alone book. I won't say it deserves classic status like Charles Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities but the setting reminds me of it. The story trades a developed historical/political world building for focus on the conflict between love and duty. There is no explanation for how the Joaquim empire finds itself at the end of an era, but the reader is left to imagine what the cause could be. What is explained is its impact on the people, and the people are sick of nobles who flagrantly spend their wealth when the common folks suffer. Jean is one such person who is part of the revolution to end the royal lineage.
Jean's characterization is very clear; he is devoted to his anonymous patron who lifted him from a life of being a noble woman's pet. As he gets more involved with the playboy crown prince, his heart starts wavering between his duty and what could be love... Jean is to his core, an intense romanticist. Since his feelings are so intense, he drives the story onward with ferocity. It's hard not to get wrapped up in his fervor. Perle never gets boring because it only focuses on moments of change. You can get whiplash from how fast it seems to be, but I believe the novel to be tightly edited.
The merits Perle has, it has in spades. I've only read most of it through the webtoon, but I believe the e-book to be the same. The reader is helplessly swept away in a torrent. Revolution is an exciting time to read about. The tension is palpable as the winds of change are blowing. The time to make a choice doesn't exist anymore. The die has already been cast and all the game pieces must move to their predetermined places. Drama, intrigue, passion. Lies, missed opportunities, yearning. Reading Perle is like a watching a play you can't look away from. Literary flair is imbued in its DNA. Read it if you're in the mood for something a little more artistic than most modern day BL lightnovels.
Other things Perle reminded me of: A Solo for Two (webtoon), Kishiar from Turning (k webnovel), Lelouch from Code Geass (anime)
November 6, 2024
I’ll write a review when I’m not experiencing election stress
February 26, 2026
agliyorum o son neydi oyle cok kotuyum. Imdtlar olshn.
"WHEN SPRING COMES...
WOULD YOU TAKE MY COAT AND GO FOR AN OUTING WITH ME?"
ozel bolumlere aglamaktan gozumda yas kalmadi
"WHEN SPRING COMES...
WOULD YOU TAKE MY COAT AND GO FOR AN OUTING WITH ME?"
ozel bolumlere aglamaktan gozumda yas kalmadi
May 29, 2026
Tragically beautiful. 💔
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