竖子

by 蕉三根

展言：“我们内娱好像真的要完了。”
江少珩：“哦。”

爱完完呗。

*

心比天大凡尔赛之王星二代攻 x 老老实实娱乐圈打工人草根受
一个一路倒霉，一个一路走狗屎运。
【没有原型，没有粉籍。】

1399 pages, ebook

Published March 21, 2022

Reviews

[marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since they're part of the same trilogy, there's no way I can talk about this book without comparing it to《裝相》. While it's definitely ambitious and tackles even more complex topics than《裝相》, 《豎子》isn't as polished. But before getting into it, I should talk about what I do like about the book. The leads are complex and well-written. Compared to the leads of《裝相》, they're at a different stage of their career: they're just starting out. Therefore, they have no power and are subjected to the whims of their families and managers. A lot of the conflict comes down to circumstances entirely out of their control, which is devastating but also feels rooted in reality. On top of covering similar issues as《裝相》, the story also does a good job exploring complicated family relationships and sexism within a family. There's also a stellar cast of female characters! With that being said, there are problems with the last quarter of the book. I don't expect a happy ending with a bow on top for everyone involved, but the ending is abrupt and the MC's arc doesn't feel remotely finished. In addition, 東苔's story is handled poorly. Still, it’s a good book. If you like entertainment industry stories with depth like《颱風眼》by 潭石, definitely give this a read.

[(≧∇≦) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another emotional read. I felt everything—pain, tears, happiness, anger. The story is very raw and very realistic, especially in how it portrays the entertainment industry. Honestly, it’s too realistic at times. As someone who’s a fan of idols, I’m already used to negative comments and the ugly side of the industry, so when the novel focused heavily on that aspect (which is most of the story), it became emotionally draining. There were moments when I needed to pause and rest. Still, despite the emotional roller coaster, the story was incredibly gripping, and I couldn’t stop reading. I much prefer this over a bland, flat story.

I cried during the scene where Dongtai was left in the rented room with the MC. That moment when he waved his hand with a smile was heartbreaking. What happened to Dongtai was truly painful, and I think society played a big role in his death. This story really shows how people without power have a much harder time entering the entertainment industry, while those with privilege still get their way. I don’t support what Dongtai did to the MC, and I felt frustrated along with the MC when he died, but I could still understand him. The MC is naturally a kind person. Like Dongtai said, he was willing to give anything—even when he had nothing to give—except his big heart.

I really loved the training class arc, especially how the MC and ML interacted during that time. I liked how passionate the MC was about singing and how that passion stayed with him even later in the story. The writing felt accurate and meaningful. In many ways, it’s a story about a “lucky” MC and an “unlucky” ML. I also liked how the MC took acting seriously and continued to put effort into it.

The appearance of the 装相 MC wasn’t just a cameo—it played an important role in the MC’s growth. The cameo moments were fun, especially the interactions between the MC and AG, and between the ML and Chiye. The ML’s personality—keeping everything to himself—was very relatable. Even though it’s still hard for him to change, at least there was some improvement. The breakup between the MC and ML made sense, too. The MC is decisive and knows what he wants, while the ML struggles to share his problems, which is understandable.

Honestly, while writing this review, I realized how much I liked almost everything about the story—yet I didn’t give it five stars because it didn’t fully hit close to my heart. Overall, I enjoyed the plot from beginning to end. I liked how the MC and ML’s relationship developed, broke apart, and came back together, as well as the ups and downs of the MC’s career. All the side characters felt important to the story. I recommend reading 装相 first for a better understanding of the characters.