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Villains Are Destined to Die (Novel) #1
악역의 엔딩은 죽음뿐 1 [Ag-yeog-eui Ending-eun Jug-eumbbun 1]
역하렘 공략 게임의 악역,
에카르트 공작가의 하나뿐인 공녀이자 입양아 페넬로페로 빙의했다.
그런데 하필 난이도는 극악!
뭘 해도 엔딩은 죽음뿐이다.
‘진짜 공녀’가 나타나기 전에 어떻게든 여주의 어장 중 한 명을 공략해서 이어져야 한다!
사사건건 시비를 거는 오빠 1, 2.
모든 루트가 죽음으로 이어지는 미친 황태자.
여주바라기 마법사와 충직한 노예 기사까지!
‘일단 가망성 없는 놈들은 바로 버리자.’
“그동안 제 주제를 잘 몰랐어요. 앞으로는 쭉, 신경 쓰실 일 없이, 쥐죽은 듯 살겠습니다.”
근데 왜 자꾸 선을 그을수록 호감도가 오르는 거야?!
에카르트 공작가의 하나뿐인 공녀이자 입양아 페넬로페로 빙의했다.
그런데 하필 난이도는 극악!
뭘 해도 엔딩은 죽음뿐이다.
‘진짜 공녀’가 나타나기 전에 어떻게든 여주의 어장 중 한 명을 공략해서 이어져야 한다!
사사건건 시비를 거는 오빠 1, 2.
모든 루트가 죽음으로 이어지는 미친 황태자.
여주바라기 마법사와 충직한 노예 기사까지!
‘일단 가망성 없는 놈들은 바로 버리자.’
“그동안 제 주제를 잘 몰랐어요. 앞으로는 쭉, 신경 쓰실 일 없이, 쥐죽은 듯 살겠습니다.”
근데 왜 자꾸 선을 그을수록 호감도가 오르는 거야?!
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Published March 27, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 19, 2022
Volume 1: (Chapters 1 -57)
September 1, 2025
I am 100% into this series. I love the manhwa and I love this light novel. I am HOOKED and am seated, quivering in my chair for the next installment.
I have ordered this from my store and have it sitting prominently on my "keepers" bookcase, next to the manhwa volumes that are out thus far.
If you love the isekai villainess sub-genre, this is one of the truly great ones that are out there. I have scraped the bottom of a LOT of barrels to scratch that particular sub-genre itch and this one is CHEF'S KISS.
Penelope is smart and determined, though she doesn't do things perfectly all of the time, she is focused on her goal and won't stop until she reaches it. Of course, if she stops, she's kind of dead, so you can say she is like a shark in that respect. As such, she doesn't let herself relax and actually FEEL anything for anyone other than herself, and I think while that makes sense in what she is going through, that is her Achille's Heel.
I love how she isn't perfect, she's very human, but she is MAGNIFICENT despite, or maybe even because of it. She isn't OP, her struggles are real, and you want her to vault over each and everything that blocks her path. When she does, it is so cathartic!
I know my ship won't sail for this one, but that's ok. The final ship is one I can also get behind. I highly recommend this series, both the manhwa and the light novel. It's all amazing and one I re-read when I need to break a book slump.
5, I can't give any less to Mai Queen Penelope, stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/Ize Press for an eARC of this book to read and review.
I have ordered this from my store and have it sitting prominently on my "keepers" bookcase, next to the manhwa volumes that are out thus far.
If you love the isekai villainess sub-genre, this is one of the truly great ones that are out there. I have scraped the bottom of a LOT of barrels to scratch that particular sub-genre itch and this one is CHEF'S KISS.
Penelope is smart and determined, though she doesn't do things perfectly all of the time, she is focused on her goal and won't stop until she reaches it. Of course, if she stops, she's kind of dead, so you can say she is like a shark in that respect. As such, she doesn't let herself relax and actually FEEL anything for anyone other than herself, and I think while that makes sense in what she is going through, that is her Achille's Heel.
I love how she isn't perfect, she's very human, but she is MAGNIFICENT despite, or maybe even because of it. She isn't OP, her struggles are real, and you want her to vault over each and everything that blocks her path. When she does, it is so cathartic!
I know my ship won't sail for this one, but that's ok. The final ship is one I can also get behind. I highly recommend this series, both the manhwa and the light novel. It's all amazing and one I re-read when I need to break a book slump.
5, I can't give any less to Mai Queen Penelope, stars!
My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press/Ize Press for an eARC of this book to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2025
FIRST IMPRESSION VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/Vr6n0HQNxoE
Wow! What a read!
I am not even sure what to fully say, except that the manhwa is a VERY good adaptation of the novel, as there were SO many times when I could see the panels unfolding in my head, which I thought was awesome!
In fact, they were so similar that I struggled a little bit in the beginning because the information was being "repeated" twice and was ready to get to the "good part," so to speak! That was a first for me, and don't get me wrong in saying that! The novel WAS good! But I was surprised how closely they matched, as I think I was fully prepared for scenes and information to be missing, but there wasn't.
That aside, I found the story to have a darker? More serious tone? I felt Penelope's frustration a lot harder in the novel than I did reading the manhwa. It's the same story, I realize, but something about this hit differently, and I can't quite pinpoint what it is.
I know for certain that Eckles and Winter seem MUCH more intense than they did in the manhwa! I remember Eckles being the first one I really shipped with Penelope, and while that feeling has since changed, there is much more darkness surrounding him that I don't think I fully realized until now. I would especially say that was true for Winter, because unlike the manhwa, his affection meter dropped VERY low at one point, and was absolutely shocked! He might be a gentleman, but the novel showed he can be just as dangerous and scary as everyone else!
Funny enough, I did not hate Derrick's character nearly as much in the novel. He is just as cold as ever and definitely blames Penelope for every little thing, but I wonder if not seeing an illustration of his face helped him in this case? Don't worry, though! I came to fully hate him all over again at the scene on the hill because when Penelope compared herself to a microbe, saying she at least didn't want him to see her as a parasite, it reminded me of how he treats her so horribly, to the point she doesn't even feel he sees her as a human!
I feel my review is more of a comparison to the manhwa, which isn't my intention because I really enjoyed reading the "original source"! There were small moments I enjoyed reading about that weren't in the manhwa, that made this feel like a personal treat (especially the scene when Penelope makes a joke with the maids)! I feel the passage of time was slower and really helped me to slow down and take everything in, good and bad.
Overall, I think the manhwa will still be my favorite way to read this story, but I definitely will continue reading the novels! I hope the second volume doesn't take too long to release because after I finished reading this, I went to read the next part in the manhwa! LOL!
Wow! What a read!
I am not even sure what to fully say, except that the manhwa is a VERY good adaptation of the novel, as there were SO many times when I could see the panels unfolding in my head, which I thought was awesome!
In fact, they were so similar that I struggled a little bit in the beginning because the information was being "repeated" twice and was ready to get to the "good part," so to speak! That was a first for me, and don't get me wrong in saying that! The novel WAS good! But I was surprised how closely they matched, as I think I was fully prepared for scenes and information to be missing, but there wasn't.
That aside, I found the story to have a darker? More serious tone? I felt Penelope's frustration a lot harder in the novel than I did reading the manhwa. It's the same story, I realize, but something about this hit differently, and I can't quite pinpoint what it is.
I know for certain that Eckles and Winter seem MUCH more intense than they did in the manhwa! I remember Eckles being the first one I really shipped with Penelope, and while that feeling has since changed, there is much more darkness surrounding him that I don't think I fully realized until now. I would especially say that was true for Winter, because unlike the manhwa, his affection meter dropped VERY low at one point, and was absolutely shocked! He might be a gentleman, but the novel showed he can be just as dangerous and scary as everyone else!
Funny enough, I did not hate Derrick's character nearly as much in the novel. He is just as cold as ever and definitely blames Penelope for every little thing, but I wonder if not seeing an illustration of his face helped him in this case? Don't worry, though! I came to fully hate him all over again at the scene on the hill because when Penelope compared herself to a microbe, saying she at least didn't want him to see her as a parasite, it reminded me of how he treats her so horribly, to the point she doesn't even feel he sees her as a human!
I feel my review is more of a comparison to the manhwa, which isn't my intention because I really enjoyed reading the "original source"! There were small moments I enjoyed reading about that weren't in the manhwa, that made this feel like a personal treat (especially the scene when Penelope makes a joke with the maids)! I feel the passage of time was slower and really helped me to slow down and take everything in, good and bad.
Overall, I think the manhwa will still be my favorite way to read this story, but I definitely will continue reading the novels! I hope the second volume doesn't take too long to release because after I finished reading this, I went to read the next part in the manhwa! LOL!
June 19, 2023
Побольше бы подобных новелл, минимум ненужных описаний, резину не тянут, легко и интересно.
Конкретно в этой новелле где то первые 3-4 тома манхвы, так что удобно, учитывая что 3 я уже прочитала
Конкретно в этой новелле где то первые 3-4 тома манхвы, так что удобно, учитывая что 3 я уже прочитала
![Profile Image for Jamey [Longhollow.Lore].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1751370206i%2F7284478._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 28, 2025
3.25 ⭐️’s
What a fun, immersive read! We’re pulled into the world of a video game right alongside our FMC, and the way the two stories mirror each other is such a clever storytelling choice. We follow her as she navigates not just Penelope’s life, but also her own growth and reflection.
Our FMC has played this game countless times before, but now, trapped in Penelope’s body, every decision matters. What do you remember from past playthroughs? How can you survive when every wrong move could be fatal? Though the game seems innocent at first, darker themes and cunning strategies quickly come into play.
Will she win the affection of one of the love interests? How will the story change now that she’s in it, instead of it being “just a game”? Reading this feels like following a high-stakes chess match, where every move counts and we’re figuring it out right along with her.
Fun, suspenseful, and surprisingly thoughtful, this is a fantastic start to a series that balances romance, strategy, and character growth.
A special thank you to Yen Press and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy; All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What a fun, immersive read! We’re pulled into the world of a video game right alongside our FMC, and the way the two stories mirror each other is such a clever storytelling choice. We follow her as she navigates not just Penelope’s life, but also her own growth and reflection.
Our FMC has played this game countless times before, but now, trapped in Penelope’s body, every decision matters. What do you remember from past playthroughs? How can you survive when every wrong move could be fatal? Though the game seems innocent at first, darker themes and cunning strategies quickly come into play.
Will she win the affection of one of the love interests? How will the story change now that she’s in it, instead of it being “just a game”? Reading this feels like following a high-stakes chess match, where every move counts and we’re figuring it out right along with her.
Fun, suspenseful, and surprisingly thoughtful, this is a fantastic start to a series that balances romance, strategy, and character growth.
A special thank you to Yen Press and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy; All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 12, 2025
Does this prove that the manhwa is a very faithful adaptation? Yes, yes it does. Is it still an excellent read that fully understands the otome game genre and adds some more context for Penelope's life in South Korea? Also yes. It's worth it.
April 28, 2021
I read all 231 chapters in like 3 days and this webnovel was amazing! I loved Penelope! She really did not go there to play, she went there to win and she did not stand for anybody's shit! It's really refreshing to have such a practical heroine who doesn't get swayed by the potential love interests! The world building was fleshed out, the characters were distinctive and the plot was pretty good as well. The only thing is that the translations for this webnovel are pretty awful because I think they're mostly machine translated so basically from google translate.
Summary: A girl gets addicted to a game where she has to get 100% favorability from one of the five main guys in order to win. She unlocks a hidden ending and gets transported to the body of the female villain of the story. Her real life backstory isn't that different from the villain's and she works to try to get the favorability of the guys before the main girl arrives. In the game, she's the spoiled and temperamental step-daughter of a duke and the main girl is the bio daughter who disappeared 6 years ago. The main male leads are her two asshole step-brothers, the crown prince, a marquess mage and a slave who becomes her bodyguard.
Summary: A girl gets addicted to a game where she has to get 100% favorability from one of the five main guys in order to win. She unlocks a hidden ending and gets transported to the body of the female villain of the story. Her real life backstory isn't that different from the villain's and she works to try to get the favorability of the guys before the main girl arrives. In the game, she's the spoiled and temperamental step-daughter of a duke and the main girl is the bio daughter who disappeared 6 years ago. The main male leads are her two asshole step-brothers, the crown prince, a marquess mage and a slave who becomes her bodyguard.
August 9, 2025
spectacular gimme 14 of 'em
4.5
look this is really only going to hit if you're into the manhwa as well- we meet every single character in this first volume and if you don't have visuals for them already? you're probably cooked. however, i DO have visuals for them and I already love them (I have also already read this via fan translation which was an Experience that i may have to repeat). My only complaint is that, because there are so many "male leads" for her to interact with, we basically just get introductions to all of them, except for Eclise (not Eckles-I will die on this hill) who will easily make his way into the hearts of all the obsessed-man-loving fangirls (me)
The translation is pretty good, and I don't have a ton of experience with translated novels, but there were some issues with flow and the word choices made the reading experience a bit clunky. Still, I'll take all the content for this series that I can get. More, please.
4.5
look this is really only going to hit if you're into the manhwa as well- we meet every single character in this first volume and if you don't have visuals for them already? you're probably cooked. however, i DO have visuals for them and I already love them (I have also already read this via fan translation which was an Experience that i may have to repeat). My only complaint is that, because there are so many "male leads" for her to interact with, we basically just get introductions to all of them, except for Eclise (not Eckles-I will die on this hill) who will easily make his way into the hearts of all the obsessed-man-loving fangirls (me)
The translation is pretty good, and I don't have a ton of experience with translated novels, but there were some issues with flow and the word choices made the reading experience a bit clunky. Still, I'll take all the content for this series that I can get. More, please.
November 27, 2023
Что напрягало, это с каким предубеждением героиня относится к братьям, несмотря на то, что их симпатия к ней растет. Героиня за деревьями не видит леса, но это даже мило. Думаю, если бы мы попали в такую ситуацию, еще неизвестно, как бы сами на это реагировали. Но захватывает.
Я пока не поняла, кто из мужских персонажей мне нравится и с кем бы хотелось бы зашиперить героиню. Дерек пока кажется самым перспективным, но и макриз вроде бы ничего такой. Но она обоих вычеркнула из списка.
Я пока не поняла, кто из мужских персонажей мне нравится и с кем бы хотелось бы зашиперить героиню. Дерек пока кажется самым перспективным, но и макриз вроде бы ничего такой. Но она обоих вычеркнула из списка.
October 11, 2025
I've never read a light novel before that was based on an existing Manhwa, but I am obsessed. This was an interesting story line about a woman getting trapped in a dating simulator. I listened to the audiobook and had a great time with it. It captivated me a lot more than I was expecting and I'm looking forward to reading more!
October 6, 2025
Perro coraje que me da todo el trato que recibe Penelope.
Ch 1 - 57
Ch 1 - 57
August 30, 2024
In the future, I probably won't pick up another South Korean web/light novel. Everyone has their taste when choosing what to read, and this type of story just doesn't fit mine. But I'm glad that I come to this conclusion by giving it a fair chance.
Pros:
- It reads quickly since 90% of it is straightforward dialogue;
- It's emotionally fulfilling if you fantasize about avenging your wounded inner child against your childhood abusers;
- An interesting reevaluation of the male romantic stereotypes in otome games;
- Beginning is really good, keeps you on edge.
Cons:
- At times, it becomes excessively dramatic and emotionally draining;
- It's too long. You need to be committed 110% to get to the end of this, which turns out I'm not;
- It's predictable since the writer uses the same formula over and over. Something happens > Penelope gets blamed > she accepts the quest > completes it > demolishes her abuser's ego. It's fun and empowering the first 10 times, but I grew bored after a while;
- It left me wishing for happier moments between the characters. Two or three times I was too depressed to continue reading.
Pros:
- It reads quickly since 90% of it is straightforward dialogue;
- It's emotionally fulfilling if you fantasize about avenging your wounded inner child against your childhood abusers;
- An interesting reevaluation of the male romantic stereotypes in otome games;
- Beginning is really good, keeps you on edge.
Cons:
- At times, it becomes excessively dramatic and emotionally draining;
- It's too long. You need to be committed 110% to get to the end of this, which turns out I'm not;
- It's predictable since the writer uses the same formula over and over. Something happens > Penelope gets blamed > she accepts the quest > completes it > demolishes her abuser's ego. It's fun and empowering the first 10 times, but I grew bored after a while;
- It left me wishing for happier moments between the characters. Two or three times I was too depressed to continue reading.
June 7, 2024
This series consumed my life. It’s seriously so good. And the main character is very different from typical female protagonists. She has feelings but she’s not ruled by them, she uses her head and makes calculated decisions in order to survive. Love it, can’t wait to continue.
October 7, 2025
A young woman wakes up in the body of Penelope Eckhart, the villainess from the Otome game she'd been playing when she fell asleep that night. Furious that she's been taken not just from her own life but trapped in the body of a character who is destined to die she sets out to at very least keep the five love interests from killing her on the spot. Given Penelope's reputation as the "Mad Dog of Eckhart," this seems nigh on impossible. Especially since the longer she lives as Penelope the more she realizes that she may have had some valid reasons for being a villain after all.
This is going to be a long one, so TDLR: Excellent Villainess story.
I was really excited pretty much immediately as honestly, it seemed like this game that our MC gets sucked into was basically made for her. Penelope's life is eerily similar to the MCs; both girls are orphans adopted into rich families, both have brothers that seemingly hate her, a negligent father, and in both cases, the girls enter their adopted families' lives after a tragedy struck. The big difference between the two girls is how they react to things the MC avoids her adopted family at all costs while Penelope is dedicated to making everyone's life a living nightmare. The MC spends much of the book talking about how abused/neglected she and Penelope were/are, which they definitely are, while she completely misses that she's been a brat. Which is understandable to an extent given how young these characters are, however, it becomes less so as Penelope and the MC age. The MC consistently reminds us of how unfair her situation is while never once considering how unfair and confusing it must have been for her IRL brothers and Penelope's.
And that is what makes the MC the Villainess. It's not that she does anything exceptionally evil in this it's that she's lacking in empathy. She's unable to see past her own pain to see that those around her are suffering just as much as she is both IRL and as Penelope. She's the only possible victim in all situations, even when there is evidence to the contrary. In all cases for the love interests, there is clear-cut evidence that these men are facing incredible challenges from having a stepmother trying to assassinate one to slavery in another and she completely disregards how this affects them. And while yes in the love interests' reactions are over the top they aren't any worse than the MC's manipulation of them or events.
She is the perfect Villain. She's absolutely infuriating at times, her choices make little to no sense over and over again. Whatever sympathy she establishes for herself and Penelope comes crashing down in the next chapter as she projects her IRL life onto those who now surround her as Penelope. She refuses to see the people in Penelope's life as anything but characters in a game and treats them as such. She is essentially stunted at whatever age she was when she joined her IRL family, she is so dedicated to the fact that she is the victim that she is virtually incapable of interpreting events in any way that may make her even slightly responsible for any of her existence. She's gloriously evil.
I will definitely be continuing this series as I have a strong feeling Penelope is going to have a rude awakening very soon!
As always thanks to Yen Press and NetGalley for the eArc!
This is going to be a long one, so TDLR: Excellent Villainess story.
I was really excited pretty much immediately as honestly, it seemed like this game that our MC gets sucked into was basically made for her. Penelope's life is eerily similar to the MCs; both girls are orphans adopted into rich families, both have brothers that seemingly hate her, a negligent father, and in both cases, the girls enter their adopted families' lives after a tragedy struck. The big difference between the two girls is how they react to things the MC avoids her adopted family at all costs while Penelope is dedicated to making everyone's life a living nightmare. The MC spends much of the book talking about how abused/neglected she and Penelope were/are, which they definitely are, while she completely misses that she's been a brat. Which is understandable to an extent given how young these characters are, however, it becomes less so as Penelope and the MC age. The MC consistently reminds us of how unfair her situation is while never once considering how unfair and confusing it must have been for her IRL brothers and Penelope's.
And that is what makes the MC the Villainess. It's not that she does anything exceptionally evil in this it's that she's lacking in empathy. She's unable to see past her own pain to see that those around her are suffering just as much as she is both IRL and as Penelope. She's the only possible victim in all situations, even when there is evidence to the contrary. In all cases for the love interests, there is clear-cut evidence that these men are facing incredible challenges from having a stepmother trying to assassinate one to slavery in another and she completely disregards how this affects them. And while yes in the love interests' reactions are over the top they aren't any worse than the MC's manipulation of them or events.
She is the perfect Villain. She's absolutely infuriating at times, her choices make little to no sense over and over again. Whatever sympathy she establishes for herself and Penelope comes crashing down in the next chapter as she projects her IRL life onto those who now surround her as Penelope. She refuses to see the people in Penelope's life as anything but characters in a game and treats them as such. She is essentially stunted at whatever age she was when she joined her IRL family, she is so dedicated to the fact that she is the victim that she is virtually incapable of interpreting events in any way that may make her even slightly responsible for any of her existence. She's gloriously evil.
I will definitely be continuing this series as I have a strong feeling Penelope is going to have a rude awakening very soon!
As always thanks to Yen Press and NetGalley for the eArc!
April 15, 2024
So, I am giving it a 5 star for the manhwa ( just loved the animation). After reading the novel, I kind of wanted to give it a 4 star since towards the end our heroine became very annoying.
Spoiler [I mean, did she really needed the Crown Prince to beg her to stay beside him? And it’s not like he didn’t said it to her many times that he loved her and wanted to marry her…I like my ML to be dominant until the end, thank you very much, not to look like a pussy]
Can’t wait for the manhwa to be finished though..
Spoiler [I mean, did she really needed the Crown Prince to beg her to stay beside him? And it’s not like he didn’t said it to her many times that he loved her and wanted to marry her…I like my ML to be dominant until the end, thank you very much, not to look like a pussy]
Can’t wait for the manhwa to be finished though..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
สนุกแบบจะบ้า ไม่คาดหวังแต่ได้เกินไปมาก ที่ซื้อมาเพราะปกสวย ผู้ชายหล่อแค่นั้นเลย ไม่ได้คาดหวังเนื้อเรื่อง แต่ก็แอบมีสงสัยนิด ๆ ว่าทำไมมันขายดีจนของขาด แล้วเราได้ราคาอีบุ๊คมาแบบไม่แรงด้วยเลยซื้อเก็บ ๆ แค่นั้นเลย แต่พออ่านแล้ว นางเอกนี่มันชีวิตต้องสู้จริงว่ะ ตอบคำถามยังไงไม่ให้ตาย ต้องดูสีหน้าท่าทางพระเอกเหล่านี้ แล้วพระเอกผีเข้าผีออกมากแต่ละคน คือสมมติตอนเป็นพระเอกในเนื้อเรื่องของนางเอก (พาร์ทปกติ) ตัวจริงดูดีมาก แต่พอมาในช่วงตัวร้ายทำไมมันประหลาด ชั้นเป็นเพโนโลปี้(นางเอก) ก็ไม่ไหวอ่ะ ปล่อยให้ฆ่า ๆ ซะ จบ พอละ เหนื่อยจะดูสีหน้าท่าทางพวกนี้ แล้วไม่แปลกใจเลยทำไมเพเนโลปี้ (นางร้าย) นางจะเทิร์นเป็นนางร้าย ก็ตัวละครตั้งแต่คนใช้ยันพระเอกแต่ละตัวบีบซะ
August 26, 2025
A fantasy, transmigration, romance novel series. This volume collects chapters 1-57 of the original webnovel. The Korean physical publication of the novel is a total of 5 volumes, with 1-4 completing the main story and vol 5 containing side stories and so it is likely we can expect the same of the English release.
When a college student with a tragic past picks up the video game Daughter of the Duke’s Super Love Project, she immediately sees herself in one of the characters. Not the adored heroine of easy mode, Ivonne, but the protagonist of hard mode, misunderstood villain Penelope. Little did she know that she’d fall asleep playing the story…and wake up in Penelope’s body! But with affection meters starting in the negatives a single wrong move could mean her demise…
I loved this!
The story and characters are entertaining, our MC is a badass & the MLs are interesting to say the least. I enjoy isekai stories with game elements so this was a fun read!
Playing the game of love on hardcore mode.
I love the concept of a dating sim where hard mode means playing as the stories bad guy. Penelope risks life and death with her every interaction and the sakes make it all the more exciting.
Penelope or more so the woman who has woken up in her body is a great character. Because of the similarities between their lives our MC is forced to relive her own trauma again and again. The opening scene in chapter one is disturbing but sets the tone really well for us to understand that there is more behind Penelope’s character than just being a villain.
The love interests are a bit crazy and require their own approaches. I decided to use my markers to track every shift in their affection as well as Penelope‘s reputation status.
I feel very meh towards the brothers but am excited to see more progress with the other 3, especially the prince who we saw the least of in this vol. He seems the most psycho, and I like that.
Thank you Ize Press for sending this volume over for me to check out ❤️
When a college student with a tragic past picks up the video game Daughter of the Duke’s Super Love Project, she immediately sees herself in one of the characters. Not the adored heroine of easy mode, Ivonne, but the protagonist of hard mode, misunderstood villain Penelope. Little did she know that she’d fall asleep playing the story…and wake up in Penelope’s body! But with affection meters starting in the negatives a single wrong move could mean her demise…
I loved this!
The story and characters are entertaining, our MC is a badass & the MLs are interesting to say the least. I enjoy isekai stories with game elements so this was a fun read!
Playing the game of love on hardcore mode.
I love the concept of a dating sim where hard mode means playing as the stories bad guy. Penelope risks life and death with her every interaction and the sakes make it all the more exciting.
Penelope or more so the woman who has woken up in her body is a great character. Because of the similarities between their lives our MC is forced to relive her own trauma again and again. The opening scene in chapter one is disturbing but sets the tone really well for us to understand that there is more behind Penelope’s character than just being a villain.
The love interests are a bit crazy and require their own approaches. I decided to use my markers to track every shift in their affection as well as Penelope‘s reputation status.
I feel very meh towards the brothers but am excited to see more progress with the other 3, especially the prince who we saw the least of in this vol. He seems the most psycho, and I like that.
Thank you Ize Press for sending this volume over for me to check out ❤️
March 14, 2025
Совсем неплохо для легкого чтения. Интересно и даже порой остроумно.
July 25, 2025
3.5⭐️
It was a bit boring
Penelope & Callisto
It was a bit boring
Penelope & Callisto
Read
September 14, 2025i picked this up on a whim but then somehow i got kind of invested and ended up reading the manhwa adaptation until 3am. oops!
October 10, 2025
Definitivno mnogo pozitivnija recenzija zbog stripa koji sam već dva puta čitala (ne znam otkud tolika opsesija sa ovom pričom 😅). Likovi su mi manje više kao u stripu i oduševljena sam koliko dobro prati priču 😁
August 30, 2021
This has got to be my favorite manhwa.
Truth is, I have finished the manhwa (up to the latest chapter) and proceeded to read the MTL version - it was the first time that I have done that. The reason why I am only marking it as finished today is I was stuck reading the side chapters. lol. I think my brain just got fed up a few months ago - it was hard to read a poorly translated novel. Kinda wish we can get a proper translation for this.
Anyway, Callisto is ♥️
Truth is, I have finished the manhwa (up to the latest chapter) and proceeded to read the MTL version - it was the first time that I have done that. The reason why I am only marking it as finished today is I was stuck reading the side chapters. lol. I think my brain just got fed up a few months ago - it was hard to read a poorly translated novel. Kinda wish we can get a proper translation for this.
Anyway, Callisto is ♥️
May 27, 2025
Volume 1: chapters 1 - 57
September 21, 2025
I was extremely excited to see this book on Net Galley! Volume One of Villains are Destined to Die comprises the first five chapters of the original novel. Our Protagonist is a young woman named Siyeon Cha, who is just entering college after leaving a stressful and abusive home environment. She hears about a popular dating game/visual novel on campus and immediately becomes addicted to it. (Despite having misgivings concerning the plot, which seems to be the typical “good pure character winning the love of the male leads” vs. “the horrible villainess/rival who is trying to ruin the good and pure character.”) Despite the villainess being a villain, Siyeon Cha ends up feeling sympathy for Penelope Eckhert, whose backstory somewhat mirrors her own.
(Penelope was taken in and adopted due to her resemblance to Ivonne Eckhert as a child. She was abused by the household staff and her adoptive brothers. In turn, Siyeon Cha was an illegitimate daughter taken in after the death of her mother. She was also abused by her older brothers, the household staff, and her father.)
After playing in “normal mode” (as the “real daughter,” Ivonne Eckhert) she gets a notification of a “secret” ending, and the opportunity to play “Hard Mode” which is from the point of view of Penelope! Despite the expense, Siyeon Cha immediately acquires the expansion so that she can play Penelope. She then discovers that “Hard Mode” might as well be called, “Murder Mode,” with how often Penelope dies. Of course, she gets obsessed about it…and encounters isekai method: “Died of Overwork/Exhaustion.”
Now Siyeon Cha is playing Penelope Eckhert in “real life” with Original Character on lock. (This means that at first she can only select a limited number of actions or dialog until she can disable the prompts.) “Penelope” must now figure out how to survive and escape her terrible situation before the beginning of “Normal Mode.” (“Hard Mode” takes place a few months before the reappearance of Ivonne Eckhert.) To do this, she has to “win the love” of the male leads–which seems nearly impossible to do, since in most cases their “affection percentage” is at zero, and in some cases, in the negatives. This as you can imagine, is a problem.
Siyeon Cha is smart, strategic and actually kind of manipulative! She is hampered only by her high-key fear of male authority figures, incredibly maladaptive coping mechanisms and extensive C-PTSD! (Which are actually pretty severe handicaps.) She manages to grovel (read: manipulate) her way past the first few death flags, only to get herself into some pretty terrible situations due to not being great at “reading” the room. (Yes, you can be good at manipulation but terrible at understanding what people are thinking or reacting to. She thinks she’s giving little taps, and doesn’t realize she’s essentially delivering gut punches, and frankly, no one should tell her because she might stop.)
I really enjoy this novel which is fun and full of complicated feelings. It should be noted I am mostly reading for the feelings and Penelope/Siyeon Cha trying to survive the game. There are a lot of things that are not really accurate to a pseudo-European country or culture–the worldbuilding is very shaky in this regard! We’ve got an “Empire” with only one Duchy, as a very small example. (Which would make this a very, very small Empire.) This is of course a minor point, and really I’m reading it because Siyeon Cha/Penelope is a very complex and interesting character and watching her try to avoid death flags while trying to pick the “right” male lead so she can escape the game. This means she makes some really, really bad mistakes that will come back to haunt her.
In short, I loved the first volume of this novel! There’s some interesting discussion of trauma and the way it kind of screws people up. (And causes them to make terrible, terrible life choices.) Penelope/Siyeon Cha is a intriguing, well written character and the over all plot is a winner.
(Penelope was taken in and adopted due to her resemblance to Ivonne Eckhert as a child. She was abused by the household staff and her adoptive brothers. In turn, Siyeon Cha was an illegitimate daughter taken in after the death of her mother. She was also abused by her older brothers, the household staff, and her father.)
After playing in “normal mode” (as the “real daughter,” Ivonne Eckhert) she gets a notification of a “secret” ending, and the opportunity to play “Hard Mode” which is from the point of view of Penelope! Despite the expense, Siyeon Cha immediately acquires the expansion so that she can play Penelope. She then discovers that “Hard Mode” might as well be called, “Murder Mode,” with how often Penelope dies. Of course, she gets obsessed about it…and encounters isekai method: “Died of Overwork/Exhaustion.”
Now Siyeon Cha is playing Penelope Eckhert in “real life” with Original Character on lock. (This means that at first she can only select a limited number of actions or dialog until she can disable the prompts.) “Penelope” must now figure out how to survive and escape her terrible situation before the beginning of “Normal Mode.” (“Hard Mode” takes place a few months before the reappearance of Ivonne Eckhert.) To do this, she has to “win the love” of the male leads–which seems nearly impossible to do, since in most cases their “affection percentage” is at zero, and in some cases, in the negatives. This as you can imagine, is a problem.
Siyeon Cha is smart, strategic and actually kind of manipulative! She is hampered only by her high-key fear of male authority figures, incredibly maladaptive coping mechanisms and extensive C-PTSD! (Which are actually pretty severe handicaps.) She manages to grovel (read: manipulate) her way past the first few death flags, only to get herself into some pretty terrible situations due to not being great at “reading” the room. (Yes, you can be good at manipulation but terrible at understanding what people are thinking or reacting to. She thinks she’s giving little taps, and doesn’t realize she’s essentially delivering gut punches, and frankly, no one should tell her because she might stop.)
I really enjoy this novel which is fun and full of complicated feelings. It should be noted I am mostly reading for the feelings and Penelope/Siyeon Cha trying to survive the game. There are a lot of things that are not really accurate to a pseudo-European country or culture–the worldbuilding is very shaky in this regard! We’ve got an “Empire” with only one Duchy, as a very small example. (Which would make this a very, very small Empire.) This is of course a minor point, and really I’m reading it because Siyeon Cha/Penelope is a very complex and interesting character and watching her try to avoid death flags while trying to pick the “right” male lead so she can escape the game. This means she makes some really, really bad mistakes that will come back to haunt her.
In short, I loved the first volume of this novel! There’s some interesting discussion of trauma and the way it kind of screws people up. (And causes them to make terrible, terrible life choices.) Penelope/Siyeon Cha is a intriguing, well written character and the over all plot is a winner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2025
Villains Are Destined to Die is a Korean isekai reverse harem/dating game light novel set in a fantasy empire. A Korean college student gets hooked on a dating game where a long-lost daughter of a duke returns and wins the hearts of her five suitors despite the fake daughter, Penelope, trying her best to kill her. There’s also a hard mode of the game, where one plays as Penelope. But try as she might, she always dies on that mode.
And then she wakes up inside the game, as Penelope. Knowing that she’ll die, no matter what she does, she sets out to improve her odds of survival. It’s not easy for her though. Penelope’s circumstances are too much alike her own life as a reviled daugher by a mistress of a wealthy businessman. She’s angry even, having just fled her miserable life, only to land in a similar situation.
Step by step, she improves her life, like gaining the ability to say what she wants instead of having to rely on the game’s dialogue that always gets her killed. She needs to reach 100% affection with one of the five men for the game to end, preferably before the real daughter returns and ruins everything in a few months’ time, and some of the counts start at zero, or even below. She’s even more careful after she realises there’s no reset button in this game. If she dies, she’ll stay dead. And she’ll die if the affections of any of the five love interests drop below zero.
One by one, she meets the men. Two of them are her step brothers who hate her the most. There’s also an insane crown prince, a sorcerer, and a former slave she buys from an auction and makes her personal guard. All are difficult in their own way for her to make to like her, let alone love. On top of which, the entire household hates her and tries to make her life miserable.
This was a good start to a series. I’d read the first volume of the manhwa adaptation and liked it very much, but the book was better. It’s fairly fast-paced, well-written and engaging. The new Penelope is a very different person than the Penelope of the game, and little by little, she changes everyone’s perceptions of her.
I liked Penelope and all the love interests were interesting and potential end-games. I don’t know if she has to win over only one of them like in the game, in which case any one of them will do at this point, or if she’ll end up with all of them, which would be fine too. No one is a sure winner yet, even if her guard is in a lead, and it’ll take the whole series before 100% affection is reached. Looking forward to reading more.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
And then she wakes up inside the game, as Penelope. Knowing that she’ll die, no matter what she does, she sets out to improve her odds of survival. It’s not easy for her though. Penelope’s circumstances are too much alike her own life as a reviled daugher by a mistress of a wealthy businessman. She’s angry even, having just fled her miserable life, only to land in a similar situation.
Step by step, she improves her life, like gaining the ability to say what she wants instead of having to rely on the game’s dialogue that always gets her killed. She needs to reach 100% affection with one of the five men for the game to end, preferably before the real daughter returns and ruins everything in a few months’ time, and some of the counts start at zero, or even below. She’s even more careful after she realises there’s no reset button in this game. If she dies, she’ll stay dead. And she’ll die if the affections of any of the five love interests drop below zero.
One by one, she meets the men. Two of them are her step brothers who hate her the most. There’s also an insane crown prince, a sorcerer, and a former slave she buys from an auction and makes her personal guard. All are difficult in their own way for her to make to like her, let alone love. On top of which, the entire household hates her and tries to make her life miserable.
This was a good start to a series. I’d read the first volume of the manhwa adaptation and liked it very much, but the book was better. It’s fairly fast-paced, well-written and engaging. The new Penelope is a very different person than the Penelope of the game, and little by little, she changes everyone’s perceptions of her.
I liked Penelope and all the love interests were interesting and potential end-games. I don’t know if she has to win over only one of them like in the game, in which case any one of them will do at this point, or if she’ll end up with all of them, which would be fine too. No one is a sure winner yet, even if her guard is in a lead, and it’ll take the whole series before 100% affection is reached. Looking forward to reading more.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2024
Я, это, предвзята, так что с этого и начнём. Не была знакома с новеллой, так как — внезапное признание, не особо люблю корейские новеллы. То ли дело в переводах (на русский и английский), то ли в том, как они написаны, но пока ещё ни одна новелла не смогла зацепить меня по-настоящему. Даже с тем учётом, что я читаю лишь то, с чем уже познакомилась посредством манхвы. Но с азиатской литературой, в целом, складываются непостоянные отношения: то любовь до гроба, то полное непонимание происходящего, поэтому не оставляю надежды.
Villains Are Destined to Die
далеко не самая любимая мною манхва, но в ней есть одна особенность, которая продолжает держать в нетерпении — я безумно люблю Каллисто. И вообще персонажей подобного типа. Так что, да, я не ограничилась электронной версией и прикупила новеллу в бумаге, понадеявшись, что в этот раз повезёт сильнее.
Повезло ли? Ну, сюжет всё такой же стереотипный, но исекай и не претендует на оригинальность. Он цепляет трагедией в прошлом и жаждой измениться в будущем, получив такой шанс. Пенелопа отличается от обычных героинь. Она действительно попала в новеллу, но при этом эта новелла не слишком отличалась от её реальной жизни. Никаких герцогов и крон-принцев, но богатый отец и мерзкие братья уже порядком ей осточертели. И вот она опять никому ненужная дочь, презираемая не только семьёй, но и прислугой. Ей не известен сюжет до самых мельчащих подробностей, но героиню не то, чтобы слишком это волнует. Она просто хочет вернуться домой, где её не поджидает неминуемая смерть от сумасшедших мужчин.
Мне не хватает в новеллах чувственности, которую часто встречаешь в романах. Все эти короткие описания и местами нелепые восклицания, как бы, намекают, что новелла — не роман и, к сожалению, не сказать, что лично эту избежала та же участь. Но тут и сыграла предвзятость. Я, правда, трепетно отношусь к манхве и поэтому мне не приходилось скучать, а когда появилось ощущение пустоты, я закрывала на это глаза и просто шла читать дальше. Возможно, мне не хватает правильных слов, чтобы описать всё, что думаю, но старалась, как могла.
Я знаю, что не брошу читать новеллу и что не избавлюсь от книг на своих полках, даже если однажды какой-нибудь из томов оставит меня полностью равнодушной. Ради Каллисто по большей части, но не стоит игнорировать и то, что эта история достаточно драматичная, чтобы ей проникнуться. Может, не целиком, но хотя бы настолько, чтобы не пожалеть о потраченных деньгах и времени.
Повезло ли? Ну, сюжет всё такой же стереотипный, но исекай и не претендует на оригинальность. Он цепляет трагедией в прошлом и жаждой измениться в будущем, получив такой шанс. Пенелопа отличается от обычных героинь. Она действительно попала в новеллу, но при этом эта новелла не слишком отличалась от её реальной жизни. Никаких герцогов и крон-принцев, но богатый отец и мерзкие братья уже порядком ей осточертели. И вот она опять никому ненужная дочь, презираемая не только семьёй, но и прислугой. Ей не известен сюжет до самых мельчащих подробностей, но героиню не то, чтобы слишком это волнует. Она просто хочет вернуться домой, где её не поджидает неминуемая смерть от сумасшедших мужчин.
Мне не хватает в новеллах чувственности, которую часто встречаешь в романах. Все эти короткие описания и местами нелепые восклицания, как бы, намекают, что новелла — не роман и, к сожалению, не сказать, что лично эту избежала та же участь. Но тут и сыграла предвзятость. Я, правда, трепетно отношусь к манхве и поэтому мне не приходилось скучать, а когда появилось ощущение пустоты, я закрывала на это глаза и просто шла читать дальше. Возможно, мне не хватает правильных слов, чтобы описать всё, что думаю, но старалась, как могла.
Я знаю, что не брошу читать новеллу и что не избавлюсь от книг на своих полках, даже если однажды какой-нибудь из томов оставит меня полностью равнодушной. Ради Каллисто по большей части, но не стоит игнорировать и то, что эта история достаточно драматичная, чтобы ей проникнуться. Может, не целиком, но хотя бы настолько, чтобы не пожалеть о потраченных деньгах и времени.
September 28, 2025
eARC REVIEW:
First, a round of applause for the cover.
Okay, you all know what I’m going to say about the writing/localization. Anecdotally, while reading the prologue I was like… holy shit, this is leagues above other recent web novel releases. Then I started chapter one… and it was the same old story — all telling, no showing, and awkward writing.
“Maybe I placed a curse on their mother while I was only a sperm cell in my father’s body.” LMAO ^ honestly, the line isn’t thaaaaaaat bad (i guess😭) just made me giggle
yeah so it is what it is. Overall, though, I think this one was more well done than others.
I ended up giving this four hearts because this was truly a vibe read for me. It had been a long time since I read the webtoon (which I don’t think I even finished lol) so I kinda knew what was going to happen in the novel but I didn’t remember any details. So, random panels of the webtoon would flash in my mind as I was reading the novel.
Anyway, I actually really like our FL in this series. She’s determined to survive, and because she’s gone from one abusive family to another, she doesn’t just blindly forgive her new family. The game aspect translates surprisingly well into novel form, it makes things more entertaining and a bit more forgiving of the writing quality.
I loved the silliness of this book: FL finds a secret passageway leading to the magician’s hideout and just goes, “Damn, this place is awesome.” LOL same
If you like isekai, I think this one is worth the read.
As a novel, it’s a bit hard to recommend due to the clunky writing. But if you read and enjoyed the webtoon, I think you’ll find this really fun. And LOOK at that cover… I seriously want to buy it just for that.
Sidenote: I wish Korean novels had illustrations like Danmei or Japanese light novels… Can’t they just add some? I’d be way more inclined to buy a physical copy if they did.
Full review on blog:
https://ejbookblog.com/2025/09/25/vil...
First, a round of applause for the cover.
Okay, you all know what I’m going to say about the writing/localization. Anecdotally, while reading the prologue I was like… holy shit, this is leagues above other recent web novel releases. Then I started chapter one… and it was the same old story — all telling, no showing, and awkward writing.
“Maybe I placed a curse on their mother while I was only a sperm cell in my father’s body.” LMAO ^ honestly, the line isn’t thaaaaaaat bad (i guess😭) just made me giggle
yeah so it is what it is. Overall, though, I think this one was more well done than others.
I ended up giving this four hearts because this was truly a vibe read for me. It had been a long time since I read the webtoon (which I don’t think I even finished lol) so I kinda knew what was going to happen in the novel but I didn’t remember any details. So, random panels of the webtoon would flash in my mind as I was reading the novel.
Anyway, I actually really like our FL in this series. She’s determined to survive, and because she’s gone from one abusive family to another, she doesn’t just blindly forgive her new family. The game aspect translates surprisingly well into novel form, it makes things more entertaining and a bit more forgiving of the writing quality.
I loved the silliness of this book: FL finds a secret passageway leading to the magician’s hideout and just goes, “Damn, this place is awesome.” LOL same
If you like isekai, I think this one is worth the read.
As a novel, it’s a bit hard to recommend due to the clunky writing. But if you read and enjoyed the webtoon, I think you’ll find this really fun. And LOOK at that cover… I seriously want to buy it just for that.
Sidenote: I wish Korean novels had illustrations like Danmei or Japanese light novels… Can’t they just add some? I’d be way more inclined to buy a physical copy if they did.
Full review on blog:
https://ejbookblog.com/2025/09/25/vil...
November 19, 2023
終於打開《反派角色只有死亡結局》小說來看。《反派角色只有死亡結局》推出漫畫時，在堆積如山的惡役千金系漫畫裡，由於嚴苛現實的女性求生劇情而受到頗多讀者的喜愛，不過漫畫畫風沒有特別得我眼緣，因此是有一搭沒一搭的在追漫畫連載。漫畫不是會讓我一見鍾情的風格，但看一看又會覺得很不錯的畫風，如果擬人化比喻的話，本作漫畫之於我是「第二眼美女」的類型吧。但再怎麼說，難得有韓漫原作被代理，儘管不在最喜歡、最想看的名單之列，還是決定找時間來看看，且小說可以直接看到結局，無須漫漫等待不知何時結局的漫畫。
故事敘述財閥私生女的女主角在一次無可自拔地陷入乙女手遊後，不知何故穿越進遊戲裡，成為困難模式女主角，也是遊戲世界觀裡的知名惡女——佩妮洛普．伊卡洛特公爵千金，最可恨的是哪怕女主角足以憑藉個人能耐想出更周全的應對之道，也受制於遊戲安排給佩妮洛普的選項，無法基於自由意志發言，只能在三選一裡挑出惡果相對輕微的應對說詞，女主角當然非常崩潰，但什麼事都不做也只是等死，仍強打起精神應對未知的遊戲系統，於是一場從負值開始的遊戲求生記，就這樣如履薄冰地展開了。
第一集佩妮洛普在家中地位最低落、最不穩固的惡女求生草創期，讀起來也覺得佩妮洛普的處境特別艱困，不僅傭人們敢於公然藐視、欺侮她，而且還處處受到系統選項制肘，無法暢所欲言，又為了提高生存機率，不得不違背本心，卑躬屈膝地討好父兄，讀得非常苦悶委屈。佩妮洛普兩世相似的家庭境遇讓她積鬱在心的憤怒就像即將爆發的火山一樣，鮮明而炙烈地揮灑在讀者眼前，同時看著佩妮洛普怎麼憑藉著巧智和堅強，運用遊戲系統不予干涉的部份，滴水穿石的改善自己的家庭地位。
其實原作設定的遊戲系統讓我不太懂，有時候佩妮洛普受制於三選一的遊戲答案，即使心知皆不利於自身處境，還是不得不選出一個答覆來度過，有時候又能自由行動、按照自身意志回答，中後期甚至有關閉選項的方式，大幅增加在遊戲世界裡的自主程度。感覺遊戲系統似乎對女主角也不是那般苛刻無情？不過，愈想愈感到所謂的遊戲系統難易度是為了劇情而服務，需要強調女主角受制而生的嚴苛所苦時，就強調選項的存在何等無理；需要女主角盡快推動章節劇情時，就減少針對選項的敘述，讓她能憑藉對遊戲資訊的熟悉和自身意志，做出適當的應對方式。想到這裡，忽然覺得好像也沒必要太認真追究遊戲系統的運作原理？
佩妮洛普和大哥德瑞克相處的情境其實頗有戀愛氣氛，例如爬到山坡上欣賞夜景，如果不是女主角處在必須時時提防陰晴不定的哥哥脾氣和該死的好感度，畫風調整得比較柔和的話，那個情景就是朦朧模糊的曖昧期啊。至少女主角覺得德瑞克憤怒底下隱有笑意的部份，讓我產生「德瑞克是假借哥哥權威，享受跟義妹獨處的時光」的念頭。遺憾的是，或許對哥哥而言是有點粉紅泡泡的情感劇，可從義妹佩妮洛普的角度看過去，兩人獨處的情景不亞於佈滿陰黑色調的驚悚片頻道。只想盡快離開，不願久待。
傭人們對女主角的態度一百八十度大轉變，我的理解是「靠勢」。從前佩妮洛普被執掌家中權柄的父兄三人所輕蔑忽視，因此傭人們也絲毫不將她放在心上，甚至藉由對公爵千金惡作劇來抒發心中的鬱悶。如今女主角奪舍佩妮洛普的身體，在劣勢中一點一滴地委婉傳達出佩妮洛普的難言之隱，佩妮洛普的改變帶動公爵父子的改變，公爵開始會關注養女的生活實際情況，也會懲處對佩妮洛普不敬的傭人。
家中傭人眼見家主表態支持養女佩妮洛普，自然不敢冒著丟工作甚至丟掉性命的風險拂逆佩妮洛普公爵千金，公爵的態度甚至可能暗示他們「佩妮洛普在公爵家的地位不再是可隨時拋棄的冒牌千金，而是能夠依傍的靠山」，因此主動追隨想成為她的親信。簡言之，我認為傭人們對佩妮洛普的態度終究繫於公爵和兩位少爺的態度，目前雖然好轉，但若哪天父子三人對佩妮洛普趨於惡劣，依附公爵家討生活的傭人又會追隨雇主，轉變對佩妮洛普的態度。
我其實有點不解公爵為何收養佩妮洛普後，沒有好好關心佩妮洛普，也沒有設想到突然出現的義妹對兩位兒子會造成怎麼樣的心理衝擊，而關注與排解兄妹三人之間的心結？還有公爵沒有為養女聘僱家庭教師之類，負責教養的人嗎？為什麼過了六年，遊戲裡的佩妮洛普依然只會用惡化處境的方式來表達自己受到的待遇？莫非即使是外來的家庭教師，也如家中傭人一樣是那種會狗眼看低的傢伙嗎？還有我真的很好奇公爵家的餐桌到底什麼構造？他們到底是坐多遠，遠到父兄都沒人發現佩妮洛普的餐具被動了手腳，導致她連一口菜都沒吃進去的狀態？這是為了遊戲強化佩妮洛普悲劇惡女的背景才刻意設定？或者是單純的Bug？還是遊戲本來就設定公爵父子仨會選擇性眼盲？（並非刻意忽略女主角處境，是真的沒發現？）
書中交錯描寫的是女主角在現代韓國的家庭背景，愈讀愈感到心酸之外，也覺得女主角原生家庭的哥哥們很孬種，只敢找異母妹妹麻煩來宣洩心裡的憤怒和煩躁，卻不敢對始作俑者的父親表達不滿。說到底，私生女之所以存在，不就是因為父親管不住下半身，讓妻子以外的女人懷孕，才會有異母妹妹的存在嗎？要怪應該要你們的父親吧。拿妹妹出氣又算什麼？兩位異母哥哥的態度就跟遊戲世界裡的傭人差不了多少。年紀尚幼的他們需要仰賴父親照顧，也寄望著父親在他們成年後會把財產分給他們，所以不能輕言得罪父親，反而跟父親一鼻孔出氣，欺負年紀最小、也最沒反抗能力的異母妹妹。無論是現實還是遊戲裡的哥哥都好討厭。
話說是我的話，可能會先看攻略角色有沒有比較得我好感的角色，有喜歡的角色才願意花時間甚至花金錢在紙片人身上啊。如果我看到這個遊戲，主角幾乎都是瘋子的情況下，可能會直接略過不入坑吧。第一集主要集中在女主角改善佩妮洛普的家庭處境，但已和五位攻略主角有所接觸，目前看起來比較能正常對話的角色大概屬魔法師文特了吧。皇太子凱利司托一見面就拔劍抵住女主角脖子、兩位哥哥不聽人說話又動不動扣奇怪罪名到妹妹身上、近乎百依百順的伊克里斯身為戰敗國奴隸，很難不去猜測他是否有什麼心理創傷或企圖心，會在日後反噬女主角的可能性，因此也無法過份信賴。
故事敘述財閥私生女的女主角在一次無可自拔地陷入乙女手遊後，不知何故穿越進遊戲裡，成為困難模式女主角，也是遊戲世界觀裡的知名惡女——佩妮洛普．伊卡洛特公爵千金，最可恨的是哪怕女主角足以憑藉個人能耐想出更周全的應對之道，也受制於遊戲安排給佩妮洛普的選項，無法基於自由意志發言，只能在三選一裡挑出惡果相對輕微的應對說詞，女主角當然非常崩潰，但什麼事都不做也只是等死，仍強打起精神應對未知的遊戲系統，於是一場從負值開始的遊戲求生記，就這樣如履薄冰地展開了。
第一集佩妮洛普在家中地位最低落、最不穩固的惡女求生草創期，讀起來也覺得佩妮洛普的處境特別艱困，不僅傭人們敢於公然藐視、欺侮她，而且還處處受到系統選項制肘，無法暢所欲言，又為了提高生存機率，不得不違背本心，卑躬屈膝地討好父兄，讀得非常苦悶委屈。佩妮洛普兩世相似的家庭境遇讓她積鬱在心的憤怒就像即將爆發的火山一樣，鮮明而炙烈地揮灑在讀者眼前，同時看著佩妮洛普怎麼憑藉著巧智和堅強，運用遊戲系統不予干涉的部份，滴水穿石的改善自己的家庭地位。
其實原作設定的遊戲系統讓我不太懂，有時候佩妮洛普受制於三選一的遊戲答案，即使心知皆不利於自身處境，還是不得不選出一個答覆來度過，有時候又能自由行動、按照自身意志回答，中後期甚至有關閉選項的方式，大幅增加在遊戲世界裡的自主程度。感覺遊戲系統似乎對女主角也不是那般苛刻無情？不過，愈想愈感到所謂的遊戲系統難易度是為了劇情而服務，需要強調女主角受制而生的嚴苛所苦時，就強調選項的存在何等無理；需要女主角盡快推動章節劇情時，就減少針對選項的敘述，讓她能憑藉對遊戲資訊的熟悉和自身意志，做出適當的應對方式。想到這裡，忽然覺得好像也沒必要太認真追究遊戲系統的運作原理？
佩妮洛普和大哥德瑞克相處的情境其實頗有戀愛氣氛，例如爬到山坡上欣賞夜景，如果不是女主角處在必須時時提防陰晴不定的哥哥脾氣和該死的好感度，畫風調整得比較柔和的話，那個情景就是朦朧模糊的曖昧期啊。至少女主角覺得德瑞克憤怒底下隱有笑意的部份，讓我產生「德瑞克是假借哥哥權威，享受跟義妹獨處的時光」的念頭。遺憾的是，或許對哥哥而言是有點粉紅泡泡的情感劇，可從義妹佩妮洛普的角度看過去，兩人獨處的情景不亞於佈滿陰黑色調的驚悚片頻道。只想盡快離開，不願久待。
傭人們對女主角的態度一百八十度大轉變，我的理解是「靠勢」。從前佩妮洛普被執掌家中權柄的父兄三人所輕蔑忽視，因此傭人們也絲毫不將她放在心上，甚至藉由對公爵千金惡作劇來抒發心中的鬱悶。如今女主角奪舍佩妮洛普的身體，在劣勢中一點一滴地委婉傳達出佩妮洛普的難言之隱，佩妮洛普的改變帶動公爵父子的改變，公爵開始會關注養女的生活實際情況，也會懲處對佩妮洛普不敬的傭人。
家中傭人眼見家主表態支持養女佩妮洛普，自然不敢冒著丟工作甚至丟掉性命的風險拂逆佩妮洛普公爵千金，公爵的態度甚至可能暗示他們「佩妮洛普在公爵家的地位不再是可隨時拋棄的冒牌千金，而是能夠依傍的靠山」，因此主動追隨想成為她的親信。簡言之，我認為傭人們對佩妮洛普的態度終究繫於公爵和兩位少爺的態度，目前雖然好轉，但若哪天父子三人對佩妮洛普趨於惡劣，依附公爵家討生活的傭人又會追隨雇主，轉變對佩妮洛普的態度。
我其實有點不解公爵為何收養佩妮洛普後，沒有好好關心佩妮洛普，也沒有設想到突然出現的義妹對兩位兒子會造成怎麼樣的心理衝擊，而關注與排解兄妹三人之間的心結？還有公爵沒有為養女聘僱家庭教師之類，負責教養的人嗎？為什麼過了六年，遊戲裡的佩妮洛普依然只會用惡化處境的方式來表達自己受到的待遇？莫非即使是外來的家庭教師，也如家中傭人一樣是那種會狗眼看低的傢伙嗎？還有我真的很好奇公爵家的餐桌到底什麼構造？他們到底是坐多遠，遠到父兄都沒人發現佩妮洛普的餐具被動了手腳，導致她連一口菜都沒吃進去的狀態？這是為了遊戲強化佩妮洛普悲劇惡女的背景才刻意設定？或者是單純的Bug？還是遊戲本來就設定公爵父子仨會選擇性眼盲？（並非刻意忽略女主角處境，是真的沒發現？）
書中交錯描寫的是女主角在現代韓國的家庭背景，愈讀愈感到心酸之外，也覺得女主角原生家庭的哥哥們很孬種，只敢找異母妹妹麻煩來宣洩心裡的憤怒和煩躁，卻不敢對始作俑者的父親表達不滿。說到底，私生女之所以存在，不就是因為父親管不住下半身，讓妻子以外的女人懷孕，才會有異母妹妹的存在嗎？要怪應該要你們的父親吧。拿妹妹出氣又算什麼？兩位異母哥哥的態度就跟遊戲世界裡的傭人差不了多少。年紀尚幼的他們需要仰賴父親照顧，也寄望著父親在他們成年後會把財產分給他們，所以不能輕言得罪父親，反而跟父親一鼻孔出氣，欺負年紀最小、也最沒反抗能力的異母妹妹。無論是現實還是遊戲裡的哥哥都好討厭。
話說是我的話，可能會先看攻略角色有沒有比較得我好感的角色，有喜歡的角色才願意花時間甚至花金錢在紙片人身上啊。如果我看到這個遊戲，主角幾乎都是瘋子的情況下，可能會直接略過不入坑吧。第一集主要集中在女主角改善佩妮洛普的家庭處境，但已和五位攻略主角有所接觸，目前看起來比較能正常對話的角色大概屬魔法師文特了吧。皇太子凱利司托一見面就拔劍抵住女主角脖子、兩位哥哥不聽人說話又動不動扣奇怪罪名到妹妹身上、近乎百依百順的伊克里斯身為戰敗國奴隸，很難不去猜測他是否有什麼心理創傷或企圖心，會在日後反噬女主角的可能性，因此也無法過份信賴。
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2024
I've read chapters 1-57 (which encompass this book according to another review) on Tapas. The first volume essentially covers the events up to the Hunting Tournament.
I absolutely adore the webtoon that is based on this series, so I finally decided to pick it up. I love reading more directly from Penelope's POV. I feel like we see her flaws more clearly this way, especially when it comes to interpreting the "love interests" actions. Every interaction she has with most of them is directly affected by both the game she played and the affection score, to the point that she can't see beyond it. It's honestly a fascinating character study.
This novel also makes me really emotional because, damn, Penny has it rough. My girl never catches a break, and every time she lets it slip how tired she is, my heart squeezes. She doesn't deserve any of this, and I hope to god she makes it hard for everyone involved to be forgiven, if at all. Honestly, I wouldn't be mad if she never did.
One thing I have always been confused about is Penny's behavior with Eckles. Specifically in the context of her being shown to be very certain that she should talk to him in a very assertive and sometimes extremely harsh way. It seems an odd choice when you're trying to win over a literal slave from an enemy country.
For other characters, there is always some rationale - for example, she makes a point to call the Duke "father" because she learned in the game he responds well to it while refraining from calling Derrick "brother" because she learned he hates it. For Winter, once she realized being resolute and firm with him (and rejecting him) increases his score, she started using that more. But for Calisto and Eckles, she has nothing to go on. Which is why she chose to avoid Calisto... but not so with Eckles. She chose him, and she chose a very strict and harsh route with him. It's just a weird choice when you want to win over someone, especially since she keeps getting weird vibes from him.
Anyways, I'm very excited to read further!
I absolutely adore the webtoon that is based on this series, so I finally decided to pick it up. I love reading more directly from Penelope's POV. I feel like we see her flaws more clearly this way, especially when it comes to interpreting the "love interests" actions. Every interaction she has with most of them is directly affected by both the game she played and the affection score, to the point that she can't see beyond it. It's honestly a fascinating character study.
This novel also makes me really emotional because, damn, Penny has it rough. My girl never catches a break, and every time she lets it slip how tired she is, my heart squeezes. She doesn't deserve any of this, and I hope to god she makes it hard for everyone involved to be forgiven, if at all. Honestly, I wouldn't be mad if she never did.
One thing I have always been confused about is Penny's behavior with Eckles. Specifically in the context of her being shown to be very certain that she should talk to him in a very assertive and sometimes extremely harsh way. It seems an odd choice when you're trying to win over a literal slave from an enemy country.
For other characters, there is always some rationale - for example, she makes a point to call the Duke "father" because she learned in the game he responds well to it while refraining from calling Derrick "brother" because she learned he hates it. For Winter, once she realized being resolute and firm with him (and rejecting him) increases his score, she started using that more. But for Calisto and Eckles, she has nothing to go on. Which is why she chose to avoid Calisto... but not so with Eckles. She chose him, and she chose a very strict and harsh route with him. It's just a weird choice when you want to win over someone, especially since she keeps getting weird vibes from him.
Anyways, I'm very excited to read further!
September 24, 2025
Oh my god I love this series SO MUCH. I’ve been reading the manhwa for two years now and I’ve always wanted to read the light novel and learn a bit more about Penelope.
After failing to complete the hard mode of a certain romance game over and over and over, our heroine wakes up and finds herself in Penelope’s body. Penelope Eckhart is the adopted daughter of Duke Eckhart. Despised by her ‘family’ and staff alike, she’s lead a somewhat sad and selfish existence. It’s the perfect setup for a romance game villainess, don’t you think? Penelope is doomed to die unless she can raise the affection score of a love interest to 100 by her coming of age day. Unwilling to simply give up and die, Penelope must navigate the complex relationships she has with her brothers, father, household staff and more. But with animosity and disdain being shown towards her at every turn, it won’t be an easy task.
I legitimately love a good ol isekai romance! The premise for this, where Penelope must survive and raise affection meter to 100 before her coming of age day, while not super unique, is certainly engaging to read. Penelope is such an interesting character and I love reading more about how her mind works and her feelings towards being trapped in the game.
The plot doesn’t meander but it’s also not lightning quick. It’s the perfect blend of showing and telling in my opinion and it just flows from event to event nicely. This is a great example of a light novel done well!
Honestly, I know what’s going to happen as the story goes on, but I’m stoked to read more of Penelope’s thoughts as we get further into the plot. I can’t wait to read more!
Thank you SO MUCH to netgalley and Ize Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
After failing to complete the hard mode of a certain romance game over and over and over, our heroine wakes up and finds herself in Penelope’s body. Penelope Eckhart is the adopted daughter of Duke Eckhart. Despised by her ‘family’ and staff alike, she’s lead a somewhat sad and selfish existence. It’s the perfect setup for a romance game villainess, don’t you think? Penelope is doomed to die unless she can raise the affection score of a love interest to 100 by her coming of age day. Unwilling to simply give up and die, Penelope must navigate the complex relationships she has with her brothers, father, household staff and more. But with animosity and disdain being shown towards her at every turn, it won’t be an easy task.
I legitimately love a good ol isekai romance! The premise for this, where Penelope must survive and raise affection meter to 100 before her coming of age day, while not super unique, is certainly engaging to read. Penelope is such an interesting character and I love reading more about how her mind works and her feelings towards being trapped in the game.
The plot doesn’t meander but it’s also not lightning quick. It’s the perfect blend of showing and telling in my opinion and it just flows from event to event nicely. This is a great example of a light novel done well!
Honestly, I know what’s going to happen as the story goes on, but I’m stoked to read more of Penelope’s thoughts as we get further into the plot. I can’t wait to read more!
Thank you SO MUCH to netgalley and Ize Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
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