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默读 #1-3
默读 [Mo Du] The Light in the Night
Childhood, upbringing, family background, social relations, traumatic experiences…
We keep reviewing and seeking out the motives of criminals, exploring the subtlest emotions driving them. It’s not to put ourselves in their shoes and sympathize, or even forgive them; it’s not to find some reasons to exculpate their crimes; it’s not to kneel down before the so-called “complexity of human nature”; nor to introspect social conflicts, much less to alienate ourselves into monsters.
We just want to have a fair trial – for ourselves and for those who still have hope for the world.
We keep reviewing and seeking out the motives of criminals, exploring the subtlest emotions driving them. It’s not to put ourselves in their shoes and sympathize, or even forgive them; it’s not to find some reasons to exculpate their crimes; it’s not to kneel down before the so-called “complexity of human nature”; nor to introspect social conflicts, much less to alienate ourselves into monsters.
We just want to have a fair trial – for ourselves and for those who still have hope for the world.
1530 pages, Webnovel
Published June 15, 2016
373 people are currently reading
3689 people want to read
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November 26, 2020
should preface this with content warnings: the cases they're investigating (and mc's childhood trauma) get very gruesome (dismemberment, child trafficking, child abuse, bullying, animal abuse and so on - you can find all of them here if you plan to read this!)
also this resource is very useful for getting into the book - you can find all the translations and related stuff there too
as for the book itself
danmei novels keep giving me everything i want in fiction
1. enemies to lovers (sort of, maybe more of rivals, but something doesn't let me call this rivals).. and the banter/bickering doesn't end at all when the characters get together.. it keeps going... but they also get awfully domestic... THEY'RE SO GOOD.. they go from bickering, bantering and shit-talking each other to bickering, bantering, shit-talking each other AND kissing. very sexy of them
2. not only getting together but established relationship content and GOD do i crave established relationship content... most books usually end up with characters only getting together but i want characters BEING together.. i want characters navigating their relationship I WANT ALL OF THAT and i GOT it. thank u priest bless u priest...
3. NO MISCOMMUNICATION!!! NO MISUNDERSTANDINGS!!! they communicate!!
4. CAT DADS what more can i say
5. murder mystery, huge brain hurty conspiracy
6. the discussion and the portrayal of trauma.. man
7. very funny! wish someone has told me how funny this book is i would've read it sooner
8. and if fei du is a love of my life then what
idk what to do now after i finished everything and there's only like 30 fics on ao3 in english sobs
also this resource is very useful for getting into the book - you can find all the translations and related stuff there too
as for the book itself
danmei novels keep giving me everything i want in fiction
1. enemies to lovers (sort of, maybe more of rivals, but something doesn't let me call this rivals).. and the banter/bickering doesn't end at all when the characters get together.. it keeps going... but they also get awfully domestic... THEY'RE SO GOOD.. they go from bickering, bantering and shit-talking each other to bickering, bantering, shit-talking each other AND kissing. very sexy of them
2. not only getting together but established relationship content and GOD do i crave established relationship content... most books usually end up with characters only getting together but i want characters BEING together.. i want characters navigating their relationship I WANT ALL OF THAT and i GOT it. thank u priest bless u priest...
3. NO MISCOMMUNICATION!!! NO MISUNDERSTANDINGS!!! they communicate!!
4. CAT DADS what more can i say
5. murder mystery, huge brain hurty conspiracy
6. the discussion and the portrayal of trauma.. man
7. very funny! wish someone has told me how funny this book is i would've read it sooner
8. and if fei du is a love of my life then what
idk what to do now after i finished everything and there's only like 30 fics on ao3 in english sobs
January 9, 2022
“You can teach a child to be careful of strangers, to be vigilant, but you can’t make her scared of wearing floral-patterned dresses.”
February 16, 2025
I read this captivating novel some time ago and just realized I never took the time to write a review for it, which feels downright unacceptable. This novel has truly become one of my favorites by this exceptional author.
Known for crafting stories that evoke an intense array of emotions, this author beautifully balances heartache with a delicious kind of pain that lingers long after reading. The storyline revolves around solving complex murder cases, and the hauntingly vivid details provided for each investigation are so unsettling that I strongly recommend against reading it at night. The chilling cases reveal the depths of human cruelty and the monstrous capabilities that lie within us.
The romance woven throughout the plot is expertly executed, embodying the classic hurt/comfort trope, which always strikes a chord in my heart. Luo Wenzhou is portrayed as a character who struggles to express his sincere emotions openly, but as he develops feelings for Fei Du, the way he demonstrates his affection brings tears to my eyes. The poignant moments, especially those when Fei Du is injured and Luo Wenzhou tends to him, are heart-wrenching yet beautiful to witness.
Adding a layer of humor to the story, Luo Wenzhou’s relationship with his cat provides pure comedic relief that perfectly contrasts the heavier themes in the novel. Fei Du, on the other hand, is a character that truly tore at my heartstrings, continually putting it back together with each revelation. His traumatic childhood, marked by unspeakable events surrounding his mother, casts a long shadow over his life. The guilt he carries is palpable, making you want to reach through the pages and offer him solace.
His outward persona as a carefree, affluent individual cleverly conceals the profound pain and hurt he harbors inside. I greatly appreciated how Luo Wenzhou, with unwavering patience, gradually dismantled Fei Du's emotional walls. It’s amusing, in retrospect, to realize that these two characters began as rivals competing for the affection of their straight friend, adding a layer of complexity to their relationship.
This author, Priest, has a unique talent for ensuring that by the conclusion of the novel, you are left both shattered and somehow whole at the same time. For me, this novel is nothing short of a masterpiece and stands out as one of the finest works in this author’s impressive collection.
Known for crafting stories that evoke an intense array of emotions, this author beautifully balances heartache with a delicious kind of pain that lingers long after reading. The storyline revolves around solving complex murder cases, and the hauntingly vivid details provided for each investigation are so unsettling that I strongly recommend against reading it at night. The chilling cases reveal the depths of human cruelty and the monstrous capabilities that lie within us.
The romance woven throughout the plot is expertly executed, embodying the classic hurt/comfort trope, which always strikes a chord in my heart. Luo Wenzhou is portrayed as a character who struggles to express his sincere emotions openly, but as he develops feelings for Fei Du, the way he demonstrates his affection brings tears to my eyes. The poignant moments, especially those when Fei Du is injured and Luo Wenzhou tends to him, are heart-wrenching yet beautiful to witness.
Adding a layer of humor to the story, Luo Wenzhou’s relationship with his cat provides pure comedic relief that perfectly contrasts the heavier themes in the novel. Fei Du, on the other hand, is a character that truly tore at my heartstrings, continually putting it back together with each revelation. His traumatic childhood, marked by unspeakable events surrounding his mother, casts a long shadow over his life. The guilt he carries is palpable, making you want to reach through the pages and offer him solace.
His outward persona as a carefree, affluent individual cleverly conceals the profound pain and hurt he harbors inside. I greatly appreciated how Luo Wenzhou, with unwavering patience, gradually dismantled Fei Du's emotional walls. It’s amusing, in retrospect, to realize that these two characters began as rivals competing for the affection of their straight friend, adding a layer of complexity to their relationship.
This author, Priest, has a unique talent for ensuring that by the conclusion of the novel, you are left both shattered and somehow whole at the same time. For me, this novel is nothing short of a masterpiece and stands out as one of the finest works in this author’s impressive collection.
March 16, 2025
☆4.5
edit:
initially i gave this story ☆4.5 stars. however, enough time has passed for me to realise im never going back to this story at all. i love the main couple, but the plot kept getting more and more confusing and tedious, i had a hard time understanding it, which ended up being really frustrating. i have mixed feelings towards Priest—i love her humour and the ability to make such complex characters, but most of the time i have huge problems with her execution of plot. SPL is the only exeption because it's literally perfect for me. however, i would not call Priest one of my favourite danmei authors, simply because the lacking shadows of Mo Du and Liu Yao are still haunting me.
edit 2:
maybe i am thinking about this
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟
so, what is incredibly beautiful gem that I discovered. I was thinking about how to structure this review properly and cohesively, and decided to go in the chronological order of arcs. the arcs are named after a protagonist of a renowned book, and the investigation is loosely tied to it as well. this is spoiler free so everyone is welcome to read ૮₍ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა
⤿main characters:
Luo Wenzhou, police captain, criminal investigation department. a charming handsome man, strong and courageous. straightforward, simple, somewhat eccentric, somewhat rude and even crude. but also a lonely workaholic who, due to his certain requirements for a partner, was unable to find his soul mate for his "under thirty" years old. and he also has a cat (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶). the ardent cat hater Luo Wenzhou has been diligently taking care of the uninvited gift with a very difficult temper for several years now. he has known Fei Du for 7 years, because he investigated the suicide of Fei Du's mother, who was still a teenager at the time.
Fei Du is so my type yall. the Gu Yun of Mo Du (thats why I love him😂🙏🏻). he is a young CEO of a construction company. perceptive, well-read, well-versed in all aspects, has an excellent understanding of the psychology of criminals and victims, and a keen deductive mind. he is rich and influential, but other sides of his character are to be discovered as you read, and he also knows how to surprise. a man with an attic full of skeletons and cockroaches, with a very difficult fate and a difficult childhood. when the opportunity arises, he does not miss it to tease and provoke Luo Wenzhou.
⤿relationship:
at the beginning of the events, the characters are not only at loggerheads, but they are also both courting the same "third" - a police officer named Tao Ran, who, together with Luo Wenzhou, investigated the death of Fei Du's mother. but here's the problem: Tao Ran treats Luo Wenzhou like a friend, and Fei Du like a younger brother, and in general, Tao Ran is a convinced straight man who wants to get married and start a full-fledged family and even got into a mortgage, and is ready to go on blind dates.
there are so many sparks between Luo and Fei Du that at first your head splits from their quarrels and mutual teasing, and then...and then gradually their characters and their true attitude towards each other will be revealed, and they will be able to surprise each other more than once. no, there will be no "huge feelings" that pop up out of nowhere. Priest will slowly grow their relationship, Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du won't be able to even look at each other as potential partners in bed right away, not to mention romance and courtship. but then everything will happen, and watching how the characters change and gradually come to harmony with each other is very pleasant to my taste. knowing Priest I accepted that she writes very little romance which was no exception here, everything is slow burn and lingering, and their squabbles and interactions in all aspects constantly make you smile ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ
⤿plot:
Julien ☆5
based on Stendhal’s novel Le Rouge et le Noir. a young man who came to earn money in a big city is found dead. during the investigation, suspicion falls on a representative of the "golden youth", who is also the nephew of the chief of police.
Humbert Humbert ☆5
based on the novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. a little girl's disappearance leads to the return of a 20 years old case that was once considered resolved.
Macbeth ☆3
based on the tragedy by William Shakespeare. a car accident involving a well-known businessman is taken to the Criminal Investigation unit due to the victim's family and media pressure. a very important arc, as we first get a glimpse of Fei Du’s infamous basement. this is where the plot started to get very confusing, unfortunately.
Verkhovensky ☆3
based on Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky. a young boy is murdered as his classmate witnesses it, and the clues point towards a serial killer who disappeared 15 years ago. by far the most boring arc. i struggled to keep up with the plot and connecing events from the previous cases. kind of repetetive and dull in my opinion.
Edmond Dantès ☆4
based on Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo. we discover that all of the cases are tied together and learn about Fei Du’s sadistic dad. i thoroughly enjoyed this arc, although the ending left me a bit... unsatisfied. but then every Priest novel that i read has kind of an ambiguous ending. i guess i should learn that by now.
⤿overall:
I am fascinated by Priest's work, let's be honest, the author loves to spin a ball of yarn. Luo Wenzhou is such a spicy cop. responsible, honest, frankly speaking, he cares about his business. in contrast to him, there is Fei Du, with a more easy-going, vulnerable character, but at the same time, both main characters have excellent logical thinking, that is, this is not Sherlock/Watson, this is Sherlock/Sherlock dynamic.
like I said, too little romance for me, especially compared to Priest’s other work SPL, but the occasional gentleness makes up for it ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ
edit:
initially i gave this story ☆4.5 stars. however, enough time has passed for me to realise im never going back to this story at all. i love the main couple, but the plot kept getting more and more confusing and tedious, i had a hard time understanding it, which ended up being really frustrating. i have mixed feelings towards Priest—i love her humour and the ability to make such complex characters, but most of the time i have huge problems with her execution of plot. SPL is the only exeption because it's literally perfect for me. however, i would not call Priest one of my favourite danmei authors, simply because the lacking shadows of Mo Du and Liu Yao are still haunting me.
edit 2:
maybe i am thinking about this
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟
so, what is incredibly beautiful gem that I discovered. I was thinking about how to structure this review properly and cohesively, and decided to go in the chronological order of arcs. the arcs are named after a protagonist of a renowned book, and the investigation is loosely tied to it as well. this is spoiler free so everyone is welcome to read ૮₍ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა
⤿main characters:
Luo Wenzhou, police captain, criminal investigation department. a charming handsome man, strong and courageous. straightforward, simple, somewhat eccentric, somewhat rude and even crude. but also a lonely workaholic who, due to his certain requirements for a partner, was unable to find his soul mate for his "under thirty" years old. and he also has a cat (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶). the ardent cat hater Luo Wenzhou has been diligently taking care of the uninvited gift with a very difficult temper for several years now. he has known Fei Du for 7 years, because he investigated the suicide of Fei Du's mother, who was still a teenager at the time.
Fei Du is so my type yall. the Gu Yun of Mo Du (thats why I love him😂🙏🏻). he is a young CEO of a construction company. perceptive, well-read, well-versed in all aspects, has an excellent understanding of the psychology of criminals and victims, and a keen deductive mind. he is rich and influential, but other sides of his character are to be discovered as you read, and he also knows how to surprise. a man with an attic full of skeletons and cockroaches, with a very difficult fate and a difficult childhood. when the opportunity arises, he does not miss it to tease and provoke Luo Wenzhou.
⤿relationship:
at the beginning of the events, the characters are not only at loggerheads, but they are also both courting the same "third" - a police officer named Tao Ran, who, together with Luo Wenzhou, investigated the death of Fei Du's mother. but here's the problem: Tao Ran treats Luo Wenzhou like a friend, and Fei Du like a younger brother, and in general, Tao Ran is a convinced straight man who wants to get married and start a full-fledged family and even got into a mortgage, and is ready to go on blind dates.
there are so many sparks between Luo and Fei Du that at first your head splits from their quarrels and mutual teasing, and then...and then gradually their characters and their true attitude towards each other will be revealed, and they will be able to surprise each other more than once. no, there will be no "huge feelings" that pop up out of nowhere. Priest will slowly grow their relationship, Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du won't be able to even look at each other as potential partners in bed right away, not to mention romance and courtship. but then everything will happen, and watching how the characters change and gradually come to harmony with each other is very pleasant to my taste. knowing Priest I accepted that she writes very little romance which was no exception here, everything is slow burn and lingering, and their squabbles and interactions in all aspects constantly make you smile ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ
⤿plot:
Julien ☆5
based on Stendhal’s novel Le Rouge et le Noir. a young man who came to earn money in a big city is found dead. during the investigation, suspicion falls on a representative of the "golden youth", who is also the nephew of the chief of police.
Humbert Humbert ☆5
based on the novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. a little girl's disappearance leads to the return of a 20 years old case that was once considered resolved.
Macbeth ☆3
based on the tragedy by William Shakespeare. a car accident involving a well-known businessman is taken to the Criminal Investigation unit due to the victim's family and media pressure. a very important arc, as we first get a glimpse of Fei Du’s infamous basement. this is where the plot started to get very confusing, unfortunately.
Verkhovensky ☆3
based on Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky. a young boy is murdered as his classmate witnesses it, and the clues point towards a serial killer who disappeared 15 years ago. by far the most boring arc. i struggled to keep up with the plot and connecing events from the previous cases. kind of repetetive and dull in my opinion.
Edmond Dantès ☆4
based on Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo. we discover that all of the cases are tied together and learn about Fei Du’s sadistic dad. i thoroughly enjoyed this arc, although the ending left me a bit... unsatisfied. but then every Priest novel that i read has kind of an ambiguous ending. i guess i should learn that by now.
⤿overall:
I am fascinated by Priest's work, let's be honest, the author loves to spin a ball of yarn. Luo Wenzhou is such a spicy cop. responsible, honest, frankly speaking, he cares about his business. in contrast to him, there is Fei Du, with a more easy-going, vulnerable character, but at the same time, both main characters have excellent logical thinking, that is, this is not Sherlock/Watson, this is Sherlock/Sherlock dynamic.
like I said, too little romance for me, especially compared to Priest’s other work SPL, but the occasional gentleness makes up for it ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ
February 5, 2021
have I finished 默读 or has 默读 finished me?
This was extremely good, it’s probably 4.5 stars, I just wish for two little things for the book to be perfect: the final case to be less convoluted (perhaps my bean sized brain failed to process it I admit it) and for a little more scenes between Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du (they are perfect together and I enjoyed them so much, the excellence of queer romance including getting together and being together and all the lovely messy things in their life).
Priest is brilliant writer and I’m grateful to E. Danglars for translating the novel into English.
I love the novel, I love the characters and the mysteries they solved.
This was extremely good, it’s probably 4.5 stars, I just wish for two little things for the book to be perfect: the final case to be less convoluted (perhaps my bean sized brain failed to process it I admit it) and for a little more scenes between Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du (they are perfect together and I enjoyed them so much, the excellence of queer romance including getting together and being together and all the lovely messy things in their life).
Priest is brilliant writer and I’m grateful to E. Danglars for translating the novel into English.
I love the novel, I love the characters and the mysteries they solved.
September 11, 2024
There is something so satisfying about a hard earned slow burn and Priest delivers again and again. In addition to having a great plot and characters, the subtle humor had me laughing out loud throughout the book. And I don't even know where to begin with how much I loved Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du’s relationship ❤️ The cute, sweet, and flirty moments between them are what made the book for me.
LW: super caring (in an almost aggressive way 😂) , protective, fiercely loyal and devoted. The unwavering love and support he has for FD is EVERYTHING.
FD: charismatic with a brilliant mind, sassy but definitely hiding a lot due to a very traumatic past.
This is broken up into five books, each focusing on a different crime with them all being interconnected in some way by the end of the book. Crime/thriller/mystery is not my go-to genre so by the end of the book I was ready for it to end- I feel like that is definitely a me problem though.
While I really enjoyed this novel, Can Ci Pin is still #1 for me for Priest's novels (might change when I finish Sha Po Lang and Guardian). This is a much tighter story but was just a little longer than my attention span could handle.
LW: super caring (in an almost aggressive way 😂) , protective, fiercely loyal and devoted. The unwavering love and support he has for FD is EVERYTHING.
FD: charismatic with a brilliant mind, sassy but definitely hiding a lot due to a very traumatic past.
This is broken up into five books, each focusing on a different crime with them all being interconnected in some way by the end of the book. Crime/thriller/mystery is not my go-to genre so by the end of the book I was ready for it to end- I feel like that is definitely a me problem though.
While I really enjoyed this novel, Can Ci Pin is still #1 for me for Priest's novels (might change when I finish Sha Po Lang and Guardian). This is a much tighter story but was just a little longer than my attention span could handle.
Read
February 3, 2022i am floored by the intense and meticulous plotting in this book. never have i ever read such an intricate mystery such as this. everything was accounted for and the reveals were immaculate. im just....wow. i will probably never read a mystery novel better than this. i also love the characters with all my heart (well except the absolutely despicable ones because there was also a lot of them here). not only is mo du a thrilling novel, but it also has a lot of heart and packs a lot of punch. it deals with heavy subjects like moral corruption, trauma, and abuse. it's a book that discusses how far people can go for justice and the price they eventually pay for retribution.
i love this book so much. time to go read some fics.
i love this book so much. time to go read some fics.
March 23, 2023
every priest book I read is 5* confirmed even tho this one made me love a cop and capitalist
November 19, 2025
·˚ ༘♡ ₊˚ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ·˚ˎˊ˗
“He’s my lover.”
“So can I stay here a while longer?”
After a certain perplexing case hits the city bureau, Fei Du, a CEO who has inherited his father’s company, starts helping the Criminal Investigation department solve the case by secretly working behind the scenes. However Luo Whenzhou, the Captain of said Unit, isn’t exactly thrilled by them working together. After all, Fei Du and Luo Whenzhou are known for their constant infuriating bickering. It doesn’t stop with one odd case — and it doesn’t take long until Fei Du gets completely involved either. While working on the cases together, Fei Du and Luo Whenzhou slowly start to realize that their opponent isn’t all that bad.
"You’re my person. If you so much as gasp for breath, you’ll hear about it from me.”
Fei Du, with his thoughts, behavior and perplexing personality, surely is one complex character. His intentions aren’t easy to understand, he’s secretive, his behavior is odd — and that’s exactly the way others think about him. Even Luo Whenzhou, who has known Fei Du for ages, hasn’t been able to figure him out. It’s only after the bloom of their relationship and the establishment of said relationship that Luo Whenzhou starts figuring out more and more details, as subtle as they may be. The bickering and teasing between the two of them doesn’t ever stop, but it’s painfully obvious just how much they love and care for each other.
The strange cases coming in one after another keep the Criminal Investigation Unit on their toes and they hardly get any break. However, it doesn’t take them long to realize that there might be a grand connection, one also connected to Fei Du’s past. Slowly but surely, all puzzle pieces start coming together…
[…] hand seemed to just have come out of an icebox. It was so cold it hardly seemed alive.
This story greatly deals with trauma and fear. It shows exactly what impact childhood has on one’s adulthood and how different experiences in life can shape a person. Not only does Silent Reading portray trauma well, but also the different ways people deal with their trauma.
Overall, this story is just amazing and all there’s left to do is wait for a global physical release.
“He’s my lover.”
“So can I stay here a while longer?”
After a certain perplexing case hits the city bureau, Fei Du, a CEO who has inherited his father’s company, starts helping the Criminal Investigation department solve the case by secretly working behind the scenes. However Luo Whenzhou, the Captain of said Unit, isn’t exactly thrilled by them working together. After all, Fei Du and Luo Whenzhou are known for their constant infuriating bickering. It doesn’t stop with one odd case — and it doesn’t take long until Fei Du gets completely involved either. While working on the cases together, Fei Du and Luo Whenzhou slowly start to realize that their opponent isn’t all that bad.
"You’re my person. If you so much as gasp for breath, you’ll hear about it from me.”
Fei Du, with his thoughts, behavior and perplexing personality, surely is one complex character. His intentions aren’t easy to understand, he’s secretive, his behavior is odd — and that’s exactly the way others think about him. Even Luo Whenzhou, who has known Fei Du for ages, hasn’t been able to figure him out. It’s only after the bloom of their relationship and the establishment of said relationship that Luo Whenzhou starts figuring out more and more details, as subtle as they may be. The bickering and teasing between the two of them doesn’t ever stop, but it’s painfully obvious just how much they love and care for each other.
The strange cases coming in one after another keep the Criminal Investigation Unit on their toes and they hardly get any break. However, it doesn’t take them long to realize that there might be a grand connection, one also connected to Fei Du’s past. Slowly but surely, all puzzle pieces start coming together…
[…] hand seemed to just have come out of an icebox. It was so cold it hardly seemed alive.
This story greatly deals with trauma and fear. It shows exactly what impact childhood has on one’s adulthood and how different experiences in life can shape a person. Not only does Silent Reading portray trauma well, but also the different ways people deal with their trauma.
Overall, this story is just amazing and all there’s left to do is wait for a global physical release.
February 28, 2025
4.5⭐️ Whew, this one took me a while to finish! It’s my first completed read by Priest since I wasn’t a fan of SPL.
Silent Reading reminds me a bit of Poyun, which I’m a big fan of. This novel explores many themes I enjoy reading about, with its plot driven by psychology, corruption, and crime, I find especially compelling. Although the romance in this story is subtle, I highly recommend giving it a shot.
Silent Reading reminds me a bit of Poyun, which I’m a big fan of. This novel explores many themes I enjoy reading about, with its plot driven by psychology, corruption, and crime, I find especially compelling. Although the romance in this story is subtle, I highly recommend giving it a shot.
April 5, 2021
My definite favorite of the Priest novels I've read so far. She's really grown as an author and the hilarious one-liners that this fan translation managed to retain were hilarious. The cat content in this was an excellent contrast to the uber-grim human crimes that made up the plot; the romance was excellent. Certainly an investment to read, though, coming in at 180 chapters and about five extras. Not a light or quick read, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Kudos to Priest for writing an Out queer man in the Chinese police force, too.
November 11, 2024
Wow. Just....wow. I didn't think anything could top Qi Ye has my favorite Priest novel, but Mo Du did it. The book hangover is epic. The mystery was amazing. My heart broken a hundred times for Fei Du. And Luo Wenzhou. That sweet baby, how he could keep trusting Fei Du was astounding. Really just loved every second of this book.
April 23, 2024
I was living my best life reading this book. I wish I could wipe my memory so I can experience it for the first time all over again.
December 18, 2020
I once thought "Guardian" was Priest's best work...but "Mo Du"/"Silent Reading" proved how egregiously wrong I was to presume so.
Seriously, what is it with Chinese novels and angst?....At first, I thought Wei Wuxian was the most tragic character in human existence, but then came along Xie Lian,...and now Fei Du....
Be it He Yunjin(One Night, One Day, One Year, One Lifetime), Su Bai(Ballad of Ten Thousand Gu), Shao'er(Falling Dreams of Fang Hua), Sanshang(Sansheng, Death Exists Not at the River of Oblivion), Xiao Feng(Eastern Palace, Bai Fengjiu(Three Lives Three Worlds, The Pillow Book, Upper Volume, Mei Li (殇璃), Sang Ge(桑歌: Mulberry Song)..or any of my other favourite tragic heroines,... a common denominator that unites them all would be the unjustified amount of pain, humiliation, torture and sorrow that they all have to undergo for no fault of their own...mostly (exception: He Yunjin, her misery was of her own creation- still doesn't make her story any less tragic.) And I intentionally subject myself to a round of torture at their hands,.... religiously every other month, like pricking a wound that has just begun to scab over, until it bleeds and becomes a fresh wound all over again,...never allowing it to heal completely.
So yeah, I couldn't be more grateful to Aristotle and his theory of catharsis and tragic pleasure..., because the alternative would be to acknowledge that I have a masochistic streak within myself. Why else do I keep doing this to myself? Why do I let these characters wring my heart out out of my chest, and then wreck and grind it into tiny little pieces? Or at least, this is how I imagine it feels like, since I have nothing else to compare with.
Seriously, what is it with Chinese novels and angst?....At first, I thought Wei Wuxian was the most tragic character in human existence, but then came along Xie Lian,...and now Fei Du....
Be it He Yunjin(One Night, One Day, One Year, One Lifetime), Su Bai(Ballad of Ten Thousand Gu), Shao'er(Falling Dreams of Fang Hua), Sanshang(Sansheng, Death Exists Not at the River of Oblivion), Xiao Feng(Eastern Palace, Bai Fengjiu(Three Lives Three Worlds, The Pillow Book, Upper Volume, Mei Li (殇璃), Sang Ge(桑歌: Mulberry Song)..or any of my other favourite tragic heroines,... a common denominator that unites them all would be the unjustified amount of pain, humiliation, torture and sorrow that they all have to undergo for no fault of their own...mostly (exception: He Yunjin, her misery was of her own creation- still doesn't make her story any less tragic.) And I intentionally subject myself to a round of torture at their hands,.... religiously every other month, like pricking a wound that has just begun to scab over, until it bleeds and becomes a fresh wound all over again,...never allowing it to heal completely.
So yeah, I couldn't be more grateful to Aristotle and his theory of catharsis and tragic pleasure..., because the alternative would be to acknowledge that I have a masochistic streak within myself. Why else do I keep doing this to myself? Why do I let these characters wring my heart out out of my chest, and then wreck and grind it into tiny little pieces? Or at least, this is how I imagine it feels like, since I have nothing else to compare with.
June 27, 2021
“Because life and death, dark and light, partings and meetings, all have the meanings people have endowed them with. You can’t see them or touch them, you don’t know what use they have, but the difference between you and me and a lump of chemicals lies in those bits of meaning.”
I'm obsessed. I've been wanting to read this one since I read SPL — which is absolutely amazing — and it's so, so worth it. Priest is an amazing author, and this is even better than SPL in terms of narrative, dialogue and everything in between. I don't know how she does it, but I'm in awe.
This is VERY plot heavy, so be prepared to burn all your neurons, because I don't have them anymore. I still don't know how was she capable of connecting everything together, but I'm completely speechless. This is not an easy thing to do — to keep your reader curious for so many pages — and she outdone herself.
I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEM. LUO WENZHUO AND FEI DU ARE EVERYTHING TO ME :(... How can I let the best couple ever behind? I wish this book would never end, because I really cared about these characters — their fears, their traumas, their everything — and and I wish I could stay with them forever.
Totally worth reading.
Also, reading this with my friends was a whole experience. Thank you so much! We did it <3.
5 stars and a favorite.
I'm obsessed. I've been wanting to read this one since I read SPL — which is absolutely amazing — and it's so, so worth it. Priest is an amazing author, and this is even better than SPL in terms of narrative, dialogue and everything in between. I don't know how she does it, but I'm in awe.
This is VERY plot heavy, so be prepared to burn all your neurons, because I don't have them anymore. I still don't know how was she capable of connecting everything together, but I'm completely speechless. This is not an easy thing to do — to keep your reader curious for so many pages — and she outdone herself.
I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEM. LUO WENZHUO AND FEI DU ARE EVERYTHING TO ME :(... How can I let the best couple ever behind? I wish this book would never end, because I really cared about these characters — their fears, their traumas, their everything — and and I wish I could stay with them forever.
Totally worth reading.
Also, reading this with my friends was a whole experience. Thank you so much! We did it <3.
5 stars and a favorite.
March 4, 2023
4 stars at some points, 3 or 3.5 at others.
after waiting literally like four years, I finally cranked through this novel since the live action drama has started airing - which is amazing and super accurate to the novel so far, btw!
first of all, zhoudu are like.. a pairing that's a perfect match for me. their history, their overall characterization, it's just so interesting and complex. fei du might be one of my new all-time favorite characters. I loved all of the main side characters too. tao ran in particular is so endearing and fun to read about.
while I really enjoyed the first two cases, everything after like, halfway thru book 3 felt very confusing and convoluted. it may be because of the translation, but I felt very lost at times trying to decipher the plot. the last book was especially confusing with so many side characters involved in the case. I also felt that the ending was lacking a bit. if I hadn't known there were extras after the epilogue, I would've been very unsatisfied with the ending - the extras made up for the lack of main character/pairing interaction in the final book.
it was a fun journey, though! it's good to read a danmei novel again. and I'm glad zhoudu can raise their cats in peace!
after waiting literally like four years, I finally cranked through this novel since the live action drama has started airing - which is amazing and super accurate to the novel so far, btw!
first of all, zhoudu are like.. a pairing that's a perfect match for me. their history, their overall characterization, it's just so interesting and complex. fei du might be one of my new all-time favorite characters. I loved all of the main side characters too. tao ran in particular is so endearing and fun to read about.
while I really enjoyed the first two cases, everything after like, halfway thru book 3 felt very confusing and convoluted. it may be because of the translation, but I felt very lost at times trying to decipher the plot. the last book was especially confusing with so many side characters involved in the case. I also felt that the ending was lacking a bit. if I hadn't known there were extras after the epilogue, I would've been very unsatisfied with the ending - the extras made up for the lack of main character/pairing interaction in the final book.
it was a fun journey, though! it's good to read a danmei novel again. and I'm glad zhoudu can raise their cats in peace!
April 6, 2021
1) my favourite ship dynamic is whatever fei du and luo wenzhou have going on 2) luo yiguo is the best character i’m sorry but it’s true
October 23, 2023
I will pretend that I understood everything that happened in the last book and move on with my last brain cell intact thinking only about Fei Du and Luo Wenzhou❤️
September 3, 2025
(отзыв в тг)
оценка 3.75
"Безмолвное чтение" (Мо Ду в простонародье), определенно, мой самый удачный опыт с романами Прист, потому что мне было не всё равно как на сюжет так и на главных героев.
Если смотреть на другие новеллы, которые я читала у этого автора, то обычно мы начинали за здравие и заканчивали за упокой. И этот упокой начинался как минимум где-то с середины новеллы. В случае с Мо Ду то мой интерес, наоборот усиливался с каждым томом, я !почти! дошла с той же энергией до финала. Но об этом чуть позже.
Для меня самой сильной частью истории является Ло Вэньчжоу, капитан отдела Бюро расследований. Как же он хорош! Его харизма вкупе с его непробиваемостью и напором, этот его непрофессиональный профессионализм и иной раз неуместный юмор делают Ло Вэньчжоу таким ярким и запоминающимся персонажем, о котором просто на просто интересно читать.
Другой большой плюс - это, собственно, сама детективная история. Каждое из дел уникальное и отсылает к какому-то классическому литературному произведению (Лолита, Макбет, Красное и Белое и тд). Видно, что Прист с умом подошла к процессу расследования и налаживанию всех этих связей и отношений, которые не пропадают бесследно. А структура построена так, что самостоятельно раскрыть преступление до того, как до этого дойдут персонажи, практически невозможно, потому что мы никогда не видим всей картины целиком, пока не доходим до финала каждого дела вместе с полицией.
Но в этом сложном детективном сюжете еще и кроется минус. В какой-то момент паутина связей становится настолько забитой и запутанной, что следить за ходом дел и не упускать из вида того или иного свидетеля и подозреваемого становится просто невозможно. В какой-то момент в финальном томе появляется желание уже добраться до всей сути, но автор уперто идет в своем темпе и не дает событиям ускорится, из-за чего лично у меня пропало желание разбираться во всех этих именах и поскорей дойти до последней главы.
По сути пока на каждый том было выделено 1-2 расследований и проскальзывала лишь тоненькая нить, связывающая все эти дела в одно, то и следить за сюжетом было интересней. Как только мы дошли до grand finale все слилось в один винегрет и началась путаница, которую, как по мне, автор не очень осилила распутать.
На конец я оставила Фэй Ду и романтическую линию. Фэй Ду - богатенький директор, который понимает психологию преступников, и сам хранит кучу скелетов в шкафу. По всем признакам любимец фандома. Для меня же он был просто довольно скользким и изворотливым типом. Когда он выступал в качестве напарника Ло Вэньчжоу, то он мне нравился, в нем появлялась какая-то искра. Сам же по себе Фэй Ду довольно стандартный пример молодого парня с золотой ложкой во рту, мертвой матерью и абьюзером отцом, ну и со всеми прилагающимися ментальными проблемами за стеной самоуверенности, бахвальства и флирта. Ну а что касается его отношений с Ло Вэньчжоу, то они настолько бэкграундные, что мне и сказать то нечего. Вне расследований этих двоих было до ужаса мало, хотя у них очень хорошая химия как до отношений так и после. Но мне просто их не хватило. И я постоянно думала о том, что мне не хватает стекла и драмы в их отношениях. Ну нравится мне когда кто-то попадает в беду, а другой там изводится от страха и тревоги!! Sue me!
С таким то детективным сюжетом Прист могла такого стекла понапихать, но нет... у нас всего два мало-мальски "опасных для жизни" примера, которыми мне даже не дали насладиться, потому что они слишком просто распутались и завершились или в центре стояли не переживания одного из партнеров, а другие события
Моя душа слишком любит хороший angst with a happy ending!!
----
Какой итог я подвожу? В общем и целом было интересно, но я продолжаю убеждаться, что Прист не мой автор. Все ее новеллы настолько "просто нормальные", что мне иной раз кажется, я читаю не то, что читают остальные. Я бы сказала, что будь ее романы покороче, то они были бы хорошим способом убить время. Но из-за размеров убивать время приходится недели на 2 минимум.
В любом случае из всего прочитанного у Прист "Безмолвное чтение" я точно могу порекомендовать для любителей детективов с полицейскими погонями, перестрелками, и не самыми безобидными темами.
теперь мне осталось взяться за шаполан, но надежд я не питаю
оценка 3.75
"Безмолвное чтение" (Мо Ду в простонародье), определенно, мой самый удачный опыт с романами Прист, потому что мне было не всё равно как на сюжет так и на главных героев.
Если смотреть на другие новеллы, которые я читала у этого автора, то обычно мы начинали за здравие и заканчивали за упокой. И этот упокой начинался как минимум где-то с середины новеллы. В случае с Мо Ду то мой интерес, наоборот усиливался с каждым томом, я !почти! дошла с той же энергией до финала. Но об этом чуть позже.
Для меня самой сильной частью истории является Ло Вэньчжоу, капитан отдела Бюро расследований. Как же он хорош! Его харизма вкупе с его непробиваемостью и напором, этот его непрофессиональный профессионализм и иной раз неуместный юмор делают Ло Вэньчжоу таким ярким и запоминающимся персонажем, о котором просто на просто интересно читать.
Другой большой плюс - это, собственно, сама детективная история. Каждое из дел уникальное и отсылает к какому-то классическому литературному произведению (Лолита, Макбет, Красное и Белое и тд). Видно, что Прист с умом подошла к процессу расследования и налаживанию всех этих связей и отношений, которые не пропадают бесследно. А структура построена так, что самостоятельно раскрыть преступление до того, как до этого дойдут персонажи, практически невозможно, потому что мы никогда не видим всей картины целиком, пока не доходим до финала каждого дела вместе с полицией.
Но в этом сложном детективном сюжете еще и кроется минус. В какой-то момент паутина связей становится настолько забитой и запутанной, что следить за ходом дел и не упускать из вида того или иного свидетеля и подозреваемого становится просто невозможно. В какой-то момент в финальном томе появляется желание уже добраться до всей сути, но автор уперто идет в своем темпе и не дает событиям ускорится, из-за чего лично у меня пропало желание разбираться во всех этих именах и поскорей дойти до последней главы.
По сути пока на каждый том было выделено 1-2 расследований и проскальзывала лишь тоненькая нить, связывающая все эти дела в одно, то и следить за сюжетом было интересней. Как только мы дошли до grand finale все слилось в один винегрет и началась путаница, которую, как по мне, автор не очень осилила распутать.
На конец я оставила Фэй Ду и романтическую линию. Фэй Ду - богатенький директор, который понимает психологию преступников, и сам хранит кучу скелетов в шкафу. По всем признакам любимец фандома. Для меня же он был просто довольно скользким и изворотливым типом. Когда он выступал в качестве напарника Ло Вэньчжоу, то он мне нравился, в нем появлялась какая-то искра. Сам же по себе Фэй Ду довольно стандартный пример молодого парня с золотой ложкой во рту, мертвой матерью и абьюзером отцом, ну и со всеми прилагающимися ментальными проблемами за стеной самоуверенности, бахвальства и флирта. Ну а что касается его отношений с Ло Вэньчжоу, то они настолько бэкграундные, что мне и сказать то нечего. Вне расследований этих двоих было до ужаса мало, хотя у них очень хорошая химия как до отношений так и после. Но мне просто их не хватило. И я постоянно думала о том, что мне не хватает стекла и драмы в их отношениях. Ну нравится мне когда кто-то попадает в беду, а другой там изводится от страха и тревоги!! Sue me!
С таким то детективным сюжетом Прист могла такого стекла понапихать, но нет... у нас всего два мало-мальски "опасных для жизни" примера, которыми мне даже не дали насладиться, потому что они слишком просто распутались и завершились или в центре стояли не переживания одного из партнеров, а другие события
Моя душа слишком любит хороший angst with a happy ending!!
----
Какой итог я подвожу? В общем и целом было интересно, но я продолжаю убеждаться, что Прист не мой автор. Все ее новеллы настолько "просто нормальные", что мне иной раз кажется, я читаю не то, что читают остальные. Я бы сказала, что будь ее романы покороче, то они были бы хорошим способом убить время. Но из-за размеров убивать время приходится недели на 2 минимум.
В любом случае из всего прочитанного у Прист "Безмолвное чтение" я точно могу порекомендовать для любителей детективов с полицейскими погонями, перестрелками, и не самыми безобидными темами.
теперь мне осталось взяться за шаполан, но надежд я не питаю
Want to read
September 15, 2024SEVENSEAS thank you for your service but pls DON'T MESS THIS UP
August 24, 2024
₊˚ପ⊹ • ➵ ∞/5 ✧
mo du was my first priest novel and i'm so glad it was. it has my fav niche dynamic (police officer + some kind of doctor) and i adore zhoudu. i loved the complex criminal cases and how they were separated by books and titles but all tied together in the end - i also loved that they were all inspired by old literature! fei du is one of my favourite characters and his character arc was so well written :3
'sometimes when you stood looking out into the street, watching the people pass by, men and women, young and old, you'd feel that they were all about the same. you're wearing a button-down and pants, and i'm also wearing a button-down and pants; you looked down and saw that the old people jogging by the street and the golden haired, green-eyed foreigners were wearing the same brand of sneakers, almost giving you an illusion that the whole world was one.
the people living in the sun couldn't imagine the inescapable and customary torment that the smiling and chatting buddy next to them suffered, while a person deep in depression couldn't understand that the human figures rushing past them really weren't forcing themselves to smile.
just like now, with him and luo wenzhou standing together; at first glance, it seemed like they were from the same country.
the body often hid the truth so firmly that not a drop leaked out.'
mo du was my first priest novel and i'm so glad it was. it has my fav niche dynamic (police officer + some kind of doctor) and i adore zhoudu. i loved the complex criminal cases and how they were separated by books and titles but all tied together in the end - i also loved that they were all inspired by old literature! fei du is one of my favourite characters and his character arc was so well written :3
'sometimes when you stood looking out into the street, watching the people pass by, men and women, young and old, you'd feel that they were all about the same. you're wearing a button-down and pants, and i'm also wearing a button-down and pants; you looked down and saw that the old people jogging by the street and the golden haired, green-eyed foreigners were wearing the same brand of sneakers, almost giving you an illusion that the whole world was one.
the people living in the sun couldn't imagine the inescapable and customary torment that the smiling and chatting buddy next to them suffered, while a person deep in depression couldn't understand that the human figures rushing past them really weren't forcing themselves to smile.
just like now, with him and luo wenzhou standing together; at first glance, it seemed like they were from the same country.
the body often hid the truth so firmly that not a drop leaked out.'
October 27, 2025
cinema
May 15, 2023
"Walking ahead, looking ahead, even though the road ahead was a blank, even though you could only rely on force of habit to keep walking ahead. One day, you would find direction in your own endless steps. It just took a little patience."
Another mind boggling and complex story from Priest! I would never get tired of reading her works. I really loved how each book is really compelling especially with the book title references and how it grasps every arcs. The titles would give you some hint on the premise of the arc but still, there's something more to it than just from the title's implication. Also ngl, the mentioning of All About Lily Chou Chou made me fumble for a bit. Ah, it was so good. Each arc made me think, crawl through my feet, and then resurrect. It's so good!
Moving to ZhouDu's dynamic. They're really such a good couple. They keeping balancing each other out. The polarities between their personalities and upbringings is so opposite it ironically helped them fill and deepen their relationship more. I SO LOVE ZHOUDU.
Fei Du, he is a very complex and well-written character. I fucking kin Fei Du, you guys will never understand. XD. I can always get the way Fei Du was thinking, not in a way that I am just simply agreeing on his views but in a way that we both embody our own sick sense of reality. Dysfunctional families can really mold you into something. While Luo Wenzhou, I believe, is the luckiest character Priest has ever written. I mean man, just look at him. I don't even need to elaborate. BUT HE DESERVES THAT. He is a very good character. He's so good, especially to Fei Du.
Anyways, look at me babble about ZhouDu. Kidding aside, Mo Du is really such a great and fun book. Too many life lessons you can pick, and many saying you can integrate in your life. Most of them may make you stay up till midnight but they're also mostly significant. Thank you again, Priest!
Another mind boggling and complex story from Priest! I would never get tired of reading her works. I really loved how each book is really compelling especially with the book title references and how it grasps every arcs. The titles would give you some hint on the premise of the arc but still, there's something more to it than just from the title's implication. Also ngl, the mentioning of All About Lily Chou Chou made me fumble for a bit. Ah, it was so good. Each arc made me think, crawl through my feet, and then resurrect. It's so good!
Moving to ZhouDu's dynamic. They're really such a good couple. They keeping balancing each other out. The polarities between their personalities and upbringings is so opposite it ironically helped them fill and deepen their relationship more. I SO LOVE ZHOUDU.
Fei Du, he is a very complex and well-written character. I fucking kin Fei Du, you guys will never understand. XD. I can always get the way Fei Du was thinking, not in a way that I am just simply agreeing on his views but in a way that we both embody our own sick sense of reality. Dysfunctional families can really mold you into something. While Luo Wenzhou, I believe, is the luckiest character Priest has ever written. I mean man, just look at him. I don't even need to elaborate. BUT HE DESERVES THAT. He is a very good character. He's so good, especially to Fei Du.
Anyways, look at me babble about ZhouDu. Kidding aside, Mo Du is really such a great and fun book. Too many life lessons you can pick, and many saying you can integrate in your life. Most of them may make you stay up till midnight but they're also mostly significant. Thank you again, Priest!
December 1, 2021
they literally invented love
February 23, 2023
Book 1-3
Why is every one of priest's characters so doping hot?
Why is every one of priest's characters so doping hot?
July 11, 2021
I tried til the end, really I did. Whatever the reason was, this novel just couldn't fuel my interest.
I've seen many people say Fei Du is Priest's best-written character - honestly if that's her best-written character then it's rather disappointing. The problem with Fei Du lies in the extremity/unrealistic-ness of his past trauma. His childhood is a classic disturbing and dramatic one usually found in novels and dramas, not in real life, not by a long shot. This won't pose a problem if the novel is set in a world completely different than the one we're living in, yet it is not, which is the very reason why it was hard for me as a reader to empathise with, or even just feel connected to his problems, his pain, his scars, his shell, to be impressed by Priest's building of Fei Du's character. It's easy to create and develop a character totally fictional from their own wiring to the world encompassing them as their thought process and actions do not have to and often do not comply with those of us normal humans living in a normal world, the writer is given free rein to write them however he or she pleases. Yet, when a character is one amongst us and is living in this world of ours, overdoing their characterisation results in them being out of proportion. Of course, this could have been Priest's deliberate artistic choice, yet if that's the case, then I'm even more underwhelmed by her writing.
The first case was vanilla, second mildly more intriguing, I even took the time to reread and work out some questions. The third was a dumpster on fire, I think I started losing interest there. The fourth, favoured by many, falls into the age-old trap - too unrealistic it verges on mediocre melodrama. I mean, come on, an entire freaking high school with hundreds of students and teachers and staff, all run by the few big fish above who hold the annual Hunger Games just for sports and actually manage to shut people mouth for years, wherein these spoiled and mentally perverted brats (who of course are heirs to multi-million corps and will trample on people's lives literally by means of their parents' money) who haven't even passed adolescence get away with murders, thinking they can outsmart murder investigators with years in the profession with their quote unquoted "spine-chilling smiles and poker face" (I cried and I cringed). The. Drama. Is. Just. Too. Cheap. Okay (at least with this one). The problem with these kinds of narratives is that they take themselves too seriously they lose relativity. The author forget that the story's happening in a real world context, thus an appropriate interrelation is necessitated for it to be believable in its scope and relevance. Does the systematic, institutionalised bully in this high-school have any other meaning in a wider context? Does it have any relevance in the wide course of things? Or are these so-called powerful people nothing but mere frogs at the bottom of the well believing the sky's only as small as the lid of a pot, and the most creative and grand schemes their insular minds can come up with is just bullying high school kids?
Since I lost interest in both case 3 and 4, naturally case 5 was a total loss. I couldn't feel for Fei Du, thus neither could I for ZhouFei's relationship.
I've seen many people say Fei Du is Priest's best-written character - honestly if that's her best-written character then it's rather disappointing. The problem with Fei Du lies in the extremity/unrealistic-ness of his past trauma. His childhood is a classic disturbing and dramatic one usually found in novels and dramas, not in real life, not by a long shot. This won't pose a problem if the novel is set in a world completely different than the one we're living in, yet it is not, which is the very reason why it was hard for me as a reader to empathise with, or even just feel connected to his problems, his pain, his scars, his shell, to be impressed by Priest's building of Fei Du's character. It's easy to create and develop a character totally fictional from their own wiring to the world encompassing them as their thought process and actions do not have to and often do not comply with those of us normal humans living in a normal world, the writer is given free rein to write them however he or she pleases. Yet, when a character is one amongst us and is living in this world of ours, overdoing their characterisation results in them being out of proportion. Of course, this could have been Priest's deliberate artistic choice, yet if that's the case, then I'm even more underwhelmed by her writing.
The first case was vanilla, second mildly more intriguing, I even took the time to reread and work out some questions. The third was a dumpster on fire, I think I started losing interest there. The fourth, favoured by many, falls into the age-old trap - too unrealistic it verges on mediocre melodrama. I mean, come on, an entire freaking high school with hundreds of students and teachers and staff, all run by the few big fish above who hold the annual Hunger Games just for sports and actually manage to shut people mouth for years, wherein these spoiled and mentally perverted brats (who of course are heirs to multi-million corps and will trample on people's lives literally by means of their parents' money) who haven't even passed adolescence get away with murders, thinking they can outsmart murder investigators with years in the profession with their quote unquoted "spine-chilling smiles and poker face" (I cried and I cringed). The. Drama. Is. Just. Too. Cheap. Okay (at least with this one). The problem with these kinds of narratives is that they take themselves too seriously they lose relativity. The author forget that the story's happening in a real world context, thus an appropriate interrelation is necessitated for it to be believable in its scope and relevance. Does the systematic, institutionalised bully in this high-school have any other meaning in a wider context? Does it have any relevance in the wide course of things? Or are these so-called powerful people nothing but mere frogs at the bottom of the well believing the sky's only as small as the lid of a pot, and the most creative and grand schemes their insular minds can come up with is just bullying high school kids?
Since I lost interest in both case 3 and 4, naturally case 5 was a total loss. I couldn't feel for Fei Du, thus neither could I for ZhouFei's relationship.
March 5, 2023
*This review is spoiler free*
“All these years you’ve spent venting the pain you experienced onto others, has it helped?”
“Do you have nightmares? Do you dream of the monsters that hurt you when you were little? Have you been afraid all these years, feeling that you couldn’t surmount them, that you couldn’t face them, and so you had to become like them…”
Starting this off by noting down how crime/mystery isn’t really a genre that I read a lot in, I like reading books that implore the psychology of humans more than seeing criminals getting chased down but I think that priest included a perfect mix of both in this.
Mo Du uses born circumstances vs free choice as it’s main theme, I don’t think you can really label any of these characters as an actual villain, its a seemingly unbreakable cycle of the victimized becoming the victimizer.
The Plot
The pacing was done pretty well, it doesn’t just push you into the plot with no explanation, but it slowly walks you through it. While reading you are giving enough hints to form relatively correct theories of your own which was something that I liked a lot.
There were some info dumps here and there but it personally didn’t bother me, again mo du is a very plot heavy book so you have to be ready to put some mental effort into understanding the plot.
The Characters
Fei du: The main character, even tho mo du isn’t character focused, one of the main reasons about why I liked this book as much as I did would be him. He doesn’t start off as a perfect mc and he doesn’t end up as one either, but his character development is one of my favorites.
Luo Wenzhou: I like how Luo Wenzhou wasn’t just added to be a love interest probe to Fei du, while his circumstances is no where as tragic as the mc, priest still added a good depth to him and his character.
*Most of the side characters are very well written, and it’s easy to connect with them and like them.
The Romance
If you are looking to simply read romance then mo du isn’t really a book I would recommend, but the development between Luo Wenzhou and Fei du was very sweet, not too scarce and not overdone.
“It’s just that time is limited, and you have to separate the important matters from the minor ones. It’s no big deal to spend some time on the important things.”
Luo Wenzhou didn’t understand; how could tinkering with a watch count as an “important thing?”
Just then, Fei Du finally pushed the jammed spring back into its proper place, closing the buckle with a click. He opened and closed it a few times; it worked as smoothly as ever.
“There.” Fei Du passed him the watch with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “Making you happy is the most important thing.”
The Storytelling
There are many quotes I highlighted while reading this, some of them leaving more of an impression than others but I think that goes back to personal experiences, the translation is very well done considering that it’s only a fan translation, I only got confused once or twice throughout the entire book because of it.
I haven’t written a review in way too long so I don’t know if this would really be helpful, but happy reading <3
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“All these years you’ve spent venting the pain you experienced onto others, has it helped?”
“Do you have nightmares? Do you dream of the monsters that hurt you when you were little? Have you been afraid all these years, feeling that you couldn’t surmount them, that you couldn’t face them, and so you had to become like them…”
Starting this off by noting down how crime/mystery isn’t really a genre that I read a lot in, I like reading books that implore the psychology of humans more than seeing criminals getting chased down but I think that priest included a perfect mix of both in this.
Mo Du uses born circumstances vs free choice as it’s main theme, I don’t think you can really label any of these characters as an actual villain, its a seemingly unbreakable cycle of the victimized becoming the victimizer.
The Plot
The pacing was done pretty well, it doesn’t just push you into the plot with no explanation, but it slowly walks you through it. While reading you are giving enough hints to form relatively correct theories of your own which was something that I liked a lot.
There were some info dumps here and there but it personally didn’t bother me, again mo du is a very plot heavy book so you have to be ready to put some mental effort into understanding the plot.
The Characters
Fei du: The main character, even tho mo du isn’t character focused, one of the main reasons about why I liked this book as much as I did would be him. He doesn’t start off as a perfect mc and he doesn’t end up as one either, but his character development is one of my favorites.
Luo Wenzhou: I like how Luo Wenzhou wasn’t just added to be a love interest probe to Fei du, while his circumstances is no where as tragic as the mc, priest still added a good depth to him and his character.
*Most of the side characters are very well written, and it’s easy to connect with them and like them.
The Romance
If you are looking to simply read romance then mo du isn’t really a book I would recommend, but the development between Luo Wenzhou and Fei du was very sweet, not too scarce and not overdone.
“It’s just that time is limited, and you have to separate the important matters from the minor ones. It’s no big deal to spend some time on the important things.”
Luo Wenzhou didn’t understand; how could tinkering with a watch count as an “important thing?”
Just then, Fei Du finally pushed the jammed spring back into its proper place, closing the buckle with a click. He opened and closed it a few times; it worked as smoothly as ever.
“There.” Fei Du passed him the watch with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “Making you happy is the most important thing.”
The Storytelling
There are many quotes I highlighted while reading this, some of them leaving more of an impression than others but I think that goes back to personal experiences, the translation is very well done considering that it’s only a fan translation, I only got confused once or twice throughout the entire book because of it.
I haven’t written a review in way too long so I don’t know if this would really be helpful, but happy reading <3
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 27, 2021
Everything that happens in this world leaves a mark.
I did it. I can't believe I read a book that is 1530 pages long. Wow, this is the longest thing I've read in my life. Where do I even start? How can I write something that does it justice?
This is one of the best thrillers and mystery books I've read in my life. It's so frenetic, so intriguing, and completely compelling. It's plot over plot over plot. You are always at the edge of your seat, always getting surprised by one thing or another. There are five books and each book is a case, and what cases! I was curious up until the last hair on my head. This was truly something else.
This book has a peculiar writing, first because obviously Chinese sentences are not constructed like English sentences, so of course that even being translated they sound different from what we're used to. It took me a while to get used to it, and in fact, if I'm being honest even know that I finished the novel I can say that is a love/hate type of relationship with the writing. For me, it was difficult but beautiful. Stiff, but enthralling. Complicated, but fascinating.
Because life and death, dark and light, partings and meetings, all have the meanings people have endowed them with. You can't see them or touch them, you don't know what use they have, but the difference between you and me and a lump of chemicals lies in those bits of meaning.
The two main characters, Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du have become everything to me. They are so solid, so real. The author really created strong three-dimensional characters and there's nothing like reading about someone that feels like a real person. She also constructed discussions around trauma and ptsd that for me felt like a really good work of writing. I also adore the relationship between the two protagonists, they communicate, they are slightly enemies to lovers, they have an established relationship that is just pure comfort to read about.
Overall there's just so much thing happening, that at times you feel like your brain is going to explode. I really applaud Priest for her work in this book, is minutely crafted and so thorough, everything makes sense in the end, and that is so satisfying.
Gods and demons couldn't lose control; it was only humans who could.
The reading experience of this was a big one, over a month of reading a couple of chapters everything, and yet it doesn't feel like I read OVER FIFTEEN THOUSAND PAGES!!! I am so proud of myself. Also I am so grateful for the two friends who accompanied me in this journey, reading and freaking out about this book with you was the best part. I wish, in a strange kind of way, that this book would last forever. Definitely will be in mind for a long time.
↠ 5 stars
March 24, 2024
La mayoría de esta reseña va a estar en español, pero al inicio voy a poner una parte en inglés ^^
RESEÑA SIN SPOILERS. / REVIEW WITHOUT SPOILERS.
My review will be in Spanish, but first I'll put a little paragraph of my thoughts in English:
This book was good good, Priest's writing is just something else. Now, the only thing I got to say is that her writing style just didn't enthrall me, in the sense that I struggled so much to pick up the book to read it (that's why I finished this literally after a year of starting it). I didn't feel hooked, even at the end. It wasn't because the story isn't interesting or that I didn't care, it was something else. Maybe just happened this to me with this book, and her others works won't be like that? I already struggled with Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang (Novel) Vol. 1, but let's wait and see when I start reading Guardian: Zhen Hun (Novel) Vol. 1... Either way, characters, story, plot, action, humor... literally everything was perfect and so well written, but not in a way that made me feel captivated.
Wenzhou is literally the love of my life idc.
That's it, I really liked it.
----------------------------------------------
Español:
Bueno, ahora voy a explayarme más a detalle; empecemos por lo menos complejo:
Personajes
MUY bien escritos, aunque es obvio que Fei Du fue el favorito, con la psicología y trasfondo más complejo (y fuerte, muchas veces tuve que alejarme del celular y reflexionar del significado de la vida al leer lo que le hicieron y lo que hacía o-o), pero aun así, incluso los personajes secundarios tienen sus motivaciones y personalidades bien definidas y diferenciadas. Me sentí muy satisfecha en este aspecto. Aunque Priest no es ni mucho menos mi autora favorita en lo que respecta a personajes, no me queda más que apreciar y elogiar lo bien que lo hizo.
Ah, Wenzhou, Luo Wenzhou, Capitán Luo, Lao Luo, Luo-dage... EL MEJOR PERSONAJE. MI FAVORITO. EL AMOR DE MI VIDA. EL HOMBRE QUE TODES MERECEMOS. Solo eso tengo que decir.
Trama
Uff aquí tengo mucho que decir. Está demasiado bien construida, es compleja y enrevesada, se nota que hubo mucha planeación detrás de esta. Al estar un período largo de mi último año dedicando momentos intermitentes a leer este libro, hay muchas cosas que me olvidaba que eran muy importantes para la trama, y más allá de quejarme por mi propia mente al no comprender muchas revelaciones gracias a mi mala memoria, solo puedo aplaudir el trabajo que la autora hizo. No me esperaba menos de ella la verdad.
Algo que tienen que saber de mí es que yo amo los debates de moralidad; la lucha entre lo que es el bien, lo que es el mal y los matices de entremedio, y este libro me dió justamente eso, hizo ejercitar mi cerebro, pero esperaba más... Igual, no estuvo mal.
Las revelaciones, en especial en el último tercio del libro, fueron un poco decepcionantes, no sentí el impacto que creo que debía haber sentido en muchas de estas escenas, y sí, entiendo que al ser una historia policial, muchas revelaciones y conclusiones son progresivas, pero hay algunas partes que creo que sí fueron perjudicadas por el foreshadowing (yo amo el foreshadowing, soy pro foreshadowing en todas y cada una de las historias de misterio jamás creadas, que quede eso claro) y perdieron un poco el sentimiento de desconcierto.
Arcos
Todos estuvieron muy bien; otra cosa que me encanta es sobreanalizar y conectar puntos, y con eso hacer hipótesis y teorías; por eso muchas veces evito leer policiales, thriller o historias de misterio de índole similar, porque me cansan el cerebro lol pero es muy satisfactorio ver que tengo razón en al menos un 80% de mi raciocinio. Los arcos de varios casos interconectados cumplieron muy bien con eso jajaj por eso amo las historias escritas a detalle (◡‿◡)
Mi favorito fue el segundo arco, Humbert Humbert, porque aunque fue el que más me revolvió las tripas, es el que más me hizo sentarme al borde de mi asiento mientras lo leía.
Mi menos favorito fue el tercero, Macbeth, fue el que menos me interesó y el que menos me enganchó.
Y hablando de eso...
Estilo de escritura
Tuve un problema con este. No me malentiendan, Priest escribe espectacular la acción, los momentos cómicos, los tensos, descriptivos, expositivos... prácticamente todo estuvo escrito perfectamente (el romance no destacó mucho para mí en este libro hasta llegar a los extras, donde ahí lo pude apreciar más, y por eso estoy segura que ella escribe muy bien el romance solo que en este libro no se acentuó esto, ya sea por la dinámica de la pareja protagónica o por la trama en sí). El único conflicto que yo tuve con su estilo es que no me enganchó. Como ya mencioné, estuve desde marzo del año pasado leyendo esto. Si hubiera sido cualquier otro libro, ya lo hubiera abandonado, pero decidí persistir porque sí me interesaba la historia y sus personajes, quería ver como todo concluía + ya le había invertido un buen de tiempo y de salud mental (cuando te digo que los casos están fuertes, no miento) al libro y no lo iba a dejar a medias. Pero sí, me costó mucho encontrar la motivación de retomar el libro una vez que lo dejaba de lado. La escritura no me absorbía; muchas veces me encontré distraída pensando en cualquier otra cosa, mirando la pared o el techo en vez de centrarme en leer. Espero este no sea mi caso con todos los libros de Priest, porque planeo leer más de ella sí o sí. Ya me costó el inicio de Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang (Novel) Vol. 1, veremos sus otros libros...
Conclusión y síntesis
El libro me gustó; la trama y los personajes y todo lo demás estuvo muy bien hecho y admiro a Priest por su cerebro galaxia, pero algo en su estilo de escritura no me terminó de convencer, no me atrajo del todo y me costó mucho leer el libro por eso mismo. Hay algunas cosas que fueron menos impactantes de lo que esperaba que fueran, pero en general el nivel de tensión y misterio siempre estuvo presente y a mi parecer muy bien manejados. Lean las advertencias, aun así. Hay cosas que pueden molestar a ciertas audiencias.
No creo que nadie haya llegado hasta acá, porque soy muy charlatana y me encanta escribir mi opinión 🙄 pero si estas leyendo esto, gracias por tomarte el tiempo. Espero te haya aportado algo, jaja.
Laterz
RESEÑA SIN SPOILERS. / REVIEW WITHOUT SPOILERS.
My review will be in Spanish, but first I'll put a little paragraph of my thoughts in English:
This book was good good, Priest's writing is just something else. Now, the only thing I got to say is that her writing style just didn't enthrall me, in the sense that I struggled so much to pick up the book to read it (that's why I finished this literally after a year of starting it). I didn't feel hooked, even at the end. It wasn't because the story isn't interesting or that I didn't care, it was something else. Maybe just happened this to me with this book, and her others works won't be like that? I already struggled with Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang (Novel) Vol. 1, but let's wait and see when I start reading Guardian: Zhen Hun (Novel) Vol. 1... Either way, characters, story, plot, action, humor... literally everything was perfect and so well written, but not in a way that made me feel captivated.
Wenzhou is literally the love of my life idc.
That's it, I really liked it.
----------------------------------------------
Español:
Bueno, ahora voy a explayarme más a detalle; empecemos por lo menos complejo:
Personajes
MUY bien escritos, aunque es obvio que Fei Du fue el favorito, con la psicología y trasfondo más complejo (y fuerte, muchas veces tuve que alejarme del celular y reflexionar del significado de la vida al leer lo que le hicieron y lo que hacía o-o), pero aun así, incluso los personajes secundarios tienen sus motivaciones y personalidades bien definidas y diferenciadas. Me sentí muy satisfecha en este aspecto. Aunque Priest no es ni mucho menos mi autora favorita en lo que respecta a personajes, no me queda más que apreciar y elogiar lo bien que lo hizo.
Ah, Wenzhou, Luo Wenzhou, Capitán Luo, Lao Luo, Luo-dage... EL MEJOR PERSONAJE. MI FAVORITO. EL AMOR DE MI VIDA. EL HOMBRE QUE TODES MERECEMOS. Solo eso tengo que decir.
Trama
Uff aquí tengo mucho que decir. Está demasiado bien construida, es compleja y enrevesada, se nota que hubo mucha planeación detrás de esta. Al estar un período largo de mi último año dedicando momentos intermitentes a leer este libro, hay muchas cosas que me olvidaba que eran muy importantes para la trama, y más allá de quejarme por mi propia mente al no comprender muchas revelaciones gracias a mi mala memoria, solo puedo aplaudir el trabajo que la autora hizo. No me esperaba menos de ella la verdad.
Algo que tienen que saber de mí es que yo amo los debates de moralidad; la lucha entre lo que es el bien, lo que es el mal y los matices de entremedio, y este libro me dió justamente eso, hizo ejercitar mi cerebro, pero esperaba más... Igual, no estuvo mal.
Las revelaciones, en especial en el último tercio del libro, fueron un poco decepcionantes, no sentí el impacto que creo que debía haber sentido en muchas de estas escenas, y sí, entiendo que al ser una historia policial, muchas revelaciones y conclusiones son progresivas, pero hay algunas partes que creo que sí fueron perjudicadas por el foreshadowing (yo amo el foreshadowing, soy pro foreshadowing en todas y cada una de las historias de misterio jamás creadas, que quede eso claro) y perdieron un poco el sentimiento de desconcierto.
Arcos
Todos estuvieron muy bien; otra cosa que me encanta es sobreanalizar y conectar puntos, y con eso hacer hipótesis y teorías; por eso muchas veces evito leer policiales, thriller o historias de misterio de índole similar, porque me cansan el cerebro lol pero es muy satisfactorio ver que tengo razón en al menos un 80% de mi raciocinio. Los arcos de varios casos interconectados cumplieron muy bien con eso jajaj por eso amo las historias escritas a detalle (◡‿◡)
Mi favorito fue el segundo arco, Humbert Humbert, porque aunque fue el que más me revolvió las tripas, es el que más me hizo sentarme al borde de mi asiento mientras lo leía.
Mi menos favorito fue el tercero, Macbeth, fue el que menos me interesó y el que menos me enganchó.
Y hablando de eso...
Estilo de escritura
Tuve un problema con este. No me malentiendan, Priest escribe espectacular la acción, los momentos cómicos, los tensos, descriptivos, expositivos... prácticamente todo estuvo escrito perfectamente (el romance no destacó mucho para mí en este libro hasta llegar a los extras, donde ahí lo pude apreciar más, y por eso estoy segura que ella escribe muy bien el romance solo que en este libro no se acentuó esto, ya sea por la dinámica de la pareja protagónica o por la trama en sí). El único conflicto que yo tuve con su estilo es que no me enganchó. Como ya mencioné, estuve desde marzo del año pasado leyendo esto. Si hubiera sido cualquier otro libro, ya lo hubiera abandonado, pero decidí persistir porque sí me interesaba la historia y sus personajes, quería ver como todo concluía + ya le había invertido un buen de tiempo y de salud mental (cuando te digo que los casos están fuertes, no miento) al libro y no lo iba a dejar a medias. Pero sí, me costó mucho encontrar la motivación de retomar el libro una vez que lo dejaba de lado. La escritura no me absorbía; muchas veces me encontré distraída pensando en cualquier otra cosa, mirando la pared o el techo en vez de centrarme en leer. Espero este no sea mi caso con todos los libros de Priest, porque planeo leer más de ella sí o sí. Ya me costó el inicio de Stars of Chaos: Sha Po Lang (Novel) Vol. 1, veremos sus otros libros...
Conclusión y síntesis
El libro me gustó; la trama y los personajes y todo lo demás estuvo muy bien hecho y admiro a Priest por su cerebro galaxia, pero algo en su estilo de escritura no me terminó de convencer, no me atrajo del todo y me costó mucho leer el libro por eso mismo. Hay algunas cosas que fueron menos impactantes de lo que esperaba que fueran, pero en general el nivel de tensión y misterio siempre estuvo presente y a mi parecer muy bien manejados. Lean las advertencias, aun así. Hay cosas que pueden molestar a ciertas audiencias.
No creo que nadie haya llegado hasta acá, porque soy muy charlatana y me encanta escribir mi opinión 🙄 pero si estas leyendo esto, gracias por tomarte el tiempo. Espero te haya aportado algo, jaja.
Laterz
January 27, 2022
This is a perfect mystery/mm romance book. It’s got all the elements that I love from a book in this genre
- The mystery: cases within cases; mastermind villains hidden in the shadow; psycho analyses of criminal minds which are all very believable; complex causes of crimes that strike fear to my heart about the dark side of humankind; and most of all, mind-blowing plot twists and surprises that kept me on edge for the whole ride.
- The romance: enemies-to-lovers trope, or more accurately, rivals to lovers, as both MCs fell for the same straight guy, but gradually realized they were instead meant for each other. It’s slow-burn, and both MCs had problems with expressing how they truly felt. But when they could manifest their emotions, mostly through actions, and hints, it was so beautiful and sweet it made my heart flutter every single time.
- The writing: I love how the author took inspirations from characters in classic literature: Stendhal’s The Red & the Black, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Shakespeare’s Hamlet,.. to build her criminals. This is a smart book - smart dialogue, complex characters, mind-engaging plots and high-reaching themes of criminal motives and human sufferings.
Silent Reading is my second book from Priest. I didn’t really like the first book, Guardian, but this second try established Priest as one of the very best danmei authors in my regard. I can’t wait to read more from her.
- The mystery: cases within cases; mastermind villains hidden in the shadow; psycho analyses of criminal minds which are all very believable; complex causes of crimes that strike fear to my heart about the dark side of humankind; and most of all, mind-blowing plot twists and surprises that kept me on edge for the whole ride.
- The romance: enemies-to-lovers trope, or more accurately, rivals to lovers, as both MCs fell for the same straight guy, but gradually realized they were instead meant for each other. It’s slow-burn, and both MCs had problems with expressing how they truly felt. But when they could manifest their emotions, mostly through actions, and hints, it was so beautiful and sweet it made my heart flutter every single time.
- The writing: I love how the author took inspirations from characters in classic literature: Stendhal’s The Red & the Black, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Shakespeare’s Hamlet,.. to build her criminals. This is a smart book - smart dialogue, complex characters, mind-engaging plots and high-reaching themes of criminal motives and human sufferings.
Silent Reading is my second book from Priest. I didn’t really like the first book, Guardian, but this second try established Priest as one of the very best danmei authors in my regard. I can’t wait to read more from her.
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