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黄金台
The notorious imperial court lackey and the meritorious military general were well-known for their mutual dislike, a pair of arch-enemies set in stone. Who could have foreseen the unexpected change in the winds of heaven: the general injured on the battlefield, both legs disabled, and even forced by the emperor to marry his nemesis.
With one marriage edict, two people with mutual hostility are forced to marry and live under the same roof. Yet after these long days together, they come to the realization that the other is not truly devoid of any saving grace nor is high out of reach.
With one marriage edict, two people with mutual hostility are forced to marry and live under the same roof. Yet after these long days together, they come to the realization that the other is not truly devoid of any saving grace nor is high out of reach.
1117 pages, ebook
First published February 10, 2018
199 people are currently reading
2586 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
January 22, 2021
Don't be fooled by the rating...the couple of this book owns my entire heart and the book would be a full 5 stars if it was just for them!!! I had a little bit of a hard time trying to follow the political plot and eventually kind of gave up on understanding every detail and kind of just kept reading for the couple, but this has more to do with me than with the book itself. So 4 stars is a honest rating from me and if you have more patience than me you'll probably find it enjoyable especially if you are used to reading historical fiction.
The yanfu couple completely took me by surprise with their tenderness and soft feelings that span, I kid you not, for the entirety of the book. For the sake of simplicity I'll call the trope their romance follows a good enemies to forced marriage to tender loving husbands, but they're also so much more than that.
Even as enemies they're just the softest pair and they came for my heart with their mutual respect and open communication right from the beginning. The bickering, when it happens, is never mean, and in the course of their relationship they're able to openly talk about their feelings and insecurities in a way that feels real and satisfying. No miscommunication between these two, I can promise you this. Also: consent.
If you want to read this (which you should, if you want to read about one of the softest danmei couples I've found) you should also be warned that this is kind of not very PC especially regarding the way they all talk about the peoples they're at war with (I think some of them would be modern days Mongolian people?), which i understand because they're at war (i don't know what period this is supposed to take place in) but also it's kind of eh if you keep in mind some recent Chinese policies.
I also don't know if the disability portrayal is accurate or if it can be harmful rep but this is the first danmei I've read with a disabled protagonist and it was really good to see (minor details might be not entirely well made but I don't have any authority to talk about disability rep).
In any case if you keep all of this in mind I would 100% recommend reading this because, let me say it again, this was one of the best couple I've read about and every one of their scenes was so emotionally satisfying, I legit had to cry a couple of times from the sheer softness they showed to each other. So please, if you can and if you feel like getting your heart gently mended, read it!!
TWs: violence, gore, injury, assassination attempts, suicide, brief mention of miscarriage, extensive talk and portrayal of fictional drugs and their effects including withdrawal
The yanfu couple completely took me by surprise with their tenderness and soft feelings that span, I kid you not, for the entirety of the book. For the sake of simplicity I'll call the trope their romance follows a good enemies to forced marriage to tender loving husbands, but they're also so much more than that.
Even as enemies they're just the softest pair and they came for my heart with their mutual respect and open communication right from the beginning. The bickering, when it happens, is never mean, and in the course of their relationship they're able to openly talk about their feelings and insecurities in a way that feels real and satisfying. No miscommunication between these two, I can promise you this. Also: consent.
If you want to read this (which you should, if you want to read about one of the softest danmei couples I've found) you should also be warned that this is kind of not very PC especially regarding the way they all talk about the peoples they're at war with (I think some of them would be modern days Mongolian people?), which i understand because they're at war (i don't know what period this is supposed to take place in) but also it's kind of eh if you keep in mind some recent Chinese policies.
I also don't know if the disability portrayal is accurate or if it can be harmful rep but this is the first danmei I've read with a disabled protagonist and it was really good to see (minor details might be not entirely well made but I don't have any authority to talk about disability rep).
In any case if you keep all of this in mind I would 100% recommend reading this because, let me say it again, this was one of the best couple I've read about and every one of their scenes was so emotionally satisfying, I legit had to cry a couple of times from the sheer softness they showed to each other. So please, if you can and if you feel like getting your heart gently mended, read it!!
TWs: violence, gore, injury, assassination attempts, suicide, brief mention of miscarriage, extensive talk and portrayal of fictional drugs and their effects including withdrawal
August 23, 2021
These novels do take a longer time to read due to the large number of chapters. This could be considered somewhat shorter with 79 chapters and 5 extras. Yet it will take time to go through it due to the heavy influence old Chinese in it.
For those who are looking forward to a novel like Demonic Master, this is not it. This is filled with pages upon pages of political intrigue. More than a romance novel this could be categorized as a political one. There were many aspects of it and if you are not keen on politics I would say not to go into this. The romance was subdued and done well but was not the main aspect of it. There was some tooth aching sweetness that was best left for those who love cuteness but it was balanced with ruthless court politics. Thus due to the constant blood shed, I could get through this. In anyway I would not say it’s a bad novel as a matter of fact I quite liked it and would easily read more of this author. The epilogue was one of my favorites. Especially that of the future where Sun Luo and TingXin were concerned. They deserved their own happiness even though it was 1000 years late.
For those who are looking forward to a novel like Demonic Master, this is not it. This is filled with pages upon pages of political intrigue. More than a romance novel this could be categorized as a political one. There were many aspects of it and if you are not keen on politics I would say not to go into this. The romance was subdued and done well but was not the main aspect of it. There was some tooth aching sweetness that was best left for those who love cuteness but it was balanced with ruthless court politics. Thus due to the constant blood shed, I could get through this. In anyway I would not say it’s a bad novel as a matter of fact I quite liked it and would easily read more of this author. The epilogue was one of my favorites. Especially that of the future where Sun Luo and TingXin were concerned. They deserved their own happiness even though it was 1000 years late.
February 18, 2022
This is the Chinese BL novel against which I judge all others. And I mean ALL others with a romance plot, not just those within the BL genre. Sadly, I have read few Chinese M/F romance that meets all these benchmarks. There's usually *something* to show the male as more in control, dominant, or superior in some way. 'A Mistaken Marriage Match: Record of Washed Grievances' comes close (albeit with colder characters) and moving outside Chinese literature to Japanese, 'Kusuriya no Hitorigoto' is just delightful, if more mystery/politics/slice of life than romance.
While the romance is front and center, 'The Golden Stage' also tells an interesting story. It has an engaging politics/political drama/family drama plot that's well crafted. The relationship is very believable, with a past history that unfolds through the novel, not one of lust at first sight. There are no consent issues nor sexual assault framed as 'teasing' or 'flirtation'. The two characters respect, care for, and protect each other. Both are intelligent, capable and proactive.
No one is a treasured pet or possession. Neither is ever sidelined at the other's insistence, capable or not. Not only that, both leads are sympathetic and likable throughout, with strong characterization that doesn't wobble. The side characters are equally distinctive and there's a good mix of exposition, action, drama and romance, creating a fun read that kept me engaged all the way through.
Long story short, great book, read it. I liked it and you probably will too. Oh, one note.... If you're looking for graphic sex scenes, you won't find them here. You might not miss them, though, because the romance scenes are very well done.
While the romance is front and center, 'The Golden Stage' also tells an interesting story. It has an engaging politics/political drama/family drama plot that's well crafted. The relationship is very believable, with a past history that unfolds through the novel, not one of lust at first sight. There are no consent issues nor sexual assault framed as 'teasing' or 'flirtation'. The two characters respect, care for, and protect each other. Both are intelligent, capable and proactive.
No one is a treasured pet or possession. Neither is ever sidelined at the other's insistence, capable or not. Not only that, both leads are sympathetic and likable throughout, with strong characterization that doesn't wobble. The side characters are equally distinctive and there's a good mix of exposition, action, drama and romance, creating a fun read that kept me engaged all the way through.
Long story short, great book, read it. I liked it and you probably will too. Oh, one note.... If you're looking for graphic sex scenes, you won't find them here. You might not miss them, though, because the romance scenes are very well done.
April 30, 2021
"this had been predestined to happen and decreed by fate, as they were nothing less than a match made from the heavens."
4.5/5
so so good I had such a fun time reading it!
what I loved:
- arranged marriage, childhood friends to rivals to lovers - everything I could want from these tropes.
- the way this story goes from sweet romantic moments to intense political drama - worked really well.
- assassination plots, betrayals, scheming, wartime politics.
- the mutual respect and unconditional support between our two main characters.
- battle couple!!
CWs: unchallenged ableist comments towards our physically disabled MC, drug addiction, withdrawal
September 30, 2020
First book: 6/5
Second book: 4/5
I know the average should be 5/5 it's just that I like to be unreasonably fickle with my 5 stars.
Ignoring the romance, this story is a great historical novel. The battle strategies and politics are all very well thought out, making sense with geographical locations and duration of the events. Each character is consistent with realistic personalities and motives. In overall, it's very enjoyable.
The romance, though. The romance is EVERYTHING. Yan-Fu couple is probably in my top 5 most favorite fictional couples. (And Yan Xiaohan is definitely up there among my most favorite characters ever.) This is an enemies-to-lovers story, but it's much better than most stories of this trope. Firstly, they have a good reason to start hating each other. Secondly, they have a good reason to stay hating each other. And finally, even when they already get along, they have a good reason to pretend to be hating each other. There's no "we've hated each other for so long I already forgot why I hated him in the first place." There's no "He was rude to me when we first met and so I hold grudges." No, this story has a very nice build-up that creates amazing tension and makes the eventual romance a million times sweeter. Moreover, this couple probably have the healthiest relationship I've ever seen in Chinese BL. They communicate very well. There's no stupid misunderstanding or oppressive behaviors. They shower each other with affections, know when to step back and give space, know when to give comfort and protection. And they support each other unconditionally. It's so, so sugary but I'm more than willing to get diabetes from this!
Second book: 4/5
I know the average should be 5/5 it's just that I like to be unreasonably fickle with my 5 stars.
Ignoring the romance, this story is a great historical novel. The battle strategies and politics are all very well thought out, making sense with geographical locations and duration of the events. Each character is consistent with realistic personalities and motives. In overall, it's very enjoyable.
The romance, though. The romance is EVERYTHING. Yan-Fu couple is probably in my top 5 most favorite fictional couples. (And Yan Xiaohan is definitely up there among my most favorite characters ever.) This is an enemies-to-lovers story, but it's much better than most stories of this trope. Firstly, they have a good reason to start hating each other. Secondly, they have a good reason to stay hating each other. And finally, even when they already get along, they have a good reason to pretend to be hating each other. There's no "we've hated each other for so long I already forgot why I hated him in the first place." There's no "He was rude to me when we first met and so I hold grudges." No, this story has a very nice build-up that creates amazing tension and makes the eventual romance a million times sweeter. Moreover, this couple probably have the healthiest relationship I've ever seen in Chinese BL. They communicate very well. There's no stupid misunderstanding or oppressive behaviors. They shower each other with affections, know when to step back and give space, know when to give comfort and protection. And they support each other unconditionally. It's so, so sugary but I'm more than willing to get diabetes from this!
August 5, 2021
Hoàng Kim Đài - Thương Ngô Tân Bạch
4.5/5⭐
"Chẳng thà ngươi ước rằng, nếu ta bất hạnh tử trận, chuyện cuối cùng làm trước khi chết chính là tha thứ cho ngươi.”
“Ta chúc tướng quân kỳ khai đắc thắng, tổng khải nhi hoàn.” Tay hắn chưa từng run, nụ cười vẫn như thường, nhẹ giọng nói, “Hi vọng ngươi hận ta cả đời.”
➖➖➖
Tóm tắt nội dung như vầy: hai vị quan tướng triều đình công cao chấn chủ, trẫm ban hôn đoạn tụ cho hai đứa mài tuyệt tự mịa đi. Nghiêm Tiêu Hàn là Khâm sát sứ của Phi Long Vệ, chó săn triều đình, xử người không ghê tay, hắn là con trai nuôi của hoạn quan một tay che trời năm xưa - Đoạn Linh Lung. Sau khi Bắc Yến thiết kỵ của tướng quân Phó Thâm thất bại trở về kinh thành, y tàn phế hai chân do đá tảng rơi bên vách núi, lại đối mặt với chiếu chỉ ban hôn của Hoàng đế với tên nịnh thần không ai ưa, nổi giận đùng đùng quỳ ngoài cửa cung.
Văn án nghe có vẻ hai anh ghét nhau dữ lắm nhưng thực ra không tới nỗi, chủ yếu là vì chức vị nên phải tránh hiềm nghi thôi, một người là tâm phúc của vua, một người nhà ba đời phò tá vua dựng nước nắm binh quyền trong tay, nếu thân cận quá thì không tốt. Bộ này nửa đầu là về khúc mắc thời niên thiếu của hai người, cưới trước yêu sau ngọt như mía lùi, anh Nghiêm cưng Phó soái lên trời luôn 😂 nửa đầu truyện Phó Thâm phải ngồi xe lăn, mỗi lần Nghiêm Tiêu Hàn bênh vực tướng quân nhà ảnh tui hả hê dễ sợ, ai đụng tới Phó Thâm ảnh cho sml hết 😌 Phó Thâm miệng cứng lòng mềm, cảnh đám cưới tiêu sái cực kỳ, dù không tự đi được nhưng vẫn cưỡi ngựa tới cướp rể 💃
Nửa sau truyện là tranh chấp ngôi vị, chiến tranh các thứ, hai anh cưới nhau chưa được bao lâu đã bị khói lửa chia cách. Nghiêm Tiêu Hàn bảo kê em gái Phó Thâm, dẹp loạn triều đình chờ Bắc Yến quân quay về, siêu ngầuuu. Mấy đoạn tình như chocopie ngọt ngào lắm huhuuhu, không bị sến mà mang vẻ cứng rắn của hai vị đứng đầu triều đình, tui sợ sến lắm nhưng tui cực thích loveline bộ này 🥺 tác giả dùng nhiều điển tích điển cố, thơ văn để miêu tả quan hệ của hai người, có tâm với con guột lắm 🥺 Mỗi lần nghe hai ảnh gọi tên tự của nhau là Mộng Quy với Kính Uyên là tui ôm tim mềm xèo 🤧 Ai nói anh Nghiêm nịnh thần chứ tui thấy ảnh nịnh vợ ảnh không à 👁️ Mảng chính trị của bộ này nhức não phết dù tác giả nói nó đơn giản 😂
“Năm ấy trước khi ta xuất chinh, ngươi có một ước nguyện, là hi vọng ta hận ngươi cả đời, bây giờ nguyện vọng kia mất linh rồi __ Ta không hận ngươi, Nghiêm huynh.”
4.5/5⭐
"Chẳng thà ngươi ước rằng, nếu ta bất hạnh tử trận, chuyện cuối cùng làm trước khi chết chính là tha thứ cho ngươi.”
“Ta chúc tướng quân kỳ khai đắc thắng, tổng khải nhi hoàn.” Tay hắn chưa từng run, nụ cười vẫn như thường, nhẹ giọng nói, “Hi vọng ngươi hận ta cả đời.”
➖➖➖
Tóm tắt nội dung như vầy: hai vị quan tướng triều đình công cao chấn chủ, trẫm ban hôn đoạn tụ cho hai đứa mài tuyệt tự mịa đi. Nghiêm Tiêu Hàn là Khâm sát sứ của Phi Long Vệ, chó săn triều đình, xử người không ghê tay, hắn là con trai nuôi của hoạn quan một tay che trời năm xưa - Đoạn Linh Lung. Sau khi Bắc Yến thiết kỵ của tướng quân Phó Thâm thất bại trở về kinh thành, y tàn phế hai chân do đá tảng rơi bên vách núi, lại đối mặt với chiếu chỉ ban hôn của Hoàng đế với tên nịnh thần không ai ưa, nổi giận đùng đùng quỳ ngoài cửa cung.
Văn án nghe có vẻ hai anh ghét nhau dữ lắm nhưng thực ra không tới nỗi, chủ yếu là vì chức vị nên phải tránh hiềm nghi thôi, một người là tâm phúc của vua, một người nhà ba đời phò tá vua dựng nước nắm binh quyền trong tay, nếu thân cận quá thì không tốt. Bộ này nửa đầu là về khúc mắc thời niên thiếu của hai người, cưới trước yêu sau ngọt như mía lùi, anh Nghiêm cưng Phó soái lên trời luôn 😂 nửa đầu truyện Phó Thâm phải ngồi xe lăn, mỗi lần Nghiêm Tiêu Hàn bênh vực tướng quân nhà ảnh tui hả hê dễ sợ, ai đụng tới Phó Thâm ảnh cho sml hết 😌 Phó Thâm miệng cứng lòng mềm, cảnh đám cưới tiêu sái cực kỳ, dù không tự đi được nhưng vẫn cưỡi ngựa tới cướp rể 💃
Nửa sau truyện là tranh chấp ngôi vị, chiến tranh các thứ, hai anh cưới nhau chưa được bao lâu đã bị khói lửa chia cách. Nghiêm Tiêu Hàn bảo kê em gái Phó Thâm, dẹp loạn triều đình chờ Bắc Yến quân quay về, siêu ngầuuu. Mấy đoạn tình như chocopie ngọt ngào lắm huhuuhu, không bị sến mà mang vẻ cứng rắn của hai vị đứng đầu triều đình, tui sợ sến lắm nhưng tui cực thích loveline bộ này 🥺 tác giả dùng nhiều điển tích điển cố, thơ văn để miêu tả quan hệ của hai người, có tâm với con guột lắm 🥺 Mỗi lần nghe hai ảnh gọi tên tự của nhau là Mộng Quy với Kính Uyên là tui ôm tim mềm xèo 🤧 Ai nói anh Nghiêm nịnh thần chứ tui thấy ảnh nịnh vợ ảnh không à 👁️ Mảng chính trị của bộ này nhức não phết dù tác giả nói nó đơn giản 😂
“Năm ấy trước khi ta xuất chinh, ngươi có một ước nguyện, là hi vọng ta hận ngươi cả đời, bây giờ nguyện vọng kia mất linh rồi __ Ta không hận ngươi, Nghiêm huynh.”
October 21, 2021
I loved Golden Stage so much! Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan are incredible together with so much unexpected sweetness and tenderness.
✔Arranged political marriage
✔Disabled MC
✔Versatile couple
✔Flirting ever chapter
✔Childhood friends to rivals to lovers
✔Enemies in public, lovers in private
✔Tons of bickering
✔Pining
✔Unconditional love
✔Power Couple
✔Political intrigue
YanFu couple is one of my favourites and the only danmei I've read with a vers couple and also a disabled MC. Golden Stage is historical romance novel with a heavy political aspect, some of which admittedly have gone over my head. But reading JWQS, Qiye and now this one, I'm definitely interested in wartime politics and scheming.
I love how both characters are strong and powerful on their own with a mutual understanding and respect, even when they were rivals. Also a couple that actually communicates with each other, YES!!! Unlike the other Chinese web novels I've read, this is only 70 chapters and 5 extras.
I loved the setting and characterisation. The translation is top notch and the footnotes make it even better. Overall, read this for the softest couple with an amazing romance!!!
“Did you not understand what I said just now?” Fu Shen said resolutely. “It���s enough for me to have you, what would I be wanting a fake reputation for?!”
✔Arranged political marriage
✔Disabled MC
✔Versatile couple
✔Flirting ever chapter
✔Childhood friends to rivals to lovers
✔Enemies in public, lovers in private
✔Tons of bickering
✔Pining
✔Unconditional love
✔Power Couple
✔Political intrigue
YanFu couple is one of my favourites and the only danmei I've read with a vers couple and also a disabled MC. Golden Stage is historical romance novel with a heavy political aspect, some of which admittedly have gone over my head. But reading JWQS, Qiye and now this one, I'm definitely interested in wartime politics and scheming.
I love how both characters are strong and powerful on their own with a mutual understanding and respect, even when they were rivals. Also a couple that actually communicates with each other, YES!!! Unlike the other Chinese web novels I've read, this is only 70 chapters and 5 extras.
I loved the setting and characterisation. The translation is top notch and the footnotes make it even better. Overall, read this for the softest couple with an amazing romance!!!
“Did you not understand what I said just now?” Fu Shen said resolutely. “It���s enough for me to have you, what would I be wanting a fake reputation for?!”
April 27, 2022
I thought I couldn’t stand sweet & fluffy, but this book proved otherwise. If done right, sweet and fluffy can be surprisingly enjoyable.
A pseudo-historical romance with a forced marriage trope between 2 former enemies, this book is considered one of the classics of danmei literature. The plot is quite riveting with court intrigues, wars against foreign invaders, scheming and revenge. If you love these, and you’re a fan sweet romance, this book is totally for you.
A pseudo-historical romance with a forced marriage trope between 2 former enemies, this book is considered one of the classics of danmei literature. The plot is quite riveting with court intrigues, wars against foreign invaders, scheming and revenge. If you love these, and you’re a fan sweet romance, this book is totally for you.
April 5, 2025
this was a lovely, short danmei that i enjoyed for the most part! i felt very immersed in the time and culture and the translation and original writing of this… there’s never been anything translated so lush and well-written. the first volume (up to chapter 44) i thoroughly enjoyed and it was absolutely phenomenal. the second volume… not so much.
firstly, the characters were quite nice and i liked their personalities a lot. they seemed to be very unique main characters. however, in the second book, i felt that they lost their individuality when they became a proper couple… but this might just be me. the side characters weren’t anything noteworthy at all but there was this side couple (that only existed through the words of others) that i was very interested in and would’ve loved to read more of.
the romance in this was very cute! i really liked the banter between the two of them and they treated each other very, very well. one of the healthiest couples in danmei for sure! there were a lot of cute scenes as well - chiefly them taking care of each other as well as the flashback scenes in their youth. but, in the second volume, i wasn’t that interested in their relationship and somehow it didn’t move me as much as it did before. also, i felt that the progression to being in love and a proper married couple happened too quickly and i wanted some more of the uncertainty/angst/middle period.
the plot in this was overall interesting. i enjoyed all the politics and warfare but not when they were delivered very factually without any scenes displaying the events. in the second volume, i felt like i was reading a long compilation of all the battles and events delivered so matter-of-factly that they had no effect and were unbelievably boring. also, things ended up being resolved far too neatly. another small thing is that i personally don’t enjoy plots with made-up drugs… so i didn’t enjoy those parts of the book that much.
(here is my review for volume 1 for vol 1 and for volume 2
firstly, the characters were quite nice and i liked their personalities a lot. they seemed to be very unique main characters. however, in the second book, i felt that they lost their individuality when they became a proper couple… but this might just be me. the side characters weren’t anything noteworthy at all but there was this side couple (that only existed through the words of others) that i was very interested in and would’ve loved to read more of.
the romance in this was very cute! i really liked the banter between the two of them and they treated each other very, very well. one of the healthiest couples in danmei for sure! there were a lot of cute scenes as well - chiefly them taking care of each other as well as the flashback scenes in their youth. but, in the second volume, i wasn’t that interested in their relationship and somehow it didn’t move me as much as it did before. also, i felt that the progression to being in love and a proper married couple happened too quickly and i wanted some more of the uncertainty/angst/middle period.
the plot in this was overall interesting. i enjoyed all the politics and warfare but not when they were delivered very factually without any scenes displaying the events. in the second volume, i felt like i was reading a long compilation of all the battles and events delivered so matter-of-factly that they had no effect and were unbelievably boring. also, things ended up being resolved far too neatly. another small thing is that i personally don’t enjoy plots with made-up drugs… so i didn’t enjoy those parts of the book that much.
(here is my review for volume 1 for vol 1 and for volume 2
September 27, 2022
Annnnd done. Probably in my top 3 danmei reads for the disability rep and the main pairing's unbearable cuteness.
November 4, 2021
I do like my Chinese bl novels but tbh, I’ve only read the two - MDZS and TYK - because I loved their adaptations and then QiYe because it seemed like a fun spinoff. So when I saw this book being talked about on my social media, I wasn’t 100% sure I wanted to check it out because I know there’s hardly any hope for bl adaptations coming out anytime soon. But then I found myself in a slump and thought, maybe this one will get me out of it. And what a beauty this turned out to be.
Firstly, I have to immensely commend the translator because their work is wonderful and there was never a point where I felt that I was’t reading a professionally translated book published by a big name publisher. The prose is beautiful, particularly in the emotional and romantic moments and there were so many times where I just felt so much (I’m basically struggling here to describe my feelings 😂).
Coming to the story itself, my major draw to pick it up was the arranged marriage trope between two “supposedly” enemies. This plotline is executed to perfection, with the characters going from friends to rivals to husbands to lovers. While the majority of the story is court politics and threats to the empire from outsiders, it’s the romance with the sweetest dialogues and heartfelt feelings that leaves a deep impression on anyone reading the book. That doesn’t mean the politics and conspiracies take a backseat - it is as juicy and fascinating as any well done palace drama with many players vying for power and influence, a paranoid emperor (who very much reminded me of the one from Nirvana in Fire) who can’t seem to place the welfare of his empire before that of his fears, attacks and occupations by many rival lands, and a couple who are loyal to each other and the people but can’t seem to find a peaceful way to live. The book was so engrossing that I actually binge read it in 2 days on my laptop, which I’ve always found difficult before.
After gushing so much about the book, how can I not talk about our main couple. Fu Shen is a military man through and through - brave and loyal and righteous, always doing everything he can to ensure the safety of the empire even if it puts him at odds with the emperor himself, knowing his survival isn’t going to be easy when the Son of Heaven himself doesn’t trust him but this doesnt stop him from standing up for himself when necessary.
Yan Xiaohan on the other hand is a very loyal lackey of the emperor himself - coming from a controversial background and despised and sneered on by the nobles, he comes across as ruthless and unscrupulous, who will use any means to achieve what the emperor wishes. But it’s evident from pretty early on that there are many sides to him and it’s fascinating to watch his behavior in various circumstances. And it was super satisfying to see him employ his ruthless tactics to protect his love.
And what can I say about them together. They have a complicated history which is slowly revealed, which just makes their arranged marriage even more fraught. But their constant bickering (even in open court) belies an underlying depth of feelings for each other, and watching them discover each other’s love was a joy to behold. Atleast one of them is in danger for a majority of the book which makes for a tense atmosphere, but the extremely sweet romantic dialogues between them just make you feel warm all over. And despite the powerful positions they hold, I was impressed by the level of communication they had and how the miscommunication trope was never even touched. I never expected to find such fluff in an intense political novel but I have to appreciate the author for balancing both the politics and love story very well.
There are many many side characters in the book but except a few, not many have long subplots. Emperor Yuantai is probably a competent ruler but my feelings are definitely clouded by the fact that he distrusted Fu Shen so much, so it was natural that I disliked him a lot. I mostly liked all the characters from the Northern Yan army because they were very protective of their general and their camaraderie was nice. Among the characters who actually aren’t present but nevertheless whose mentions really made me like them were the Prince of Su, Fu Shen’s second uncle and Yan Xiaohan’s adopted father. In a world full of snakes, they seemed like genuinely good people and it was nice to see that their qualities somewhat reflected in both the main characters.
I actually don’t know how to conclude. I probably have much to say but can’t seem to find the words. So let me conclude by saying that if you love tense and anxiety inducing Chinese palace dramas with a nice romance, then this book is perfect for you. The writing is beautiful, the story is engaging and the characters are easy to love. And if like me, you’ve loved reading QiYe, this is totally your cup of tea. Also, don’t miss the extras because you’ll definitely get some shocks.
Firstly, I have to immensely commend the translator because their work is wonderful and there was never a point where I felt that I was’t reading a professionally translated book published by a big name publisher. The prose is beautiful, particularly in the emotional and romantic moments and there were so many times where I just felt so much (I’m basically struggling here to describe my feelings 😂).
Coming to the story itself, my major draw to pick it up was the arranged marriage trope between two “supposedly” enemies. This plotline is executed to perfection, with the characters going from friends to rivals to husbands to lovers. While the majority of the story is court politics and threats to the empire from outsiders, it’s the romance with the sweetest dialogues and heartfelt feelings that leaves a deep impression on anyone reading the book. That doesn’t mean the politics and conspiracies take a backseat - it is as juicy and fascinating as any well done palace drama with many players vying for power and influence, a paranoid emperor (who very much reminded me of the one from Nirvana in Fire) who can’t seem to place the welfare of his empire before that of his fears, attacks and occupations by many rival lands, and a couple who are loyal to each other and the people but can’t seem to find a peaceful way to live. The book was so engrossing that I actually binge read it in 2 days on my laptop, which I’ve always found difficult before.
After gushing so much about the book, how can I not talk about our main couple. Fu Shen is a military man through and through - brave and loyal and righteous, always doing everything he can to ensure the safety of the empire even if it puts him at odds with the emperor himself, knowing his survival isn’t going to be easy when the Son of Heaven himself doesn’t trust him but this doesnt stop him from standing up for himself when necessary.
Yan Xiaohan on the other hand is a very loyal lackey of the emperor himself - coming from a controversial background and despised and sneered on by the nobles, he comes across as ruthless and unscrupulous, who will use any means to achieve what the emperor wishes. But it’s evident from pretty early on that there are many sides to him and it’s fascinating to watch his behavior in various circumstances. And it was super satisfying to see him employ his ruthless tactics to protect his love.
And what can I say about them together. They have a complicated history which is slowly revealed, which just makes their arranged marriage even more fraught. But their constant bickering (even in open court) belies an underlying depth of feelings for each other, and watching them discover each other’s love was a joy to behold. Atleast one of them is in danger for a majority of the book which makes for a tense atmosphere, but the extremely sweet romantic dialogues between them just make you feel warm all over. And despite the powerful positions they hold, I was impressed by the level of communication they had and how the miscommunication trope was never even touched. I never expected to find such fluff in an intense political novel but I have to appreciate the author for balancing both the politics and love story very well.
There are many many side characters in the book but except a few, not many have long subplots. Emperor Yuantai is probably a competent ruler but my feelings are definitely clouded by the fact that he distrusted Fu Shen so much, so it was natural that I disliked him a lot. I mostly liked all the characters from the Northern Yan army because they were very protective of their general and their camaraderie was nice. Among the characters who actually aren’t present but nevertheless whose mentions really made me like them were the Prince of Su, Fu Shen’s second uncle and Yan Xiaohan’s adopted father. In a world full of snakes, they seemed like genuinely good people and it was nice to see that their qualities somewhat reflected in both the main characters.
I actually don’t know how to conclude. I probably have much to say but can’t seem to find the words. So let me conclude by saying that if you love tense and anxiety inducing Chinese palace dramas with a nice romance, then this book is perfect for you. The writing is beautiful, the story is engaging and the characters are easy to love. And if like me, you’ve loved reading QiYe, this is totally your cup of tea. Also, don’t miss the extras because you’ll definitely get some shocks.
November 5, 2021
“ “To have been able to meet you is three lifetime’s worth of blessings.”
The uncomditional love and suppost and utmost resepct these characters have for each othee baffles me. I love them sm
Buddy read with bff <3
The uncomditional love and suppost and utmost resepct these characters have for each othee baffles me. I love them sm
Buddy read with bff <3
April 7, 2022
Lo logramos, me gustó mucho este danmei. No había venido a actualizarlo porque escribí la reseña en absoluto tiempo record.
https://www.neapoulain.com/2021/05/go...
Hemos vuelto para hablar de damnei. Esta vez, de una novela de romance histórico con un poco de intriga palaciega. Primero voy a poner un poco de contexto por si no saben de que estoy hablando y luego a tratar varios temas. El genero danmei (en chino: 耽美; dān měi; la traducción literal en inglés es indulging beauty) es un genero literario (aunque se usa también con otro tipo de medio) en china que narra historias BL (sí, usualmente BL, para el GL, el amor entre mujeres, se usa la palabra baihe y ya les hablaré de él tan pronto como lea algunas novelas pendientes del género). Hoy en día también podría ser considerado un movimiento cultural para escribir historias queer o LGBT en China, donde hay mucha censura (Wikipedia en inglés dice que es una "alternativa" a las "historias queer reales", lo cual me parece una visión demasiado occidental de "cómo debe ser la literatura queer" y si nunca nos quitamos los estereotipos gringos de la cabeza pues no llegaremos a ningún lado: el danmei es BL y es explítico en el sentido de romance).
Golden Stage es la segunda novela del género que leo y quiero hablar de muchas cosas sobre ella. Primero, un poco de contexto. Del chino 黄金台 (Huáng Jīn Tái en pinyín), Golden Stage es una novela de la autora Cāng Wú Bīn Bái (苍梧 宾 白), publicada online en 2018. En este lado del charco la autopublicación o publicación online todavía es muy mal vista, pero en china es todo un fenómeno y representa grandes ingresos para la industria editorial en general, tanto que incluso Liu Cixin la menciona en uno de los ensayos publicados al final de Planetas Invisibles.
Esta es una novela ambientada en un setting histórico (no pude encontrar exactamente en qué época estaba inspirada, pero definitivamente en algún momento del medievo; como dato curioso es que pueden revisar en wikipedia lo documentadas que estuvieron muchas relaciones entre hombres en la élite de la Antigua China en la maravillosa wikipedia que tiene citas a las investigaciones y libros y etcétera, por si les interesa el tema, porque tendemos a creer que en todos lados pasaba lo mismo que en algunos lados de la Europa Católica y pues... no, considerar lo que ocurría en Europa como universal son visiones muy necias de la historia..., el caso es que existían relaciones entre hombres incluso cuando no se nombraban de la misma forma que ahora), romance puro (uno de los géneros que menos leo) e intrigas palaciegas (la única manera en que me hacen leer romance).
Obviamente es una obra que no está traducida oficialmente, así que, ¿dónde la pueden leer? Al inglés la tradujo Chichi en Chichi's Dives, su blog (aunque los primeros capítulos fueron traducidos originalmente por penhappy, ahí está el link), también, por 0,0 dólares se puede conseguir su epub en su kofi. En español hay dos traducciones, ambas indirectas, ninguna es del mandarín, ambas son del inglés, la primera es la de Ari Lan en wattpad que no está completa pero estilísticamente es la que me pareció mejor y la de ZiXi, también en wattpad, que está completa y bastante bien hecha (aunque hay unos capítulos que por lo que vi se beneficiarían de una editada por cuestiones de la traducción, pero son sólo unos pocos). Todas son traducciones no autorizadas originalmente, pero es la única manera que existe para acceder al danmei, hablamos de eso en la reseña de Mo Dao Zu Shi.
Así pues, quiero hablar de leer romance un poco, por qué BL y por qué no me gusta el romance mainstream para que se entienda muy bien por qué me gustó tanto esta novela.
Contra el romance mainstream
No es ningún secreto que desprecio abiertamente el romance mainstream. Hace muchos años, Nicholas Sparks estaba de moda (y de alguna manera siempre decían que él escribía historias de amor y no romance, porque el romance es de las autoras, misoginia much), Danielle Steel también en el área de romance para señoras (leí alguna de sus novelas), Nora Roberts (sé que acabó detestando el fanfiction, más no), la vanidades tenía novelas cortitas de Corín Tellado (las devoré enteras a pesar de odiarlas con pasión) y yo me preguntaba si había algo más alejado de la concepción del amor romántico que iba de un lado a otro. Mujeres que no podían vivir sin un hombre, mujeres aparentemente liberadas que acababan sometiéndose a los brazos de un hombre (no se hablaba del romance nunca en términos en los que se pudiera entrever alguna otra liberación o cierto sentido de igualdad), historias donde las mujeres eran vistas como puros y simples objetos (escritas por hombres o por mujeres, sin distinción, aunque los escritoros siempre han sido más propensos a regalarnos descripciones asquerosas sobre pechos).
Enter: manga BL. Yaoi o shounen ai en aquellas épocas, dependiendo de qué tan explícito fuera. No había mujeres a las que hacer objetos y lo escribían mujeres en su mayoría (no únicamente, decir que el manga BL es sólo escrito por mujeres para mujeres es bastante inexacto). No estaba libre de problemas, claro: podías encontrarte historias donde se repetían las mismas dinámicas heterosexuales donde la mujer era sólo un objeto de la nada y sin venir a cuento, historias donde el consentimiento ni siquiera era considerado (como ha ocurrido desde siempre en el romance mainstream, cada que lo quiere hacer algo exclusivo del BL asiático lloro) como Ten Count (uno de mis rants más famosos del tema), pero de repente te encontrabas algo interesante, bonito, bien contado, otra forma de ver el romance. Se replicaba a veces en el GL (menos traducido y mucho de él producido para la mirada masculina). El caso es que sí había otras formas de pensar las historias de romance.
Cuando yo era adolescente, las historias LGBT juveniles estaban teniendo un boom bastante interesante (antes ya existían, obviamente, aunque Patricia Highsmith en el afterword de Carol explicaba los prejuicios). David Levithan tenía libros sobre adolescentes descubriendo su sexualidad y hablando abiértamente sobre ella (la voz narrativa de Two Boys Kissing todavía me resulta muy interesante, porque abordaba la historia de la epidemia del VIH, reconociendo lo que había venido antes, y ofrecía cierta perspectiva en las historias adolescentes), empezó a considerarse un género "Literatura LGBT" (ojo que considero la etiqueta útil en un mundo que no ha dejado ver el hetero como default, pero me niego a considerarla un género, puesto que historias como estas se pueden contar en todos los géneros, del realismo a la fantasía) y parecía que iban a pasar cosas. Y luego dejaron de pasar, al menos en lo mainstream. De diez historias, nueve seguían la misma trama. La industria editorial (en especial la gringa) dijo: ten, puedes tener historias LGBT, pero la mayoría serán historias sobre salir del closet y tienes prohibido salir de ahí. Que hartancia.
La representación o simplemente la visibilidad sólo tenía un modo de ser. Además, se pedían toda clase de cosas ridículas a la ficción. Antes que contar historias, se pedían fabulas; los personajes LGBT no tenían derecho a cometer errores ni a ser malos ni a ser "problemáticos" (desprecio también esa palabra). "Que no sean muy sexuales porque el estereotipo, pero que tampoco sean demasiado pudorosos", "que sea buena representación", "que denuncies la homofobia sí o sí" (este me toca la moral porque yo escribo mundos donde no existe la homofobia por convicción política y la mejor respuesta que he tenido ha sido siempre de adolescentes). En fin, de repente se olvidaba que la comunidad LGBT también tenía derecho a contar sus historias (en general) cómo se les diera la gana y que, al margen de todo eso, también teníamos derecho a romances bien contados de estos personajes. Que podíamos sentarnos y pensar el género del romance desde otros vértices.
No considero una casualidad que el romance que consumo sea todo juvenil latinoamericano (excepciones, finalmente, las hay), asiático (manga, danmei, manhua), LGBT y fanfiquero. Son lugares donde constantemente se piensa el romance de otra manera, con otras convenciones sociales y se exploran historias con otra forma de contar. Mientras leía Golden Stage pensé mucho en eso, porque llevo años leyendo muy poco romance lejos de los fanfics. Y sí me preguntaba: ¿por qué me gusta esto y no el romance mainstream? Al final, la respuesta no es demasiado díficil: en relaciones LGBT es más fácil encontrar historias que no repitan dinámicas del carajo que vemos tanto en relaciones hetero. No tengo que ver al hombre enojadísimo que rompe la pared en una escena de celos con la mujer. Es un territorio más seguro donde se pueden explorar muchas cosas. Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan, los protagonistas, tienen una relación de la que no te puedes desprender desde el principio. Así pues, puedo centrarme como tal en esta novela.
Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan
Los protagonistas son evidentemente, los personajes más delineados de Cang Wu Bin Bai en esta novela. Fu Shen, marques de Jin Ning, familia rica, poderosa y conexiones políticas. También miembro del ejército. Yan Xiaohan, comandante de la Guardia Imperial en el norte, miembro de la Guardian del Dragón Volador (translation made in Nea, porque leí esta novela en inglés). En apariencia, sus caminos no van Da juntarse nunca, son de contextos bastante diferentes como mantenerse separados dentro del pequeño cosmos de la China Imperial; se han encontrado un par de veces, pero ya y no mucho más. Hasta que el emperador decide lo contrario y proclama un edicto real que los obliga a casarse por motivos políticos. Así, como si nada.
Algo que me gusta mucho de los personajes en la novela es que, ya que todo el peso de la trama está sobre ellos, la autora juega mucho con los clichés y estereotipos de las relaciones BL para crear una relación preciosa e interesante. Algo muy común en este tipo de historias, sobre todo de las que vienen de asia es que no se habla de versatilidad (y no puedo decir nada de lo mainstream gringo, porque allí prácticamente no se habla de sexualidad tan abiertamente si no es romance más erótico), pero aquí es muy claro que los personajes no tienen un rol estrictamente definido en su relación (no hablando sólo en lo sexual), se juega con la idea de que un personaje tiene que ser por fuerza la esposa (concepciones de la Antigua China, por supuesto, o más bien de este universo casi histórico sobre china) y sobre el cliché de que el esposo es siempre el personaje más alto, de más edad (en este caso, sería Yan Xiaohan, excepto que Fu Shen dijo fuck it, no) para voltearlo y hacer con él lo que quiera. Cin de Palabras y letras lo aborda mucho más en su reseña.
Sobre matrimonios arreglados: creo que estamos acostumbrados a oír historias sobre ellos en épocas antiguas y quizá más recientes (hoy todavía en India suele ser común "medio arreglar" los matrimonios, aunque obviamente la idea es que los novios se conozcan antes de casarse) y a mí es un tropo que me resulta interesante cuando se habla abiertamente de la situación en la que aterrizan los protagonistas. Me gusta que la novela sea especialmente explítica al narrar el enamoramiento gradual entre ambos y las consideraciones que se tienen incluso antes de saber qué están enamorados. Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan cuidan del otro (no sin ser egoistas, idiotas algunas veces o ponerse en peligro innecesariamente), se respetan y, lo más importante, hablan.
No soporto un romance donde la única fuente de trama sea la misma pareja ya establecida: peleas, celos, infidelidades, dramas inútiles que puedo ver en la telenovela de las cinco. No niego que la falta de comunicación conduzca a grandes tramas de romance (ahí tienen a Mo Dao Zu Shi, donde los personajes son más herméticos y el no decir y no preguntar hace que no se den cuenta de que están perdidos el uno por el otro), pero cuando gran parte de la trama es construir el romance en una pareja que se establece muy al principio de un libro me gusta que sepan resolver sus diferencias, que se pueda apreciar cierta madurez, incluso en los errores, que los personajes sepan (o aprendan) a disculparse en los errores y que aprendan a convivir. Pasa mucho con Golden Stage. Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan hablan todo el tiempo e incluso cuando pasan épocas separados, tienen al otro en consideración.
Uno de mis momentos favoritos entre los dos es recién al principio de la novela (es una novela muy larga, mi kindle contó casi 900 páginas), apenas tras la boda, cuando se menciona que Yan Xiaohan adaptó su casa (gran parte de ella, al menos), aunque sabe que quizá no pasen demasiado tiempo allí, para que Fu Shen pueda moverse en su silla cómodamente. Los momentos así son comunes entre los dos, tienen en muy alta estima el cuidar del otro. Incluso cuando no se sienten merecedores de la posición que ocupan (Fu Shen porque siente ser una carga para alguien más; Yan Xiaohan porque no quiere manchar el estatus de marqués de Fu Shen: a pesar de que su matrimonio fue ordenado por el emperador por motivos políticos y es muy explícito desde el principio que están permitidos los matrimonios entre hombres entre las élites, no escapan de los chismes y las habladurías... y Yan Xiaohan no es noble, además de todo, su clase pesa).
Además a la relación se le suma que ambos personajes son resultan divertidos en su manera de expresarse respecto al otro y que, como el misterio envuelve a la corte, no nos quedamos sin drama palaciego que leer. Partes de la novela son también muy políticas y quizá si van sólo buscando el romance eso les resulte cansado, pero yo lo disfruté mucho también: podemos ver muchas facetas de los protagonistas y la autora es buena uniendo los hilos del misterio en la corte imperial (y por qué el emperador deseaba a Yan Xiaohan lo más cerca posible de su corte).
Si quieren una historia de amor e intriga palaciega, esta es definitivamente la que están buscando.
Romance en otras fronteras (conclusiones)
Me tranquiliza mucho pensar que no es que esté negada a las historias románticas, sino que me gustan otras cosas alejadas del mainstream, donde la imaginación tiene más lugar (toda la evocación de este mundo antiguo, cómo se representa, cómo se habla de la muerte, de los ancestros, de otras filosofías) y donde no tengo que ver a ninguna persona ser considerada un objeto y nada más (especialmente a las mujeres, tengo que decirlo, pasa mucho con ellas). El danmei es un buen lugar para explorar todas esas cosas que, además, considerado lo largas que son las historias (con 900 páginas esta es una "no muy larga") es posible tratar muchos temas de manera pausada y tranquila.
Como conclusión les digo que esta también es una buena obra para acercarse al danmei si les gusta lo palaciego y además es un plus poder leerla de manera gratuita (aunque si quieren apoyan a los autores, siempre hay maneras de comprar los raws originales, aunque sea sólo para ver lo bonitos que se ven en mandarín). Les recomiendo Golden Stage, por supuesto. Sí es un libro que exige cierta atención para seguir el ritmo del misterio, pero nada imposible. Hay además una carrd con información de la novela y links a la guía de personajes si la necesitan (lo que no tiene bien es el link a la traducción en español, pero se las dejé arriba). Los nombres asiáticos pueden ser complicados, pero eso es sólo porque no estamos acostumbrados a ellos: les juro que a ellos Juan Pérez les suena igual de raro (y por eso en este blog nos da flojera la excusa de que no leen cosas asiáticas sólo porque los nombres son difíciles, apesta un poco a racismo).
https://www.neapoulain.com/2021/05/go...
Hemos vuelto para hablar de damnei. Esta vez, de una novela de romance histórico con un poco de intriga palaciega. Primero voy a poner un poco de contexto por si no saben de que estoy hablando y luego a tratar varios temas. El genero danmei (en chino: 耽美; dān měi; la traducción literal en inglés es indulging beauty) es un genero literario (aunque se usa también con otro tipo de medio) en china que narra historias BL (sí, usualmente BL, para el GL, el amor entre mujeres, se usa la palabra baihe y ya les hablaré de él tan pronto como lea algunas novelas pendientes del género). Hoy en día también podría ser considerado un movimiento cultural para escribir historias queer o LGBT en China, donde hay mucha censura (Wikipedia en inglés dice que es una "alternativa" a las "historias queer reales", lo cual me parece una visión demasiado occidental de "cómo debe ser la literatura queer" y si nunca nos quitamos los estereotipos gringos de la cabeza pues no llegaremos a ningún lado: el danmei es BL y es explítico en el sentido de romance).
Golden Stage es la segunda novela del género que leo y quiero hablar de muchas cosas sobre ella. Primero, un poco de contexto. Del chino 黄金台 (Huáng Jīn Tái en pinyín), Golden Stage es una novela de la autora Cāng Wú Bīn Bái (苍梧 宾 白), publicada online en 2018. En este lado del charco la autopublicación o publicación online todavía es muy mal vista, pero en china es todo un fenómeno y representa grandes ingresos para la industria editorial en general, tanto que incluso Liu Cixin la menciona en uno de los ensayos publicados al final de Planetas Invisibles.
Esta es una novela ambientada en un setting histórico (no pude encontrar exactamente en qué época estaba inspirada, pero definitivamente en algún momento del medievo; como dato curioso es que pueden revisar en wikipedia lo documentadas que estuvieron muchas relaciones entre hombres en la élite de la Antigua China en la maravillosa wikipedia que tiene citas a las investigaciones y libros y etcétera, por si les interesa el tema, porque tendemos a creer que en todos lados pasaba lo mismo que en algunos lados de la Europa Católica y pues... no, considerar lo que ocurría en Europa como universal son visiones muy necias de la historia..., el caso es que existían relaciones entre hombres incluso cuando no se nombraban de la misma forma que ahora), romance puro (uno de los géneros que menos leo) e intrigas palaciegas (la única manera en que me hacen leer romance).
Obviamente es una obra que no está traducida oficialmente, así que, ¿dónde la pueden leer? Al inglés la tradujo Chichi en Chichi's Dives, su blog (aunque los primeros capítulos fueron traducidos originalmente por penhappy, ahí está el link), también, por 0,0 dólares se puede conseguir su epub en su kofi. En español hay dos traducciones, ambas indirectas, ninguna es del mandarín, ambas son del inglés, la primera es la de Ari Lan en wattpad que no está completa pero estilísticamente es la que me pareció mejor y la de ZiXi, también en wattpad, que está completa y bastante bien hecha (aunque hay unos capítulos que por lo que vi se beneficiarían de una editada por cuestiones de la traducción, pero son sólo unos pocos). Todas son traducciones no autorizadas originalmente, pero es la única manera que existe para acceder al danmei, hablamos de eso en la reseña de Mo Dao Zu Shi.
Así pues, quiero hablar de leer romance un poco, por qué BL y por qué no me gusta el romance mainstream para que se entienda muy bien por qué me gustó tanto esta novela.
Contra el romance mainstream
No es ningún secreto que desprecio abiertamente el romance mainstream. Hace muchos años, Nicholas Sparks estaba de moda (y de alguna manera siempre decían que él escribía historias de amor y no romance, porque el romance es de las autoras, misoginia much), Danielle Steel también en el área de romance para señoras (leí alguna de sus novelas), Nora Roberts (sé que acabó detestando el fanfiction, más no), la vanidades tenía novelas cortitas de Corín Tellado (las devoré enteras a pesar de odiarlas con pasión) y yo me preguntaba si había algo más alejado de la concepción del amor romántico que iba de un lado a otro. Mujeres que no podían vivir sin un hombre, mujeres aparentemente liberadas que acababan sometiéndose a los brazos de un hombre (no se hablaba del romance nunca en términos en los que se pudiera entrever alguna otra liberación o cierto sentido de igualdad), historias donde las mujeres eran vistas como puros y simples objetos (escritas por hombres o por mujeres, sin distinción, aunque los escritoros siempre han sido más propensos a regalarnos descripciones asquerosas sobre pechos).
Enter: manga BL. Yaoi o shounen ai en aquellas épocas, dependiendo de qué tan explícito fuera. No había mujeres a las que hacer objetos y lo escribían mujeres en su mayoría (no únicamente, decir que el manga BL es sólo escrito por mujeres para mujeres es bastante inexacto). No estaba libre de problemas, claro: podías encontrarte historias donde se repetían las mismas dinámicas heterosexuales donde la mujer era sólo un objeto de la nada y sin venir a cuento, historias donde el consentimiento ni siquiera era considerado (como ha ocurrido desde siempre en el romance mainstream, cada que lo quiere hacer algo exclusivo del BL asiático lloro) como Ten Count (uno de mis rants más famosos del tema), pero de repente te encontrabas algo interesante, bonito, bien contado, otra forma de ver el romance. Se replicaba a veces en el GL (menos traducido y mucho de él producido para la mirada masculina). El caso es que sí había otras formas de pensar las historias de romance.
Cuando yo era adolescente, las historias LGBT juveniles estaban teniendo un boom bastante interesante (antes ya existían, obviamente, aunque Patricia Highsmith en el afterword de Carol explicaba los prejuicios). David Levithan tenía libros sobre adolescentes descubriendo su sexualidad y hablando abiértamente sobre ella (la voz narrativa de Two Boys Kissing todavía me resulta muy interesante, porque abordaba la historia de la epidemia del VIH, reconociendo lo que había venido antes, y ofrecía cierta perspectiva en las historias adolescentes), empezó a considerarse un género "Literatura LGBT" (ojo que considero la etiqueta útil en un mundo que no ha dejado ver el hetero como default, pero me niego a considerarla un género, puesto que historias como estas se pueden contar en todos los géneros, del realismo a la fantasía) y parecía que iban a pasar cosas. Y luego dejaron de pasar, al menos en lo mainstream. De diez historias, nueve seguían la misma trama. La industria editorial (en especial la gringa) dijo: ten, puedes tener historias LGBT, pero la mayoría serán historias sobre salir del closet y tienes prohibido salir de ahí. Que hartancia.
La representación o simplemente la visibilidad sólo tenía un modo de ser. Además, se pedían toda clase de cosas ridículas a la ficción. Antes que contar historias, se pedían fabulas; los personajes LGBT no tenían derecho a cometer errores ni a ser malos ni a ser "problemáticos" (desprecio también esa palabra). "Que no sean muy sexuales porque el estereotipo, pero que tampoco sean demasiado pudorosos", "que sea buena representación", "que denuncies la homofobia sí o sí" (este me toca la moral porque yo escribo mundos donde no existe la homofobia por convicción política y la mejor respuesta que he tenido ha sido siempre de adolescentes). En fin, de repente se olvidaba que la comunidad LGBT también tenía derecho a contar sus historias (en general) cómo se les diera la gana y que, al margen de todo eso, también teníamos derecho a romances bien contados de estos personajes. Que podíamos sentarnos y pensar el género del romance desde otros vértices.
No considero una casualidad que el romance que consumo sea todo juvenil latinoamericano (excepciones, finalmente, las hay), asiático (manga, danmei, manhua), LGBT y fanfiquero. Son lugares donde constantemente se piensa el romance de otra manera, con otras convenciones sociales y se exploran historias con otra forma de contar. Mientras leía Golden Stage pensé mucho en eso, porque llevo años leyendo muy poco romance lejos de los fanfics. Y sí me preguntaba: ¿por qué me gusta esto y no el romance mainstream? Al final, la respuesta no es demasiado díficil: en relaciones LGBT es más fácil encontrar historias que no repitan dinámicas del carajo que vemos tanto en relaciones hetero. No tengo que ver al hombre enojadísimo que rompe la pared en una escena de celos con la mujer. Es un territorio más seguro donde se pueden explorar muchas cosas. Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan, los protagonistas, tienen una relación de la que no te puedes desprender desde el principio. Así pues, puedo centrarme como tal en esta novela.
Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan
Los protagonistas son evidentemente, los personajes más delineados de Cang Wu Bin Bai en esta novela. Fu Shen, marques de Jin Ning, familia rica, poderosa y conexiones políticas. También miembro del ejército. Yan Xiaohan, comandante de la Guardia Imperial en el norte, miembro de la Guardian del Dragón Volador (translation made in Nea, porque leí esta novela en inglés). En apariencia, sus caminos no van Da juntarse nunca, son de contextos bastante diferentes como mantenerse separados dentro del pequeño cosmos de la China Imperial; se han encontrado un par de veces, pero ya y no mucho más. Hasta que el emperador decide lo contrario y proclama un edicto real que los obliga a casarse por motivos políticos. Así, como si nada.
Algo que me gusta mucho de los personajes en la novela es que, ya que todo el peso de la trama está sobre ellos, la autora juega mucho con los clichés y estereotipos de las relaciones BL para crear una relación preciosa e interesante. Algo muy común en este tipo de historias, sobre todo de las que vienen de asia es que no se habla de versatilidad (y no puedo decir nada de lo mainstream gringo, porque allí prácticamente no se habla de sexualidad tan abiertamente si no es romance más erótico), pero aquí es muy claro que los personajes no tienen un rol estrictamente definido en su relación (no hablando sólo en lo sexual), se juega con la idea de que un personaje tiene que ser por fuerza la esposa (concepciones de la Antigua China, por supuesto, o más bien de este universo casi histórico sobre china) y sobre el cliché de que el esposo es siempre el personaje más alto, de más edad (en este caso, sería Yan Xiaohan, excepto que Fu Shen dijo fuck it, no) para voltearlo y hacer con él lo que quiera. Cin de Palabras y letras lo aborda mucho más en su reseña.
Sobre matrimonios arreglados: creo que estamos acostumbrados a oír historias sobre ellos en épocas antiguas y quizá más recientes (hoy todavía en India suele ser común "medio arreglar" los matrimonios, aunque obviamente la idea es que los novios se conozcan antes de casarse) y a mí es un tropo que me resulta interesante cuando se habla abiertamente de la situación en la que aterrizan los protagonistas. Me gusta que la novela sea especialmente explítica al narrar el enamoramiento gradual entre ambos y las consideraciones que se tienen incluso antes de saber qué están enamorados. Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan cuidan del otro (no sin ser egoistas, idiotas algunas veces o ponerse en peligro innecesariamente), se respetan y, lo más importante, hablan.
No soporto un romance donde la única fuente de trama sea la misma pareja ya establecida: peleas, celos, infidelidades, dramas inútiles que puedo ver en la telenovela de las cinco. No niego que la falta de comunicación conduzca a grandes tramas de romance (ahí tienen a Mo Dao Zu Shi, donde los personajes son más herméticos y el no decir y no preguntar hace que no se den cuenta de que están perdidos el uno por el otro), pero cuando gran parte de la trama es construir el romance en una pareja que se establece muy al principio de un libro me gusta que sepan resolver sus diferencias, que se pueda apreciar cierta madurez, incluso en los errores, que los personajes sepan (o aprendan) a disculparse en los errores y que aprendan a convivir. Pasa mucho con Golden Stage. Fu Shen y Yan Xiaohan hablan todo el tiempo e incluso cuando pasan épocas separados, tienen al otro en consideración.
Uno de mis momentos favoritos entre los dos es recién al principio de la novela (es una novela muy larga, mi kindle contó casi 900 páginas), apenas tras la boda, cuando se menciona que Yan Xiaohan adaptó su casa (gran parte de ella, al menos), aunque sabe que quizá no pasen demasiado tiempo allí, para que Fu Shen pueda moverse en su silla cómodamente. Los momentos así son comunes entre los dos, tienen en muy alta estima el cuidar del otro. Incluso cuando no se sienten merecedores de la posición que ocupan (Fu Shen porque siente ser una carga para alguien más; Yan Xiaohan porque no quiere manchar el estatus de marqués de Fu Shen: a pesar de que su matrimonio fue ordenado por el emperador por motivos políticos y es muy explícito desde el principio que están permitidos los matrimonios entre hombres entre las élites, no escapan de los chismes y las habladurías... y Yan Xiaohan no es noble, además de todo, su clase pesa).
Además a la relación se le suma que ambos personajes son resultan divertidos en su manera de expresarse respecto al otro y que, como el misterio envuelve a la corte, no nos quedamos sin drama palaciego que leer. Partes de la novela son también muy políticas y quizá si van sólo buscando el romance eso les resulte cansado, pero yo lo disfruté mucho también: podemos ver muchas facetas de los protagonistas y la autora es buena uniendo los hilos del misterio en la corte imperial (y por qué el emperador deseaba a Yan Xiaohan lo más cerca posible de su corte).
Si quieren una historia de amor e intriga palaciega, esta es definitivamente la que están buscando.
Romance en otras fronteras (conclusiones)
Me tranquiliza mucho pensar que no es que esté negada a las historias románticas, sino que me gustan otras cosas alejadas del mainstream, donde la imaginación tiene más lugar (toda la evocación de este mundo antiguo, cómo se representa, cómo se habla de la muerte, de los ancestros, de otras filosofías) y donde no tengo que ver a ninguna persona ser considerada un objeto y nada más (especialmente a las mujeres, tengo que decirlo, pasa mucho con ellas). El danmei es un buen lugar para explorar todas esas cosas que, además, considerado lo largas que son las historias (con 900 páginas esta es una "no muy larga") es posible tratar muchos temas de manera pausada y tranquila.
Como conclusión les digo que esta también es una buena obra para acercarse al danmei si les gusta lo palaciego y además es un plus poder leerla de manera gratuita (aunque si quieren apoyan a los autores, siempre hay maneras de comprar los raws originales, aunque sea sólo para ver lo bonitos que se ven en mandarín). Les recomiendo Golden Stage, por supuesto. Sí es un libro que exige cierta atención para seguir el ritmo del misterio, pero nada imposible. Hay además una carrd con información de la novela y links a la guía de personajes si la necesitan (lo que no tiene bien es el link a la traducción en español, pero se las dejé arriba). Los nombres asiáticos pueden ser complicados, pero eso es sólo porque no estamos acostumbrados a ellos: les juro que a ellos Juan Pérez les suena igual de raro (y por eso en este blog nos da flojera la excusa de que no leen cosas asiáticas sólo porque los nombres son difíciles, apesta un poco a racismo).
March 10, 2022
I adored this book. Of course, as most people comment on, the main couple has a beautiful relationship. In addition to that, the plot is thorough and thought-provoking, providing a vivid backdrop for the characters' personalities to come out. It's not as dry as the description "court politics and scheming" might possibly suggest. There's mystery and action involved, and the situations that the characters face are realistic and relatable despite happening in a setting and amidst circumstances quite removed from our own.
First, the characters. Characters are most important to me, and I love the ones in this book. Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan have distinctive personalities and ways of thinking and showing their affection, and the author gives us a detailed view and understanding of them. While I was reading, I felt comfortingly as if I was hanging out with them. Especially in the first half when all the tense drama had yet to kick up, it always gave me a warm feeling to open up this novel. Their relationship is, as many people have mentioned, very healthy--although they do get angry at each other and neither one is perfect, the author doesn't skip over how they deal with their conflicts and differences, and I think it's done very well. Both are intelligent and highly capable, dealing with their own problems and duties while helping the other. I find characters like that inspiring and delightful to read.
It's not really the typical enemies-to-lovers plot that the summary would imply, as other people have already pointed out, but it's not like they don't have conflict, either. They do have genuine, major issues that need to be worked out before they can properly unite as a couple. To me, it feels natural--not dramatic, but the tensions slowly get massaged out as you read.
As for the political/historical context, I can see why it wouldn't necessarily be everyone's cup of tea. There are a lot of names, cultural/literary references, etc.; if anyone just wants a casual and easy read, it might be a lot to follow. It's denser and more serious than other more well-known works in the danmei genre. I didn't think it was too much, though. The political and military-related plot aspects are usually mixed in with teasing or light chatting between the main characters, or action, so it never feels like an info-dump. The prose is also well-composed (I read the Chichilations translation) so even just the writing itself is enjoyable to consume regardless of what's happening. Chichi also very helpfully links to Wikipedia pages or full translations of the poems referenced, or explains the Chinese puns. Fun stuff.
What I like most about the plot, though, is that it made me reflect about many things including human nature, the role of a person in society, the responsibility that comes with agency, gender roles, familial dynamics and responsibility to others both personally and professionally, etc... all things that everyone encounters at some point in life, struggles and dilemmas that feel personal and timeless. I often feel like I'm reading to escape from life, but this book made me look at life instead and think critically about what I'm doing. I appreciate that.
I also like that the book doesn't make a microcosm of Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan's relationship. They are constantly having to deal with situations being forced on them and making them separate or put themselves at risk. It's good to see them juggle their intimate relationship and devotion to one another with their duties to the country and the other people they have ties of allegiance to.
Lastly, the extras! They're great, especially the last one about the Prince of Su and Fu Tingxin. Such a cute and heartwarming story, told so concisely. A nice surprise and treat.
Overall, I love this book very much and it will remain... one of my favorites. (No, I don't say that about everything, I've just been reading a lot of good books lately. :')
First, the characters. Characters are most important to me, and I love the ones in this book. Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan have distinctive personalities and ways of thinking and showing their affection, and the author gives us a detailed view and understanding of them. While I was reading, I felt comfortingly as if I was hanging out with them. Especially in the first half when all the tense drama had yet to kick up, it always gave me a warm feeling to open up this novel. Their relationship is, as many people have mentioned, very healthy--although they do get angry at each other and neither one is perfect, the author doesn't skip over how they deal with their conflicts and differences, and I think it's done very well. Both are intelligent and highly capable, dealing with their own problems and duties while helping the other. I find characters like that inspiring and delightful to read.
It's not really the typical enemies-to-lovers plot that the summary would imply, as other people have already pointed out, but it's not like they don't have conflict, either. They do have genuine, major issues that need to be worked out before they can properly unite as a couple. To me, it feels natural--not dramatic, but the tensions slowly get massaged out as you read.
As for the political/historical context, I can see why it wouldn't necessarily be everyone's cup of tea. There are a lot of names, cultural/literary references, etc.; if anyone just wants a casual and easy read, it might be a lot to follow. It's denser and more serious than other more well-known works in the danmei genre. I didn't think it was too much, though. The political and military-related plot aspects are usually mixed in with teasing or light chatting between the main characters, or action, so it never feels like an info-dump. The prose is also well-composed (I read the Chichilations translation) so even just the writing itself is enjoyable to consume regardless of what's happening. Chichi also very helpfully links to Wikipedia pages or full translations of the poems referenced, or explains the Chinese puns. Fun stuff.
What I like most about the plot, though, is that it made me reflect about many things including human nature, the role of a person in society, the responsibility that comes with agency, gender roles, familial dynamics and responsibility to others both personally and professionally, etc... all things that everyone encounters at some point in life, struggles and dilemmas that feel personal and timeless. I often feel like I'm reading to escape from life, but this book made me look at life instead and think critically about what I'm doing. I appreciate that.
I also like that the book doesn't make a microcosm of Fu Shen and Yan Xiaohan's relationship. They are constantly having to deal with situations being forced on them and making them separate or put themselves at risk. It's good to see them juggle their intimate relationship and devotion to one another with their duties to the country and the other people they have ties of allegiance to.
Lastly, the extras! They're great, especially the last one about the Prince of Su and Fu Tingxin. Such a cute and heartwarming story, told so concisely. A nice surprise and treat.
Overall, I love this book very much and it will remain... one of my favorites. (No, I don't say that about everything, I've just been reading a lot of good books lately. :')
September 15, 2020
so good ♡ ♡
friends to 'enemies' to lovers... arranged marriage... fluff and politics... everything I could wish for. it's an Chinese novel but it's been translated online so check out goldenstageinfo.carrd.co if you're interested!!
friends to 'enemies' to lovers... arranged marriage... fluff and politics... everything I could wish for. it's an Chinese novel but it's been translated online so check out goldenstageinfo.carrd.co if you're interested!!
September 22, 2024
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH
One of the healthiest couples I've read about (and trust me, I had my fair share of romance) but the author added other elements and conflicts, making it not boring at all.
Ah this is the most genuine 5* I've given in a long time.
5/5*
One of the healthiest couples I've read about (and trust me, I had my fair share of romance) but the author added other elements and conflicts, making it not boring at all.
Ah this is the most genuine 5* I've given in a long time.
5/5*
September 5, 2021
2.5 and this is a time I really wish I could give half stars, because I feel 2 stars is too little and 3 is too much, but it feels better to round down to 2.
I'm on a roll this week! 🥳
I was very bored while reading this book, but I also couldn't stop for the most part of it which is a weird combo. I feel it's a well made story, but I wasn't into the romance (it didn't give me any feels) and the politics didn't caught me either.
I'm sad I didn't like it like I wanted to 😔
I'm on a roll this week! 🥳
I was very bored while reading this book, but I also couldn't stop for the most part of it which is a weird combo. I feel it's a well made story, but I wasn't into the romance (it didn't give me any feels) and the politics didn't caught me either.
I'm sad I didn't like it like I wanted to 😔
December 9, 2021
Dnf %50, chapter 37 (I can’t finish a book these days 😭)
This was on me. The book is good, just not for me. I was bored, each time I finished a chapter I didn’t want to continue.
I couldn’t entirely understand the hero.
I don’t know, the book didn’t give the idea of a ruthless, violent type of story; and every time the MCs did something terrible, it always left me feeling surprised like I was reading another book.
Apart from that, I wasn’t very connected with the story... the romance felt rushed in all the bits I care about.
How did the General overcome his shyness and inexperience? How did Yan summoned the courage to be so blunt in his pursue? When did Fu Shen realized he preferred men?
How did they go from distrusting each other (and with good reasons!) to then end up confiding absolutely every detail of their secret, life-threatening plans to each other just like that? They never talked about why Yan stopped being the faithful dog of the emperor!
I felt like the story was told by someone omitting things. It reminded me of reading Wuthering Heights; I wanted Heathcliff’s POV, not only the one of the lady who took care of them when he and Cathy were children! 😂. I felt the same way here, I missed all the good parts and details! And I’m not (only) talking about sex🙈. There is not only fade-to-black here but total missing pieces of the love story, IMO. Whole months could go by in a single sentence. And the dynamic of their interaction could change instantly without even letting me notice why or when.
I didn’t see this as enemies to lovers either. As I see it, they were always secretly in love with each other.
The political machinations bored me, I skimmed most of it 🙈. My main issue with it wasn’t the mystery on itself, but the way it was told didn’t let me care at all. Except for the Main Couple, I couldn’t care less for any of the secondary characters and motives, if they even had them
This was on me. The book is good, just not for me. I was bored, each time I finished a chapter I didn’t want to continue.
I couldn’t entirely understand the hero.
I don’t know, the book didn’t give the idea of a ruthless, violent type of story; and every time the MCs did something terrible, it always left me feeling surprised like I was reading another book.
Apart from that, I wasn’t very connected with the story... the romance felt rushed in all the bits I care about.
How did the General overcome his shyness and inexperience? How did Yan summoned the courage to be so blunt in his pursue? When did Fu Shen realized he preferred men?
How did they go from distrusting each other (and with good reasons!) to then end up confiding absolutely every detail of their secret, life-threatening plans to each other just like that? They never talked about why Yan stopped being the faithful dog of the emperor!
I felt like the story was told by someone omitting things. It reminded me of reading Wuthering Heights; I wanted Heathcliff’s POV, not only the one of the lady who took care of them when he and Cathy were children! 😂. I felt the same way here, I missed all the good parts and details! And I’m not (only) talking about sex🙈. There is not only fade-to-black here but total missing pieces of the love story, IMO. Whole months could go by in a single sentence. And the dynamic of their interaction could change instantly without even letting me notice why or when.
I didn’t see this as enemies to lovers either. As I see it, they were always secretly in love with each other.
The political machinations bored me, I skimmed most of it 🙈. My main issue with it wasn’t the mystery on itself, but the way it was told didn’t let me care at all. Except for the Main Couple, I couldn’t care less for any of the secondary characters and motives, if they even had them
January 23, 2023
This is a good Historical Novel packed with politics and court conspiracies with a sweet touch of romance.
The story follows our two main characters, Yan Xiaohan and Fu Shen, who have a relationship of sworn enemies on the surface but share a rather complicated "friendship" in reality.
FS is a young outstanding general who comes from a family of famous military leaders. He survives an assassination attempt that leaves him with disabled legs. Taking advantage of the situation, the emperor forces a marriage between him and the infamous court lackey, the commander of the Flying Dragon Guard YXH, therefore cutting his lineage and reducing his power. Unlike the popular FS, YXH carries a bad reputation for both his modest background and cruel methods.
The plot has a nice build-up that creates enough tension and suspense to keep you reading. It explores themes like power struggles, mistrust at the head of the state, honour and devotion as well as how a nation should be governed in the absense of a good monarch...
The characters are well developed: we get to see the true nature of the protagonists that they hide from the ouside world, their shortcomings as well as their insecurities... while they develop a multi-layered relationship. It's worth mentioning that here we have a healthy relationship: the couple communicate very well without any stupid misunderstandings or oppressive behaviors.
The story follows our two main characters, Yan Xiaohan and Fu Shen, who have a relationship of sworn enemies on the surface but share a rather complicated "friendship" in reality.
FS is a young outstanding general who comes from a family of famous military leaders. He survives an assassination attempt that leaves him with disabled legs. Taking advantage of the situation, the emperor forces a marriage between him and the infamous court lackey, the commander of the Flying Dragon Guard YXH, therefore cutting his lineage and reducing his power. Unlike the popular FS, YXH carries a bad reputation for both his modest background and cruel methods.
The plot has a nice build-up that creates enough tension and suspense to keep you reading. It explores themes like power struggles, mistrust at the head of the state, honour and devotion as well as how a nation should be governed in the absense of a good monarch...
The characters are well developed: we get to see the true nature of the protagonists that they hide from the ouside world, their shortcomings as well as their insecurities... while they develop a multi-layered relationship. It's worth mentioning that here we have a healthy relationship: the couple communicate very well without any stupid misunderstandings or oppressive behaviors.
October 12, 2020
First thing first, I read this book hoping to get a real spicy enemies/rivals to lovers banter just like described in the blurb. Little did I know that it's a complete bluff. Other than that, the story is actually pretty enjoyable. The core plot is good but I still feel like it lacks something. I don't know if its because some nuances are lost in translation, or because the writing style isn't for me, but I just couldn't care less about lots of things. It lacks the finishing
oomph
.
Maybe because I feel like being duped in the first place lol. Its not a nemesis story but more like pining for someone who's betrayed by you in the past. The ML shows great attention and affection to the MC from the very first time he shows up and boom I lost most of my excitement 😔
Some scenes are rushed, and the author just keeps telling us that Fu Shen is the greatest general in battle blablabla but the battle scene itself is so miniscule. The author didn't show us enough how powerful Fu Shen is 😒 Also Yan Xiaohan's past!!! How could you put that big revelation in extra chapter??? I feel like the big secret would be very spicy if it was incoporated into the main story and used as plot devices.
So the conclusion is this book is just an okay reading for me. I enjoy it but it definitely doesn't leave me deep impression.
Maybe because I feel like being duped in the first place lol. Its not a nemesis story but more like pining for someone who's betrayed by you in the past. The ML shows great attention and affection to the MC from the very first time he shows up and boom I lost most of my excitement 😔
Some scenes are rushed, and the author just keeps telling us that Fu Shen is the greatest general in battle blablabla but the battle scene itself is so miniscule. The author didn't show us enough how powerful Fu Shen is 😒 Also Yan Xiaohan's past!!! How could you put that big revelation in extra chapter??? I feel like the big secret would be very spicy if it was incoporated into the main story and used as plot devices.
So the conclusion is this book is just an okay reading for me. I enjoy it but it definitely doesn't leave me deep impression.
December 5, 2020
Sinceramente no tenía altas expectativas de esta novela. Estaba sobrellevando el vacío que me dejó otra de las tantas que leo cuando me topé con esta recomendación en Twitter. Adoro decir que me llevé una grata sorpresa leyendo “Golden Stage.”
El libro me tenía con el corazón en la mano a la 1:00 a.m., temiendo por la seguridad de los protagonistas. Aún sin quererlo, había caído en sus redes... y ahora son mis nuevos bebés.
Ah, este par es fenomenal. Amé cómo se fue desarrollando su relación: a pesar de tener perspectivas distintas en lo político, siempre eran capaces de respetar el pensamiento del otro Y SABÍAN COMUNICARSE (mayúsculas porque la mayoría de los problemas en el romance, tanto de la vida real como de la ficción, comienzan por precisamente no hablar), cosa que agradecí mucho.
Ah..., Yan Xiaohan, hazte responsables de mis nuevas expectativas en un esposo. A este punto terminaré siendo la vieja solterona de los gatos.
En fin: lean “Golden Stage.” 🌙
El libro me tenía con el corazón en la mano a la 1:00 a.m., temiendo por la seguridad de los protagonistas. Aún sin quererlo, había caído en sus redes... y ahora son mis nuevos bebés.
Ah, este par es fenomenal. Amé cómo se fue desarrollando su relación: a pesar de tener perspectivas distintas en lo político, siempre eran capaces de respetar el pensamiento del otro Y SABÍAN COMUNICARSE (mayúsculas porque la mayoría de los problemas en el romance, tanto de la vida real como de la ficción, comienzan por precisamente no hablar), cosa que agradecí mucho.
Ah..., Yan Xiaohan, hazte responsables de mis nuevas expectativas en un esposo. A este punto terminaré siendo la vieja solterona de los gatos.
En fin: lean “Golden Stage.” 🌙
August 10, 2021
"He's mine. Take your country back; I won't trade him."
They're so precious *bites fist*.
That first extra slapped me in the face, and I'm grateful.
I truly loved the slow development of their relationship 🥰
They're so precious *bites fist*.
That first extra slapped me in the face, and I'm grateful.
I truly loved the slow development of their relationship 🥰
September 2, 2022
It was fun, and I would totally recommend it for people looking for a romance. Not a "chase you" romance, nor a "we're stuck in a perpetual stage of flirting" romance either, but a "i would D-WORD for you I L O V E you" romance. The mcs spend two chapters trying to make the reader believe they hate each other but it quickly fades out and instead it's a beautiful relationship between two slightly homocidal adults and they COMMUNICATE! would you look at that! They actually COMMUNICATE with each other!! This is the world LGBTQA+ want to see ✊
That being said I don't think I will read another danmei for now. The pace makes me want to ✂️ snap chapters. Because the stories tends to be long but still very linear, it's like reading multiples books with the same mc and following the same chronology one after the other, but some of these stories are bound to be less interesting than other. It's like you'd read Hercule Poirot books without stopping. Sure, there's a common thread tying all of these stories together, but when reading one singular book I want to go to the main story NOW! If that makes sense. It's probably due to the episodic style of publication, but then some plotlines are never picked out again?
For exemple
Of course it's probably also a case of the book being so long the reader forgets the plotholes or simply forgets they were ever resolved (like what I said just above.... maybe it was explained later and I brushed it over because I was engrossed in another "bit" of the story)
That being said I don't think I will read another danmei for now. The pace makes me want to ✂️ snap chapters. Because the stories tends to be long but still very linear, it's like reading multiples books with the same mc and following the same chronology one after the other, but some of these stories are bound to be less interesting than other. It's like you'd read Hercule Poirot books without stopping. Sure, there's a common thread tying all of these stories together, but when reading one singular book I want to go to the main story NOW! If that makes sense. It's probably due to the episodic style of publication, but then some plotlines are never picked out again?
For exemple
Of course it's probably also a case of the book being so long the reader forgets the plotholes or simply forgets they were ever resolved (like what I said just above.... maybe it was explained later and I brushed it over because I was engrossed in another "bit" of the story)
June 14, 2022
This book had the fluffiest, most heartwarming and wholesome romance couple I ever read about.
There is a lot of politics going on, but also a very heavy focus on the adorable main characters being a super fun and shipworthy power couple.
The first half was pure sugar shock (in the best possible way) with a sprinkle of court intrigue and mystery investigation and if it would have went on like that this book would have gotten a million stars from me, but the parts that were not focusing on their relationship were definitely less engaging.
Unfortunately there is heavier focus on the political plot in the latter half and the writing flow in those parts just didn't do it for me. It read more like time lapse summaries of historical events with way too many names of people and places dropped to not get confused along the way.
But the main couple really is way too cute for me to not turn several blind eyes towards some of the things that bothered me. Every interaction had me either fangirl shrieking or laughing so hard. It's definitely a book I will go back to to reread my fave parts, so onto the list of ultimate comfort read with it.
There is a lot of politics going on, but also a very heavy focus on the adorable main characters being a super fun and shipworthy power couple.
The first half was pure sugar shock (in the best possible way) with a sprinkle of court intrigue and mystery investigation and if it would have went on like that this book would have gotten a million stars from me, but the parts that were not focusing on their relationship were definitely less engaging.
Unfortunately there is heavier focus on the political plot in the latter half and the writing flow in those parts just didn't do it for me. It read more like time lapse summaries of historical events with way too many names of people and places dropped to not get confused along the way.
But the main couple really is way too cute for me to not turn several blind eyes towards some of the things that bothered me. Every interaction had me either fangirl shrieking or laughing so hard. It's definitely a book I will go back to to reread my fave parts, so onto the list of ultimate comfort read with it.
Read
November 6, 2021no you don't understand i adore this book to bits 😭
the crowning glory of golden stage is its romance, without a doubt. fu shen and yan xiaohan are so in love they made me yearn for an archenemies-to-lovers + arranged marriage sweeping love story of my own. the author is so good at writing two characters who are so besotted with each other i wanted to bang my head into a wall a hundred times while reading. I WANT WHAT THEY HAVE SO BAD.
aside from the romance, the political subplot is also well-written. yes there was a lot of info-dumping but nonetheless, i still think the author did a great job at fleshing out the political aspect of the story. there were a lot of twists and interesting court machinations. i was fascinated by them all.
overall, i absolutely adored this reading experience. im hoping to read more from the author because i truly loved this one aahhhh
➸ buddy read with bff dija
the crowning glory of golden stage is its romance, without a doubt. fu shen and yan xiaohan are so in love they made me yearn for an archenemies-to-lovers + arranged marriage sweeping love story of my own. the author is so good at writing two characters who are so besotted with each other i wanted to bang my head into a wall a hundred times while reading. I WANT WHAT THEY HAVE SO BAD.
aside from the romance, the political subplot is also well-written. yes there was a lot of info-dumping but nonetheless, i still think the author did a great job at fleshing out the political aspect of the story. there were a lot of twists and interesting court machinations. i was fascinated by them all.
overall, i absolutely adored this reading experience. im hoping to read more from the author because i truly loved this one aahhhh
➸ buddy read with bff dija
March 29, 2025
A reread, absolutely love this book and the relationship between Yan Xiaohan and Fu Shen they're SO SWEET. Love a good yearning tale and also just the two main characters being equals as well as pretty much above everyone else. Beautiful story, beautiful writing too, highly recommend.
Read
February 6, 2021dnf at 101st page. 💔
September 21, 2020
Absolutely adorable danmei. Full of fluff. After reading ERHA (2HA) before, I needed something lighter to forget about the knives in my heart, and Golden Stage is just what I needed. A totally wholesome story with hardly any angst.
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