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악녀는 모래시계를 되돌린다 [Agnyeon'eun Molaesi'gye'reul Dwedollinda]
The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass - Book Set
With the marriage of her prostitute mother to the Count, Aria’s status in society skyrocketed immediately. After leading a life of luxury, Aria unfairly meets death because of her sister Mielle’s schemes. And right before she dies, she sees an hourglass fall as if it were a fantasy. And just like that, she was miraculously brought back to the past.
“I want to become a very elegant person, just like my sister, Mielle.”
In order to face the villainess, she must become an even more wicked villainess. This was the new path Aria chose to take revenge on Mielle who murdered both her and her mother.
“I want to become a very elegant person, just like my sister, Mielle.”
In order to face the villainess, she must become an even more wicked villainess. This was the new path Aria chose to take revenge on Mielle who murdered both her and her mother.
1848 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
6 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 9, 2021
I don't know, I have mixed feeling about this book. This is one of my very first book, I didn't remember if I read it first or Lucia. This is the first book that after reading, I felt so empty and slightly resent the heroine. In the beginning, all is well. The plot is a typical villainess who died because of her actions, but it turned out the victim that everyone adore was the mastermind behind her downfall. She then took a vow to take revenge and miraculously, she had a second chance and go back in time to her teens. She also had an hourglass that could turn back time to five minutes before. With the help of the hourglass and her knowledge of future events, she planned her revenge meticulously.
The problem is toward the ending of the book. After the failed rebellion, the involved party were to be beheaded. But Aria asked for another punishment for the Roscent sibling. Both are stripped off of their nobility, and Mielle became maid and Cain became a lowly government staff. Mielle was still a bit delusional but she dare not to confront Aria.
After some time passed, Cain visited Mielle on Aria's residence and he and Aria had a little talk. He had reflected on his mistakes and he genuinely tried to do better from now on. He felt grateful to Aria for giving him second chance, and just tried to have a simple life as a commoner and take care of his paralyzed father. But Aria actually still not getting enough of her revenge. She manipulated Mielle to poison Annie (she had grudges because Annie was her superior) which ended up in her getting framed of trying to poison Aria. It didn't help that she had previous record of doing that. But instead of Annie, she ended up poisoning her own brother, Cain, to death. After that she finally met her end. And because of Cain's death, the Count also died because of both heartbreak and the unability to provide for himself.
I really have no qualm whatsoever about Mielle's ending, since she was truly evil. But Cain regretted his past action and he really changed for the better. If she's going to wipe off Roscent family, why she gave him false hope?!? And the Count! Sure, he's a jerk to her and prioritizing his own children, but he didn't abuse her and her mother! He even legally married her prostitute mother and made her a Countess! He did provide to them, and honesty, she's a bitch in her previous life. She didn't want to study, selfish, and cruel! She just relied on her beauty and called vulgar. Whose fault is that?? Her own fault! True, Mielle also egged her on, but it all came from her own damn action! I hate her for acting to be a victim! Also for her mother! When the Count was down, she scammed him and wiped out his wealth and divorced him! And then she met again with the love of her life, Aria's father, and became respected in society? I want to puke. I usually like cinderella story so much, but not this one.
P.S.:
I previously about to give this book 3 stars, but after ranting the last paragraph of my review, I changed it to 1 star.
The problem is toward the ending of the book. After the failed rebellion, the involved party were to be beheaded. But Aria asked for another punishment for the Roscent sibling. Both are stripped off of their nobility, and Mielle became maid and Cain became a lowly government staff. Mielle was still a bit delusional but she dare not to confront Aria.
After some time passed, Cain visited Mielle on Aria's residence and he and Aria had a little talk. He had reflected on his mistakes and he genuinely tried to do better from now on. He felt grateful to Aria for giving him second chance, and just tried to have a simple life as a commoner and take care of his paralyzed father. But Aria actually still not getting enough of her revenge. She manipulated Mielle to poison Annie (she had grudges because Annie was her superior) which ended up in her getting framed of trying to poison Aria. It didn't help that she had previous record of doing that. But instead of Annie, she ended up poisoning her own brother, Cain, to death. After that she finally met her end. And because of Cain's death, the Count also died because of both heartbreak and the unability to provide for himself.
I really have no qualm whatsoever about Mielle's ending, since she was truly evil. But Cain regretted his past action and he really changed for the better. If she's going to wipe off Roscent family, why she gave him false hope?!? And the Count! Sure, he's a jerk to her and prioritizing his own children, but he didn't abuse her and her mother! He even legally married her prostitute mother and made her a Countess! He did provide to them, and honesty, she's a bitch in her previous life. She didn't want to study, selfish, and cruel! She just relied on her beauty and called vulgar. Whose fault is that?? Her own fault! True, Mielle also egged her on, but it all came from her own damn action! I hate her for acting to be a victim! Also for her mother! When the Count was down, she scammed him and wiped out his wealth and divorced him! And then she met again with the love of her life, Aria's father, and became respected in society? I want to puke. I usually like cinderella story so much, but not this one.
P.S.:
I previously about to give this book 3 stars, but after ranting the last paragraph of my review, I changed it to 1 star.
January 6, 2025
Verhaal is goed, einde is matig
April 19, 2022
Well, the goodreads entry for this series messed me up as the novel cover was used for the manhwa.
I like this novel despite its flaws. The plot and characters are constructed and likeable enough to keep me strung along reading. The translation is nearly machine translation bad at some spots, but I was able to push through to see Aria's revenge served.
Read for Aria while keeping in mind she is a villainess. Don't form expectations that she was only made out that way by the people around her (a lot of other 'villainess' otome isekai), as she has no restraints on herself in pursuing her vendetta. Seriously, the ending is extremely twisted and messed up, but delivers in that it is sickly satisfying. Readers have to sympathize enough with Aria and be able to get behind her twisted, ambiguous morals to enjoy anything in this book. I put an emphasis on Aria because the other characters felt pretty bland to me. The side characters felt more like background and the male lead was extremely predictable in his actions. While I did not dislike the main couple's interactions, I continually caught myself waiting for the story to move back to plotting revenge.
Outside of the characters, there is little to no worldbuilding. So now, that leaves the plot to be discussed. I would have preferred if it stuck only to what is mentioned in the synopsis. As like most serialized chapter-by-chapter series, the conflicts and issues at hand got blown out of the originally established proportions. This did not end up horrible however, just not what I was looking for in this read. The main plot was paced and executed fairly well, just gloss over the romance and larger scale stuff a bit as it isn't.
Regarding the side stories at the end, I get that other aspects of the book did not get as much closure (this is the way it should be anyways), but these just felt unnecessary. While I was still decently curious and in the end, it provided me with a little more closure, these were so long for no reason whatsoever.
I like this novel despite its flaws. The plot and characters are constructed and likeable enough to keep me strung along reading. The translation is nearly machine translation bad at some spots, but I was able to push through to see Aria's revenge served.
Read for Aria while keeping in mind she is a villainess. Don't form expectations that she was only made out that way by the people around her (a lot of other 'villainess' otome isekai), as she has no restraints on herself in pursuing her vendetta. Seriously, the ending is extremely twisted and messed up, but delivers in that it is sickly satisfying. Readers have to sympathize enough with Aria and be able to get behind her twisted, ambiguous morals to enjoy anything in this book. I put an emphasis on Aria because the other characters felt pretty bland to me. The side characters felt more like background and the male lead was extremely predictable in his actions. While I did not dislike the main couple's interactions, I continually caught myself waiting for the story to move back to plotting revenge.
Outside of the characters, there is little to no worldbuilding. So now, that leaves the plot to be discussed. I would have preferred if it stuck only to what is mentioned in the synopsis. As like most serialized chapter-by-chapter series, the conflicts and issues at hand got blown out of the originally established proportions. This did not end up horrible however, just not what I was looking for in this read. The main plot was paced and executed fairly well, just gloss over the romance and larger scale stuff a bit as it isn't.
Regarding the side stories at the end, I get that other aspects of the book did not get as much closure (this is the way it should be anyways), but these just felt unnecessary. While I was still decently curious and in the end, it provided me with a little more closure, these were so long for no reason whatsoever.
November 6, 2023
I read the manga but I can't find it anywhere so I'm reviewing it here.
Oh gods, how satisfactory this was. I had mixed feelings at the beginning. When the book is about a villain with a second opportunity, they usually want to be better. Aria wanted to be worse.
Aria is always scheming. She might not have been prepared the first time, but in her second life, she has the upper hand. It's so amusing how, when you see things from a more mature perspective, everything looks so simple. Aria is capable of manipulating things so everything goes in her favor. Well, not always, there are many obstacles, but she's amazing. I had a grand time reading this story. She was always the villain, and she found her perfect match.
Gods, how good this was. I couldn't stop reading. I was rooting for the villain the whole time. And I was not disappointed.
Oh gods, how satisfactory this was. I had mixed feelings at the beginning. When the book is about a villain with a second opportunity, they usually want to be better. Aria wanted to be worse.
Aria is always scheming. She might not have been prepared the first time, but in her second life, she has the upper hand. It's so amusing how, when you see things from a more mature perspective, everything looks so simple. Aria is capable of manipulating things so everything goes in her favor. Well, not always, there are many obstacles, but she's amazing. I had a grand time reading this story. She was always the villain, and she found her perfect match.
Gods, how good this was. I couldn't stop reading. I was rooting for the villain the whole time. And I was not disappointed.
May 16, 2022
The character development was a joy to read. The way she learned more and more about herself and how to act with each new encounter. The arrogance she had when she came back with profound knowledge versus her attitude towards Ash from the beginning. IT always threw her off guard. Her meticulous planning to cripple the empire from within. Brilliant strategist. I also appreciate that they showed her interactions with Violet, and how she was able to further her understanding and deepen her joy through them. The repercussions of her actions and how they affected all the involved parties was portrayed dare I say, realistically. Would read again simply to reread the interactions between Aria and Asher.
December 29, 2023
I genuinely genuinely loved the way she stayed like a villainess till the end....most of the other stories portray the fl as someone who has to act good now that shes in the body of a villain but not this one.
Read
May 9, 2023the heroine is lowkey a horrible person but i'm cheering for her regardless bc everyone else around her is somehow worse
January 21, 2024
i read the manhwa one for this, maybe it's because of its rough translation? i don't know but this was so all over the place.
February 14, 2024
OBSESSED
October 14, 2024
One of my first manwha's ever, and one of my favorites <3
May 7, 2025
I'm so involve with this series, every couple of months I go back and re read. Very satisfying revenge, and I love the FL she's amazing.
October 3, 2023
One of the few in the Villainess genre where the female lead is truly villainous. There is some Merry‐sue energy, and the story runs on too long, as is typical of web novels, but it is a fun read overall.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews