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The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus
The demons of this world run amok; it’s time for the children of heroes to fill in their own legends.
Unfortunately, you’re not the cold and incorruptible female lead. You’re not even the high-status, delicate, and charming second female lead: You’re just the detestable cannon fodder female number three!
The original host was secretly in love with the male lead while a fanatic in harming the female lead from the dark. Till the very end, she was merely a stumbling block for the love between the male lead and female lead. She let herself get stepped all over by the second male lead and lived a life that could only be described as ‘stupid’.
“So you’re saying… as long as I steal the female lead’s man, I’ll succeed?”
“Apologies, your target partner is… the female lead’s little brother.”
“Little brother?”
“Yes, it’s exactly that little brother who’s hopelessly in love with his older sister. The one with a twisted heart and evil tendencies, vicious and merciless… that little brother.”
Unfortunately, you’re not the cold and incorruptible female lead. You’re not even the high-status, delicate, and charming second female lead: You’re just the detestable cannon fodder female number three!
The original host was secretly in love with the male lead while a fanatic in harming the female lead from the dark. Till the very end, she was merely a stumbling block for the love between the male lead and female lead. She let herself get stepped all over by the second male lead and lived a life that could only be described as ‘stupid’.
“So you’re saying… as long as I steal the female lead’s man, I’ll succeed?”
“Apologies, your target partner is… the female lead’s little brother.”
“Little brother?”
“Yes, it’s exactly that little brother who’s hopelessly in love with his older sister. The one with a twisted heart and evil tendencies, vicious and merciless… that little brother.”
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2018
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264 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 3, 2025
4.5 stars.
This was an incredibly enjoyable reading experience! It was exactly what I needed to overcome the slump I felt coming on. I initially watched the drama adaptation, and while I found it cute, the novel far surpasses it.
Mu Sheng's character in the novel is much darker than in the drama, which makes him a far more compelling love interest. His transformation from an arrogant jerk to the sweetest husband who deeply loves Miaomiao brilliantly showcases his character development. This is precisely how an enemies-to-lovers trope should be executed!
Sure, he tried to kill her multiple times early on, but his determination to do anything for her later on had me swooning. Their relationship contains toxic elements, but the author expertly balanced it so that it doesn’t devolve into a toxic dynamic that leaves you feeling repulsed.
While I liked Miaomiao, there were definitely moments when she frustrated me. I can’t grasp why the author chose to portray her as so childish, and it felt like she didn’t develop at all; she remained static from beginning to end. Nonetheless, I appreciated her dedication to Mu Sheng and her commitment to protecting him.
I absolutely loved the side characters; they brought tremendous heart to the story. It's refreshing to see supporting characters that are so well-developed.
Mu Sheng's parents' story really hit me hard; it felt so unfair that their ending turned out so tragically because of Consort Zhao. I really wish the author had included an extra chapter or scene showing them reuniting and finding happiness together. It would have added such a beautiful closure to their story.
That being said, the ending was disappointing. The final extra chapter set in the modern world felt entirely unnecessary and made Mu Sheng come across as a completely different character. It would have been better to skip that last part altogether.
In conclusion, this was a thrilling read that quickly turned into an obsession. I lost sleep because I couldn’t put it down!
This was an incredibly enjoyable reading experience! It was exactly what I needed to overcome the slump I felt coming on. I initially watched the drama adaptation, and while I found it cute, the novel far surpasses it.
Mu Sheng's character in the novel is much darker than in the drama, which makes him a far more compelling love interest. His transformation from an arrogant jerk to the sweetest husband who deeply loves Miaomiao brilliantly showcases his character development. This is precisely how an enemies-to-lovers trope should be executed!
Sure, he tried to kill her multiple times early on, but his determination to do anything for her later on had me swooning. Their relationship contains toxic elements, but the author expertly balanced it so that it doesn’t devolve into a toxic dynamic that leaves you feeling repulsed.
While I liked Miaomiao, there were definitely moments when she frustrated me. I can’t grasp why the author chose to portray her as so childish, and it felt like she didn’t develop at all; she remained static from beginning to end. Nonetheless, I appreciated her dedication to Mu Sheng and her commitment to protecting him.
I absolutely loved the side characters; they brought tremendous heart to the story. It's refreshing to see supporting characters that are so well-developed.
Mu Sheng's parents' story really hit me hard; it felt so unfair that their ending turned out so tragically because of Consort Zhao. I really wish the author had included an extra chapter or scene showing them reuniting and finding happiness together. It would have added such a beautiful closure to their story.
That being said, the ending was disappointing. The final extra chapter set in the modern world felt entirely unnecessary and made Mu Sheng come across as a completely different character. It would have been better to skip that last part altogether.
In conclusion, this was a thrilling read that quickly turned into an obsession. I lost sleep because I couldn’t put it down!
December 21, 2024
After watching the television series Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, I became curious about the novel on which it was based. This review will include a comparison between the two and contains SPOILERS. If you have not watched either, please proceed with caution.
Movie adaptations of novels are quite popular in China, with some films adhering closely to the source material while others diverge significantly. This divergence often sparks debate about whether it is better to respect the original story or to explore new creative directions. Love Game in Eastern Fantasy falls into the latter category, straying from the original plot. However, after reading the novel, I found that many of the newly invented ideas in the adaptation made sense and, in some cases, were even necessary.
In the novel, Tu Qi is portrayed as domineering and excessively jealous. In a modern context, he could easily be labeled as a toxic boyfriend. Imagine a partner who forbids you from speaking to any other men, follows you around, and becomes angry when someone suggests breaking up to find someone better—even after you’ve already expressed your commitment. Additionally, Miao Miao's feelings are rather ambiguous; she often behaves as though she is forced to be with Tu Qi and seems indifferent. Only astute readers of romance can discern her true feelings, as she secretly harbors affection for him. The novel provides ample insight into her internal conflicts, leaving little room for misinterpretation. However, it would be exceptionally challenging for the actors to accurately convey these nuances on screen. This may explain the introduction of a side male character in the adaptation, which allows for clearer expression of Tu Qi and Miao Miao’s emotions while mitigating the toxicity of their relationship.
Despite these changes, I still prefer the novel over the movie. Firstly, the novel consistently reminds readers of Miao Miao’s mission, maintaining a sense of integrity throughout the story. In contrast, the movie feels somewhat aimless by the end. Secondly, the novel includes several sweet intimate scenes that genuinely add value to the love story. As a long-time romance reader, I often find that intimate scenes are inserted merely to advance the plot without intrinsic value; they may show couples growing closer, but I sometimes struggle to understand the depth of their love. Finally, while the film attempts to deliver a realistic and positive conclusion—which is commendable—the novel offers a more satisfying resolution. In it, Tu Qi and Miao Miao enjoy a happy life together, first in the game and later in real life, still cherishing their memories. This ending truly satisfies my emotional investment in their relationship.
Moreover, the movie tries to logically connect all the action events, but I found myself questioning whether that was necessary. Personally, I am more focused on the romantic aspects presented in the novel.
While the novel is not without its loopholes, I would still rate it five stars for the happiness and cherished memories it evokes.
P.S. I read this Chinese novel in both Vietnamese and English. Both translations may not effectively convey the author’s ideas, so I apologize for any misunderstandings in my interpretation.
Movie adaptations of novels are quite popular in China, with some films adhering closely to the source material while others diverge significantly. This divergence often sparks debate about whether it is better to respect the original story or to explore new creative directions. Love Game in Eastern Fantasy falls into the latter category, straying from the original plot. However, after reading the novel, I found that many of the newly invented ideas in the adaptation made sense and, in some cases, were even necessary.
In the novel, Tu Qi is portrayed as domineering and excessively jealous. In a modern context, he could easily be labeled as a toxic boyfriend. Imagine a partner who forbids you from speaking to any other men, follows you around, and becomes angry when someone suggests breaking up to find someone better—even after you’ve already expressed your commitment. Additionally, Miao Miao's feelings are rather ambiguous; she often behaves as though she is forced to be with Tu Qi and seems indifferent. Only astute readers of romance can discern her true feelings, as she secretly harbors affection for him. The novel provides ample insight into her internal conflicts, leaving little room for misinterpretation. However, it would be exceptionally challenging for the actors to accurately convey these nuances on screen. This may explain the introduction of a side male character in the adaptation, which allows for clearer expression of Tu Qi and Miao Miao’s emotions while mitigating the toxicity of their relationship.
Despite these changes, I still prefer the novel over the movie. Firstly, the novel consistently reminds readers of Miao Miao’s mission, maintaining a sense of integrity throughout the story. In contrast, the movie feels somewhat aimless by the end. Secondly, the novel includes several sweet intimate scenes that genuinely add value to the love story. As a long-time romance reader, I often find that intimate scenes are inserted merely to advance the plot without intrinsic value; they may show couples growing closer, but I sometimes struggle to understand the depth of their love. Finally, while the film attempts to deliver a realistic and positive conclusion—which is commendable—the novel offers a more satisfying resolution. In it, Tu Qi and Miao Miao enjoy a happy life together, first in the game and later in real life, still cherishing their memories. This ending truly satisfies my emotional investment in their relationship.
Moreover, the movie tries to logically connect all the action events, but I found myself questioning whether that was necessary. Personally, I am more focused on the romantic aspects presented in the novel.
While the novel is not without its loopholes, I would still rate it five stars for the happiness and cherished memories it evokes.
P.S. I read this Chinese novel in both Vietnamese and English. Both translations may not effectively convey the author’s ideas, so I apologize for any misunderstandings in my interpretation.
November 20, 2024
I started reading cause I wanted to see how it was different from the adaptation. I surprisingly enjoy the adaptation more than the book. The book has its own charm, but I feel that the flow of the chapters are strange. Some chapters are good but some other chapters are hard to follow. Granted I did read a translated version. But I don’t think it was a translating problem. For a book with fun transmigration, the system is really not that involved. I feel like it pops up randomly to say stuff. I found that bit a bit boring. Mu Sheng’s insecurities are so deep. It made me sad. The way this guy changes but also says outta pocket obsessive toxic stuff when he’s upset/angry. He’s very back and forth with it but I guess you can’t really change his nature. I think it’s funny at times. In real life, he sounds like a nightmare guy to handle. Out of all the arcs, I enjoyed illusion demon one. That one was fun to read. The ending was just there. I don’t have much to say about it cause it’s very anticlimactic. There’s a lot of stuff that could’ve been more interesting if it flowed better and the supposed system was involved and if Mu Yao and Li Fuyi had a bit more depth. If I was Miaomiao, I’d be complaining about how boring all this is.
November 28, 2025
What. A. Wild. Ride. (yall need to watch the show I watched it for like the Third time today and it's soooo good 100/100 no notes 😆🤭💕)
I love this, and I cannot emphasise this enough. The author excels AT EVERYTHING. The characters felt so REAL, the fantasy was mesmerising, the adventure was spectacular, the world building was amazing, the side stories were crazy too!!! Just everything was PERFECT. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS ENOUGH!!!!! It was so fun reading it! Not once was I bored or felt like the plot was too slow, which is normal for a fantasy novel. At first I was surprised cause it's completely different from the drama but I love it so muccccchhhhhhhhh
Now I've watched the drama ✅ I've read the novel ✅ now I just need to read the manhua before falling into the endless void of "What am i gonna read next, nothing will ever come close to this"
I love this, and I cannot emphasise this enough. The author excels AT EVERYTHING. The characters felt so REAL, the fantasy was mesmerising, the adventure was spectacular, the world building was amazing, the side stories were crazy too!!! Just everything was PERFECT. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS ENOUGH!!!!! It was so fun reading it! Not once was I bored or felt like the plot was too slow, which is normal for a fantasy novel. At first I was surprised cause it's completely different from the drama but I love it so muccccchhhhhhhhh
Now I've watched the drama ✅ I've read the novel ✅ now I just need to read the manhua before falling into the endless void of "What am i gonna read next, nothing will ever come close to this"
December 1, 2024
mu sheng my meow meow but i must say the drama was much more entertaining however i prefer the ending of the book more,,,,,,
July 15, 2022
Transmigration novel - modern female into a book character with a system in check awarding points for following the book plot. The characters are terribly flat and juvenile. I skimmed through to ch 23+, the black lotus is the typical teen brooding, sneering, cold archetype.
October 9, 2025
Was excited to start this book but clearly it did not live up to my expectations. I was vaguely curious about this novel due to the drama adaptation. I dropped the drama after a couple episodes since I didn't like Esther's acting but wanted to give the story a try in book form. Well... sadly the actual novel was disappointing in different ways.
The FL is Ling Miaomiao, a modern woman who transmigrates into the a novel as the female villain who has a crush on the og ML and does everything she can to break up the og main couple. Once she transmigrates, the system assigns her two tasks: one is to follow her original character's plot line and create obstacles between the original FL and ML. The other mission is to get the ML, the og FL's adopted younger brother Mu Sheng, to fall in love with her character. Right from the start I found the two missions very conflicting, as on one hand she has to pretend to be in love with the og ML while making the actual ML fall in love with her... what kind of weird plotline is that?
So that's one strike against the story right off the bat. However, my main complaint about the story is that it was very confusing to follow, and it wasn't the translation's problem because the translators often mentioned in their notes that they were just as confused about what was going on. For one thing, the author likes to suddenly jump between characters, sometimes multiple times in a chapter, without any transition, so it'd take me a couple lines to figure out that she switched to a different character's perspective.
Also, the author would try to hint at things but did so in a very confusing way, so for the longest time I was super confused about the ML's past and who his mother was and what the significance of cutting his hair was. While the author explained most of the mysteries by the end, I was still left with some doubts after finishing the book. It felt like she had grand ambitions for the story, but the execution definitely fell very flat.
I can't say I was a huge fan of the story. Our gang of 4 goes around and investigates various supernatural happenings, like with the hidden imperial temple which caused a huge scandal 10 years ago or the case of the poisoned incense, but tbh none of it was particularly interesting. I can't count how many times I considered dropping the book in the middle, and it took me much longer to finish than another book of this length because I would read for a couple chapters and lose interest.
So many things just didn't make any sense either, like how the princess secretly followed the gang as they were investigating the incense and showed up at night right in the midst of their secret infiltration into the incense factory. In fact, her whole presence was completely unnecessary and quite annoying.
If the story is lackluster, then the romance should make up for it, but the author didn't do a great job there either. It felt like the ML only started liking the FL because she was the only person nice to him after his older sister. That's a sad reason to like someone. And I couldn't really tell when the FL started liking him... she just seemed to passively accept his attentions like when he personally feeds her and is completely clueless about his feelings, until all of a sudden one day she accepts his feelings. As far as I could tell, there was no progression of feelings on her side.
The climax of the story was super underwhelming as well. I kept waiting for the ML to blacken as per the original novel storyline... and it didn't happen... and in the extra chapters I was (yet again) confused by the ML's state. There was no explanation of what happened to him after the final fight to end up in this state, and the extra chapters ended without him fully returning to normal either. Found that super weird.
Anyways, like I said this was a very meh read. Would not recommend to anyone.
The FL is Ling Miaomiao, a modern woman who transmigrates into the a novel as the female villain who has a crush on the og ML and does everything she can to break up the og main couple. Once she transmigrates, the system assigns her two tasks: one is to follow her original character's plot line and create obstacles between the original FL and ML. The other mission is to get the ML, the og FL's adopted younger brother Mu Sheng, to fall in love with her character. Right from the start I found the two missions very conflicting, as on one hand she has to pretend to be in love with the og ML while making the actual ML fall in love with her... what kind of weird plotline is that?
So that's one strike against the story right off the bat. However, my main complaint about the story is that it was very confusing to follow, and it wasn't the translation's problem because the translators often mentioned in their notes that they were just as confused about what was going on. For one thing, the author likes to suddenly jump between characters, sometimes multiple times in a chapter, without any transition, so it'd take me a couple lines to figure out that she switched to a different character's perspective.
Also, the author would try to hint at things but did so in a very confusing way, so for the longest time I was super confused about the ML's past and who his mother was and what the significance of cutting his hair was. While the author explained most of the mysteries by the end, I was still left with some doubts after finishing the book. It felt like she had grand ambitions for the story, but the execution definitely fell very flat.
I can't say I was a huge fan of the story. Our gang of 4 goes around and investigates various supernatural happenings, like with the hidden imperial temple which caused a huge scandal 10 years ago or the case of the poisoned incense, but tbh none of it was particularly interesting. I can't count how many times I considered dropping the book in the middle, and it took me much longer to finish than another book of this length because I would read for a couple chapters and lose interest.
So many things just didn't make any sense either, like how the princess secretly followed the gang as they were investigating the incense and showed up at night right in the midst of their secret infiltration into the incense factory. In fact, her whole presence was completely unnecessary and quite annoying.
If the story is lackluster, then the romance should make up for it, but the author didn't do a great job there either. It felt like the ML only started liking the FL because she was the only person nice to him after his older sister. That's a sad reason to like someone. And I couldn't really tell when the FL started liking him... she just seemed to passively accept his attentions like when he personally feeds her and is completely clueless about his feelings, until all of a sudden one day she accepts his feelings. As far as I could tell, there was no progression of feelings on her side.
The climax of the story was super underwhelming as well. I kept waiting for the ML to blacken as per the original novel storyline... and it didn't happen... and in the extra chapters I was (yet again) confused by the ML's state. There was no explanation of what happened to him after the final fight to end up in this state, and the extra chapters ended without him fully returning to normal either. Found that super weird.
Anyways, like I said this was a very meh read. Would not recommend to anyone.
December 30, 2021
I was reading the manhua and the novel together. Manhua has a less bloody version, probably because it's meant for all age? Anyway, the English translation is only up to ch 82 at this point so I completed the novel by reading it raw. It is a happy ending and the extra chapters were sweet.
The characters are pretty solid but sometimes the author didn't put an obvious marking on flashbacks (especially near the end of the story). Aside from that, it was very satisfying to read how Miao Miao struggled to obtain Mu Sheng's trust, and how Mu Sheng slowly changed because of her.
The characters are pretty solid but sometimes the author didn't put an obvious marking on flashbacks (especially near the end of the story). Aside from that, it was very satisfying to read how Miao Miao struggled to obtain Mu Sheng's trust, and how Mu Sheng slowly changed because of her.
July 9, 2024
Skimmed. I like black lotus, cultivation settings, yandere tropes so it kept me going till chapter 88 but I'm DNF-ing. Flat characters and the plot is a pain to get through. Enjoyable if you like the tropes though.
November 13, 2024
More or less trope driven story; ML is mix of yandere and tsudere, FL is the cutesy brave type. I can’t get over how many times the author used 黑白分明的杏眼 lmaoo but the 密柚 chapters got me gaping.
Overall fun read, ready to watch the drama now hehe
Overall fun read, ready to watch the drama now hehe
September 23, 2022
Al principio me gustaba, pero tirando al arco final el desarrollo de los personajes no me gustó.
December 27, 2024
read this after watching the show, and honestly, I liked the show better, but it was fun getting more character moments and seeing the differences between the novel and the adaptation :D!
December 31, 2024
i really liked the cdrama so i wanted to read the novel as well to see how much it differs from the og but i was kind of disappointed. i think i prefer the show to the book.
October 25, 2023
This was a great story about rising above your circumstances, love, and living life to it's fullest within tight constraints.
My favorite character in this story is the ml - he is so black bellied and mysterious (with good reason). Some people didn't like his initial extreme actions, but I thought they perfectly fit his personality. Unlike some "dark" leads that the reader only sees the good sides of, but hears act horribly, this ml actually acts as expected, even to the FL. No mysterious force or unexplainable plot prevents him from doing his worst. That's what makes his growth especially pronounced - it's apparent when he starts developing feelings, and his actions by the end of the book are night and day to how he would act naturally.
I do think some of the subtleties and foreshadowing might have been lost in translation, because some of the plot twists happened really quickly and confusingly. I found myself almost consistently lost by the middle of an arc. Everything does get cleared up by the end though!
I thought the FL was pretty annoying. Her actions and behavior at the beginning almost made me lose interest multiple times, but the author notes explained the fl's thinking well enough to keep me going.
I ended up liking all the other characters. The theme of living a life without regret that emerged towards the end was pretty inspirational. I didn't like the return to real life extras, but the other extras were great.
In the end, this story is about people living the best they can within life's many constraints. The system in my mind represents the many shackles that bind a person's actions (I really liked one comment I read about how this is especially meaningful coming from an author writing in the currently restrictive Chinese environment). Even when there is no system, there's the restrictions of birth, of family, of past grudges and debts. There are so many things that can hold people back, but rather than complaining or focusing on those restrictions, these characters choose to do the best they can in each situation. They are still restricted, but aren't defined by those restrictions.
My favorite character in this story is the ml - he is so black bellied and mysterious (with good reason). Some people didn't like his initial extreme actions, but I thought they perfectly fit his personality. Unlike some "dark" leads that the reader only sees the good sides of, but hears act horribly, this ml actually acts as expected, even to the FL. No mysterious force or unexplainable plot prevents him from doing his worst. That's what makes his growth especially pronounced - it's apparent when he starts developing feelings, and his actions by the end of the book are night and day to how he would act naturally.
I do think some of the subtleties and foreshadowing might have been lost in translation, because some of the plot twists happened really quickly and confusingly. I found myself almost consistently lost by the middle of an arc. Everything does get cleared up by the end though!
I thought the FL was pretty annoying. Her actions and behavior at the beginning almost made me lose interest multiple times, but the author notes explained the fl's thinking well enough to keep me going.
I ended up liking all the other characters. The theme of living a life without regret that emerged towards the end was pretty inspirational. I didn't like the return to real life extras, but the other extras were great.
In the end, this story is about people living the best they can within life's many constraints. The system in my mind represents the many shackles that bind a person's actions (I really liked one comment I read about how this is especially meaningful coming from an author writing in the currently restrictive Chinese environment). Even when there is no system, there's the restrictions of birth, of family, of past grudges and debts. There are so many things that can hold people back, but rather than complaining or focusing on those restrictions, these characters choose to do the best they can in each situation. They are still restricted, but aren't defined by those restrictions.
March 31, 2025
after watching love game in eastern fantasy last year while it aired, i was really curious to see how the original story goes. and while it did take me a while to finish the book, i loved it soo much!! but i feel like i kept on comparing it to the show that made my reading experience a little wonky 😅
to simply put it, the drama takes the characters and the main plot points/arcs and spun a whole new tale. so essentially speaking, they're both similar, but they're not as well. and i hate to say this, but i did prefer the drama writers version so much more (except for the ending T-T).
miaomiao, my girl, is the best main character ever!! she's so realistic and relatable!! i kept on imagining yu shuxin as her cause the casting for these characters were impeccable!! reading this book was basically getting an alternate version of the drama personally aired in my mind with the exact same casting 🤭✨️
to simply put it, the drama takes the characters and the main plot points/arcs and spun a whole new tale. so essentially speaking, they're both similar, but they're not as well. and i hate to say this, but i did prefer the drama writers version so much more (except for the ending T-T).
miaomiao, my girl, is the best main character ever!! she's so realistic and relatable!! i kept on imagining yu shuxin as her cause the casting for these characters were impeccable!! reading this book was basically getting an alternate version of the drama personally aired in my mind with the exact same casting 🤭✨️
June 14, 2025
Ngl I only read it after I watched the CDrama and I’m seriously in love with this. For me it was a perfect blend between everything that I personally enjoy.
Miaomiao is such a relatable character and I can’t get over the chemistry that they all have. Although sometimes Miaomiao did kinda piss me off when she acted childish but that’s a part of her personality and it’s fine. I loved how the author slowly transformed the character of Mu Sheng. I’ve read a lot of books with characters similar to him that felt lacking and rushed so yeah he was very well written.
I’m glad that I picked up this book as soon as I finished watching the CDrama. It’s definitely worth it and if anyone is wondering what to do first, I’d suggest reading the novel and then watching the show:)
Miaomiao is such a relatable character and I can’t get over the chemistry that they all have. Although sometimes Miaomiao did kinda piss me off when she acted childish but that’s a part of her personality and it’s fine. I loved how the author slowly transformed the character of Mu Sheng. I’ve read a lot of books with characters similar to him that felt lacking and rushed so yeah he was very well written.
I’m glad that I picked up this book as soon as I finished watching the CDrama. It’s definitely worth it and if anyone is wondering what to do first, I’d suggest reading the novel and then watching the show:)
August 12, 2025
和朋友一起读《黑莲花攻略手册》，主要因为我们俩都很喜欢《永夜星河》的改编，看完剧后意犹未尽才来补原著。
影视版改编得很成功，让故事更大众化。去掉了原著里一些雌竞的部分，把重点放在群像刻画上。捉妖师团队的互动、竹林四侠的日常，都让这个世界更鲜活丰满。人物塑造也更立体，如妙妙和凌爸的亲情温暖自然，她和子期关于“妖与人”的讨论发人深省，慕瑶对弟弟的保护和信任让人动容。就连配角如翠翠、柳拂衣的师父、郭修、赵若失都各有亮点。可惜的是，有些情节处理得还是太仓促，比如慕声和浮舟的线，本该慢慢铺陈（英文写作中所谓Show, Not Tell），最后却直接交代（Tell），少了些余韵和回味空间。
原著则更为极端，对暮笙的刻画更黑暗也更偏执。他限制妙妙的社交、用暴力解决问题，这些描写让他的“爱”显得扭曲，放在今天看确实有些难接受。主人公年龄设定也偏小，可能是为了迎合年轻读者，但也让某些情节显得违和。不过必须承认，原著在心理描写和世界观构建上更为深刻细腻。
两者最大的问题是感情线处理得不够细腻。没有正式的表白，没有必要的磨合过程，感情发展显得很突兀。原著尤其明显，人物情感经常在两个极端间跳跃，要么充满敌意，要么突然温柔，缺少自然的过渡，对“爱”的刻画也比较表面，更多是基于外在吸引，而非灵魂共鸣。妙妙对暮笙的救赎更像心理疏导，而非双向奔赴的爱情。真正的爱应该是看清对方的全部后依然选择靠近，但故事里暮笙的黑暗面被美化，而妙妙似乎无条件包容了一切。影视版通过演员的表演稍微弥补了这个缺陷，用眼神和动作展现了感情的渐进，但整体上还是不够立体。
最后给了两颗星。本想给三颗星，毕竟影视版拍得不错，读原著时难免带着滤镜。但仔细想想，如果抛开剧集的光环，单就原著而言，可能评分会更严格一些。
影视版改编得很成功，让故事更大众化。去掉了原著里一些雌竞的部分，把重点放在群像刻画上。捉妖师团队的互动、竹林四侠的日常，都让这个世界更鲜活丰满。人物塑造也更立体，如妙妙和凌爸的亲情温暖自然，她和子期关于“妖与人”的讨论发人深省，慕瑶对弟弟的保护和信任让人动容。就连配角如翠翠、柳拂衣的师父、郭修、赵若失都各有亮点。可惜的是，有些情节处理得还是太仓促，比如慕声和浮舟的线，本该慢慢铺陈（英文写作中所谓Show, Not Tell），最后却直接交代（Tell），少了些余韵和回味空间。
原著则更为极端，对暮笙的刻画更黑暗也更偏执。他限制妙妙的社交、用暴力解决问题，这些描写让他的“爱”显得扭曲，放在今天看确实有些难接受。主人公年龄设定也偏小，可能是为了迎合年轻读者，但也让某些情节显得违和。不过必须承认，原著在心理描写和世界观构建上更为深刻细腻。
两者最大的问题是感情线处理得不够细腻。没有正式的表白，没有必要的磨合过程，感情发展显得很突兀。原著尤其明显，人物情感经常在两个极端间跳跃，要么充满敌意，要么突然温柔，缺少自然的过渡，对“爱”的刻画也比较表面，更多是基于外在吸引，而非灵魂共鸣。妙妙对暮笙的救赎更像心理疏导，而非双向奔赴的爱情。真正的爱应该是看清对方的全部后依然选择靠近，但故事里暮笙的黑暗面被美化，而妙妙似乎无条件包容了一切。影视版通过演员的表演稍微弥补了这个缺陷，用眼神和动作展现了感情的渐进，但整体上还是不够立体。
最后给了两颗星。本想给三颗星，毕竟影视版拍得不错，读原著时难免带着滤镜。但仔细想想，如果抛开剧集的光环，单就原著而言，可能评分会更严格一些。
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2024
3.8/5
There was some stuff that was confusing, but overall a pretty good one. Not sure if it was translation format or the authors original formatting but the way the scenes transitioned could be done better bc it was confusing when it jumped from one scene to another. The romance was cute, the development was sweet
There was some stuff that was confusing, but overall a pretty good one. Not sure if it was translation format or the authors original formatting but the way the scenes transitioned could be done better bc it was confusing when it jumped from one scene to another. The romance was cute, the development was sweet
November 17, 2024
started reading the novel because I am currently watching the drama with Shuxin and Yuxi and was too impatient to wait for the next episodes. Sweet story, although Mu Sheng’s yandere character and his sis complex are definitely more pronounced in the novel. Overall a cute read, with a rather dull plot and an ending that uhm, hopefully the cdrama will absolutely change
October 10, 2024
Finally after seven months and suffering with that dissertation, I have finished it and I loved it. They are everything to me, can’t wait for the drama to come out and see shuxin and ding play these characters.
July 27, 2025
i would rate this 4.5 because it gave me a satisfying ending than the drama, but i adore the dynamic of miaomiao and ziqi in the drama more than the book
p.s. additional points for introducing me to ding yuxi 'cause now im in love
p.s. additional points for introducing me to ding yuxi 'cause now im in love
November 28, 2023
honestly, the plot and the story itself were nice and it was a good reading... but I can't stand the ending!! please, it was such a bad and frustrating ending that I had to lower the rating (argh)
January 19, 2024
Reading this to prepare myself for the drama. Now I can't wait too see it!
Read
February 19, 2024Got to c2; maybe just too grumpy - not in the mood for a book like this esp so much FL patting herself on the back
November 9, 2024
2.5 stars
November 21, 2024
I started reading this to get ahead of the drama. Overall, I think I preferred the drama. The characters are flatter and the stakes felt lower in the novel.
December 1, 2024
设定大于内容，讲情却太矫情，角色没有成长性，多一星给无方镇之前的慕子期
December 31, 2024
Only book 1 but I'm trying to reach my reading goal
Read
February 7, 20252.5/5
Quite uneven at times, but rather okay read.
Ziqi deserves all the love ^^
Quite uneven at times, but rather okay read.
Ziqi deserves all the love ^^
February 10, 2025
第一次看“大IP网文“，质量很难评。文笔有硬伤，场景和视角转换太过频繁且混乱，故事脉络和情节连贯性差。前期尤其明显，简直让我怀疑是不是看了冒名顶替的。只有人物和极个别剧情还算有点意思。相比之下剧版改得真是太好了-叙事逻辑增强，每个人物都增加了善意。如果不是因为剧，这本书我看到前几章就弃书了。
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