The Engagement of Marielle Clarac

The Tales of Marielle Clarac #1

by Haruka Momo

The plain, unpopular, inconspicuous and dull wallflower of the social circles. Even so, a marriage proposal arrives for such a Mariel. The fiancé is, surprise!, the heart-throbbing imperial knight Simeon-sama! Why does he, towards this girl? Even as she is showered in jealousy and scorn, Mariel is happy. After all, Simeon-sama is the perfect delicacy, a handsome youth with a bright exterior but a dark interior! This is the story of a girl who secretly laughs at her fiancé and his surroundings.

Genres: Light Novel, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Drama, Humor, Historical

249 pages, ebook

Published April 6, 2020

Reviews

[SHOMPA · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first few chapters were fun, I’ll admit that but bit by bit, the ML just started acting like complete crap, and it’s really getting on my nerves.

He only has two modes: either kiss her when she’s her quiet self, or go full-on cold and angry the second she tries to help him. Like, seriously? And then there was almost a slap moment... BECAUSE HE WAS “WORRIED”??!! Are you actually kidding me?! That’s exactly the kind of excuse abusers use “I did it because I was worried.” NO. I don’t care how “worried” he was, that’s straight-up toxic. Even when she was molested by some married old creep, ML didn’t lift a finger or say a damn thing… what the hell kind of ‘love’ is that?

I’m not saying the FL’s personality was perfect, but everyone deserves a decent partner.. not this trash. Yucks!!!

And honestly, I absolutely hate it when writers try to normalize this kind of toxic nonsense. It’s gross.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Got to 54% in and I want to SMACK the MC h HARD. Whenever her fiancée, who LOVES HER despite her weirdness (sigh-true love!) says something she isn’t happy with and she wants to deflect his well-placed and gently given criticism, she basically says her next book is going to have him and his best male friend as characters who have a “secret and torrid love affair that they need to hide because BL is forbidden”.

So. Let’s make writing about your fiancée as gay as a way to control him because he doesn’t want that out there.

First off, way to make LGBTQ a stigma and something to try to avoid, NOT cool.

Second, regardless of how she writes him, he isn’t comfortable with it, yet she threatens him with it anyway. That’s UBER controlling and an unbalanced relationship right there.

So, I was going to give it two stars, but the above left such a nasty taste in my mouth, I brought it down to 1 star. There are much better manga and light novels out there. Read those, not this.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know that I'm a language stickler/snob/whatever. I can't help it. But regardless, I'm still able (and willing) to overlook a lot for a good story, so when Marielle's use of the anachronistic "fangirl" and "fangirling" drove me absolutely up a wall, that's also an indication that the book itself wasn't really working for me. Marielle is nowhere near as clever as she thinks she is, and that annoyed me unduly; in fact, the only chapter I can say I truly enjoyed was the one narrated by Simeon, and I felt disappointed every time the other chapters turned out to be Marielle's narration. It's really a shame, because Momo got so much else right, mostly about her pseudo-European setting in the late 19th century; Marielle's novels were so clearly sensation or sentimental novels that I could put titles I'd read to them. (Mostly A Hoiden's Conquest, one of the zaniest I've read and totally worth it.) But I couldn't get past Marielle herself and that fangirl thing, making this the longest short book I've read in a while.

[Terrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished. This one was one of the Shoujo / Josei (Girl / older woman audience focused) novels from J-Novel Club. Marielle Clarac follows an engaged noble couple who just don't quite seem to go together. One is this wallflower of a woman who is so unnoticeable that party goers pay her no mind as she listens intently to private conversations. Of only a slightly noble house, her plain brown hair and slim figure aren't striking at all. The other in this pair is Vice Captain of the royal order of Knights. Both are holding secrets from one another that will reveal why they're paired together, and what they might see in one another to make this marriage work.

The big appeal in this one is Marielle's view of high society and the goings on around her as pure inspiration for her personal writing. Because of this attitude, she's able to withstand abuse from mean girls in high society, and in fact craves it. It's refreshing to have a character who can stand in the face of what for a normal person would make them cry and run away, and she just shrugs it off or even laughs in enjoyment at the situation. Her friend is supposedly a BL fanatic, and because of that, we get a lot of Marielle fan girling over potential male x male scenarios. It reminded me of Kiss Him Not Me a bit in that way, Marielle being this noble lady with the "rotten girl" interests underneath it all, which I also enjoyed.

Prince Simeon is the dashing figure in the story. It's nice that both characters are glasses wearers, although Simeon's wear is in the story described as far more attractive than hers (but if only he carried a riding crop too!). One of the big appeals is seeing Lord Simeon's countenance and attitude change when he's outside of his job, particular when he's around Marielle and her tomfoolery. It's not unusual to see him facepalming or growing deathly pale / blue in the face from her exasperating personality.

I think some folks might be uncomfortable with Marielle's Masochistic tendencies (especially early on in the novel). She's all about seeking excitement for inspiration, and this pleasure seeking can lead her to trouble. There's one scene where she gets taken to a brothel by a Villainess lady trying to do her reputation harm and is slightly excited by the prospect of being forced into servitude there. When Simeon gives her the "mean" cold dagger glare, her heart swells with passion, not fear. Lord Simeon is also not the most kind husband to be early. When Marielle is clearly misinformed, he doesn't always clear things up. His bouts of jealousy lead him to do some very childish and mean spirited things as well. I think he does that whole flick the finger on the forehead thing to her at least once in the plot when her "fan girl" urges are leading her to dumb decision making. Both characters bicker (like a married couple?) over dumb misunderstandings, and both try to use blackmail leverage on the other, so it's definitely an odd pair that not everyone will love.

Rounding out the cast are the 3 Flowers of Tarantul (a prostitution house, the 3 Flowers being lovely women workers Marielle admires from afar), Crown Prince Severine, Marielle's friend Julianne, mean girl Lady Auriella, the Le Compte Sisters (snooty but lower rank nobles + country bumpkins), the Pautrier family (group of nobles seeking an heir), and Lord Cedric (said potential heir).

There were some things I didn't love. For instance, a romantic "rival" who is introduced late and seems they're going to be this annoying comic relief element who steals kisses from Simeon's fiancee any chance he gets. I just don't really care for having this character still out there and promising to return into the plot.

Overall though, I recommend this one. We just don't get characters like Marielle too often in our stateside Light Novels. The fanboy in me who ships the heck out of random pairings loves Marielle's trying to pair up people in her mind and root for others (even potential rivals, Marielle holds no grudges). Marielle's appeal being her unusually curious mind and not just skin deep is welcome as well. And seeing the two characters work in tandem (or apart) to solve problems is nice as well. There's just a tiny bit of court intrigue to the plot, and since we probably aren't going to get any outright mystery LN anytime soon, it's a welcome change of pace. Go read this!

[Dani(elle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful if you like reading historical romances and manga (ie me).

[Aelvana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marielle Clarac is a plain, unassuming young woman . . . which is why she's utterly shocked that Lord Simeon would request her hand in marriage. He's the Vice Commander of the Royal Knights, the most eligible bachelor after the crown prince. But despite her puzzlement, she's willing to commit to this relationship, even if it's only to observe new characters for her novel writing.

This is a bit rough plot-wise, but I did like the humor. Marielle is someone who knows very well she's not the sort of person Lord Simeon would ever marry--she's from a minor house, her looks are average at best, and there's nothing particularly noteworthy about her personality (at least from her perspective). What she doesn't know is that Simeon is aware of her secrets. Also, she's not normal. At all. This is a girl who reacts to the stereotypical bullying scene by exploding with joy that she got such good notes for her next book.

Simeon, who happened to witness some of this and has a vague inkling about her true nature, has confused himself by falling for her. There are a few longer segments from his point of view, which nicely lay out his perspective without being too repetitive.

What is repetitive is the misunderstanding between them. Although both eventual "talk it out" scenes are hilarious, it felt jarring to go from the first point of honesty to something that feels like they went backwards to before that just so they could make it up again. The shift in the plot after that first conversation wasn't bad but it also kind of underlines that the story feels like it has halves.

I'm also somewhat confused that Simeon isn't more offended by Marielle constantly shipping him with other guys. It clearly bothers him. He's explained more than once he isn't interested, but she continues to use it as both a source of her own enjoyment and as a needle against him. It isn't clear just what that kind of implication would do to him socially, since this world seems to be a mishmash of modernisms in a Victorian style, but it is possible that she may also be setting him up for a black mark in noble society.

Overall this was decent. I mostly enjoy the humor of Marielle's two-faced personality, and how she can flip suddenly into author-mania-mode. I'm much less fond of her constantly setting up her fiancee with other men, even if it's just in her own head. I rate this book Neutral.

See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....

[Pieter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marielle Clarac, a young woman of a minor noble house, has made blending in into an art. She loves observing people, using what she sees as inspiration for her books. Unknowingly she has drawn the interest of the vice-captain of the royal guard and friend of the crown prince and her life gets turned upside down when the man asks her for her hand.

The read itself was enjoyable. I really like the quirky characters whom do not necessarily fit all the tropes of romantic comedy even though the plot itself is filled with the standard tropes. The setting is okay, as the author themselves explain, society fits the Regency Period in regards to the position of the classes and their entertainment, but without steam engines and guns and a dash of more modern tropes. My biggest gripe with the story though is that Marielle Clarac is a bit too much of a wallflower. She sees much, but she has no impact on solving the mystery and does not draw any correct conclusions. She is a damsel in distress, in that she has to be rescued several times, although she is never really in distress, just intrigued by the whole situation. It fits her personality, but I would love she would be more of a secretive operative and I disagree with her fiancé she would make a great one. She is not proactive or suspicious enough...

All in all, an enjoyable read, but the lack of agency was a bit of a downer and I am not sure whether I will read more volumes.

[Soli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque tengan cosas de la misma fórmula, me encanta sobretodo la protagonista, la apariencia de los personajes, todo 💯

[Aki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! I like the manga but the light novel is (obviously) much more cohesive. This work focuses on the characters more than the where or year but for me that’s okay.

Simeon and Marielle are for me, the classic couple of irony and the ever age old saying “Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus.”

Marielle is off in her world and rightfully so; aside from being a novelist she’s a classic fangirl who’s still learning about the world. And Simeon is definitely more grounded but his communication isn’t any better than Marielle’s. These two characters compliment each other quite well. Looking forward to the next book!

[LunaLibro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Often times the story was a bit lackluster but it was held up by a cute romance. I enjoyed Marielle as a character even though her “fangirlness” could get a bit overbearing and over the top sometimes. I wish we had more chapters of Simeon’s POV. The “mystery” plot was kind of thrown in there out of nowhere. It was as if it was there only for the sole purpose of making the book be longer. If you like historical romance novels this light novel might be up your alley. It has the a-typical wallflower girl and the handsome knight falling in love. Very meh overall but I am interested in it enough to continue to the second book.

[Lucee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ended up being more unique that I thought it'd be!

Marielle is wildly different from the heroines in most light novel I've read, and it was refreshing to see a somewhat, er, unhinged main character XD Her relationship with Simeon was rather slow-moving, which was my main complaint for the story. Considering that their romantic development was the main focus of the book, I felt that we saw a disappointing low amount of scenes between them.

Still, and very cute read, and worth the time spent on it!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed how fascinating Marielle is as a protagonist! She's an intelligent, secret romance writers who is pretty observant. However her lack of experience does put her in a disadvantageous situation. Having Simeon as a surprise fiancée opens the doors a bit for her socially and in the ability to see more of the world than she previously had. Can't wait to read the other books in the series!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this series to be absolutely hilarious. The main character is an author, an avid reader and a ridiculous fan girl. But she is also very capable of blending in and gathering information. The combination of both competence and weirdness make her an enjoyable character to read because she has just enough competence to not be annoying and rather be simply funny. And the awkward romance is so fun to watch develop.

[Rebo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is the manga adaptation of a light novel. It fits into the dime-a-dozen series of light novels and comics with a similar setting/heroine, but without the humor that makes many of those successful. The characters were adequate but not particularly memorable or well developed, so without the humor, there really wasn’t much here. Disappointed I paid full price for this.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fun

This is a very sweet story and very silly too. The characters are well outside the norm and are aware of it which makes them more relatable incidentally. If you're the type to fangirl over fictional characters then try this book.

[Ophelia Aldous · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goddamned riding crop.

[Dantegideon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s good but I slightly preferred the manga, because the style is so nice.

[Book-o Loco · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Yes it’s cliché pero nakaka-kilig pa rin. Will try to read more into the series.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this on J-novel club. The characters are adorable, especially Marielle. This is definitely romantic comedy. Her optimism and passion for stories were great.

[ferguson (winston’s version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

it’s better than most and it’s starting to get interesting with a mystery

[cutecapybara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute easy read. Great procrastination material. I love when the ML falls head over heels first.

[Lynn Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was remarkably funny and charming- as a romance reader, I felt called-out and catered to in equal measure!

[Judith Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was about to drop it. I'm glad i didnt. It's good read indeed

[Soybean Soybean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is one of those hidden gems! It just draws you in and then makes you wish it need not end!

[Sammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series wasn't what I thought it would be but it was entertaining nonetheless. Although it does rank in the romance genre, this series can equally be placed under mystery and intrigue, especially in the later volumes.

The characters in the novel are vibrant and interesting, none more so than Marielle, the main character. She's always been a headstrong and clever woman but these traits don't come to the fore until she encounters the male lead. Once the love story begins, so do her habits of falling right smack dab in the middle of several political intrigues.

There's something very refreshing about this series. It's certainly one that many can enjoy.