The Husky and his White Cat Shizun
Nov. 29th, 2024 10:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaVolume 1 and Volume 2
+ I have to say Mo Ran did not start with a good impression. It wasn't even the violence or the past life as a terrible tyrant but rather his lack of skill and intelligence. I couldn't help comparing him to Luo Binghe who tries hard at everything and is very intelligent and was not impressed. He's certainly not stupid (except about his own emotions) but his lack of care in trying to learn was annoying. That said he's definitely grown on me over the course of these first two books. I've appreciate his journey into learning empathy especially. I like that he is trying to be better, to do it all better this time.
+ Chu Wanning is cold and standoffish on the outside, and certainly goes overboard on punishment, but him losing it on the Chen father after what they did to their daughter-in-law and then returning to Sisheng Peak and turning himself over to the same punishment anyone would get (more then most even!) won me over. Then every reveal of his stoic suffering has just made me coo internally and want him to get everything good in life, lol. I appreciate very much that he is very smart and talented, that under his cold exterior is someone longing to belong but refusing to reach out, that he hides his kindness but still spreads it.
+ I am thus far pretty sold on Mo Ran/Chu Wanning. The miscommunication is a bit ridiculous but I am here for the angst and longing. Also if Mo Ran is under a love spell his feelings for Chu Wanning coming out on top regardless is super shippy and I am here for that too!
+ I honestly wondered if I was actually going to get a male lead who was somehow more emotionally oblivious then Shen Qingqiu with Mo Ran but now having come to the conclusion that he has been essentially under a love spell I guess I have to excuse his confused tangled web of feelings and his uncertainty over them. Maybe. We'll see how this plays out in future books.
+ The Mo Ran bonding with Xia Sini was very cute and I enjoyed Chu Wanning allowing himself to act on his feelings and reach out to others while as a child.
+ The reveal of the existence of affection spells, and then the dragon detecting one in the inn and coyly pointing out there was something interesting about it, was a AHA moment for me. The 'interesting thing' has to be that either Chu Wanning or Mo Ran had it cast on them. The only one Chu Wanning cares about is Mo Ran and there's no way he'd have used one on him. Which leaves Mo Ran and my mind immediately went to Shi Mei. Shi Mei who Mo Ran covets and thinks only good things about, and dotes on and yet seems weirdly idk distant from? I figured it as first puppy love but what if Shi Mei used an affection potion to get Mo Ran's attention? It makes so much sense!
Shi Mei wants Mo Ran, who even way back then only had eyes for Shizun, so he uses an affection potion on him. I wonder if the time travel + how different Mo Ran sees Chu Wanning and their relationship because of that past has caused the spell to weaken. We can see the increasing lack of interest Mo Ran has for Shi Mei beyond friendship as his relationship with Chu Wanning is allowed to grow and change.
+ The mysterious figure who was also reborn... I was confused at first but by the end I feel like Shi Mei is actually a good potential person. Mostly because of his obsession with Mo Ran's feelings for Shi Mei and how far he went to ensure that Mo Ran would remain devoted to Shi Mei. It is in fact essential to this figure's plans that he remain devoted to Shi Mei. The way he asks "how could you bear to tell me to fuck off" - who else but Shi Mei would Mo Ran be hesitant to say that too? Also healing is often associated with water so there is that potential connection.
One issue here is the little rant the cloaked man then goes on where he implies he wants Mo Ran in love with Shi Mei so he will use all his power to protect him, even up to giving his life for him, and that if he can't do that then he's useless and only worth tossing aside. If Shi Mei loved Mo Ran enough to use an affection spell on him this reads very contrary to that! Though... I suppose Shi Mei could have used the affection spell on Mo Ran not because he was in love with him but rather to control him? But why Mo Ran then and not say, Xue Meng?
Another issue is that of power. The cloaked figure is more powerful then Mo Ran and overcame him fairly easily. He shows a lot of skill with his abilities. If Shi Mei were that powerful you'd think someone would have noticed it, even if he was trying to hide it.
+ Shi Mei is of course only one possibility. My mind immediately went to him because I'm like 98% sure that he put an affection spell on Mo Ran. But it could be someone else. Ye Wangxi, for instance, is supposedly going to be second to only Chu Wanning in power/skill, he was the one last known in possession of Bugui, and him being such a righteous person actually offers support because why wouldn't an upright person not want to stop a future tyrant/dark future? It's not Chu Wanning or Xue Meng (not enough subtlety that one and you won't convince me otherwise.) Song Qiutong, is another possibility. We don't know a lot about her but we do know via implication from Mo Ran that she is very manipulative. Certainly, as former Empress, she would have motive to work against Mo Ran. And we don't actually know her power yet at this point. Mo Ran's certainty he is speaking to a man doesn't mean he was.
+ This of course all leads to the question: is the cloaked reborn person also the fake Gouchen? It seems very likely. I mean what are the chances of there being two very powerful people running around, manipulating things, having grand plans while hiding in the shadows, you know? But it's certainly not certain. Still the idea of the fake-Gouchen being someone who was reborn the same as Mo Ran is really interesting. If the two are the same are they acting based on what they remembered from that previous life? Or was this a plan in place already and they have maybe been accelerating it having returned from a dark future?
This person shows a complete lack of empathy and willingness to use (and murder) anyone to further their own ends. So far they've successfully murdered hundreds of people (thousands?) and wiped out two communities (completely under the radar too!). This person is clever, skilled and also a psychopath.
+ I am very interested in the potential connection between Chu Xun and Chu Wanning. Mo Ran jumps, logically, to Chu Xun being his ancestor but the matching wound over Chu Wanning's heart makes me go hmm. I feel like there is a much deeper story here. I mean the tragedy of Chu Xun (and Chu Lan, and Lin Wan'er) seems pretty cut and dried but I'm left side-eyeing it. Could Chu Wanning be a reborn Chu Xun? Could Chu Xun have been brought back to life and Chu Wanning is him? I'm interested to learn!
+ The rogue cultivators kidnap, torture, and mutilate children and then force them to preform as basically circus animals (pixiu) and Shi Mei... tries to reason with them? He tells them to live honest lives, don't do evil again, to apologise to the mom and to help the kids get medical treatment before leaving to return to his sect. What the fuck??! I have to say this did not give me a good first impression of Shi Mei. Mo Ran is a newly time reborn tyrant who clearly has no empathy. But Shi Mei based on everything Mo Ran says about him is a kind, generous, wonderful person - so how can he give such a underwhelming response to something so horrific!? The fact that he apparently decided to trust that the rogue cultivators would listen to what he said, that he thought their actions deserved only a slight scolding is honestly mind-boggling and immediately made me side-eye him. Not a great first impression. Later seeing Chu Wanning's response to the Chen family all I can think is of how he would have responded here and wished he'd shown up.
+ Of course the morality of this world is deeply questionable see: Butterfly Boned Beauty Feasts, WTF! In a world where you have the Feathered People that are considered people the dehumanisation of Butterfly Boned Beauties seems rather horrifyingly confusing. Or I guess not considering they are rare, pop up randomly (thus are alone) and most importantly can grant power. Of course they'd be made a resource. And yet they are also people, with human parents and siblings etc. The conversation between the two diners was terribe to listen to. Sure, the one guy was very against it, considers them people, finds the practice deplorable - and yet his friend can laughing wave it off as them having a difference of opinion. I think the worst part is how they are seen as both a sexual object and food, what the hell??
+ Mo Ran was very harsh on Rong Jiu. He might sneer that he only cares for money but honestly any whore in this situation gets my sympathy. Of course he covets riches, he's basically a sex slave! He did Mo Ran wrong with the deal he made, and Mo Ran holding it against him that he actually succeeded in another life is understandable enough. I don't really fault him for not caring or even stealing from Rong Jiu. But, eh, Rong Jiu wanted the money to be free, and the security offered by Chang-Da, and I can't really fault him much either.
+ I have to say Mo Ran did not start with a good impression. It wasn't even the violence or the past life as a terrible tyrant but rather his lack of skill and intelligence. I couldn't help comparing him to Luo Binghe who tries hard at everything and is very intelligent and was not impressed. He's certainly not stupid (except about his own emotions) but his lack of care in trying to learn was annoying. That said he's definitely grown on me over the course of these first two books. I've appreciate his journey into learning empathy especially. I like that he is trying to be better, to do it all better this time.
+ Chu Wanning is cold and standoffish on the outside, and certainly goes overboard on punishment, but him losing it on the Chen father after what they did to their daughter-in-law and then returning to Sisheng Peak and turning himself over to the same punishment anyone would get (more then most even!) won me over. Then every reveal of his stoic suffering has just made me coo internally and want him to get everything good in life, lol. I appreciate very much that he is very smart and talented, that under his cold exterior is someone longing to belong but refusing to reach out, that he hides his kindness but still spreads it.
+ I am thus far pretty sold on Mo Ran/Chu Wanning. The miscommunication is a bit ridiculous but I am here for the angst and longing. Also if Mo Ran is under a love spell his feelings for Chu Wanning coming out on top regardless is super shippy and I am here for that too!
+ I honestly wondered if I was actually going to get a male lead who was somehow more emotionally oblivious then Shen Qingqiu with Mo Ran but now having come to the conclusion that he has been essentially under a love spell I guess I have to excuse his confused tangled web of feelings and his uncertainty over them. Maybe. We'll see how this plays out in future books.
+ The Mo Ran bonding with Xia Sini was very cute and I enjoyed Chu Wanning allowing himself to act on his feelings and reach out to others while as a child.
+ The reveal of the existence of affection spells, and then the dragon detecting one in the inn and coyly pointing out there was something interesting about it, was a AHA moment for me. The 'interesting thing' has to be that either Chu Wanning or Mo Ran had it cast on them. The only one Chu Wanning cares about is Mo Ran and there's no way he'd have used one on him. Which leaves Mo Ran and my mind immediately went to Shi Mei. Shi Mei who Mo Ran covets and thinks only good things about, and dotes on and yet seems weirdly idk distant from? I figured it as first puppy love but what if Shi Mei used an affection potion to get Mo Ran's attention? It makes so much sense!
Shi Mei wants Mo Ran, who even way back then only had eyes for Shizun, so he uses an affection potion on him. I wonder if the time travel + how different Mo Ran sees Chu Wanning and their relationship because of that past has caused the spell to weaken. We can see the increasing lack of interest Mo Ran has for Shi Mei beyond friendship as his relationship with Chu Wanning is allowed to grow and change.
+ The mysterious figure who was also reborn... I was confused at first but by the end I feel like Shi Mei is actually a good potential person. Mostly because of his obsession with Mo Ran's feelings for Shi Mei and how far he went to ensure that Mo Ran would remain devoted to Shi Mei. It is in fact essential to this figure's plans that he remain devoted to Shi Mei. The way he asks "how could you bear to tell me to fuck off" - who else but Shi Mei would Mo Ran be hesitant to say that too? Also healing is often associated with water so there is that potential connection.
One issue here is the little rant the cloaked man then goes on where he implies he wants Mo Ran in love with Shi Mei so he will use all his power to protect him, even up to giving his life for him, and that if he can't do that then he's useless and only worth tossing aside. If Shi Mei loved Mo Ran enough to use an affection spell on him this reads very contrary to that! Though... I suppose Shi Mei could have used the affection spell on Mo Ran not because he was in love with him but rather to control him? But why Mo Ran then and not say, Xue Meng?
Another issue is that of power. The cloaked figure is more powerful then Mo Ran and overcame him fairly easily. He shows a lot of skill with his abilities. If Shi Mei were that powerful you'd think someone would have noticed it, even if he was trying to hide it.
+ Shi Mei is of course only one possibility. My mind immediately went to him because I'm like 98% sure that he put an affection spell on Mo Ran. But it could be someone else. Ye Wangxi, for instance, is supposedly going to be second to only Chu Wanning in power/skill, he was the one last known in possession of Bugui, and him being such a righteous person actually offers support because why wouldn't an upright person not want to stop a future tyrant/dark future? It's not Chu Wanning or Xue Meng (not enough subtlety that one and you won't convince me otherwise.) Song Qiutong, is another possibility. We don't know a lot about her but we do know via implication from Mo Ran that she is very manipulative. Certainly, as former Empress, she would have motive to work against Mo Ran. And we don't actually know her power yet at this point. Mo Ran's certainty he is speaking to a man doesn't mean he was.
+ This of course all leads to the question: is the cloaked reborn person also the fake Gouchen? It seems very likely. I mean what are the chances of there being two very powerful people running around, manipulating things, having grand plans while hiding in the shadows, you know? But it's certainly not certain. Still the idea of the fake-Gouchen being someone who was reborn the same as Mo Ran is really interesting. If the two are the same are they acting based on what they remembered from that previous life? Or was this a plan in place already and they have maybe been accelerating it having returned from a dark future?
This person shows a complete lack of empathy and willingness to use (and murder) anyone to further their own ends. So far they've successfully murdered hundreds of people (thousands?) and wiped out two communities (completely under the radar too!). This person is clever, skilled and also a psychopath.
+ I am very interested in the potential connection between Chu Xun and Chu Wanning. Mo Ran jumps, logically, to Chu Xun being his ancestor but the matching wound over Chu Wanning's heart makes me go hmm. I feel like there is a much deeper story here. I mean the tragedy of Chu Xun (and Chu Lan, and Lin Wan'er) seems pretty cut and dried but I'm left side-eyeing it. Could Chu Wanning be a reborn Chu Xun? Could Chu Xun have been brought back to life and Chu Wanning is him? I'm interested to learn!
+ The rogue cultivators kidnap, torture, and mutilate children and then force them to preform as basically circus animals (pixiu) and Shi Mei... tries to reason with them? He tells them to live honest lives, don't do evil again, to apologise to the mom and to help the kids get medical treatment before leaving to return to his sect. What the fuck??! I have to say this did not give me a good first impression of Shi Mei. Mo Ran is a newly time reborn tyrant who clearly has no empathy. But Shi Mei based on everything Mo Ran says about him is a kind, generous, wonderful person - so how can he give such a underwhelming response to something so horrific!? The fact that he apparently decided to trust that the rogue cultivators would listen to what he said, that he thought their actions deserved only a slight scolding is honestly mind-boggling and immediately made me side-eye him. Not a great first impression. Later seeing Chu Wanning's response to the Chen family all I can think is of how he would have responded here and wished he'd shown up.
+ Of course the morality of this world is deeply questionable see: Butterfly Boned Beauty Feasts, WTF! In a world where you have the Feathered People that are considered people the dehumanisation of Butterfly Boned Beauties seems rather horrifyingly confusing. Or I guess not considering they are rare, pop up randomly (thus are alone) and most importantly can grant power. Of course they'd be made a resource. And yet they are also people, with human parents and siblings etc. The conversation between the two diners was terribe to listen to. Sure, the one guy was very against it, considers them people, finds the practice deplorable - and yet his friend can laughing wave it off as them having a difference of opinion. I think the worst part is how they are seen as both a sexual object and food, what the hell??
+ Mo Ran was very harsh on Rong Jiu. He might sneer that he only cares for money but honestly any whore in this situation gets my sympathy. Of course he covets riches, he's basically a sex slave! He did Mo Ran wrong with the deal he made, and Mo Ran holding it against him that he actually succeeded in another life is understandable enough. I don't really fault him for not caring or even stealing from Rong Jiu. But, eh, Rong Jiu wanted the money to be free, and the security offered by Chang-Da, and I can't really fault him much either.
