The Evil Queen’s Beautiful Principles Vol. 1 Review

Tags: Fantasy, Romance, Drama, Tragedy, Villainess, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Revenge, Politics, Conspiracies, Ruthless Protagonist

Cover Illustration for Volume 1

Synopsis:

A woman reborn, Crown Princess Luxeria is derided as a doll, beautiful and docile. But that’s merely the mask she wears. Powerful magic courses through her veins—magic that can corrupt hearts, erase memories, and pluck one’s innermost thoughts from the air. After years of being confined to a tower, she is finally set free…only to become embroiled in a grand conspiracy that kicks off with her parents’ murder. Thrust onto a tragic stage of love and betrayal, she will play her part to perfection. (Source: Seven Seas Entertainment)

The Doll Princess’ Revenge!

From the same author that brought us The Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter comes the newest light novel series from Seven Seas Entertainment featuring revenge, tragic romance and kingdom-building.

Personal Vengeance

Revenge can be a difficult theme to manage. A balance of catharsis and believable motivations, it’s a theme that, on the whole, The Evil Queen’s Beautiful Principles navigates adeptly.

Key to this successful navigation is the volume’s central revenge act – Luxeria, the protagonist’s revenge against those who murdered her parents. Acting as a puppet ruler over the novel’s first half, it allows the revenge plot to build bit by bit. Throughout, her façade allows her to plan secretly gathering allies, leading to the perfect moment of catharsis as Luxeria reveals her true intentions in a bloody wedding sequence. It’s well-focused and staged, helping to feed into Luxeria’s prized narrative as the cold-hearted queen.

Unfortunately, the rest of the volume’s subplots aren’t so well-focused.

Romance and a Revenge for the People

In the case of the volume’s climax, the focus is taken away simply due to the novel already having peaked. Going one step beyond a personal vendetta, she takes her plans to stop the kingdom’s bureaucratic decay and create a system that helps both commoners and the nobility equally. A fine concept in practice, unfortunately, it falls foul of the fact that not one member of the nation’s ministry holds a candle to her power and, therefore, barely feels like a threat.

As for the series’ romantic subplot, the problem stems from an overall lack of connection between the series’ two romantic leads. Beyond a small flashback, Luxeria and Wilhelm barely speak more than two words to each other throughout the entire volume. As a result, I find it difficult to connect with their love story, and what’s more, I barely find it believable that she would use her abilities on him in a way that could endanger her entire motivation as ruler.

Fortunately, the theme of friendship is one subplot that offers some light at the end of the tunnel. The relationship between Luxeria and Alicia is the only link that the protagonist doesn’t sever from their childhood years. Offering a very different side to Luxeria from the ruthless ruler, their fun-loving moments together come as a welcome tension-breaker. Although, even this subplot suffers from a few holes. Explaining a plot point as being happenstance isn’t exactly a favourite of mine. 

To conclude, whilst the story’s central revenge plot is well-focused and delivers the perfect amount of catharsis, this positivity doesn’t extend towards the rest of the story. A less-than-stellar climax and an underdeveloped romantic subplot mean that I won’t be picking up the sequel in the series.

The Evil Queen Vol. 1

My Rating: 6/10

If you like what you read and what I do, why not consider supporting me through Ko-Fi. Any donation helps keep this site up and keep me writing.

You can read the first volume of this series physically and digitally through the distributors listed on the Seven Seas website.

Jeanette the Genius: Defying My Evil Stepmother by Starting a Business with My Ride-or-Die Fiancé Vol. 1 Review

Tags: Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life, Shoujo

Sub-Tags: Business, Revenge, Banishment

Cover Illustration for Volume 1

Synopsis:

When Jeanette’s father suddenly goes missing, her evil stepmother seizes the opportunity to cast her out of the house! Now she’s left with no family, no belongings, and nowhere to live. But Jeanette the eternal optimist firmly believes in one thing: “Every crisis is an opportunity for growth!” Eager to face her new life, she has only one thing left to do to break free of her old—call off her engagement with the popular and beloved Count Claus! Little does she know the saintly gentleman she’s supposed to marry is secretly a blackhearted schemer, and he has other plans. In fact, he’s so madly in love with her, he’ll use any means necessary to stay by her side and assist her! Once the couple begins working together, Jeanette’s enterprising nature starts to shine. With her positive attitude, her natural genius, and her clever, besotted fiancé, can Jeanette triumph over adversity and earn back what’s rightfully hers? (Source: J-Novel Club)

The Trials of a Successful Businesswoman!

An Airhead with Acumen

Featuring an airheaded protagonist, revenge, and plenty of business acumen, for my latest review, I decided to pick up J-Novel Club’s newest acquisition from DRENovels – Jeanette the Genius.

Equal parts rom-com and revenge story, this latest pick-up by JNC follows the business misadventures of Jeanette. Gifted with an eye for business at a young age, this story finds her striving to become a successful businesswoman despite the male-dominated environment and an evil stepmother who wishes to thwart her at every turn.

With challenges compounding and a missing father to add to the mix, a normal person would quickly give up on their dreams. For Jeanette, however, she’s blessed with several elements that continue to drive her toward success.

Looking within herself, Jeanette’s eccentric attitude is one thing that constantly drives her forward. Airheaded and viewing everything as a new challenge to conquer, the unendingly stubborn belief in her abilities allows her to get the edge in the world of business. This almost superhuman-like positive attitude draws everyone in, and it isn’t hard to see why business partners, house servants, and friends all decide to stay by her side.

Mixing Love and Business

Away from her own attitude, her ever-loving fiancé, Claus, is another key point towards her success. Gifted in business in his own right, he’s always by Jeanette’s side, scheming to ensure that her revenge is seen through. Without his lengthy business connections, Jeanette would never have been able to acquire her father’s business, dealing the final nail in her stepmother’s coffin.

As for the rom-com aspect between Jeanette and Claus – it’s suitably fluffy and cute. Whilst it takes a while for Jeanette to see that Claus truly loves her, when they finally end up together, it makes for a welcome reprieve from the moments of unhinged hatred displayed by Jeanette’s stepmother and sister.

Whilst the series could never be considered trailblazing, it does what it knows well. It’s entertaining and well-paced, with the main characters coming across as lively and animated.

Overall, Jeanette the Genius‘ first volume makes for a solid addition to both the revenge and rom-com genres.

Jeanette the Genius Vol. 1

My Rating: 8/10

If you like what you read and what I do, why not consider supporting me through Ko-Fi. Any donation helps keep this site up and keep me writing.

You can read the first volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Revolutionary Reprise of the Blue Rose Princess Vol. 2 Review

Tags: Fantasy, Drama, Romance, Tragedy, Villainess

Sub-Tags: Reincarnation, Politics, Conspiracies

Cover Illustration for Volume 2

Synopsis:

The Gears Of Fate Are Turning Fast!

After deciding to become her kingdom’s ruler, Alicia takes on her first challenge to establish a wide-area trading company together with her adviser, Clovis. This venture leads them to discover dark connections between the nobles opposing their plans and the neighboring empire which Heilland waged war against in Alicia’s past life…

Six years later, Alicia makes her high society debut and accepts an invitation from the empire. There, she meets her husband from her previous life, makes a promise with the woman he loves, and faces up against the fierce but beautiful empress, all key players leading up to the “Night of the Revolution.” As Alicia struggles to change her fate, feelings for her adviser start to grow within her… (Source: Cross Infinite World)

A Princess Quells the Sparks of War!

The Council and Conspiracy

Having read the latest volume of Revolutionary Reprise, it is clear that the series has grown from strength to strength. Key to this volume’s success starts early on, as the author opens the latest volume on a tale of intrigue.

This tale of intrigue and conspiracy comes as Alicia and Clovis’ business plan meets more than the expected opposition due to a difference in viewpoint. After holding their meeting with the Privy Council, it isn’t long before either suspect foul play afoot when their already trusted business parties begin to reject their proposal.

Chief among their suspects is the current Lord Sutherland. Both he and his son Riddhe have long been a pain in the pair’s side, but this volume moves both of their motivations beyond the level of petty villainy. For Riddhe, in particular, these are defining moments for his character. While the two have misguided their love for their country alongside their hatred of Clovis, Riddhe still has room for redemption.

Upon discovering that his father’s hatred for the Graham bloodline has led him to treachery, Riddhe still has the good sense to realise that his actions are wrong and that the country can still be saved without the need for the Empire. As a result, Riddhe’s testimony against his father leads to his arrest and finds Alicia and Clovis ever closer to discovering the cause of the war – malicious forces in Erdal.

Just Another Cog in the Machine

Unfortunately for Clovis and Alicia, vague rumours about Erdal are all they’re able to glean as Lord Sutherland is assassinated. The next pieces of the puzzle are only revealed as Alicia turns sixteen.

The second half of this volume sees several shifts in the story’s pace. With Alicia now older, there’s a sense of urgency in her actions as the tragic events of her previous life come ever closer.

This is none more so felt when Alicia and Clovis receive an invitation to meet with the Empress of Erdal. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to scope out the enemy, Alicia’s newfound yet understandable reckless streak fails to identify the dangers of such a mission.

With all the main cast from her previous life’s tragedy present, Alicia becomes sidetracked. Faced with her former fiancé and his mistress, Alicia is determined to learn what brought them together, only to discover that they both complement each other perfectly.

Fritz and Charlotte aren’t the only ones to have a few romantic moments. Considering the stressful situation, the events in the empire have slowly brought Alicia and Clovis closer together as well.

Substance and depth have made this series stronger. From a beginning filled with intrigue to a character-filled climax, this series is making every effort to make itself stand out from the crowd.

What highlights this series is the work done on its central characters. Moving them away from their respective cliches and making them individuals with complex and conflicting motivations. This is no more evident than with Riddhe and Fritz, both of whom get heavy focus that distances them from their original one-note villainy.

With both the romantic and climatic stage set, Revolutionary Reprise has only gone from strength to strength in its sequel.

Revolutionary Reprise Vol. 2

My Rating: 9/10

If you like what you read and what I do, why not consider supporting me through Ko-Fi. Any donation helps keep this site up and keep me writing.

You can read the second volume of this series digitally through the list of distributors found on the Cross Infinite World website.

Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon Vol. 2 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Harem, Tragedy, Shounen

Sub-Tags: Dungeons, Revenge, Betrayal, OP, Strong Lead

Cover Illustration for Volume 2

Synopsis:

Light’s revenge tour takes him to the Elven Queendom, home of his former partymate Sasha. Her reward for leaving him for dead was riches, status, and a betrothal to Sir Mikhael, second-in-command of the queendom’s elite White Knights. To “congratulate” Sasha on her engagement, Light issues her a challenge: face off against him in a giant tower shaped like a wedding cake! Although Sasha knows it’s a trap, she must rectify her former party’s mistake of leaving Light alive three years ago in order to preserve her new lifestyle. With Sir Mikhael and the White Knights in tow, she challenges Light and his crew of Level 9999 bombshells—plus a few new faces. Can they overcome the might of one of the world’s strongest nations? (Source: J-Novel Club)

Light’s Revenge Against the Elves!

Continuing his campaign of revenge against those who wronged him, my latest review catches up on Backstabbed’s second volume as Light sets his sights on Sasha!

An Engagement Present

After exploring the world under his newfound lens, the second volume moves to craft Light’s largest revenge plot so far. Travelling to the Elven Queendom, Light and his gacha girls seek revenge against Sasha, one of the party members who tried to kill him, who’s about to celebrate her engagement to Mikhail, part of the reward for killing a master.

This revenge takes the form of a large-scale scheme with an impressive number of moving parts. The first part of which comes in two forms, psychological attacks and baiting the Queendom to investigate their large, mysterious tower in the forest.

Baiting Sasha with psychological attacks to approach the tower was the easiest of these tasks – her fragile position within the Queendom would ensure her investigation. Baiting the elite soldiers, the white knights, to the stage required some interesting political manoeuvring.

It’s by far my favourite part of the revenge scheme because it requires some genuine ingenuity to ensure everything works out.

The second half of the revenge scheme moved toward the capture of Sasha and the utter humiliation of the Queendom. To this end, Light, Ellie and the other LV 9999s set up a series of battles between strong gacha members and individual members of the White Knights.

Each battle is completely one-sided, leading to several elf-shaped holes in the tower walls. Though we shouldn’t feel sorry for them, each having committed unspeakable crimes towards the human race.

As an aside, whilst the action within these scenes are great, the antagonists themselves all feel lacking when it comes to character depth. Beyond being utterly irredeemable psychopaths, there’s little else to set them apart.

The Master and The Other

Whilst character depth is a problem amongst this volume’s antagonists, the world-building certainly isn’t lacking.

Once again, this volume adds towards the legend of the supposed master and their effect on the world. What’s more, this volume comes with the revelation that there are more mysterious beings and that Light may more likely fit into that character.

This type of world-building is constant within the series and is always a highlight. The author clearly knows how to hand-feed the readers just enough information to keep them engaged whenever revenge is off the table.

To conclude, Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon’s second volume is an overall improvement from its previous outing. Featuring a complex, large-scale revenge scheme alongside some fantastic world-building means this could be a series to look out for if you’re in the mood for some catharsis!

Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon Vol. 2

My Rating: 9/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the second volume of this series digitally from the J-Novel Club website.