Before I go back to mainly YaoJing subject, I would really like to share, another fan or Thai blogger review of Once Promised + Eternally Yearning For You. Because there are things that i think the same as her although she favored Once Promised and I much favored Eternally Yearning For You.
I took her review translate into english..this revie was written in 2017 ..6 years before we watched the drama.
Link https://www.bloggang.com/m/mainblog.php?id=serverlus&month=08-04-2017&group=9&gblog=3
The novel contains a little bit of fantasy. I understand that the author took part of Chinese folklore to be the theme of the story. There is the lengend of Emperor Pan Gu dividing sky/heaven and earth. After Emperor Fu Zi and Empress Ni Wa passed away, the world divided into three which gods, human and demons living altogether. Qi Yo, the male lead, is an individual from the legend.
Part 1: Once Promised/ Promise Me Forever
The main theme of the story is war and romance. Qi Yo, the male lead from the story is the general of Sheng Nong. Xi Ling Heng is the daughter of Yellow Emperor of Xuan Yuan, and she is betrothed to Shao Hao, Prince of Gao Xing. If you knew the Chinese lengend, you will certainly know it will be sad ending. At here, the author is very go at writing the plot with a mixture of lengend and romantic tragedy.
Because there were so many characters , the author let us greet with the charaters slowly. Therefore, it is not difficult to remember . Each characters, even side characters had left good impression and memorable as much as main characters. At some scene they even stole the show from the main couple.
In part one, the author made readers fell in love with the characters and then let them suffer the cruel destiny one by one. The readers cried and cried time to time. (If anyone wanting to read , be prepared and hard hearted). In the end it is a tragedy (not even one couple have good ending). But within the story, all 4 books (Thai ver has 4 books), it has romance that is pleasing, the cuteness of female lead's pet, the friendship, and then having to leave behind love for burden and duty.
Part two: Eternally Yearning for You
The story took place 30 years after part one has ended, with the children of the couples from part one. There are the characters from part one that has not died yet, also played important role in part two.
The story opened as seemingly nothing to do with part one at all.I don't know who are the characters that were appearing. As I read on, I even sensed the smell of Yoai(BL) feeling. Until I read a certain amount of book 1, Zhuang Xu appeared and his identity revealed. That's when I realized I was tricked by the author.
In this part, the plot emphasizes on romance more. The female lead had 4 male guys, fall for her (actually only 3 are vital). Therefore, the readers are fooled a little bit on whom of them will eventually get with female lead in the end, and probably because the author had already done hardcore job on part one that in this part the main characters suffer less cruelly than part one. Compare to part one, part two felt less inactive. The main characters of the story are still grey. there is reasoning for their actions and getting the result of their actions. Because of that, a reader like me cannot hate anybody.
Eventhough, part two has a happy ending with the main couple ending up together, and many other characters also getting their life goals, but Tong Hua style has to have tears fall a little bit. That is why the heroic figure, (supporting male lead), selflessly do everything for female lead without letting her know to the very end. (For me personally, I did not cheer him with female lead at all because I could not help thinking the way he did everything feels more like love of a father than a man in love). Overall, this part is easy read compare to part one. However, for me, part one was much more thrilling and resentful, and the characters are more likeable.
My reaction to her review,
I understand why she prefer Part 1, because it is more action pack and the character feelings felt more raw words used and also it has two couples, Xiao Yao's parents and Zhuang Xu's parents. Nevertheless, personally I prefer Part 2 because it has more realistic feeling of neutral although it is a very romantic melodrama, inclining toward what we call happy ending. Besides, tragedies are not my thing. I don't like being hard hearted most of the time. Besides i do like this imperfection of characters. One thing though, I like this rawness emotions I get from Once promised sometimes though . I may share some abstract later on.
About the happy ending, I am absolutly agree. For me personally, even Zhuang Xu and Xiang Liu endings are not tragic.
I especially agree with her take on XL towards XY, I have been lately saying he still has some questionable action especially to those who said he is her one true, because I totally disagree with that take and neither that she would prefer if he confessed.... Just like this reviewer, I think his actions all shown towards XY are caring. However, I still do not feel this raw deep woman and man attraction from him. And yep aren' we actually possessive of our spouse? How would we feel if theres 3rd hand ? I have highlighted that part. Therefore i cant feel full romance from him. I mean I know he sacrifice lives for Xy ...but he also did that for his army .
And I am reminded of Ah Bi words about XL.
Xiang Liu said mockingly “Can’t believe my reputation is so bad even a demon raised by Qi Yo would disdain me.”
Sir Bi shook his head “No, I don’t disdain you at all. It’s the opposite, I truly respect you! Your heart is as clear as crystal, even my voice cannot enchant you or lead you astray. Power, wealth, and glory hold no sway or temptation for you.”
And lastly ..yep I feel her about ....feeling of BL in earlier chapters with all those scenes because Xiao Liu was addressed as "he".
I think I will be posting something related to Jing next.
Tsj_Xiaoyao:
