2
1
1
Grim, Mysterious and Full of Questions
The First Jasmine is a rather grim drama with very little humour, but it makes up for that with mystery, unanswered questions and plenty of intrigue. From the beginning, the story keeps you wondering what is really going on.
Ye Li marries the disabled Prince Ding after her former fiancé, Prince Li, breaks off their engagement and chooses to marry her sister instead. But Prince Li's reaction at the wedding makes it painfully obvious that he is still in love with Ye Li. So why did he break off the engagement?
And that is only the beginning. The drama throws up one question after another:
Prince Ding's brother and his cavalry are executed for bringing an army into the capital without permission, yet he insists that he has an imperial decree. Was there really one? And if so, where is it?
Ye Li sees her maid when no one else can. Is she hallucinating, or is something more sinister going on?
And, of course, the biggest question: Will Prince Ding and Ye Li actually live happily ever after?
Characters I Admired:
Ye Li is undoubtedly my favourite. I always admire intelligent, upright characters, and she has both strength and intelligence in abundance. She is not the sort of heroine who simply waits for someone to rescue her. Despite all her strength, she has her vulnerability.
The Empress is another interesting character. She is actually very smart, but her methods are far too extreme, driven by over-ambitious ideals. She is the sort of character whose motives you can understand, even when you cannot agree with what she does.
There are also some genuinely heart-rendering moments. One villain gives up everything for his lofty obsessive ambition — his love, the person who loves him, a prestigious position and the possibility of a happy life - only to be killed because of it.
Then there is someone who could have been remembered and respected for their achievements, only to be brought down by hatred from the people because things were done too hastily and through extreme methods. It is a reminder that even good intentions can have disastrous consequences when ambition takes over.
My Biggest Problem with the Story
There is one glaring flaw that kept bothering me. So much of the story revolves around the sealing of Li Shan Academy. But how exactly does sealing the academy prevent the Empress from seizing the throne? It is not as if the scholars are an army capable of fighting for her. Yes, they are influential in the scholarly world, but really? Their sealing feels more like a needless sacrifice than something that would actually stop a coup. Much ado about nothing, perhaps?
And Now for Some Nitpicking...
The drama flips between different sequences of events far too often. A scene barely has time to develop before we are suddenly transported to another event — and sometimes it keeps jumping between three different happenings. Flashing between timelines can be an effective way to create a sense of significant time passing or gradually reveal a mystery. Here, however, it happens so frequently that it becomes more annoying than clever.
Some scenes, particularly in the first half, were also rather boring. There were moments when I could quite happily have walked away and done something else without feeling that I was missing much.
Despite all that, The First Jasmine remains an entertaining watch. The mysteries keep you going, the characters are interesting, and there are enough twists to make you want to find out what happens next.
I was debating between 8.5 and 9, but I decided to be generous.
⭐ My rating: 9/10
Grim, occasionally frustrating, but ultimately an entertaining mystery with plenty to keep you guessing. Worth your time.
Ye Li marries the disabled Prince Ding after her former fiancé, Prince Li, breaks off their engagement and chooses to marry her sister instead. But Prince Li's reaction at the wedding makes it painfully obvious that he is still in love with Ye Li. So why did he break off the engagement?
And that is only the beginning. The drama throws up one question after another:
Prince Ding's brother and his cavalry are executed for bringing an army into the capital without permission, yet he insists that he has an imperial decree. Was there really one? And if so, where is it?
Ye Li sees her maid when no one else can. Is she hallucinating, or is something more sinister going on?
And, of course, the biggest question: Will Prince Ding and Ye Li actually live happily ever after?
Characters I Admired:
Ye Li is undoubtedly my favourite. I always admire intelligent, upright characters, and she has both strength and intelligence in abundance. She is not the sort of heroine who simply waits for someone to rescue her. Despite all her strength, she has her vulnerability.
The Empress is another interesting character. She is actually very smart, but her methods are far too extreme, driven by over-ambitious ideals. She is the sort of character whose motives you can understand, even when you cannot agree with what she does.
There are also some genuinely heart-rendering moments. One villain gives up everything for his lofty obsessive ambition — his love, the person who loves him, a prestigious position and the possibility of a happy life - only to be killed because of it.
Then there is someone who could have been remembered and respected for their achievements, only to be brought down by hatred from the people because things were done too hastily and through extreme methods. It is a reminder that even good intentions can have disastrous consequences when ambition takes over.
My Biggest Problem with the Story
There is one glaring flaw that kept bothering me. So much of the story revolves around the sealing of Li Shan Academy. But how exactly does sealing the academy prevent the Empress from seizing the throne? It is not as if the scholars are an army capable of fighting for her. Yes, they are influential in the scholarly world, but really? Their sealing feels more like a needless sacrifice than something that would actually stop a coup. Much ado about nothing, perhaps?
And Now for Some Nitpicking...
The drama flips between different sequences of events far too often. A scene barely has time to develop before we are suddenly transported to another event — and sometimes it keeps jumping between three different happenings. Flashing between timelines can be an effective way to create a sense of significant time passing or gradually reveal a mystery. Here, however, it happens so frequently that it becomes more annoying than clever.
Some scenes, particularly in the first half, were also rather boring. There were moments when I could quite happily have walked away and done something else without feeling that I was missing much.
Despite all that, The First Jasmine remains an entertaining watch. The mysteries keep you going, the characters are interesting, and there are enough twists to make you want to find out what happens next.
I was debating between 8.5 and 9, but I decided to be generous.
⭐ My rating: 9/10
Grim, occasionally frustrating, but ultimately an entertaining mystery with plenty to keep you guessing. Worth your time.
Was this review helpful to you?
