I do wish we got more internal monologue from Ji Shuyin during the dream memory. The way she ends up dead is so gruesome, but we only get a brief summary. I’d like to sink deeper into that pain to really feel why she’s so determined now.
The gossip scene at the mansion is gold. Her mother being all reserved and Xi Lin desperately wanting details is so real. The way the mother asks their personal spy for the full story made me laugh. “That spy is quite capable, writing like a storyteller” – that line had me cackling.
Can we talk about how shady Huang Fang and her mom are? The whole bean scattering trick to induce early labor, the deliberate starvation to make Shu Yue suffer—it’s so calculated and evil. Mother Huang acting like she did it out of love for her daughter only makes it worse. She’s gonna get what’s coming to her, and I’m ready for it.
One thing that stood out to me is the way the author handles Hinami’s physical sensations. When she runs in the heels, her feet hurt. When she’s sitting in the hospital, she’s aware of her body. When the God puts her on his lap, she notices her face heating up. These small physical reactions make her feel more present and less like a puppet. I especially liked the moment when she hugs herself in the darkness because of fear. That’s a primal reaction that anyone can relate to. The story doesn’t shy away from showing vulnerability, which makes me root for her. Even though she’s thrown into a fantasy plot, she still feels human.
The encyclopedia entries for the Black Robe Jailer mentioning "Prison City" and its two messages about torment being amusement adds to the ominous worldbuilding. I'm genuinely curious about this Prison City and what other calamity monsters are lurking there. It feels like a deep lore waiting to be uncovered.