All Hail Cousin Brother (Webnovel, asian novel)
Author: Just Like / You Shi
1.2.2025 - 4*
zdroj: webnovel
Synopsis:
Yu Youyao had a nightmare. In her dream, she was married to the Marquis' son, Song Mingzhao, and had become a mere medicine-human for her third sister, Yu Jianjia. After having blood extracted from her heart for three years, Yu Youyao's life was nearing its end, so her wrist was slit and she died just like that.
Upon waking up, her heart thumped wildly and she decided to choose the first man she saw to escape that tragic fate. Thus, she clung onto the leg of her maternal cousin who had come all the way from the You Kingdom. "Cousin, I'll be good to you for the rest of my life.”
Zhou Linghuai looked at the girl nestled in his arms. She had a lovely face and puppy eyes. Despite his usual ruthlessness, he suddenly found himself unable to reject her. And so, he became Yu Youyao's protector, helping her to take revenge on those who bullied her, fend off the schemes of others, and reject all of her suitors. He even helped her attain glory and magnificence.
Once Yu Youyao reached adulthood, events started to progress according to her dream. The Marquis's son, Song Mingzhao, had indeed come to request for her hand in marriage. However, Zhou Linghuai pressed Yu Youyao against the wall and said in a low voice, "You're mine. You can't marry anyone else!”
Review:
Love the story. It had slow, deliberate pace that is just so calming and yet still entertaining. The story is sometimes translated really badly (because webnovel sucks lately) but it still doesn't change the fact that the original has to be really detailed, capture the times authentically, is very well written and thought through.
The characters themselves were just so good. I haven't read about such lifelike, deep characters in a long time (in asian novels I mean, the bar here is just... a little bit lower. xD). Only the villains sometimes had just two brain cells that they shared so they weren't really problem for our scheming, careful MC and ML pair.
And MC and ML... sometimes author write that MC and ML are geniuses but reality is tragic. In this novel, author showed how clever and prepared they were and that is precious.
The plot was slow, sometimes very complicated (a lot of court politics, family politics, war, governing), MC and ML were making a lot of stuff by their own hands so there were sometimes detailed paragraphs of these processes... but tbh, this pure, realistic gestures just made me love this story so much more. Not mentioning the things made just captured ancient China atmosphere so perfectly.
This is kind of revenge story, but one of the mildest ones. MC was not looking for people to off. She gave everybody chances and only once they provoked her, she ended it. Cleverly, intelligently, it was amazing to read.
The plot was set in ancient China, Emperor was the Heaven's child and all powerful and all that. MC was clever, but she was behaving in accordance with the traditions and times. Author didn't make an annoying mistake of changing times and traditions for her (at least not much :D) and that was another authentic aspect that I loved.
That, and devoted ML. He schemed for our MC all the book and that was the purest gesture of his love.
I've read this story three times I think. First two just up to half of this novel, it was not completed/translated yet. This time I've read it whole and... it was not perfect. Sometimes it was really long winded, sometimes stupid, sometimes all went too well for our protagonists. But it was amazing comfort read.
But it was really slow read, and romance was slowburn process so probably not everybody's cup of tea. But it just happens to suit my tastes perfectly.
Btw - MC and ML have no blood relations. And nothing romantic with underage MC - ML is no monster. He is one of the sweetest and best ML in this genre. :)