Solid art, fine story, and fine characters, but lacking some oomph to the whole comic.

An issue that I have, that you don't normally see in comics, is that the reason for the time-travel back is clearly given; in fact; the first few chapters are in present times and shows the cause and how the FL ends up traveling back in time, WHICH she isn't aware about at all. Yet we the audience knows and the rest of the comic is in the FL's perspective. It was a short-lived pity for the cause and how. I just don't see a reason for it if it doesn't affect the story. No character in the new timeline is aware of the reason and cause for the change in time.

It's nice that it's smooth sailing for the protagonist so far, but it lacks interest and excitement. I've read 40 CHAPTERS. It's at a reasonable slow-pace, but nothing particularly exciting happens.

The art is decent and the world-building is fine. Fine to binge-read if you got nothing to read. I expect more world-building and a diligent, intellectual Eve given her task .

Despite lore gimmicks that make very little sense and simply act as drama generators, “The Princess Imprints the Traitor” works for attractive characters, competent writing, genuine antagonism and a strong plot through line. Or at least, the art and writing held up for the English version before the scanalation took a nose dive into concrete, barely sustained via respirator and copious amounts of AI driven opioid pain relief.

Unlike other commenters, I can sort of look past the sheer IQ deficit exhibited in the implementation of the “royal command” (among other aforementioned questionable lore) over the homunculi. It feels like it’s presence is purely determined by whether the plot finds it convenient or not, or to add some sort of layer of mystery to whether the main couple will actually get together. “I suppose I only want to protect her because of the imprint!” and “UwU the imprint makes him say such chivalrous things UwU”. This nonsense does get to almost the point of being intolerable when it impacts the main thrust of this story which is meant to be the main characters romance. The slave sympathiser and the slave. The slave is grateful to said sympathiser and this develops into feelings of fascination and eventually lust/love. Makes sense pre-reset. However this whole generation of romantic feeling in the mind of our mega-sexy handsome slave boy is completely thrown into question by the existence of the imprint lore. If he eventually becomes resistant to the glamour of the royalty, why would that not necessarily mean his feelings towards them would also change. Attraction quickly dispelled. False loyalty and a protective instinct wiped. That would explain how he could go from slave to usurper after all. Ultimately this is easily explained as the slave having autonomy of mind and feeling, but not of body when commanded by royalty. However, the story has already written into itself some suggestion that autonomy of mind and feeling is compromised…

Also I have to say clap clap clap to GlowToads for great comments on this. I totally agree with a lot of the nuance and actual spice of this story being flushed out by the reversion to the past. If anything, a reversion to just prior to the slave revolt could have been more interesting. Ultimately the “imprinting of the traitor” wasn’t really much of a task was it? Though I personally do not hold even a shred of passion for Eve having been a “muh anti-slavery!” person. It makes sense in the context of the story, but I also think it’s lazy and rather boring. Why was Eve anti-enslavement of the homunculi in contradiction to the entire royal family? Why is she not against their very creation in the first place? Ultimately it just feels like another cheap gimmick to make the audience see moral goodness in Eve without it actually being earned. But I don’t come to stories like this for their moral complexities and coherent lore, I come for the hot boys. So… Y’know… This one has some pretty hot boys. (lol).

I enjoyed this on my first reading but I think it sits pretty mid pack for actual quality. I don’t think it’s squandered all it’s potential yet, and I still found it pretty entertaining, even if some of that is due to it’s sheer retardation at points. 7/10

I don't care too much about the precise "realism" of remembering hair details -- most stories in this genre have something ridiculous and that's fine, it doesn't really take away from the enjoyment (sometimes it even adds). But I am a little confused about the characterisation going on here. Eve came across as very intelligent and composed in the first chapters, and I think she was a good example of an adult woman in her early thirties, especially a princess in her thirties. When she goes back in time, some of that dignity is... lost. I'm not sure what it is! But she seems different, and I don't think she has that same resolution or composure now that she's back as her younger self.

Eve and Mikhael had a more interesting dynamic in the past timeline, and that has definitely been erased. When I read the slave tag, and then read the first few chapters, I was SO happy that we got something about a slave revolution. How often do we get any sort of criticism of the power dynamics and structures of class in these stories, beyond very superficial money troubles? In particular I loved that Eve was known for opposing slavery but regretted not doing more when she had the chance. I see why she has decided to enslave Mikhael now, too (how to phrase this in a way that doesn't make sound like a supporter of slavery... the in-house justification made sense and I was hoping that it would be unpicked, or she would feel guilty). I appreciate that she hates it, and that Mikhael is initially reluctant. The story started out great -- it felt complex and nuanced.

But, uh, what's with the tone of this now... why is it playing out like it's a rom-com? It feels so shallow. Mikhael instantly trusts Eve to protect him, and that's pretty much down to the titular "imprint" system that means he's attached to her, irrevocably. It doesn't get questioned once -- the significance and impact of that, I mean. How is this shaping their relationship? One man has instant, permanent Stockholm Syndrome, great. That could be so interesting to talk about! Does Eve not feel guilty about this? Or does she think that she's the best thing that could happen to him? Why is Eve instantly trusting this man who burnt down the whole world the last time she was alive? Because he can't fight the imprint? Well then -- that system has a lot of power, doesn't it? Why isn't she even thinking about this? Why has she just accepted this way of life, as though it's inevitable? She chose to do this.

This isn't even a power thing, I'm aware that Eve doesn't have the power to fight against these kinds of inbuilt systems. But she doesn't even say anything, or criticise this tradition in her own head. The author is asking a lot, IMHO, to expect me to trust that Eve has a good, considerate, caring perspective about these systems, just because they say she does. In particular they're asking a lot to expect me to believe that Eve has a sophisticated view of politics. If she has to accept the power that these structures give her, then I need to see her show some awareness of what she's doing. Beyond cheap apologies to her slave (he is her slave!) about not standing up when another royal tells him to kiss their hand/foot.

For comparison -- Penelope's dynamic with Eclis is what I wanted to see here (Villains are Destined to Die). Penelope is constantly reminded of her power over Eclis in a way that is really uncomfortable, and tonally perfect. She needs something from him; he is the only one she trusts to save her, and the only one she can be "free" around. She saves him from servitude under a madman; she also controls whether he lives or dies. So does he have the power to refuse? Can he express his own wishes and desires -- what is at risk if he does? Is he free -- more free?

Perhaps I'm so frustrated with this story because it looked like it was going this way -- like it was going to talk about this. But it didn't. I really do not think slavery is one of those topics to turn into a romance trope, especially when it didn't start out that way! For all intents and purposes, this story looked like it was taking slavery seriously, and would continue to do so. I will stick around for a few more chapters in the hopes that I'm wrong, but... we'll see.

... Last updated on October 28th, 2021, 2:39am

I disagree with the commenter below about the moment when the FL remembers her sisters hair styles. The day in question she remembered her sisters hairstyles was a significant day in her memory so of course she remembered. I dont think attention to details like this are unusual. I can often look back on certain hairstyles, make up looks or outfits i was wearing and remember exactly what was happening in my life around the time i had that hairstyle. When you put a lot of effort into getting ready of course you remember what it is you were getting ready for in the first place and if you are compared to your sisters looks constantly (like our fl is) you will remember what they look like as well.

Anyways the story is intriguing. The political plot seems more fresh and interesting than the commonly over used political plots you see in many isekais now. The male lead is charming, strong, capable and very easy to like. After a rough past life it's really nice to think the FL has someone to lean on this time around. The story line is exciting and I found myself so eager to read chapter after chapter that the very time the pages of the story took to load annoyed me. Lastly the art alone is worth giving it a shot and reading this to see if you like it or not.

I can't say my opinion wont change as the story goes on since only 28 chapters have been scanlated at this point and the story could drastically change in some way and make me hate it. As of right now im very eager to see how this story unfolds. I have high hopes and encourage others to give it a shot as well and decide for yourselves how you like it.

... Last updated on June 16th, 2021, 1:22pm

Here I was praising the author for giving a good reason for the tine rewind for a change and one chapter later the MC is recalling with perfect clarity what hairstyle her sisters wore on a specific day... that foreshadowed how inconsistent the attention to details and lack of it, struggle with one and other.

So far it's a fairly mediocre manhwa it has some pros and cons but they pretty much cancel themselves out. If I were to name any; a pro would probably be that it's nice to see a more egalitarian society for a change, I'm pretty fed up of the woman having to put up with the ML crap which usually go along with this type of stories. Unfortunately, it seems to be going the other common route for male ML other than the possessive douchebag, the simp route. A con would be the nonsensical way the compulsion to obey orders from royalty is presented, reading ch.25 makes this particularly evident.

The art thou is quite nice, up to recent manhwa standards, which puts it slightly over the 5 score mark imo.

... Last updated on July 28th, 2021, 10:50am

good

This had truly potencial and interesting dynamics and plots but the development seems to be the same of others royal, villainess isekais. Which is sad, it's not horrible and I have fun, but, I was truly expecting SOMETHING different, this market is so overflowed with this same aesthetic and plot, dont anyone wants to do SOMETHING different with the isekai premise? Please?

Like others already commented here, in a far better manner that I could ever do, there are many questionable choices the writter choose to do in this story. For example, the whole system of impriting and the tone. First off, why Eve is the only one to find the system a bad thing in the WHOLE royal family? She was raised in a slave family with slave ideals, why she is the only against it? The story teases that her "teacher" have a thing or two in the matter, but the story also show us, that she was already questioning it when she was just a child. I find irrealistic, because, for someone to began questioning the beliefs they heard all of their lives, they have to get in contact with someone or something that would sparkles that change. I for example, grew up in a really conservative family, with conservative ideals, that I never questioned until I get in touch with so many differents people in school, and also media, like mangas and animes. These people and things drastically affected my views and thus I began to think of my own and form my own views.

Eve never had that, and it's so unrealistic, is just lazy writing, because of course our protagonist cant be in favor of slavery even a little, when she was a child and was groomed to believe in the system, no, no she has to born with empathy! And this point gets even worse when the story progreeds and we dont see Eve do much for the revolution or the homunculi that she always said to be in favor off, I know that she is probaly trying to get in the good graces of her father before trying to break the system, but, still, we dont see her planing ahead about this in any way, and its almost seems like this is one of her last objectives.

I was glad when she said that she wanted to her and Mikhail to be equal, BUT THEN, the story just makes Mikhail a FUCKING SIMP who in the first 10 chaps is already in full simp mode, and want to protect and serve her and bla bla bla. I wanted Eve to break her imprint on him, make him truly an equal, and then they had to fake the imprinting thing. OR better, the imprinting never get to be done, because just dont work on Mikhail, and then they form an agreement for the benefit of both, they still can be suspicious, Mikahail even more! This way, their relationship has tension and stakes, and we could also get rid of the possible irritant future plot of "UwU the imprint makes him say such chivalrous things UwU" like AstralRabbit has commented. We would see a real development of trust and love between them, and make the scenes where they save each other, or help each other more impactful! Kind similar with the vibe they have in the first timeline, that speacking of it, I kind miss the conflict of the first timeline. The tone and tension was so different and for more intesting, like Glow Toads have mentioned and I WHOLE agree. Mikhail seems like a complet different person and thats makes me mad. He turned into a real loyal puppy with only thoughts about Eve and I just wanted a character with a mind of his own like he seemed to be in the first timeline. I want more than a beautiful face, I want before everything a CHARACTER, with layers like onions- FOR FUCKS SAKE, he refused to be imprinted on in the beginning!. He did started the revolution for Eve too, but still, it was because he wanted more for his life, the others homunculi and then Eve.

And so, the story reach chapters 40+ and I feel like nothing really happened, and not in a slow burn way, things really just dont have impact and sometimes, some plots are really fast as others slow and, well, slow. I could not believe that we had so much chapters but none of characters have grow, no, they seemed to get worse ( Mikhail). When compared to Villains Are Destined to Die, the first season is mostly just the build up of the setting, but even so, it gives birth to so many plot points that then began to develop in the sequences, and its the good slow born, and even so, the ending of the first season is culmination of all minor conflicts presented during the course of the chapters!

And finally, the tone. The tone of this manhwa now compared to the first chapters is so much of a whiplash. It lacks deep, it lacks urgency and severity. Its truly a dissapointment. I really was enjoying this in the beginning, the concept and themes, but everything seems to just fall off. I will continue to read it one day, maybe when its finally finalized. Until there, who knows, things can change.

*EDIT: MY OPINION HAS CHANGED SO DRASTIC PLEEASE IGNORE THIS UNTIL I DO A PROPER REMAKE OF THIS. I learned my leason to not judge manhwa until at least 30 chapters +

OG: First of all, this story is so well written, it follows the same clichés that we saw in other isekais / time travel stories, but this one is Intelligent and well done! I love how it was not a Deus x machina that brought back FL to life, as in other stories of the genre, but ML in the "present" after her death through magic and the help of "the teacher"

The pace and construction of the world is so good and interesting. "Homunculus."
Homunculos are the central part of the conflict, how they work ( created) and function in the society along side with the slave system "impriting" and the affects of it in relation with the royal family.
It is in itself an interesting plot device and differentiates this one from other stories. The romance is also believable, which is great! In the first chapter you already have some kind of attachment to the characters and their love.

ML is a great SIMP ( and made a dumb mistake in the first chapter) but not in a bad way, for now, I think. I mean, I like the concept of doting, but I hate when characters are always thinking about "x person" being a woman or a men. I just hope the ML grows to have others objectives and dreams besides the wishes of the FL.

Anyway, Fl is clever, it might be a little cliché to say that, but she is INDEED clever, not like in other stories where FL is said to be "clever", but in reality it's just the plot bowing for her. Eve does things, she plans and wins.

there are some flaws here and there, but I think that at this point it is part of the genre shoujo / isekai ( nitpicks) For now, there aren't that many chapters, so I can't say much, but what I see is really promising and already an interesting read.

EDIT* I turn donw one score from 8 to 7 because I not liking the recent development, for most part being some kind of plot holes and the ML, I like him...but...still a simp ;---------;

... Last updated on January 14th, 2022, 6:56pm