The ML and FL, their relationship and the overall tone definitely put this manhwa into the upper tier. But then, a few dark spots obscure much of the good spots...
Anyway to start from the beginning... The FL here rocks. She's a wonderfully nuanced, flawed but genius character in her own way, a born and bred lady, very rational by nature, quite orderly and low-key. Her way of thinking, her actions, her clothes, her inner circle of people she can trust... It was all a lovely treat that you could enjoy lightly. If there were a manhwa that showed the empress' slice of life, I would savor it gladly. She's such an enchanting character! The ML is a pretty well developed char too. You can see just how tight, controlled and unnatural he is, but just how dedicated, diligent and hard working, how being a good emperor is a paramount concert with him. And his back story, his difficult childhood.... Perhaps a bit over the top, but still believable. Their terribly complex relationship, raging from hate, love, indifference, to pity is also even frighteningly real. On such few occasions have I seen such realistic depictions of just how massively convoluted emotions can be, how a person can be both a saint and a sinner at the same time, how
And then we get to what I consider a weak spot here... Rosamund. While in everyday life I can assume such a person could exist, she could have made a much more intriguing character if they had given her more psychological profile and nuance. She ends up a talent-less, crude harpy who can never hold a candle to the gracious, elegant empress. And yet there is so much potential. Rosadmund is a desperate, deluded, but injured individual. If the only made her a bit more cunning, if they explained just how she became so over the top... I couldn't understand her one whit in so many instances. If they wanted to show that the Emperor was her literal slave, they didn't quite make it - the manhwa shows him as besotted but never that devoted to her. I don't think they did this quite they way they should have. This ruined so much of the manhwa potential for me.
Also, I would have preffered if Rosamond wasn't the big bad of the manhwa. Since you have two such incredible characers, show us what they can do! Show us how they kick butt together! If given a proper adversary, a political mastermind working against them, I should think they would have become invincible in their shared efforts. Yes, imagine if the story ditched Rosamond around chapter 40, and then a more capable enemy appears? Someone from a political arena? Perhaps the prince of a neighboring country? A greedy nobleman? Someone even more devious?
Imagine just how juicy and thrilling all of this would have been! Giving Rosamond, a half crazed and not particularly smart lunatic, the main antagonist mantle just feels so hollow. And thus this minor gem never gets a chance to shine as if should. The art goes from bad to pretty nice, and the interiors and fashion are very impressive.
Overall, I liked this one for the ML and FL, but still think they could have made is to much better. But still, it's good as it is and warrants a reading.
(-5)
