i got into ciel because of the art, and now i'm staying for the art and the characters. the plot (on vol 11 right now) seems to be on the verge of an exciting development, too. so far it's been well-plotted but not brilliant, but so much is still to happen, so who knows. plus it's been getting better, in the beginning it seemed a little afraid to take itself seriously (inappropriate comedy in the middle of tense scenes anyone? 😀 ) but later scenes have more gravity to them.
back to the art. the character designs are very cute. (yvienne might be the "resident beauty" but i find lari's hair to be the most gorgeous thing in the entire manwha.) anyone into the slender and pretty shoujo style will find this a treat. some panels needed more background detail for a scenery maniac like me, though, haha.
now to the characters. all of them are likable, and a smart, confident, practical girl like yvienne is indeed refreshing. she has this pixieish quality sometimes, and that's cute. her mom is pure awesome. january needs all he hugs he can get. daughter is rather dashing. larry is adorable and needs more screen time. the blossoming romance has (so far) been handled passably too, even if it didn't go in the direction i'd have liked. ;;>_>
...speaking of romance, sorry but DEAR GOD january and daughter do strange things to my heart.
EDIT EDIT EDIT
I take back EVERY NICE THOUGHT i had about the so-called BLOSSOMING ROMANCE UGHHH I HATE ITTTT
well. to clarify i don't think it's bad writing and rhim ju-yeon is clearly aware of its unsavory nature! i still think its handled passably, but still, ugh, the consequences are just too much for me to bear.
also: i find myself liking yvienne more now her that her flaws are showing starkly, even though i want to smack her in the face; january and daughter cannot be any more adorkably painful (except they can, and are, by every passing chapter); and lari, oh lari, she's amazing and beautiful and my heart hurts, i wish things could have been different for her.