Lauvil's manga / #Dropped(160)

The art style is pretty, but that's about the extent of the compliments I can give this Webtoon. Unnecessary reincarnatation, an ML with mysogonistic vibes, one dimensional female side characters, boring FL, basic and predictable plot. Even the circumstances behind their engagement is stupid and unrealistic. The Emperor sent her a marriage proposal despite having just been told that she didn't want to be married. It's a proposal she can't say no to, so she'll end up having to marry him, regardless of what she wants. But she'll end up falling in love with him anyway, so the Emperor won't ever need to apologise for his forceful and inconsiderate actions. Yeah, no thanks to this one.

I understand that the story and setting is realistic, I just don't understand the point in writing a story set in a time period where women are treated like objects and then not do anything about it. There is no message, no point. From the way the mc acts submissive, subservient and meak, to how her fragility is described as part of her beauty; Everything about her is really off-putting. I know she's like that because of her circumstances and that this part is realistic, but it doesn't make for a very interesting or inspiring protagonist. Even more off-putting is the ML. I know he is also the product of that kind of society, but he treats and speaks of her like an objec or a pet. He loves her and she loves him, but he has all the power and control in the relationship and is not afraid to use it - even going so far as to threaten to kill everyone around her if she leaves him. That's the definition of a toxic relationship and I don't find it romantic at all. He's a psychopath and she's a doll with no personality. So yeah, I've read 13 chapters and that's the extent of how much time I'm willing to spend on it. Only reason I give it 2 stars instead of 1, is because of the decent smut and pretty art style (though ML suffers a serious case of yaoi-hands in a few panels).

Sooooooo much implicit bias. Just reading the first chapter was enough to know this was NOT for me. Sexism, transphobia, homophobia and "male gaze" made it an uncomfortable read and nothing implies that the story has self-awareness, so I doubt it'll get better later in the story. So, no thanks.

I really loved this story in the beginning and would wait anxiously for new chapters to be released. But little by little I got tired of it. Because very little was happening in the story. No action, no dialogue, no character development. It was mostly this weird thing, where the MC would do an inner monologue, while in the company of someone else, but neither of them communicated. And if they did, MC would comment or overanalyze it until the end of the chapter. God it's a strange way of telling a story... Or maybe that's the whole point: There isn't much of a story in the first place.

Reading the description, I had really looked forward to reading this story. The premise sounded interesting and dramatic. However, upon reading it, it fell awfully flat of my expectations. Not only does it incorporate three of my least favourite tropes in manga - "villainess who plays cute and innocent", "reincarnated into a baby" and "falling for a murderer from a past life" - but it chose the comedic approach to the "killed 108 times" premise. It had the potential of being a psychological story peppered with angst and trauma, but instead it took the typical shoujo route. It's unrealistic that the mc would recover from the trauma of being killed so many times in gruesome ways so fast and quickly decide to see it as an opportunity instead. Even the guy who killed her 17 times only scared her for a few panels, before she decided he was really a good guy whom she suddenly trusted completely. I have probably have too high expectations, but I was really disappointed by this story. Imo, if you're going to go with a premise that screams angst, you gotta commit. But the author didn't. Sigh...