Yeonmo

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“Would you help me change clothes? I’d like… to be killed as a woman rather than a fake man.”

Right from the start we are shown how this tale is supposed to end, so you will know what to expect, but that does not mean the journey up to then is meaningless. This is a story that consists of realistic enough characters, proper amount of intrigue and reasonable drama.

The premise itself is a bit unoriginal so your expectations might be low, but the execution of this is pretty well done. While the work has a lot of positives, the hero is the princess who was to ... become the replacement of her dead brother and eventually the king and oh, does she perform great in her role! She is strong, elegant, proud, has the utmost respect for her duties and most of all, she is shown how she copes with her secret and various troubles in a very realistic manner. There are no sudden dramatic bouts, her burdens are always there and she forever tries to be reasonable; she is not perfect, but she is human and that is enough. Things get more complicated as time passes by and her secret is always closer to the surface; there are enemies, people we can see, people we cannot, situations and circumstances we can guess, but also some that are a bit surprising, the hardships of love. The pacing is stable and it is all you could want from a story like that, especially if your expectations were indeed low.

The cast is mostly limited to people inside the palace and each role fits in that world. Admittedly, some characters are prone to more dramatic actions, but in the end, this is a story to entertain so it is understandable and it does not take away from the story. Furthermore, the character development is also steady so even some more exaggerated events make sense and everything is there for a reason.

The art was very detailed and memorable, in my opinion, and it tried its best to upkeep the feeling of that era. However, the creator did mention there were some liberties taken (such as not everyone wearing their respective hat), because it is a manhwa. Then again, because of similar styling, sometimes it is a bit confusing as to who is who.

All in all, this was a surprisingly enjoyable read and I found myself not bored at all and rooting for the main character, because she was so relatable and I admired her strength too. It is not the perfect story, but it delivers!