You don't know who to root for.Īt first I gave it a 5, because it is one of the earliest novel within this type of genre and set up. Plus, the characters in the harem all get about the same amount of screen time. When everyone is special, no one is really special. That's the thing with harems, and especially with a harem this big. If not for one or two pre-established details about them, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart.Īnd that's not to mention the romance, which is so shallow. After reading these four volumes, all of their personalities start to blend together. more> interactions with the female lead, but it turns questionable when all of the characters go through the same formula. I can forgive a few characters opening up and developing after a few. It comes off as unrealistic, as development is something slow. The other characters are given very little chapters to change and develop through the female lead and afterwards they don't seem to develop any further. This novel has a problem with character development as well, and not just with the MC. She's supposed to be clumsy and dim to the point of lovable, but with the repeated antics, it becomes increasingly annoying. This one's been taken over by the MC in a completely delightful subversion. If you're more into manipulative, cunning leads that win through schemes or tricks, then you should try to find the Katarina in the original otome.
Despite some of the darker plots at play, I still feel the whole series feels rather light and innocent, probably because we get to see the world from Katarina's eyes. The story is at times touching, comedic, and cute, but never loses its charm or the appeal of its protagonist as we watch her grow up and prosper. There are regular reaction chapters within the story that retell previous chapters from another POV, which can be slightly repetitive but /very/ worth reading to get a sense of the whole picture. It's still a *cough* battle *cough* to live and prosper in there.) The charm lies in the fact that she never grasps the true (and beautiful) consequences of her actions as she goes about her life, just being herself (while trying not to die. more> on to see what she'll pull off next. Katarina (or perhaps the more aptly nicknamed Bakarina by fans) is the heart and soul of this series, the one that makes you want to read on and. *Coughs* That's right, this story is nothing less than an epic tale for survival of one girl and her council of advisors (all of which are herself, but that's just a minor detail) against a world that has it in for her. There is something inherently simple and sweet in this story even as the protagonist strives to fight for her life.