Case File Compendium: Bing An Ben (Novel) Vol. 1

Mini, Mini Spoiler enthalten! ⚠️ Also ich liebs. Hat so seine problematischen Stellen konnte es aber dennoch nicht weglegen. Leider war da so etwas namens Schule aber darüber sehen wir mal weg. Die letzten paar Seiten kamen für mich wie aus dem nichts. Es fühlte sich einfach so an als ob man so zwanghaft einen Antagonisten eindrücken wollte. Und dieses Buch war so richtig ein enemies to lovers (obwohl sie noch keine lovers sind…leider). Also nicht nur so ein wischi waschi enemies to lovers. Ein richtiges enemies to lovers. So hat es sich jedenfalls für mich angefühlt. Ich finde es lustig wie die beiden fest daran glauben dass sie beide zu 100% homophob sind, little do they know that they’re destined to be together, hehe. In diesem Buch war nicht nur die Story von den Hautpcharakteren ultra krass, nein auch bei manchen so wirklich Nebencharaktere fühlte ich ihre Story und ihr Leid mit. Sogar noch ein wenig krasser finde ich persönlich. Nein die Stories haben mich einfach nur schockiert und mich mitleiden lassen. Dieses Buch ist extrem underrated und würde viel mehr Aufmerksamkeit verdienen. Ich stoss nur auf Zufall auf dieses Buch und ich bin sehr dankbar für diesen Zufall. Dennoch reicht es für mich nicht ganz für 5 Sterne. Liegt aber auch daran das für mich wenn ich 5 Sterne gebe alles stimmen muss. Und das ist sehr schwierig. Schon nur ein kurzer Moment welcher ein wenig schlecht ist und für mich nicht okay geht, schwups ist man schon bei 4,5 Sternen.

I was really hopeful for this one because it's from the same author as "The Husky and his white cat Shizun," which is one of my favorites, but sadly, I have much to criticize. I was also a bit skeptical because it is my first modern danmei, and slowburn just works better in fantasy when there is other stuff going on. The setup of the story is pretty simple. He Yu (19) has been in love with Xie Xue (25) for a long time and finally wants to tell her, but he knows her Brother Xie Qingcheng (32) wouldn't approve. He was his doctor when he was younger because He Yu has a rare mental illness (aka they invented something for this book, hence me calling it a medical fantasy) that makes him lose control. There is also more to it, but that would be a spoiler. It was super weird, though. So you really shouldn't expect much realism from this book. That is stuff I can handle, and I was ready for it to get dark, but besides a murder case (that had nothing to do with the main character), nothing too crazy happened. There was drama, of course, but it's just the beginning of the story, and I heard it's a long one (the number of volumes has not been announced yet). I have to say the beginning was rather boring and in-between, there were times I wasn't really invested. It only got more interesting once that murder stuff happened. There are still many mysteries, and I do kinda want to know what happens next... BUT, the main characters are so unlikeable, and many parts were kinda cringe 😬 Both main characters (that are supposed to fall in love at the end of this, I guess) are homophobic, and we always get reminded that they are straight (they also hate each other). I know these kinds of stories and see the appeal in something happening despite the unlikeliness of it all, and them changing their mind in the end (aka it was internalized homophobia after all), but it is done in an annoying way. It makes the characters unlikeable. He Yu would still be fine, but Xie Qingcheng is on top of that described as "the epitome of straight male cancer" and "a giant patriarch" 🙃 Again, I know what this story is going for, getting someone like this (somehow) involved in a gay relationship that makes him change his worldview, can be interesting, BUT again, just makes him super unlikeable. I don't think I have the patience to wait for this change and just get angry all the time. I couldn't even laugh about the supposed "funny" scenes when the only thing those two would agree upon were their dislike of gay couples (because, haha, how ironic you will be one of them. At least, that is what I think those scenes were supposed to be). And I haven't even mentioned the pseudo-Omegaverse yet 🙃 Soo, there were some (I'd say too many) scenes where they were in each other's vicinity and their perception of the other one would be described as sensing the other guys smell (which was even referred to once as "The hormones of a young adolescent men") and that he was "invading his male territory". Please stop 😭😭😭 If you want to write Omegaverse, just do it. This isn't supposed to be one, but it definitely reads as an Alpha x Alpha story (patriarch almost acts like a synonym). I just thought it was super cringe. So, yeah, I had some (a lot) issues with it. Still, I kinda want to know what's going on with the crime stuff (also the police guy that obviously has a crush, is a character I liked). It felt like reading a weird fanfiction you found at 4am and decided to read because there was nothing better, and even though it's not that good, you kinda want to continue. I don't know if I will yet. I really don't need this in print, but I also don't want to spend money on ebooks I can't sell again, so idk yet 😅

One of my first modern danmei, and I'm literally obsessed with it, with the characters and thr storyline! I only brought it because it's from Meatbun and I really love her writingstyle, but I never thought I would fell in love with it so hard! It's dark, angsty and I can already see many traumatic events happening. He Yu is manipulating, lunatic, not easy likable. His mental illness makes him absolutly dangerous, but I do love his personality and behavior. Xie on the other hand is ice cold, a sexiest, many years older than He Yu, and definitly not a man of many words or emotions. Seeing these two crazy men interact with each other is really interesting, because I'm excited to find out, how their hate for each other will turn into love. And how that incident will turn out!