Question Is TGCF overrated?

Discussion in 'Novel Discussion' started by AneeChan, Aug 24, 2021.

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  1. AneeChan

    AneeChan Well-Known Member

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    I mean everybody keeps worshipping it like the only ever god-send, unearthly holy book of romance and I've been wondering was it really the case? I'm fairly new to the danmei community and I really wanna know.... Is this truly the once in a millennium masterpiece in the history of danmei that everybody keeps telling it is? If it is/if it is not so pls state your reasons. And if you perceive something else to be a literary masterpiece better than tgcf pls list it down with relevant reasons so that I can dive into it (It doesn't even gave to be damei, it could be manga, manhwa or even a webtoon). Everyone is entitled to their own opinions afterall. Especially the saying Hualian invented romance (I'm sorry but it's so cheesy)
     
  2. perspherspley

    perspherspley IZ*ONE

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    Heaven Official’s Blessing?
     
  3. AneeChan

    AneeChan Well-Known Member

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    Yup
     
  4. Shio

    Shio Moderator Staff Member

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    At the end of the day, it's a fiction. For me I am not a big fan since the novel never really pull me in. I dislike the tropes present in it (having silent ml who always help mc, mc being bullied/outcast, etcetera)

    Is it good? It's good as far as a romance web novel goes.
     
  5. AneeChan

    AneeChan Well-Known Member

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    Ah hai, Arigatou. Can you gimme some recs that you would infact embrace as a Superb story of sorts? I believe our tastes align
     
  6. SleepyMintii

    SleepyMintii Well-Known Member

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    All that praise is definitely going overboard but it's a good book so I can see why so many people like it. Its well-written with no brain farts, the story is a̶n̶g̶s̶t̶y̶ interesting, and the characters are really sweet. I personally definitely wouldn't call it the "best" but it could easily pass as the one of the best for other people, and I wouldn't blame them or see any fault with that because the book itself doesn't have many faults I could nitpick on.
     
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  7. shyja

    shyja 『Seinen』『School life』『Sports』

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    *deeply inhales*
    ...
    it is overrated
     
  8. lavendidi

    lavendidi First of Her Name, Lover of Cliches

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    Agreed. I like it tbh. It's very good, but if you ask me if it's the best one (or any of those novels related to it) or if it's my most fav bl novel of all time (tho it's my top 1 amongst the three mxtx novels), then I guess I will just say that it's up to each of our preferences.
     
  9. Sushi rice

    Sushi rice Well-Known Member

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    Personally, I liked TGCF at first but some elements of the book disturbed me and I had to stop reading. Some things also got repetitive after a while, and the main characters weren't as three-dimensional as I would've liked. Such as, the MC's flaw is that he's too nice and that he can't cook, while the ML can do everything under the stars except having nice handwriting. Nothing wrong with that, just that it feel corny, too purposeful throughout the book.

    I'm not saying it's bad or not worth reading, but it's not perfect. Depending on what genre you like, there are many more novels out there that can move your heart.
     
  10. Alphashot

    Alphashot New Member

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  11. Alexcia

    Alexcia Belle of Banter

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    Oh great! I'm one of the worshippers. And ngl it's really the masterpiece of all things! Unfortunately, idk if you can find the English translation available for free now that it's been adapter to physical books translation.

    Anyway! It's truly is a masterpiece of all time!!!! Let me elaborate in not-so detail and in questions:
    - have you ever felt satisfied and believe wholeheartedly in romance after reading sth?
    - have you ever felt so emotional and invested in a novel before?
    - have you ever felt like dying is better than continue reading the novel?
    - if you haven't, then yeah, you haven't seen the so called masterpiece yet.

    Additionally, your last sentence (Hualian created romance - cheesy), honestly you might feel like this because you haven't read it yet. Why? Because:
    - have you ever seen a man willing to spend 800 years of efforts to be with you even after his death?
    - have you ever since a majestic crown prince who only have lived the most luxurious of all luxurious became even worse than a stray dog?
    - have you ever felt like seeing a couple becoming together after hundred years of hardship to the points of no dignity left in them still persisted and be together? >> Have you seen a man having a crush on a prince and still in love with him when he downgraded to be a junk collector for money and food?

    - if this ain't call romance and love, then i wouldn't know what else these words are for. It better go to trash can for not being able to use to describe this perfect couple.

    One of the things I like the most in TGCF is the fact that the author made the ending so satisfying, all of my efforts of pulling all nighter and all those tears I've wet my pillow, all of those was for the HE.

    This is solely an opinion from a worshipper, you have to rely on ur preference and will power if you want to read it and judge it only when u finish it! This is all of my advice!
     
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  12. applebeans

    applebeans Well-Known Member

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    I understand your concern.

    Everyone kept saying face of devil/mad slapping demon is a masterpiece but it’s nothing much for me, I did resent the craze taking over the recommendation list of any novel I could possibly read just for being remotely similar to an FOD arc.

    What happens here is it’s a long novel. There will always be nice things people remember fondly in long novels, even if they don’t like some of the things, it’ll be fine as long as the novel wraps up nicely. You know how some actors get popular because they appear often in daily drama while some other actors are less well known but their works are all masterpiece? TGCF wants to be a masterpiece, it has all the makings for it but it falls for the trap of popularity (trying to cram anything interesting in).

    I like TGCF enough, but I like scum villain’s pacing more, something between scum villain and mdzs length would be perfect. TGCF is still really enjoyable if you like angst and xuanhuan adventure, I REALLY like the -ghost of the day- feature.

    I feel like long novels suffer from a lack of focus and pacing issues, the characters can easily become two-dimensional too. Most long novels of 200 chapters and more would always lose focus on the main story, the side characters, or who MC-ML are.

    I know who XL and HC are supposed to be, but I don’t rly know them. They don’t feel like a real person to me … but maybe that’s how it is when you’re an immortal being? You’re not human anymore??? Anyway, some of the plot transitions feel jerky, they get jerked from place to place. I can’t grasp Hua Cheng’s personality. You see, Wei Wuxian is an arrogant genius who can’t keep his nose out of other ppl’s business, Lan Wangji is an adventurous soul trapped in his sense of duty. Shen Yuan is a go with the flow backseat driver, Shen Qingjiu has inferiority-superiority complex, and Luo Binghe craves feeling constantly loved (it doesn’t have to be his shizun).

    Xie Lian is the perfect deity, and Hua Cheng is his perfect lover/follower. Xie Lian feels a bit like combination of his two older brothers, a tragic genius who goes with the flow. If their characters feel a bit more alive and the supernaturals feel more otherworldly/not just ticking boxes, this novel would have been the new Journey to the West for me.



    TLDR I like shorter novels with more focus on main characters’ growth rather than getting yeeted to subplot’s subplot. :blobbunny:




    __
    If I have to name something as a masterpiece, I’d say trial game of life is an all-around hammer. It does roam around, but we still know our main characters best.

    Best Cute goes to A contractual marriage with best leading actor.

    Best revenge novel I’ve read is Rebirth of a Cannon Fodder from a Novel. The villain is good.

    Best adventure novel I read is banished to another world, though it can be a bit shaky on its focus, I know who the main characters are. The characters make choices based on their desires and circumstances, and sometimes things don’t go their way or they fail.


    Those have - good balance of story and character progress (I clearly understand their starting point, their growth in the middle and who they are in the end)
    - the world have many flavours, not just one or two.
    - events are not orchestrated, people are not just there to establish a certain objective/set off the main characters
    - beginning-middle-end are all solid. Doesn’t go on tangent out of nowhere.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2021
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  13. ansusta

    ansusta Well-Known Member

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    i don't think so ; like , it's so awesome man!!!!
    i've been addicted to mo dao zu shi for a while after solving that i got addicted to this one , why is it this so good ? lemme tell you ;
    i've read so much danmei in my life i can't even count them , but , except a few like the two i mentioned earlier and golden stage... they mostly don't rise to my expectations ; weak and i mean really weak plot , like man !! some don't even have one!
    also , the couples are usually too one sided it's really annoying and it's also unrealistic , and the characters especially the mcs are so poor built !!! it makes the novel feel so empty !!!
    sudden romance and undevelopped relationships ; they suddenly make the romance out of nowhere , you see in tgcf and mdzs it have been well developped by time and this "time" was interresting events that pull you in
    also i liked in tgcf how the author used the "mystery" effect really well , she knows how to draw in you and fill you with curiosity then unravel the past bit by bit later
    also the drama isn't cringy as most of the danmei novels , like 100 chapters solving a small f*cking misunderstanding or creating an insignifant problem out of nothing and making the reader lose braincells out of it
    tgcf has a really unique story too , like i, i don't know if you noticed but the danmei novels are just copying from each other
    another reason is that it gets the reader to feel emotions it's not just flat comedy or something like that , the novels that gets the reader to cry laugh get excited with the mc and "feel" are true masterpieces
     
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  14. applebeans

    applebeans Well-Known Member

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    I'm not writing this to attack you, just because someone had replied so now I can add more reply without making my original reply too long and bothersome to read!

    You can choose to not read:
    When I read MXTX's works, I don't often get the romance. MC-ML are sort of forced together.

    The one I like the most is Founder of Diabolism/MDZS, because Lan Wangji didn't do anything aside from following Wei Wuxian around and supporting him. He didn't bring up his love over and over (pressuring WWX to do something about his feelings), or make WWX promise to be with him or he'd fall apart. WWX falls on his own and then took the initiative to seduce pull LWJ close. They are on the same level of strength, power, generation, and status (sort of, people denounced WWX as evil, but they still use his creations, everyone knows he's talented cultivator).

    In SVSSS, Shen Yuan kinda get forced to relationship because Binghe couldn't be without him anymore.

    In TGCF, Hua Cheng was… obsessed, to put it lightly. Young Chuunibyou Xie Lian told him to live for him, and he really does it. It's not clear to me why he's so obsessed with Xie Lian, probably because he wants XL to be happy?

    But their interaction, as in, XL's reactions to him feels a bit like he's just hanging out with a friend until he finds out about HC's true identity and his collection. The events after that read like:
    "Oh, my friend was actually an old friend. He had always been living for me and protecting me. Kind guy."
    "I feel a bit guilty, it was just a thoughtless sentence, and it's been so many years. Am I worthy of this?"
    "He likes me, and I kinda like him, we can try going out!"
    "I wanted him to be with me for life anyway, and I don't have other commitments."
    "I've never been so close to any other person, he really gets me. If I'm going to fall in love, I'd surely fall for him."


    See? It's not that Xie Lian slowly falls for him and wants Hua Cheng for himself, he thought it'd be nice to have HC even as friend or companion for life, before. When he finds out about HC's desires, he fulfills it. Of course he likes HC or he won't make this decision, but if HC didn't like him that way, he'd just stay friends with him probably for thousands of years until he falls in love.

    There's this kind of feel to all three of MXTX works, Gong loves Shou very very much, he'd live and die for Shou. Shou didn't know at first and was just thinking, it's nice if we can spend our lives like this, in respectful distance but in good relation. I want to be his mentor/friend (WWX actually showed his attraction, he was subconsciously thinking he wants to be LWJ's wife). Shou discovers Gong is madly in love with him. Shou is surprised then slowly accepts it, and starts a relationship with Gong, determined to learn to love him. Actually, given more time, Gong and Shou would probably fall in love anyway because Shou was thinking of spending his life in Gong's company. Establishing the relationship before Shou actually has romantic thoughts makes it feel slightly (TGCF) and very (SVSSS) dub-con.

    If I find someone in real life so obsessed with me, it'd be off-putting no matter how handsome or powerful they are. I'd feel guilty, and I might want to try with them in case we hit it off. It's nice if it does, but I'd feel guilty if it doesn't. I'll also feel pressure when they treat me too well, because I am overriding their thoughts.

    Like I said before, I'm a fan of her works.
    But I don't think any is masterpiece, the closest to one is MDZS~
    - unique setting, world that has its own rules. The characters live in the world, have problems due to how the world is, and changes the world a bit
    - exhibit different morality and priorities / who you are connected to influence your life
    - solid characterisation for all characters, relatable major characters
    - less serious plagiarism issue
    - story length makes it impactful
    - actually funny and sad moments
    - side characters that expand the story and not take it to the north pole for ice cream
    - the characters with different mentalities interact with each other, and it's so clear what they're thinking in all their words and actions
    - romance is not one-sided or forced
    - doesn't drag plot points or leave exposition to dry on the roof and go swimming on its own.
     
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  15. ansusta

    ansusta Well-Known Member

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    omg so true
    i'm personally a big fan of mxtx but i have to admit that the romance is also forced especially in svsss it was like ; i don't have a choice so i'm gonna like him
    i mdzs the relationship was indeed cultivated a bit even though it wasn't much ; but what make me like it the most is the story and plot
    but well ; both where better than most of the danmei i read , i couldn't find really much works with the standards you mentioned earlier no matter where i searched , they mostly make me feel ; "why am i even reading this"
    do you have any unique danmei like mdzs or tgcf or so?
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2021
  16. Rubyspecs

    Rubyspecs Well-Known Member

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    Indeed what you said is true. I have unable to find such precious gems like mdzs and tgcf till yet. Like the novels with perfect balance of character growth, meticulous plot with no plot holes, and gradual development of chemistry between the two leads. Like 100 percent satisfying.
    But still, let's say 85 to 93 percent satisfying danmei you can give a try I guess...

    One is Sha Po Lang. I actually gave up on it as the translation caused my brain to short circuit. But it has audio drama available on YouTube with proper subtitles. It's very leisure and nice to hear. Plot wise it's nice, and it focuses more on the relationship between the two leads and their silent sufferings. I actually liked listening to the audio drama. You know with all those sounds of battle hooves, horses, bird chirping, footsteps, etc etc..

    Next I guess cultivation or historical setting good danmeis would be Revitalization of Fuyao Sect and Where we agreed to be eachother's arch rivals?
     
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  17. Shaiole

    Shaiole Mad scientist

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    Yes. It's a masterpiece.
     
  18. LanWangji

    LanWangji Member

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    Some people say that TGCF is quite long, but to me, it's just the right length. MDZS and SVSSS felt quite short to me, and I couldn't really get enough of them. I enjoy quite a few Danmei novels, but MXTX's were my favourite by far. This is not like other BL novels that have an MC whose luck defies the law of nature and an ML who is literally omnipotent. There is a cause-and-effect between the characters' pasts and their present-day situation. It weaves a world where the characters actually influence each other. I loved the side characters in the novels, they aren't one-dimensional cannon fodders whose sole purpose is to emphasise how great the main characters are. They have their own personality, backstory, and goals. I also liked the story's style, where the author unravelled the past slowly with numerous flashbacks. Overall, I would definitely recommend TGCF and other novels by MXTX.

    The translation was much better than the usual online translator. Normally, there are numerous grammar and punctuation errors, and sometimes novels are directly machine translated. Unlike other web novels, the translation for MDZS by Exiled Rebels reads quite smoothly. I only read the English version of MDZS by Exiled Rebels so I'm not quite sure about the translation for TGCF and SVSSS.
     
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