Reborn: Femme Fatale First Daughter

P3wP3wPanda

1 months ago

This book is a fairly typical example of the reincarnation/revenge in the inner courtyard genre. There are some somewhat intriguing mysteries about the main character's past, and it is refreshing that her biological father isn't a complete scumbag who hates her for no reason like most novels I've read in this genre.
My biggest complaint is the complete balls to the wall approach of the conflict/drama. Most novels of this type allow for some breathing room between sinister plots against the main character. After the evil character's plot fails, she stops and waits for a while before trying again. This novel does not do that. The antagonists enact scheme after scheme after scheme, getting caught every time. This makes their longevity frustrating and frankly baffling. In most novels, the first antagonist usually sticks around for a while, but it makes some sense because she will take her time between schemes until finally one of her schemes backfires and her reputation is ruined. Not in this book. The initial antagonist's reputation is publicly ruined multiple times before she is forced to leave the household where she continues to plot even more schemes against the main character. The lack of waiting also makes it frustrating when the main character falls into trap after trap. Sometimes she manages to talk her way out of it, but frequently, requires rescue by the main love interest or other love interests. I just find that a little frustrating because the whole point of the reincarnation part, is so the main character knows stuff and doesn't let herself get trapped. When the antagonist would sooner attack her than look at her, the main character comes off as a little dumb when she falls prey to yet another scheme after thinking something like, "She couldn't possibly be scheming against me this time."
Another aspect of the balls to the wall conflict/drama is the lack of allies. In most novels of this type, the majority of other girls dislike the main character because she's prettier and more talented, but a small portion either like her, or are indifferent. This leads to a few snobbish girls bullying the main character along with anyone they can trick or convince. Usually if royalty gets involved, it's because some spoiled princess is jealous of her and convinces her mother to do something. Not in this book. Other than people who had some relationship with her mother, three personal maids, and the love interests, practically every other person she meets hates her on sight and actively schemes against her because they want to, especially other women. Her sisters plot against her. Her father's concubines plot against her. Her maidservants plot against her. Noble women plot against her. The princess plots against her. Imperial Consorts plot against her. The Empress plots against her. The Empress Dowager plots against her. Everyone plots against the main character. Again, it's a little frustrating because there's no downtime.