Review Detail

Cute retelling of a traditional Chinese folktale. Prince Xian travels to find a cure for his mother’s ailment, and crosses paths with Zhen, a snake spirit in disguise. The two share an instant connection, and thanks to Xian’s meddling, Zhen is assigned as his personal servant. However, secrets soon come between them, as Zhen realizes he is the snake who took the pearl that would’ve cured Xian’s mother, and Xian won’t rest until he’s found.

This is my first time reading this particular folktale, and I enjoyed getting to know the story as well as the pseudo-historical setting and cultural details. There’s super clear visuals of the clothing, hairstyles, and customs in the royal entourage. Xian’s characterization is also interesting - he’s a little mischievous, and unafraid to use his position as prince to get what he wants, without being malevolent. Zhen, on the other hand, is a soft child, and it hurts me whenever he gets tossed around by the plot (protect at all costs). I was charmed by the straightforward way their feelings developed, but a little confused later on when they seemed to change their minds without a clear reason.

Overall, it’s very character and romance driven. Aside from a spurt of action in the second half, most of the events revolve around Xian and Zhen’s casual interactions or court intrigue dynamics. I think the story could have benefited from some additional conflict to build up the plot, but I’m more drawn to action-adventure than romantic drama genres.