Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel), Vol. 1
Ratings40
Average rating4.5
The plot is well crafted, so are the characters and their interactions, and this is an overall easy, entertaining read.
I don't know how faithful the translation is to the original novel, so I cannot give a fair assessment on the writing, beside the fact that it's pretty average and does it's job.
The translation unfortunately doesn't do this book any favours. It's rife with modern day anglicisms that really break immersion in a novel set in a fantasy version of ancient China; when the characters use less formal registers they sound like American teenagers, and overall there are sudden, inexplicable tone shifts with archaic words used next to slang words. The result is at times very jarring. I would have to learn Chinese and read the original to fully appreciate this book.
4 stars for the plot and characters; 2 for the translation, rounded up the final score to 3.5 because of the story potential.