My Happy Marriage (Light novel), Vol.1

Set in Taisho period, My Happy Marriage follows the tale of Saimori Miyo, a girl who's been enduring abuse from her family after her mother died. Her stepmother hates her, her stepsister looks down on her, and her father does absolutely nothing to stop them. As the result, Miyo is forced to live like a servant until they send her away to marry. Her fiancé, Kudou Kiyoka, is rumored to be cruel and cold-hearted, and her family is so certain he's just going to throw her out and leave her to die in the streets.

Well, of course that's not what happens. Instead, we get a Cinderella story as Miyo slowly heals from her trauma and finds her own happiness.

The fantasy elements involve beings known as the Grotesqueries, which can only be seen by Spirit-Sight. It's an ability possessed only by the Gifted, and Miyo's family treats her terribly because she was born from a political marriage to pass down the Gift, yet she doesn't seem to have it. Or at least most of the characters believe she doesn't. Due to this reason, Miyo is mostly uninvolved in any supernatural happenings in this book, which leaves the fantasy vibes rather thin. Still, I enjoyed the atmosphere of the Taisho period, as well as the subdued feel of the story. Some may find it boring, but I think it suits Miyo's personality really well. This may change in the next books though, since it is heavily hinted that she's not as powerless as they think. the main portion of the first volume is Miyo's introduction to Kiyoka, and how they genuinely start to grow fond of each other.

Oh, and how her family goes up in flames. Literally.

While Miyo may seem like a really passive character at first, she does grow after experiencing happiness with Kiyoka and Yurie. Her progress is slow, but it's understandable since she's been belittled and abused for so long. If you're not interested in the healing process or can't find it in yourself to empathize with an abuse victim, then you should find another book that offers a sturdier main character. But I do want Miyo to be happy after everything she's gone through, so I will definitely pick up the rest of the series.