- Bada$s female lead. It's rare in past Cdramas where the female lead is actually powerful. A shame, though, that she only has this because she was a man in the past *facepalm*. There were lots of underdog-turns-overpower moments when she returns to her God of War past and kicks a lot of villains' behinds.
- The main couple's love story. I mean, I lost track of how many times Si Feng coughed up blood for Xuan Ji. Their relationship is solid, if only because of Si Feng's persistent sacrificing self. Even when he remembers how many times Xuan Ji has betrayed him in their past lives, he is still willing to die by Xuan Ji's hands because he loves her. Not really realistic, but definitely makes him an A+ character and understandable why Xuan Ji grows a heart for him.
- Side couples are the bomb. Sadistic, but believable and entertaining. The purple wolf demon spirit (reminds me a lot of Michelle Reis - beautiful woman) and monkey spirit love relationship - very touching and sad. I was also touched by the triangular relationship between Ling Long, her captor and her senior brother. It's rare that we see Stockholm Syndrome manifest in dramas, but sickeningly in this drama, the dynamic works and is actually logical! Ling Long actually falls for her captor and the captor actually loves her! Wow, imagine that.
Ashes of Love:
- The push/pull dynamic between the leads. Cliche, but hooked me right from the start. I like my relationships with a little tsundere touch. Xu Feng obviously likes Jin Mi, but doesn't want to admit it, so he bugs her with stupid tasks to keep her around. But he never mistreats her and is good to her, all things considered. He is basically like a little boy, which is what makes the climax of the drama so heart-wrenching when his devotion to her is betrayed. She stabs him and in return, her previous unaware self becomes so devastated by her actions, she crumples into a ball on the ground. Like that shows how deep her love is for him, that even though she's under the spell of the non-feeling pill for her entire life, this one moment of killing him, forces her to repel the pill. Poetic grace and angst right there. Beautiful.
- The point when Jin Mi understands her existence is the reason for the war and the end of her life is what will stop the war. When she harkens back to the message the goddess imparts to her: is an act of kindness letting a tiger free, or is it an act of kindness to save humanity by killing the tiger? how do you determine which act is more kind? and then she sacrifices herself to end the war between the brothers. very clean solution and very beautiful.
I will go over the cons, too, but out of time. Personally, I like AoL more because the leads are more fun and the plot more consistent like another poster said. Angst is developed more realistically, too.
L&R:
- Bada$s female lead. It's rare in past Cdramas where the female lead is actually powerful. A shame, though, that she only has this because she was a man in the past *facepalm*. There were lots of underdog-turns-overpower moments when she returns to her God of War past and kicks a lot of villains' behinds.
- The main couple's love story. I mean, I lost track of how many times Si Feng coughed up blood for Xuan Ji. Their relationship is solid, if only because of Si Feng's persistent sacrificing self. Even when he remembers how many times Xuan Ji has betrayed him in their past lives, he is still willing to die by Xuan Ji's hands because he loves her. Not really realistic, but definitely makes him an A+ character and understandable why Xuan Ji grows a heart for him.
- Side couples are the bomb. Sadistic, but believable and entertaining. The purple wolf demon spirit (reminds me a lot of Michelle Reis - beautiful woman) and monkey spirit love relationship - very touching and sad. I was also touched by the triangular relationship between Ling Long, her captor and her senior brother. It's rare that we see Stockholm Syndrome manifest in dramas, but sickeningly in this drama, the dynamic works and is actually logical! Ling Long actually falls for her captor and the captor actually loves her! Wow, imagine that.
Ashes of Love:
- The push/pull dynamic between the leads. Cliche, but hooked me right from the start. I like my relationships with a little tsundere touch. Xu Feng obviously likes Jin Mi, but doesn't want to admit it, so he bugs her with stupid tasks to keep her around. But he never mistreats her and is good to her, all things considered. He is basically like a little boy, which is what makes the climax of the drama so heart-wrenching when his devotion to her is betrayed. She stabs him and in return, her previous unaware self becomes so devastated by her actions, she crumples into a ball on the ground. Like that shows how deep her love is for him, that even though she's under the spell of the non-feeling pill for her entire life, this one moment of killing him, forces her to repel the pill. Poetic grace and angst right there. Beautiful.
- The point when Jin Mi understands her existence is the reason for the war and the end of her life is what will stop the war. When she harkens back to the message the goddess imparts to her: is an act of kindness letting a tiger free, or is it an act of kindness to save humanity by killing the tiger? how do you determine which act is more kind? and then she sacrifices herself to end the war between the brothers. very clean solution and very beautiful.
I will go over the cons, too, but out of time. Personally, I like AoL more because the leads are more fun and the plot more consistent like another poster said. Angst is developed more realistically, too.