[Review of volumes 1–3] Basically, this is the AO3 tag "Crack treated seriously." Shen Qingqiu is such a hilarious narrator who develops along with the story he transmigrated into as his actions trigger changes in the characters and world around him. The characters become more sympathetic and complex as SQQ gives them the opportunity to break free from their archetypes. Luo Binghe changes, most of all, from a toxically masculine male harem protagonist into a lovesick fool who yearns for his shizun. Everything is wrapped up in SQQ's hilariously scathing and meta commentary on web fiction tropes to make this a super fun and engaging read. Very excited to get to the extras!

sometimes, re-reads really are for the best. what originally had been booted down to a 4 (technically, 4.75)-star rating, actually became a whopping 5. bingqiu matter a lot to me, so….

Nothing, and I mean absolutely NOTHING, could’ve prepared me for those last chapters. I somehow forgot the rating of the book, what the “original” story had built into its plot, and what people were saying for the end of the book where they had sex to save the world.

I sat in my bed gobsmacked to what was going down in Mount Tonglu and it took me a good minute to collect myself to read further before stoping AGAIN in shock and repeating the cycle over and over. When that whole scene wrapped up I still couldn’t believe what I just read tho mind you it’s a more giddy shock cause 👀

Will I re-read this again? Oh absolutely.

There were SO many good moments between Luo Binghe and Shen Qingqui when they’re finally reunited. Do they clear the air between them both? Hell no, but the moments leading up to it are still SO GOOD and make it all more meaningful when Shen Qingqiu looks up at Binghe at the end and promises to follow him wherever he goes now. Just thinking about what happens makes me want to read it again to experience these two boys finally getting together again.

If it wasn't for the

extreme dubcon

I would probably give this 4⭐️ I just can't overlook

papapa to save the world

This book does contain all of the good content.

Shen Qingqiu's soul is pulled back to his original body and he wakes up in the Holy Mausoleum of the Demon Race. Sqq meets Luo Binghe's daddy, Tianlang-jun, and snake-bro, Zhuzhi-Lang.

Lbh shows up to rescue Sqq, but gets beat up because his qi is depleted from trying to keep Sqq's mushroom body sustained for multiple days, then busting into the holy mausoleum and fighting two demons. Sqq protects Lbh and we get the sexy coffin scene of the book.

Our boys almost get away, but Sqq has been gargling too much demon blood and has Zhuzhi-Lang, Tianlang-jun and Luo Binghe's tapeworms fighting inside. Daddy demon and snake-bro take sqq and we get a bunch of funny throuple jokes. Liu Qingge comes to rescue Sqq and Lbh tags along. Hilarity ensues. 

We do all the character work for several characters, including the sect leader and Lbh's parents, then defeat the final boss and Lbh gets taken over again by the demon sword. Extreme dubcon happens and we papapa to save the world.

The story ends with

everyone happy and Bingqiu being coupley.

This is definitely one of my favorite books of all time— I read this Scum Villain unofficial translation back in January 2021 and have been obsessed with it for over a year now. It’s just a wonderful, hilarious, tragic story.

Shen Yuan/Qingqiu is a brilliant unreliable narrator. Pretty much everything he thinks is undermined by his actions (e.g. insisting he thinks of everyone as simply characters in a novel, yet grows to care for them and constantly puts himself in danger for the sake of others)(albeit he still does have many problems recognizing their agency as living people, but that’s another story lmaoo). Any time this man denies having an emotion, which is often, he’s probably having TOO MANY— but we would be none the wiser! Because he’s so good at disassociating from his own body and feelings, he Also thinks he’s telling the truth! It’s concerning! I wanna k word this man so bad (affectionate)

His whole personality is another bag of worms altogether. The casual and blatant disregard for his own life? The way he locks up every emotion and vulnerability from everyone else SO HARD he even locks them away from himself? SQQ I'm gonna force you into a therapy session I swear to god

Luo Binghe is also just. So good. This is a man who truly has All The Trauma… The ‘hurt/no comfort’ tag embodied. I feel like he gets misunderstood by a lot of people, which is incredibly upsetting to me, because he is so interesting and tragic and great??

Yes, he gets a little unhinged post-abyss, but wouldn’t you? If the first person to ever show you kindness & love suddenly condemns you as the worst kind of evil and throws you into a literal hellscape after stabbing you in the chest??? Sorry to Shen Qingqiu but I would also go a little crazy wondering why!

He’s calculated and terrifying and all-encompassing, and he decided to give his entire heart & soul to 1 (one) person and act a complete fool around him forever. King shit fr… Like seriously I care about this funky lil crybaby so much. I have kept it short here on purpose because this review would be 2x longer if I ranted about how much I love Luo Binghe rn… He gives me ALL the feelings. Shoutout SQQ bc I’m also having Binghe brainworms 24/7!

I think this novel also has a really neat relationship w its tropes, because mxtx wrote SVSSS as a commentary on harem/stallion novels and many of the plot devices they- and other things in the romance genre- tend to use, as well as things like transmigration stories, internet trolls/redditor-type dudebros, and male power fantasies in general! There are so many takes and subversions in this book that I just ! Care about so much !! And find so interesting to think about !! For example, with Luo Binghe’s power as the protagonist: unlike your typical male action hero / Shonen protag, he gets severely punished for powering up.

Yeah, sure, he gets a cool demon sword that can cut open dimensional rifts. At the cost of the security in his most important relationship, with his special person. You’re now gonna feel insecure of your place forever and constantly fear being abandoned. On top of that, he has to deal with mental instability and bouts of becoming mind-controlled by said demonic sword— Like Xin Mo is literally poisoning his mind !! It will make you the strongest, but you will lose your sanity, leading to a horrible, slow death— and you’ll get to unknowingly hurt/kill the people you care about on your way out!! Because your sense of autonomy and comfort in your own skin is now forfeit! SURPRISE !! :)

 

Another aspect I really love (which I’ve seen some hate/uncertainty toward) is Bingqiu’s relationship itself— I guess I can understand if there’s tropes that aren’t your thing, or if there’s dynamics in their relationship you find toxic or unhealthy. However ! Concerning the toxicity/unhealthy parts of their relationship… a lot of it stems from mxtx’s commentary on harem tropes and male power fantasies? Those stories are damaging and gratuitous and horrifying, especially for the love interests, who are often just there to be put in traumatizing situations and papapa’d better… And the all-powerful male protag is often just.. overbearing and entitled and arrogant and creepy. No relationship’s gonna come out of that kind of environment unscathed! 
Imo the tragic & horrible parts of their relationship just make the ending so much better? 

Despite all the ways Bingqiu miscommunicate & hurt each other over the course of the novel, they really do love each other. Just because things aren’t resolutely tied up with a bow at the end doesn’t mean they don’t! It just makes it more real and heartwarming to me. These are people who have misunderstood one another constantly, who have made mistakes and hurt the one they love… and they have to live with it. No do-overs. And they make the conscious decision to be together despite it all! I think it ends with a really heartwarming feeling, like!! They have a lot of work to do to be able to move forward after all this trauma and heartache, but they’re going to try and make it work! Because they are in love! And they want each other to be happy! It’s so sweet!! Even though Bingqiu are quite literally soulmates, relationships are never going to be easy— esp one with as much baggage as this— and the novel ends with them still having all these issues, but ! They’re going to try to face them ! And learn from their mistakes, together!!! That’s LOVE baby!!!

 

Anyway! Christ,, , I did not mean to make this a novel on its own OTL I could and would keep talking, but… I will cut myself off lmaooo
TLDR; I care this book a lot