Rei Toma

I've really grown out of the rapey-vibes and power dynamic tropes that infest so many teen-oriented romance stories, including Dawn of the Arcana. It's totally okay if others read this for fun, just don't go basing your real life relationships on it, because yikes. I had such an adverse reaction to Caesar that I mistook him to be the main antagonist in the romance between the princess and her servant. But no, it's a love triangle! And Caesar isn't a villain, he's actually the romantic lead, with the servant functioning as a rival but not ultimately a threat. Oh noooo
The world building, at least in this first volume, fell flat for me, too. The art was plain, with pretty but unexpressive faces and non-existent backgrounds. Kind of curious about the to-be-developed magical aspect of the story, but I don't think that'll push me to read more.… (mere)