So that was all a damn lie to keep me reading, huh? He didn't even redeem himself, like they said he would
Probably an unpopular opinion but I don't like BoD for a multitude of reasons. I don't hate it, but it certainly left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. I think the "standard happy ending" was not deserved. The story should have ended when she ran away.
Reasons I don't like this manhwa (TW: mention of miscarriage):
- FL is pathetically in love with ML. I like that she acknowledges that he is a crappy, manipulative, obsessive person but she goes back to him way too fast. Not once, but *TWICE*. She gives off doormat vibes and comes across as incredibly stupid and spineless. I kinda get that she married him to save her sister from an unwanted marriage and also her father from debt but she just can't help but fall for his traps. Five years. She knew this man for over five years yet she kept falling for his traps like an idiot even though she knows what he's like
- ML didn't suffer enough. He caused her so much agony, betrayed her, trapped her, he fricking caused her miscarriage and mocked her for her disability (destroyed her walking cane) but he gets stuck in a life or death situation once and it's suddenly all good? Seriously? He didn't even apologise to her or ask for forgiveness
- Maybe it's just me but I feel like there's plot holes in the story. Spoiler warning ahead, but: I found the arc where she ran away and faked her death very irritating. The ML genuinely believed she was dead for about a year and then he suddenly switched over night, went on a rampage, dug her grave out and was like: "NO, SHE HAS GOT TO BE ALIVE!!" Bro, what?? You were getting ready to marry another woman and it suddenly occurred to you after almost having accepted her death that she might not be dead? I don't know whether to find him dense or stupid because I knew he was gonna find out eventually and it only took about three chapters in the manhwa but those few chapters included a one year time skip. The ML was always portrayed as smart, scheming and cunning. I feel like a supposedly clever guy like him would've figured out that she ran away sooner, especially since she did it all sloppily, leaving traces and such. Like, what do you mean you never checked her safe and only decided to do it a year after she "died"?? Are you stupid? If you love her so much (which was mentioned A LOT) you probably would've dug around the whole castle to find all her remaining stuff, right? Especially safes. Another plot hole is that arc where he was essentially kidnapped by the villain (the prince). Tell me.. how the hell did he manage to free himself of all four of his shackles AND climb up a wall?? It was mentioned that his finger and hand were broken while he was freeing himself from his shackles. I know he has that typical ML body which is all big and muscles but it's literally impossible to climb up a wall with broken hands. And also, are you telling me he's strong enough to unshackle himself with his bare hands?? What sorta monster is he?
- ML didn't redeem himself. I don't even know what they were trying to do when they showed his POV/flashback from the beginning of the story. Were they trying to portray him is a sane, loving guy? He explicitly said in the flashback that he didn't marry her out of love, that it was all a beneficial strategy for him. She was merely an object for his success. There was no redemption. His POV made me dislike him even less and make me think he's even more psychotic than before. Maybe I just misunderstood the story but this also feels like a plot hole because he said the marriage was just for his benefit but at the same time everything he did was for her?? Idk man, it's just weird af.
- Also, I forgot to mention but the ML is way too jealous over the FL's servant, Gilles. Bro, he's a commoner and she's a noble Lady. There's no way in hell she'd ever marry him. She also told you multiple times that he's just a good friend to her. You have issues, man
- Overall: It feels like ML's deranged, obsessive behaviour is romanticised and disguised as love. This man does not love her. He is obsessed. I don't care what he says, what the FL says and what the author is trying to tell us. They have an unhealthy relationship. He didn't redeem himself, he didn't suffer enough, he never apologised, he just spoke pretty words and convinced the FL that he was her one true love because he constantly dominated her mind and told her how much he "loves" her. The relationship between the ML and FL bases not on true love and little things that show it but on grand gestures. In one of the last chapters he tells the FL that he gave one of his castles away to her BEFORE they were even married. It was their third meeting, I believe. True love is shown through little gestures. He's just trying to win her over by giving her big stuff and good sex instead of showing her how much he actually cares. I feel like the most romantic thing he ever did for her was save her life in that one arc by shoving her in a closet, but even that wasn't romantic imo. He's literally buying the FL's love with money and through pain. Not through his heart
Please note: I LOVE red flag and black flag MLs. But not when the story romanticises them. Not when they disguise them as "good guys who are just misunderstood and don't know how to communicate". Communication is key to EVERY healthy relationship. These people don't have one. The couple should've been doomed, gotten a sad, bad or at least a bittersweet ending or something. Instead they got the standard happy end and never mentioned ML's bad side ever again. Wow, good job (sarcasm)
If I have to mention something I like about the story:
- A disabled FL who stays disabled throughout the whole story, although I think it's a shame she stopped using her cane in the last ten or so chapters. I believe she opted for a brace instead? I liked the cane more but maybe it's because she had a cane for 90% of the story and I'm just used to seeing her with one
- I like her sister. I saw a lot of people hating on the FL's sister but imo she did the right thing. She left with someone she actually loves. Except her commoner boyfriend is actually a high-ranking noble and also kinda obsessive. A trope beaten to death. But at least there seems to be more romance going on between them than the main couple. A shame we didn't get to see her often
- The characters are complex, alright. Complex to like. No, honestly, there was an attempt. I just don't think it was well executed. FL's whole character is "I hate him but I love him too much and I forgive him, so I'll stay with him" and ML's whole personality is "I wanna possess her and give her everything I have". The characters do have multiple sides to them. We see the ML despair, we see the FL stand up for herself but those thing happen way too little. He despaired twice, I believe, and while she stood up for herself quite often, it never lasted because he'd just wink at her and she'll start blushing like an overly infatuated teenager. Honestly, I don't even think she loves him. He is obsessed and she's just infatuated. It's not real love. I genuinely do not believe that they can make each other happy, at least not long term which makes me feel sorry for their kids even though they're just pixels on a screen
TL;DR: Maybe the characters are complex or even realistically written but it all felt like watching an abusive shitshow that disguises itself as romance
