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薬屋のひとりごと [Kusuriya no Hitorigoto] #7
The Apothecary Diaries 07
After breaking a "curse" on the imperial heirs, a palace servant with training in herbal medicine is promoted up the ranks to food taster...and right into the thick of palace intrigue in this lushly illustrated historical mystery series!
Maomao succeeds in saving Jinshi from a horrific fate, proving herself indispensable to the palace once more!
But while she is given the chance to explain herself, Maomao has yet to learn that the treachery of the plot she has uncovered is woven deep into the fabric of the very palace in which she serves!
To truly unpick the mystery, Maomao will need her patience and her copious wits about her...
She'll also need to watch her back, as she comes face-to-face with the sinister La Kan...
Maomao succeeds in saving Jinshi from a horrific fate, proving herself indispensable to the palace once more!
But while she is given the chance to explain herself, Maomao has yet to learn that the treachery of the plot she has uncovered is woven deep into the fabric of the very palace in which she serves!
To truly unpick the mystery, Maomao will need her patience and her copious wits about her...
She'll also need to watch her back, as she comes face-to-face with the sinister La Kan...
192 pages, ebook
Published December 20, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
January 16, 2023
Jinshi being in over his head with Mao Mao will always tickle me.
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January 13, 2024li haku and maomao are serving golden retriever x black cat bestie duo excellence as always
July 17, 2024
got bored
April 25, 2023
Court is back in session for Maomao, as Jinshi gives our heroine her old job back to keep her away from the grasp of her scheming father. Which is the least he could do when she saved his life. But, while the two of them hate each other, Maomao and her father have a thing or two in common…
As Maomao recovers from her injuries, we get a delightful parlour scene, in mystery parlance, where Maomao breaks down the various pieces that came together to make the plot on Jinshi’s life.
It’s a solid opener, not least of which because it quickly escalates to a frenzy of corpse desecration and makes a very quick steal from the real-life basis for zombies (bless this book for showing its work). Vintage Maomao all around.
With her move back to the court, Maomao gets more involved with the politics than she has been for a bit. Which I can honestly take or leave, so these parts do drag a bit more than the norm. As usual, we don’t have much to catch us up on who is who either, so some of these consorts I should recognize… not so much.
And, as is also usual, the character work just saves the manga every time it flags at all. Maomao can’t help solving problems and that even extends to her being nice to the useless physician we haven’t seen for a bit.
(I also love the way the manga associates all these characters with animals of one type or another and it probably isn’t a coincidence that I like Maomao so much and she’s frequently depicted as a cat.)
With her taking the fight to her father after he sets Jinshi on an impossible task that Maomao has to achieve, we get to see that Maomao is truly the best of both her father and her mother, at least from the little hints we get of the latter.
The confrontation between father and daughter might be basic, but it’s still very cleverly done, much like the bulk of this story. It also takes advantage of Maomao’s father knowing how she is, but her thinking to take advantage of that.
With his temperament to not see people as anything but playing pieces, literally, we get enough to explain why dear old dad is the way he is. It’s not quite worth our sympathy, but it makes it more interesting than I thought, which I liked. It doesn’t hurt that, as a visual conceit, it drives home what he considers worthy in a unique way.
Otherwise, it’s the same old same, but when it’s this good and this much fun then it’s hard to complain too much. The near-nude sequence in this one is a howler from start to finish and gets a great follow-up. It’s one of the funniest things the series has done yet, poor Jinshi.
I’m also starting to really love the lopsided love affair between Jinshi and Maomao. The latter has no interest in a eunuch (or somebody who seems like one), but we know that Jinshi isn’t actually one and his fondness for Maomao comes through in some fun, subtle ways.
5 stars - probably a 4, but that’s just how it goes with this series. Plus, I really appreciated the way it’s going about depicting Maomao’s origins. She’ll never be anything less than a truly brilliant character and if Frieren did not exist this would probably cinch my favourite series spot.
As Maomao recovers from her injuries, we get a delightful parlour scene, in mystery parlance, where Maomao breaks down the various pieces that came together to make the plot on Jinshi’s life.
It’s a solid opener, not least of which because it quickly escalates to a frenzy of corpse desecration and makes a very quick steal from the real-life basis for zombies (bless this book for showing its work). Vintage Maomao all around.
With her move back to the court, Maomao gets more involved with the politics than she has been for a bit. Which I can honestly take or leave, so these parts do drag a bit more than the norm. As usual, we don’t have much to catch us up on who is who either, so some of these consorts I should recognize… not so much.
And, as is also usual, the character work just saves the manga every time it flags at all. Maomao can’t help solving problems and that even extends to her being nice to the useless physician we haven’t seen for a bit.
(I also love the way the manga associates all these characters with animals of one type or another and it probably isn’t a coincidence that I like Maomao so much and she’s frequently depicted as a cat.)
With her taking the fight to her father after he sets Jinshi on an impossible task that Maomao has to achieve, we get to see that Maomao is truly the best of both her father and her mother, at least from the little hints we get of the latter.
The confrontation between father and daughter might be basic, but it’s still very cleverly done, much like the bulk of this story. It also takes advantage of Maomao’s father knowing how she is, but her thinking to take advantage of that.
With his temperament to not see people as anything but playing pieces, literally, we get enough to explain why dear old dad is the way he is. It’s not quite worth our sympathy, but it makes it more interesting than I thought, which I liked. It doesn’t hurt that, as a visual conceit, it drives home what he considers worthy in a unique way.
Otherwise, it’s the same old same, but when it’s this good and this much fun then it’s hard to complain too much. The near-nude sequence in this one is a howler from start to finish and gets a great follow-up. It’s one of the funniest things the series has done yet, poor Jinshi.
I’m also starting to really love the lopsided love affair between Jinshi and Maomao. The latter has no interest in a eunuch (or somebody who seems like one), but we know that Jinshi isn’t actually one and his fondness for Maomao comes through in some fun, subtle ways.
5 stars - probably a 4, but that’s just how it goes with this series. Plus, I really appreciated the way it’s going about depicting Maomao’s origins. She’ll never be anything less than a truly brilliant character and if Frieren did not exist this would probably cinch my favourite series spot.
March 27, 2023
A lot of stuff is happening!!! Lingli is too adorable. Also I love Li Haku’s total devotion to Pai Ling. He’s so pathetically in love with her, how could I not adore it?
July 29, 2024
4/5
Please just kiss already. Please.
Please just kiss already. Please.
March 3, 2024
picking up where the anime left off. BADASS MAOMAO NEVER DISAPPOINTS
January 16, 2022
Tome full of rebondissements eg on en apprend d’avantage sur Jinshi 👌🏼💯
January 16, 2023
Akhir ceritanya gantung, jangan lama-lama buat volume selanjutnya
April 21, 2024
I NEED VOLUME 8 STAT
January 15, 2023
This volume truly feels, not like filler per se, but it definitely feels like not much happens. I again like Maomao's quick wit when solving issues and always look forward to her interactions with Jinshi. The side characters got a little more page time in this volume and that might have had something to do with how I perceived the volume being less forward moving. Hoping that the next one sees more action.
April 26, 2023
I like it when Maomao uses her wits to accomplish her goals. That's my girl! 😉
However, I found that a face-to-face encounter like that would be difficult if I were ever Maomao. She did seize the moment, though. 💪
However, I found that a face-to-face encounter like that would be difficult if I were ever Maomao. She did seize the moment, though. 💪
May 10, 2024
finally getting informatiooon!!!! The way the backstories of these characters is coming out little by little is sooooo good
October 11, 2022
Un tome que j'ai un peu moins apprécié que les précédents. Il avait bien commencé mais mon intérêt a assez vite diminué. Je trouve ces intrigues et révélations autour des courtisanes plutôt inintéressantes (chacun son truc, mais moi c'est une partie qui a tendance à m'ennuyer). J'ai hâte d'en apprendre plus sur Lacan et Jinshi m'intrigue toujours autant ! Vivement savoir qui il est vraiment !
February 10, 2023
L'intrigue était vraiment magnifique
August 28, 2024
the unrequited gay yearning!!!!
January 7, 2022
4.5/5
Tome riche en rebondissement, je l'ai lu plus lentement pour mieux comprendre les rebondissement et les liens entre les personnages, il y a toujours cet humour que j'apprécie. Hâte de lire la suite
Tome riche en rebondissement, je l'ai lu plus lentement pour mieux comprendre les rebondissement et les liens entre les personnages, il y a toujours cet humour que j'apprécie. Hâte de lire la suite
March 14, 2023
1.75 Stars
*I've decided I won't write long book reviews for books under two stars unless it's a rant or I have a lot to say!*
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticizing your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
What I liked:
-[Jinshi's character exploration]
Despite being a small snippet, it was really interesting to discover something about his character that was game-changing. I really love that Jinshi's relevancy to the plot becomes more prominent as he becomes a greater part of things.
-[Maomao's unique personality]
I love how enthusiastic Maomao is. Her obsession with poison is hilarious. While it isn't necessarily a good thing that she likes to inflict harm on herself by letting snakes bite her and eating poison, it does make her character different than others. She doesn't do it with ill intent to hurt herself out of hatred or satisfaction, but rather curiosity in testing out poisons and seeing her reactions to them. Her expression when coming across a discovery, finding herbs, and drinking poison is hilarious. I love how sarcastic Maomao is, yet how determined she is about those she cares about.
-[The excerpt of volume 8]
It was really interesting to see a part of Lakan's character. It was an interesting chapter that simmered with tension and mystery. I really enjoyed this chapter in particular!
What I disliked:
-[Certain parts of the plot]
The ending proposed a really interesting storyline with a lot of tension. This particular tone simmered out into a more lighthearted, meandering plot line. I felt it was unneeded to have one scene with Pai Ling's breasts showing without her wearing anything to cover them. Then there was that scene where Li Haku took off almost all his clothes because Maomao wanted to see his "assets."
-[No continuous mystery or string of mysteries that connect to one giant plot ]
Each book is like a standalone with little to connect the story but the same characters and a similar tone. Still, the tone goes from lighthearted to dark, boring, and then action-filled.
__________________________________________________
In conclusion, I will not be continuing this series.
*I've decided I won't write long book reviews for books under two stars unless it's a rant or I have a lot to say!*
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticizing your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
What I liked:
-[Jinshi's character exploration]
Despite being a small snippet, it was really interesting to discover something about his character that was game-changing. I really love that Jinshi's relevancy to the plot becomes more prominent as he becomes a greater part of things.
-[Maomao's unique personality]
I love how enthusiastic Maomao is. Her obsession with poison is hilarious. While it isn't necessarily a good thing that she likes to inflict harm on herself by letting snakes bite her and eating poison, it does make her character different than others. She doesn't do it with ill intent to hurt herself out of hatred or satisfaction, but rather curiosity in testing out poisons and seeing her reactions to them. Her expression when coming across a discovery, finding herbs, and drinking poison is hilarious. I love how sarcastic Maomao is, yet how determined she is about those she cares about.
-[The excerpt of volume 8]
It was really interesting to see a part of Lakan's character. It was an interesting chapter that simmered with tension and mystery. I really enjoyed this chapter in particular!
What I disliked:
-[Certain parts of the plot]
The ending proposed a really interesting storyline with a lot of tension. This particular tone simmered out into a more lighthearted, meandering plot line. I felt it was unneeded to have one scene with Pai Ling's breasts showing without her wearing anything to cover them. Then there was that scene where Li Haku took off almost all his clothes because Maomao wanted to see his "assets."
-[No continuous mystery or string of mysteries that connect to one giant plot ]
Each book is like a standalone with little to connect the story but the same characters and a similar tone. Still, the tone goes from lighthearted to dark, boring, and then action-filled.
__________________________________________________
In conclusion, I will not be continuing this series.
June 2, 2024
3.5 stars
We continue learning more about Maomao's background. I liked learning more about her relationship with her older sister Pai Ling. To be honest, I'm willing to fight Li Haku for her, but alas, she's a fictional character. I wish we got to see more of Maomao's relationship with the other women in Verdigris. I think her relationships with other women are the most interesting in this series.
We continue learning more about Maomao's background. I liked learning more about her relationship with her older sister Pai Ling. To be honest, I'm willing to fight Li Haku for her, but alas, she's a fictional character. I wish we got to see more of Maomao's relationship with the other women in Verdigris. I think her relationships with other women are the most interesting in this series.
January 21, 2022
4,5/5
Un super tome dans lequel on apprend énormément de choses et qui fait le lien entre toutes les intrigues du passé.
Beaucoup trop hâte de lire la suite vu la fin, et quel plaisir d’en apprendre plus sur Jinshi.
Un super tome dans lequel on apprend énormément de choses et qui fait le lien entre toutes les intrigues du passé.
Beaucoup trop hâte de lire la suite vu la fin, et quel plaisir d’en apprendre plus sur Jinshi.
May 16, 2022
L'enquête avance, tout semble lié, mais patience, visiblement, les révélations c'est pas pour tout de suite !
Toujours aussi chouette ce manga, même si j'ai tendance à oublier des détails en lisant par petits bouts, un tome par-ci, un tome par-là... Et les dessins sont toujours magnifiques !
Toujours aussi chouette ce manga, même si j'ai tendance à oublier des détails en lisant par petits bouts, un tome par-ci, un tome par-là... Et les dessins sont toujours magnifiques !
April 12, 2023
I rather enjoy this series, mostly because I love the heroine, and drawing style, but I feel really iffy sometimes about how gender, manhood and womanhood are handled.
Also I am so disappointed how useless Jinshi is, who I thought will become a cunning, interesting character in the series, but no boy he is boring.
Also I am so disappointed how useless Jinshi is, who I thought will become a cunning, interesting character in the series, but no boy he is boring.
December 2, 2023
December 2023
Kindle edition
Manga
Aww a baby and the little princess is growing up. Poor Maomao having to work through her injury, the roses were clever though and I’m glad she was able to face her father.
Kindle edition
Manga
Aww a baby and the little princess is growing up. Poor Maomao having to work through her injury, the roses were clever though and I’m glad she was able to face her father.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2022
Terharu dan bahagia untuk kisah cinta orangtua mou mou ☺ Misteri kehidupan mao mao done, sekarang nunggu kehidupan jinshi yang dikupas 😋
November 2, 2023
This volume had me warming up to Lakan of all people. Is he really all that bad? I wonder what happened to Maomao’s mother and why Maomao hates Lakan so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2024
my lil meow meow is so smart i love her badd and jinshi has grown on me in a way i didnt expect 😤
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November 11, 2024Maomao is an at-home science experiment GENIUS
Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews