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Lin Fei Chronicles is labelled as a "drama," or sometimes inappropriately as a "romance" (it's not a romance at all), but it's so much more than that. At a very superficial level, it maps to your classic "fantasy" manhwa, as its world centers around the existence of witches and demons. On closer inspection, it tells a story of human desperation and loneliness. A story of how even the most innocent and sweet desires can be corrupted when pursued in depravity, lust, and fear. And, ultimately, how the tragedy of the past can only be corrected by taking responsibility, facing, and accepting the past.
Story: 7
I would prefer not to disclose too much information about this manhwa, but its poor description begs some attention.
Lin Fei Chronicles Manga begins with a young, troubled boy named Gawin entering a new school. He expects to find himself in the "usual" scenario (I'll keep that in suspense), but discovers a mysterious girl who avoids the rest of her classmates. When all of his classmates leave, Gawin goes back into the school and discovers that this girl has supernatural powers. The story unfolds to reveal that the girl, "Izzy Jang," is not at all what Gawin (or readers) has her made out to be, and that there are greater forces in the world that always dwarf the protagonist.
While it's true that parts of the story are somewhat poorly paced, these "leaps" are easily pardonable. They don't have a profound impact on story and, arguably, are constructive in reaching the heart of the story faster.
Also, the story gets plus points for the narrative style. Gawin is such an insignificant yet significant character. He shows us the world through a human's eyes, helping us understand how the otherworldly chaos of Lin Fei Chronicles guides his perspective and understanding of the world. Gawin's final reflections on the story give meaning to the repentance and sacrifice of Suri, who realizes that "fate" is not something beyond your control, but something that you embrace and willfully lead the present to.
In the middle of the story, the "main character" role smoothly transition over to Suri. The change in perspective is well-done and refreshing.
Art: 8
If there's anything about this manhwa that's generic, it's really the art. Manhwas, in my opinion, have very clean art when compared to mangas. It's not necessarily the best art, but the character designs are interesting and are mostly appropriate (with the glaring exception of Pamela). However, I must note that many of the "antagonists" or antagonistic forces (if there really are any) in this story are beautifully drawn (10/10).
Character: 9
What traits or distinctions make a "good" character into a "great" one? It's hard to say, but after reading Lin Fei Chronicles I've realized that the relationship between characters is possibly the most important factor in determining that.
Alone, many of the characters in Lin Fei Chronicles fall flat, with the exception of "Izzy Jang" or maybe Gawin. What makes this manhwa exceptional is the blurred lines between evil and good, pure and noble intent versus selfish and malicious intent. The muddled yet deeply meaningful relationships between the protagonists and antagonists in this manhwa really made me feel something and, dare I say, helped me better understand the human condition. I, for one, can empathize with EVERY side in this story.
The only reason I can't give this a ten is because of a few side characters lazily tossed in with little development.
Enjoyment: 10
It's a good read. I finished it in a day... what can I say. There's action, there's magical powers, there's crazy monsters, there's twists, and there's master plans!
Overall: 9
While Lin Fei Chronicles has a few shortcomings related to story and art, the incredible characters and meaningful connections in this manhwa make all of its mistakes look trivial. It's a powerful and entertaining to manga online that can really teach you something deep and meaningful about human existence and "fate." On the other hand, you can just take it face value and enjoy the feels and epic action scenes. Either way, enjoy!!