Book Review: The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou (Fantasy BL)

Title: The Husky and His White Cat Shizun
Author: Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 524
Format: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy BL
Source: Bought Copy

Massacring his way to the top to become emperor of the cultivation world, Mo Ran’s cruel reign left him with little satisfaction. Now, upon suffering his greatest loss, he takes his own life...

To his surprise, Mo Ran awakens in his own body at age sixteen, years before he ever began his bloody conquests. Now, as a novice disciple at the cultivation sect known as Sisheng Peak, Mo Ran has a second chance at life. This time, he vows that he will attain the gratification that eluded him in his last life: the overly righteous shall fall, and none will dare treat him like a dog ever again! His furious passion burns most fiercely for his shizun, Chu Wanning, the beautiful yet cold cultivation teacher who maintains a cat-like aloofness in his presence. Yet despite Mo Ran’s shameless pursuit of his own goals, he begins to question his previously held beliefs, and wonders if there could be more to his teacher–and his own feelings–than he ever realized.

 

I almost passed by this series as the title made me think it would be a cutesy story, but then I saw some comments about it, looked further, and saw it was actually not 'cute' at all, so I decided to give it a try. There are themes here that are familiar from MDZS and RZFZX, such as returning souls and going back into the past and trying to change things, but there is still a freshness and originality to the story too. Mo Ran and Chu Wanning are both engaging characters and I enjoyed their interactions a lot. The world building was also nicely handled. As with MXTX stories, the writing is average to good, rather than stellar, but fun stories and characters carry the works without the prose needing to win any literary awards. Volume one left me wanting to know what would happen next, so I have already pre-ordered books two, three and four, which will all release during 2023. I look forward to reading more once they come out. As with Seven Seas' other danmei releases, these books incorporate lovely illustrations throughout and are beautifully presented. This book gets 4 stars from me.