Review 3.2: Through Hardship to the Stars

Author: Claire
Description: From slave to strong beautiful woman, Adele finds herself in a cruel world. Will she be able to resist her handsome owner?

This story’s about a girl called Adele who lives as a slave on a plantation in a world of modern slavery. One night she unknowingly meets the boss of the plantation who immediately takes interest in her. After hearing her sing on a festival organized for him the next evening, he decides to take her with him, but…for what reason?

Slavery is a rather unusual theme and it makes one curious as to why the author chose it. Yet upon reading the story up to episode 7, I have no idea why this theme was chosen. Honestly, I don’t think the subject is very present: the romance is just too overbearing so far. But let’s start from the beginning: I loved the directing with the changing background while explaining the rules of this modern slavery. It was interesting and symbolic. The main character has a strong personality, for which I guess she is hated by people like Alma and the girl that conspires with Alma (sorry, her name’s too complicated to remember for me). Though I don’t really get why they want to go as far as to kill her. Adele also has a loyal friend who’s more like a sister to her and a boyfriend, which with whom things go downhill fast. When Adele gets taken to New York City by Christian, the boss of the plantation, I was curious as to the reason why, but even after 7 episodes, I didn’t find out yet, which is slightly disappointing. Then there were a few other things I don’t get: if Adele has grown up on a plantation and never left there, how on earth is she not freaked out when she arrives in the big city?! Or when she goes shopping, why is there no hint of awkwardness or bewilderment at the existence of malls and seeing so many different shops selling so much different stuff? She acts like it’s all normal, when in fact she shouldn’t have known stuff like that, right?

As I said, I loved the idea with the changing backgrounds at the beginning of the story, it’s very well done. But there are also some scenes that require improving when it comes to directing. First of all there’s the scene in episode 1 where Alma is first introduced. She just disappears and then walks into the scene again, instead of walking to the spot in front of Adele. In episode 2 there is a choice offered to the reader right after a new character the reader doesn’t know at all yet comes in the bakery. Then we have to choose what she is having for breakfast. What in a thousand worlds should I care what Shelly gets for breakfast? Especially when I have no idea who Shelly is yet? And lastly in episode 5 when Adele gets out of Christian’s car and leaves the zone, she gets bigger than the car while she’s still behind it, which gives a bit of a Godzilla effect. Improve those things and the directing will be decent enough, overall. Note: in reply to this feedback, the author has improved the directing in those episodes, so future readers won’t come across this anymore 😊.

Want to try this romance with a slight twist and find out why Christian really took Adele out of the plantation? Open your episode app and read the story!

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