Under the Oak Tree | Book Review

Most fairytales end with a wedding and a happily-ever-after—but this is no fairytale. The updated and official translation of Under the Oak Tree, the #1 webnovel on MANTA.
 
Lady Maximilian is the daughter of the powerful Duke Croyso, but she is rarely allowed outside her family’s sprawling castle for fear that her stutter will tarnish their noble name. When she is forced to marry Sir Riftan, a lowborn knight caught in one of her father’s schemes, Maxi doesn’t dare hope for happiness, let alone love. Her stumbling communication and his gruff manner sour their relationship before it can begin, and Riftan leaves without a word the morning after their vows are exchanged.

Now, three years after their disastrous wedding night, Riftan has returned as a war hero. To Maxi’s surprise, despite rumors that he was offered marriage to Princess Agnes, a beautiful and renowned sorceress, Riftan still wants Maxi for his wife. And when he comes to claim her, his longing becomes a desire that bewilders Maxi, even as she is overcome by the scorching heat that Riftan’s presence ignites within her. As she learns to navigate the intricacies of her new life, Maxi will find herself and her courage, and discover that she is anything but powerless.

this review is spoiler free

pre-warnings

I read some of this webtoon way back when… I remember liking it at first, but I didn’t keep up with it. Of course, when I saw the ARC of the novel, I had to get it.

Just an FYI—this book deals with heavier topics like abuse, and the author really puts Maxi through a lot. It’s also a historical fantasy, and there are scenes involving ‘marital duties’ where Maxi feels like she can’t refuse.

This might be the book that uses the ‘miscommunication’ trope the most, and it’s honestly frustrating at times.

a bit on k-webnovels

As for the writing/translation/editing—it’s fine! I can’t even imagine the amount of work that goes into translating a historical fantasy, especially figuring out how to translate empire or kingdom names into English… talk about a labor of love. So, no real issues there—it was pretty solid.

What I’ve noticed with a lot of Korean webnovels is that the writing tends to be more curt and to the point—there’s definitely more telling than showing. Again, this is a translated webnovel, not a traditionally published novel. It’s more like reading an original story on Wattpad.

So, if you’re expecting an epic historical fantasy, you might be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for an easy read with a lot of hurt/comfort and watching Maxi slowly gain confidence after years of abuse, this could be exactly what you’re after.

thoughts

After diving into the novel, it became painfully clear why I didn’t stick with the manhwa. I can only handle so much miscommunication before I want to scream into the void.

I also struggled to connect with any of the characters—including Riftan and Maxi. Somehow, reading about them in the novel stripped away some of the charm they had in the manhwa. It was hard to stay invested when even the main characters lost their appeal.

I think a lot can be forgiven when it’s presented in the form of a beautifully colored manhwa, but unfortunately, those flaws become painfully obvious when you’re reading the book. The visual appeal in the manhwa can mask some of the weaker plot points or character issues, but without that distraction, they stand out more in the novel.

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I’m honestly so upset that I didn’t like this. I really want to support the push for more K-webnovels being translated into English, and the hardcover looks so beautiful—like it’d fit perfectly into my collection. It’s frustrating when the story doesn’t live up to the packaging, especially when you’re rooting for more of these translations to be successful.

However, on the bright side, Inklore recently announced they’ve acquired the licenses for The Broken Ring and King’s Maker—both of which I’ll be 100% all over as soon as they’re released!

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