The Lighter and the Princess’ Gown · Eternal Fire 打火机与公主裙·长明灯 by Twentine (HE)

8 Responses

1. 

   cloudandsea October 11, 2016 at 4:43 am | Permalink

   Part 2 was not as good as Part 1 but still my fave novel. I really felt as if I grew together with Li Xun and Zhu Yun as I read the novel. The epilogue was so heartwrenching even though it is supposed to be a happy ending. 🙁 This is my first time chasing after a novel and I would look forward to it every single day. Definitely worth every single wait. T_T

   Can’t wait for Twentine new novel!

2. 

   Pm October 14, 2016 at 10:29 am | Permalink

   Oh….it’s finally out…it better be a happy ending….if not I’m so going to cry :,(

3. 

   dramasbooksandtea October 21, 2016 at 10:21 am | Permalink

   Ah, The Lighter and the Princess’ Gown. How do I begin? No, the novel doesn’t weave a grand and complicated plot; neither does it boast an amazing and detailed world built from the author’s very own words. In fact, the story is a simple one, the essence of which is easily captured by Twentine in her short and simple summary – it’s about the romance between a knight and her king, the relationship between a trapped and sheltered princess and the battered but proud boy, and the love that blossomed between Li Xun and Zhu Yun.

   Our female lead, Zhu Yun, was a quiet, obedient and inconspicuous law-abiding student when she met our male lead, Li Xun, and his glorious mane of golden hair. Like his hair, Li Xun loud and ostentatious; he blazed his way into the lives of numerous people, leaving an indelible impression on everyone he met. He threw social norms and rules to the wind – he lived exactly how he wished to live, without a care for what everyone and anyone thought of him. Before Zhu Yun met Li Xun, she was just a face in the crowd; someone who followed in society’s footsteps, never straying too far from the beaten path (of course, she had the occasional rebellion). But then, she met him. And she learnt how to pick up her sword, put on her armor, and transform into a knight willing to fight the hardest battles and strike the toughest obstacles – all for her King, and for their dreams.

   Yes, to my mind, this is an unequal romance – Zhu Yun is clearly more in love, and more heavily invested in the relationship compared to Li Xun, who has her eating out of the palm of his hand. But to Zhu Yun, it truly doesn’t matter. Li Xun loves her in his own way, and that’s really enough for her. And ultimately, she complements him as well, making him a much better person that he could ever be alone. And she complements him in such an amazing and understated way that most readers seem to fail to notice, thus giving her way less credit than she rightfully deserves. She provides a sense of calmness to his brash and rash side, and empathy and expressiveness to his maimed ability to express himself.

4. 

   dramasbooksandtea October 21, 2016 at 10:36 am | Permalink

   @ cloudandsea Oh no you didn’t find Part 2 as good? Haha I think it was good for me because I gobbled the entire book up in one seating which spared me the excruciatingly slow process of their reunion (Zhu Yun!! How can you be so slow to profess your love to your king!!) Haha but I found the epilogue heart wrenching as well – but at the same time, I thought it was really sweet how, even at the end Li Xun did what was best for Zhu Yun, and how she was truly the last person she saw flashing across his eyes before he passed. Ah, did you read any other Twentine novels? 🙂 any reccs?

   @ Pm It is a happy ending!! No worries go ahead and plunge yourself in the novel!!!

5. 

   pm October 26, 2016 at 1:45 pm | Permalink

   I finished!!!! 🙂

   quite a nice read…but not as good as some of her other novels….

   I just need some clarifications…. did li xun like yun zhu from the very beginning or only after some time?

6. 

   dramasbooksandtea October 27, 2016 at 3:22 am | Permalink

   @Pm I’m still a brand new Twentine fan so I haven’t had the chance to read her other novels – but if they’re better than The Lighter and The Princess Gown I am definitely gg to check them out!! Ah, in my opinion I think Li Xun wasn’t romantically attracted to Zhu Yun from the very beginning (after all, he originally considered romantic involvements to be some form of stress relief activity used to pass the time), but she definitely caught his attention (with all her inner sarcastic thoughts and earnesty) and that subsequently led to him developing feelings for her.

7. 

   pm October 27, 2016 at 8:08 am | Permalink

   icic…coz the last part confused me..coz he said sth like asking her to turn ard and notice him or sth like that…

   I recommend “the untold story”. it has a super bad and sad ending but the whole story per say was good.

8. 

   dramasbooksandtea October 27, 2016 at 10:54 am | Permalink

   @Pm Oh dear I’m quite averse to sad endings because they make me depressed for days on end… I’m going to try giving her other HE books a shot before I attempt The Untold Story!! Thanks for the reccomendation though!!

   Ah, I think the final part was a dream Zhu Yun and Li Xun’s son, Li Si Qi, had, where he dreamt of the very first meeting his parents had – which was why the son was egging for the mom to turn back, because he was anxious for his mum to turn around and notice his dad, the person who would truly change her life, and also because he wanted to see her comical, stunned expression :p