I grew tired of the clichéd storyline involving switched identities between the fake and real daughter, and overall, the story was quite disappointing. To explain, there are spoilers ahead, so be warned if you haven't read it yourself.
The protagonist, Ye Fan, starts with a typical plot twist of being raised by someone else instead of her biological family. Her adoptive mother exploited her talents and beauty, but Ye Fan's original story didn't delve into her knowing her true background. Instead, she yearned for familial love and faced challenges due to her looks. An unexpected turn of events led her to become involved with an actor, and eventually, her acting career took an unforeseen path before it even began. She gave birth to a son, which was a recurring theme with numerous cute scenes, but I found it repetitive.
In her past life, Ye Fan was a gifted composer and musician. Despite financial struggles and responsibilities, she took it upon herself to raise her son without biological ties. She used her acting skills to portray a character who helped in scenes she couldn't act, such as action or intimate scenes, kickstarting her career. Ye Fan was often depicted as strong but occasionally vulnerable, but some of her actions seemed forced for the plot.
The main love interest, ML, had a mysterious connection to Ye Fan that wasn't initially clear. He recognized her but attributed it to a shared past life, where he supported her journey to success. Their connection was significant but not romantic, as it was only hinted at initially, and the revelation came later in the book, leaving me bewildered.
What bothered me was that Ye Fan's decision to stay with ML wasn't solely based on their connection but also because of his guidance in her past life. Even though he was caring and supportive, she mentioned having feelings for someone else (ML from their past lives). This subplot felt manipulative.
Moving on to the family dynamics, Ye Fan's parenting style was questioned. She focused excessively on her son, which sometimes felt excessive, and her guilt over not spending enough time with him was unrealistic given her demanding career. When her son fell ill during a performance, she prioritized him over the show, even though it seemed overly dramatic. The revelation about her son's true identity was distasteful, and the portrayal of paparazzi behavior rubbed me the wrong way.
The rest of the story involved a series of confusing events, including a variety show that became a platform for Ye Fan's resurgence. The lack of depth in describing her growth and the abrupt shifts in focus made it difficult to engage with the narrative.
In conclusion, the shallow character development and convoluted plot left me questioning Ye Fan's accomplishments and the logic behind certain decisions. The climax of the novel was unsatisfying, and the focus on a particular role didn't justify the buildup. Despite the potential for an epic finale, it fell flat. My Western perspective clashed with the book's choices, leading me to give it only two stars, as I couldn't connect with it.