Isabelle Reviews (CLOSED FOR NOW)

I'm an Extra in a Tragedy Novel (PART II)

Author: mikrokosmos96

RECAP (BLURB) :

"When Calypso opened her eyes after almost drowning in a lake, she suddenly remembered her past life as Park Han Byeol, thirty-year-old music producer and successful entrepreneur who lived in modern world South Korea.

That was when she realized that the world she was currently living in was inside a tragedy novel that she once read where all the main characters including the heroine, the male lead and even the villain regressed and went back in time with the memories of the first timeline intact.

Then who is she? The heroine? Of course not.

She played the role of Empress Calypso Berenice. The male lead's wife, a mere extra who was executed after the villain took over the empire.

Her tragic death wasn't even mentioned in the story, so why the hell is she regressing as well? And to top it all out, she even remembered her past life. This is madness!"

"I'm just an ordinary woman playing an extra."

The author gradually delivers a clearer grasp and understanding of the "extra" narrative. The more I read, the more it delivers a more expounded picture of the story, which is good! Anyway, I'll jump to the contents of Chapter Six to Ten.

The same persona, Empress Calypso Berenice a.k.a. Park Han Byeol, plunges into her two realities or perspectives. Those two worlds, when set side by side, are of major variance–from a period when trials and punishments such as beheading are put to modern-day South Korea. Apparently in the next chapters, the persona begins to have an identity crisis (which was easy to spot) as she talks about trauma and misery, which is valid, relatable, and human. 

The persona describes Park Han Byeol as a character who is more reasonable than Calypso. Calypso, however, has thoughts about love and carries sentimental ideas. With these two realities or perspectives, the author was able to give two sharply defined comparisons that won't confuse or mess with the head of readers. It's usually sad how I get confused over the characters the author needs me to empathize with. But in the case of this book, I was basically the one who was moved and affected without requiring effort that is over the top. 

I'm in awe of how the persona lacks a sense of self-belonging and worth because of how she feels about being the "extra." I feel so many emotions for her, but the charm of them instantly and expertly brings about the conflict and drama. I wouldn't like a story that doesn't have a struggle.

Even the dialogue carried the story and it gave me a 'wow' factor. The conversations were witty and at the same time, socially related and socially sensitive. I also appreciate how the author came up with Calypso's thoughts such as "Does she have a death wish?"

I love how realistic the stories are. They're not pretentious or plastic. And it actually works. It works how she goes through so much suffering and still bears the response of a real human being. 

Good job! 

Thank you for trusting me in reviewing your book! <3, Isabelle