Lots of comments here about the heroine being weak. Given the rules of ancient Chinese society and how limited she was in options, not to mention conduct, not really. What the story lacked was not only flow, but a slightly more realistic cast of characters to make things interesting. They all feel like cardboard cutouts with no depth. There's the smart angelic goodie twoshoes, the good faithful lover, the powerful jealous lover, all with no personal quirks or faults. They don't seem real, so the romance doesn't seem real and lacks the power to engage.
Lots of comments here about the heroine being weak. Given the rules of ancient Chinese society and how limited she was in options, not to mention conduct, not really. What the story lacked was not only flow, but a slightly more realistic cast of characters to make things interesting. They all feel like cardboard cutouts with no depth. There's the smart angelic goodie twoshoes, the good faithful lover, the powerful jealous lover, all with no personal quirks or faults. They don't seem real, so the romance doesn't seem real and lacks the power to engage.