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Under The Oak Tree - Novel #1
Under the Oak Tree, Vol. 1
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 volume collects chapters 1-76 of the original webnovel by Suji Kim.
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 volume collects chapters 1-76 of the original webnovel by Suji Kim.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2024
993 people are currently reading
20624 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,270 reviews
May 20, 2025
Trigger warning for SA. DNF at 7%.
This was the most egregiously disgusting depiction of romance I have ever read—and that depiction all takes place in the first chapter. This author really isn’t trying to bury the lead here from her audience.
To start, the way stutters are depicted is over the top and distracting in the text. In the singular chapter I read, Maxi s-s-stutters l-l-like th-th-this c-c-constantly. It’s extremely unpleasant to read. Is there not another way to depict a stutter that doesn’t hurt the eyes and the brain? It comes across as very amateur and poorly written, especially when it occurs with every single sentence the FMC speaks.
To top it off, Maxi has a flashback to the night of her wedding. Now, this is fantasy. I get that marriage in older eras was approached like a business transaction, with consummation being required of women who were often treated as no more than cattle while being held in ignorance like children, unaware of any education surrounding sex. Thus, the women were often subjected to marital rape. But why—in a fantasy—would you set this as your stage? She flashes back to her wedding night, featuring the male hero of the book, as she remembers her own marital rape in sickening detail.
EXCERPT ONE:
EXCERPT TWO:
First of all, the ellipses have to stop. There were seven of them in that second block quote. I had to wrap my own ellipses in parentheses in the first excerpt to differentiate between the author’s and my own. Second of all, this is horrifying. How the fuck are we supposed to root for their romance? Or this man at all? I don’t care that this is just a product of “the time” because this is a fantasy and the author made the deliberate choice to depict marital rape in her novel when she didn’t have to.
There were so many other options. He could’ve staged a scene that would “prove” they consummated without actually forcing her to do so. He could’ve made her comfortable and explained what they would have to do at minimum. Instead, he let her shake in terror while he commanded she strip naked and then forced himself on her. She pulls away? She struggles? He holds her tighter. He forces her to keep going. Deplorable.
He even drops the good ole classic “I won’t stop once we begin.” As if he’s a dog with a triggered prey drive. Like be fuckin for real you rapist pig.
It’s especially sickening because Maxi cannot verbally reject him. If she does, he can annul the marriage (which he threatened would happen if she didn’t comply, as if there weren’t other options on the table; see above for my ideas on how else he could’ve handled it). If this did come to pass, it would send her back to her abusive father who she already believes would “kill her with a timely ‘accident’ before the annulment was complete.” So she has no ability to consent here since the setup forces her to be at her husband’s mercy. And what little mercy there was.
After the flashback ends, MMC sexually assaults Maxi AGAIN. He nitpicks her reception of him after he’s been off fighting dragons for three years and treats her with utter disdain. I understand there is an element of miscommunication and misunderstanding here, but the second she starts crying because of his verbal flaying, he shoves his tongue down her throat. Then he pushes her onto a sofa and tries to SA her.
Even now, in present day, she’s struggling against his advances but he persists in attacking her. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is our fucking love interest.
I have never in my life DNFed a book after one chapter and would never have conceived of doing so on an ARC that was sent to me. But I cannot subject myself to the romanticization of a rapist.
1 star.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Edit on 5/20/25:
To anyone who is in my comments claiming there was a trigger warning, here is what was in my ARC:
Nowhere does it say the physical and mental abuser is the love interest, which is a wholly different thing you’re asking your readers to sign on for. Romanticizing rape will not ever sit well with me. Books like this (that glorify rape without ever challenging it) do not need to exist.
Additionally, physical and sexual abuse are different. This “content warning” does not cover the fact that the story opens with a violent rape perpetrated by the FMC’s love interest. I find it disturbing that this author simply boils the rape scenes down to “explicit sexual content.” No one is reading that author’s note thinking that includes NON-consensual content.
Overall, we really need publishers to sign different books. This author rose to fame thanks to online readers, but a large following doesn’t translate to a good book, and romanticizing rape aside, this book was objectively terribly written.
This was the most egregiously disgusting depiction of romance I have ever read—and that depiction all takes place in the first chapter. This author really isn’t trying to bury the lead here from her audience.
To start, the way stutters are depicted is over the top and distracting in the text. In the singular chapter I read, Maxi s-s-stutters l-l-like th-th-this c-c-constantly. It’s extremely unpleasant to read. Is there not another way to depict a stutter that doesn’t hurt the eyes and the brain? It comes across as very amateur and poorly written, especially when it occurs with every single sentence the FMC speaks.
To top it off, Maxi has a flashback to the night of her wedding. Now, this is fantasy. I get that marriage in older eras was approached like a business transaction, with consummation being required of women who were often treated as no more than cattle while being held in ignorance like children, unaware of any education surrounding sex. Thus, the women were often subjected to marital rape. But why—in a fantasy—would you set this as your stage? She flashes back to her wedding night, featuring the male hero of the book, as she remembers her own marital rape in sickening detail.
EXCERPT ONE:
Her struggles and protests were useless. There was no chance of escaping his searing mouth and rough caress.
(…)She could not believe that something so grotesque was happening to her.
(…)Her body had been so tense that it was now drained of strength. She was no longer capable of struggling.
EXCERPT TWO:
Close to tears, she scratched at his arms.
“It…It h-hurts…”
“Too tight…”
Droplets of sweat trickled down his neck and dripped onto her face. As she writhed in an attempt to flee, he quivered slightly and secured her waist with both of his hands. A deep line creased his forehead.
“Just…stay still…”
“H-hurts…It hurts…!”
“Don’t move, damn it—ugh!”
First of all, the ellipses have to stop. There were seven of them in that second block quote. I had to wrap my own ellipses in parentheses in the first excerpt to differentiate between the author’s and my own. Second of all, this is horrifying. How the fuck are we supposed to root for their romance? Or this man at all? I don’t care that this is just a product of “the time” because this is a fantasy and the author made the deliberate choice to depict marital rape in her novel when she didn’t have to.
There were so many other options. He could’ve staged a scene that would “prove” they consummated without actually forcing her to do so. He could’ve made her comfortable and explained what they would have to do at minimum. Instead, he let her shake in terror while he commanded she strip naked and then forced himself on her. She pulls away? She struggles? He holds her tighter. He forces her to keep going. Deplorable.
He even drops the good ole classic “I won’t stop once we begin.” As if he’s a dog with a triggered prey drive. Like be fuckin for real you rapist pig.
It’s especially sickening because Maxi cannot verbally reject him. If she does, he can annul the marriage (which he threatened would happen if she didn’t comply, as if there weren’t other options on the table; see above for my ideas on how else he could’ve handled it). If this did come to pass, it would send her back to her abusive father who she already believes would “kill her with a timely ‘accident’ before the annulment was complete.” So she has no ability to consent here since the setup forces her to be at her husband’s mercy. And what little mercy there was.
After the flashback ends, MMC sexually assaults Maxi AGAIN. He nitpicks her reception of him after he’s been off fighting dragons for three years and treats her with utter disdain. I understand there is an element of miscommunication and misunderstanding here, but the second she starts crying because of his verbal flaying, he shoves his tongue down her throat. Then he pushes her onto a sofa and tries to SA her.
Riftan’s tongue twisted and tangled with Maxi’s, roving over her teeth. She found it harder and harder to breathe. She shoved at his chest, but he clung more firmly to her.
Even now, in present day, she’s struggling against his advances but he persists in attacking her. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is our fucking love interest.
I have never in my life DNFed a book after one chapter and would never have conceived of doing so on an ARC that was sent to me. But I cannot subject myself to the romanticization of a rapist.
1 star.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Edit on 5/20/25:
To anyone who is in my comments claiming there was a trigger warning, here is what was in my ARC:
To my readers,
This story grapples with many difficult and complex themes. The content includes depictions of physical and mental abuse as well as themes of trauma and emotional distress experienced by the characters. Certain scenes may be disturbing and triggering for some readers; reader discretion is advised. The story also contains explicit sexual content that may not be suitable for all audiences.
Please approach this content with care and seek support if needed. For any readers who see themselves in this tale, my hope is that it provides you with comfort, courage, and the knowledge that you are not alone.
Nowhere does it say the physical and mental abuser is the love interest, which is a wholly different thing you’re asking your readers to sign on for. Romanticizing rape will not ever sit well with me. Books like this (that glorify rape without ever challenging it) do not need to exist.
Additionally, physical and sexual abuse are different. This “content warning” does not cover the fact that the story opens with a violent rape perpetrated by the FMC’s love interest. I find it disturbing that this author simply boils the rape scenes down to “explicit sexual content.” No one is reading that author’s note thinking that includes NON-consensual content.
Overall, we really need publishers to sign different books. This author rose to fame thanks to online readers, but a large following doesn’t translate to a good book, and romanticizing rape aside, this book was objectively terribly written.
January 8, 2025
So good! Alpha, domineering, and toxic hero with a sweet, shy, and proper heroine. Fantastic dynamics, and often times super cute (in a very toxic way lol). It would have been a 5 star, but the middle was really slow. It also ended in a weird place. If you love slice of life and/or Alice Coldbreath, read this!!
There is some major dub con and a marital rape scene between the MC’s in the beginning though so if that bothers you, don’t read!
* * *
OMG I was OBSESSED with the this during 2020 or 2021. I’m so happy this author is getting traditionally published, I can’t wait to read this version!
There is some major dub con and a marital rape scene between the MC’s in the beginning though so if that bothers you, don’t read!
* * *
OMG I was OBSESSED with the this during 2020 or 2021. I’m so happy this author is getting traditionally published, I can’t wait to read this version!
April 23, 2025
I've got the comic version of this book, the ebook version, and the audiobook version. I think I went overboard this time. lol
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This book follows our female main character, Maxi, as she makes her way with her new husband to her new home in Anatol. What she doesn't tell him is that she feels she is unworthy of his time and attention, as he is the knight that took down a dragon and she has a stutter that she is ashamed of.
She also believes the servants of her new home will think less of her since there are certain things she is unsure how to do. Her father beat it into her head from a very early age that she is less than because of her stutter so how will she get past this to be the wife she wants to be?
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I'm still angry that it took me 2 months to finish this book. I enjoyed the comic version of this book more, honestly, since I love the color. I don't know why I preferred comic version, other than that it took me less time to get through, but here we are.
I'm not sure how I feel about Maxi but I do wish she'd sit down and have a real conversation with Riftan. I feel like a lot more would be accomplished by having an actual conversation since they haven't gotten to know each other yet.
Riftan keeps making assumptions about what Maxi's thinking at the beginning of the novel, especially, and I find it to be really annoying. I feel like a lot of their conflicts at the beginning could be avoided with a real, live conversation with full-on honesty.
I feel bad for Maxi at the beginning as well, especially when it comes to the physical abuse she endures at the hands of her father. No wonder she feels like Riftan deserves better! Not that I agree with that sentiment, of course.
I'm hoping Maxi continues to feel the courage to stand up for herself because she deserves to do so since she's the lady of the house. I'm glad she was able to spruce up the house but I feel she could have done more with it.
Yes, I'd obviously recommend this book. I want more magic in the sequel and more conversations between Riftan and Maxi. I'm just hoping as well that she finally gets the chance to stand up to her father like she deserves to.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
This book follows our female main character, Maxi, as she makes her way with her new husband to her new home in Anatol. What she doesn't tell him is that she feels she is unworthy of his time and attention, as he is the knight that took down a dragon and she has a stutter that she is ashamed of.
She also believes the servants of her new home will think less of her since there are certain things she is unsure how to do. Her father beat it into her head from a very early age that she is less than because of her stutter so how will she get past this to be the wife she wants to be?
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I'm still angry that it took me 2 months to finish this book. I enjoyed the comic version of this book more, honestly, since I love the color. I don't know why I preferred comic version, other than that it took me less time to get through, but here we are.
I'm not sure how I feel about Maxi but I do wish she'd sit down and have a real conversation with Riftan. I feel like a lot more would be accomplished by having an actual conversation since they haven't gotten to know each other yet.
Riftan keeps making assumptions about what Maxi's thinking at the beginning of the novel, especially, and I find it to be really annoying. I feel like a lot of their conflicts at the beginning could be avoided with a real, live conversation with full-on honesty.
I feel bad for Maxi at the beginning as well, especially when it comes to the physical abuse she endures at the hands of her father. No wonder she feels like Riftan deserves better! Not that I agree with that sentiment, of course.
I'm hoping Maxi continues to feel the courage to stand up for herself because she deserves to do so since she's the lady of the house. I'm glad she was able to spruce up the house but I feel she could have done more with it.
Yes, I'd obviously recommend this book. I want more magic in the sequel and more conversations between Riftan and Maxi. I'm just hoping as well that she finally gets the chance to stand up to her father like she deserves to.
November 24, 2024
DNF 10%
Wow, starting a romance off a very, very descriptive rape scene. Completely off putting thank you very much.
Wow, starting a romance off a very, very descriptive rape scene. Completely off putting thank you very much.
December 1, 2024
You were nothing but a pretty hardback.
November 9, 2024
Dnf
Rapist being portrayed as love interest
Rapist being portrayed as love interest
January 27, 2025
Note: I have not read the Manhwa. I’ve seen art online from it that I thought was beautiful, so I wanted to give the novel a try. My review is based solely on the novel.
Unfortunately I really did not like this.
My biggest complaint, and the main reason I’m giving this 1 star, is the relationship of the two main characters. More specifically Riftans part in it. Never before have I detested the love interest in a book as much as I did Riftan. I cannot comprehend how he wasn’t supposed to be the villain of the story.
Where do I even begin.
I found his behavior at the beginning of the book (and throughout) to be disgusting. Number one he’s incredibly rapey. There was absolutely zero hesitation from him AT ALL when it came to consummating the marriage with his wife who was clearly terrified, uncomfortable, and in pain. In fact he seemed to enjoy himself perfectly fine. She had no idea what was happening to her and he did nothing to help her or figure out a different solution. AND THEN when they meet again 3 years later he does the exact same thing. It was very uncomfortable to read.
In addition to that glaring issue, he was also incredibly toxic towards her. His behavior was controlling, his temper was erratic, the way he spoke to her was borderline abusive at times. I was furious reading it. Practically every time he opened his man child mouth he would say something ridiculous.
Not only was he rude to her he was also rude to his staff and others around him. I genuinely do not understand how I’m supposed to be rooting for him. My favorite character in this was Ruth because he was the only one who would call out Riftans behavior.
Onto Maxi who, due to the previous abuse she had suffered, was very childlike. She came across as young and naive. This made her relationship with Riftan feel even more uncomfortable. Her character did grow on me though and the only time I felt she showed much growth was when Riftan was away. Those were also my favorite parts of the book.
I didn’t enjoy the story line as much as I had hoped to. I was a bit bored throughout. I was hoping for more adventure to make up for the lack of swoon worthy romance but there just wasn’t enough. The writing style also didn’t keep me engaged.
I really wanted to like this one, but it was not for me.
I received a free ARC through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Unfortunately I really did not like this.
My biggest complaint, and the main reason I’m giving this 1 star, is the relationship of the two main characters. More specifically Riftans part in it. Never before have I detested the love interest in a book as much as I did Riftan. I cannot comprehend how he wasn’t supposed to be the villain of the story.
Where do I even begin.
I found his behavior at the beginning of the book (and throughout) to be disgusting. Number one he’s incredibly rapey. There was absolutely zero hesitation from him AT ALL when it came to consummating the marriage with his wife who was clearly terrified, uncomfortable, and in pain. In fact he seemed to enjoy himself perfectly fine. She had no idea what was happening to her and he did nothing to help her or figure out a different solution. AND THEN when they meet again 3 years later he does the exact same thing. It was very uncomfortable to read.
In addition to that glaring issue, he was also incredibly toxic towards her. His behavior was controlling, his temper was erratic, the way he spoke to her was borderline abusive at times. I was furious reading it. Practically every time he opened his man child mouth he would say something ridiculous.
Not only was he rude to her he was also rude to his staff and others around him. I genuinely do not understand how I’m supposed to be rooting for him. My favorite character in this was Ruth because he was the only one who would call out Riftans behavior.
Onto Maxi who, due to the previous abuse she had suffered, was very childlike. She came across as young and naive. This made her relationship with Riftan feel even more uncomfortable. Her character did grow on me though and the only time I felt she showed much growth was when Riftan was away. Those were also my favorite parts of the book.
I didn’t enjoy the story line as much as I had hoped to. I was a bit bored throughout. I was hoping for more adventure to make up for the lack of swoon worthy romance but there just wasn’t enough. The writing style also didn’t keep me engaged.
I really wanted to like this one, but it was not for me.
I received a free ARC through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
January 29, 2025
3 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Maxi is endearing but man 40% of this book is Riftan pulling her to the bedroom.
I have read the graphic novel years ago and liked it, but ugh... Riftan is not likable.
Content warning: s*xual assault, abuse, violence, dubious consent.
Maxi is endearing but man 40% of this book is Riftan pulling her to the bedroom.
I have read the graphic novel years ago and liked it, but ugh... Riftan is not likable.
Content warning: s*xual assault, abuse, violence, dubious consent.
June 22, 2024
forget horny jail riftan belongs in horny solitary confinement
December 19, 2024
Update (upon finishing):
2.5 stars rounded down
I didn’t hate the characters and I just needed to read something to help my mind settle at night, so I ended up finishing this.
It’s very vignettey and seems to have barely if any of a central plot. It’s mainly a character driven “romance” driven by misunderstandings between the main couple, Riftan and Maxi. If these two just sat down and spoke with one another, this book probably would have been 200 pages shorter.
It reminded me a lot of Johanna Lindsey’s style of writing and this seems to be something that could have been written as a bodice ripper in the 90s. So if you’re into that you may want to check this book out. I usually enjoy that scene, but the MMC came off as too much of a caveman for me to like him😅 I feel like some of Lindsey’s MMCs are the same way, hence the comparison.
I might read the sequel that comes out next year, but I doubt it.
Original Dnf at 52% review:
I really liked the beginning of this (first 75 ish pages) until they got to Riftan’s castle, where it became basically a smut fest with no plot.
Also a lot of Maxi and Riftan’s problems would be solved if they just spoke to one another 😅 I got tired of the constant misunderstandings between the two of them. I know Maxi has a stutter, but still at least Riftan could have spared a moment to try to ask her some questions instead of constantly trying to jump her bones 🙃.
I might try reading the web comic at some point, but the novelization form of the story started to seem very serialized and bored me after a while.
Honestly, if any of my friends on here have read this and it eventually gets better, please let me know. If so I’ll try to reread it at some point…..
2.5 stars rounded down
I didn’t hate the characters and I just needed to read something to help my mind settle at night, so I ended up finishing this.
It’s very vignettey and seems to have barely if any of a central plot. It’s mainly a character driven “romance” driven by misunderstandings between the main couple, Riftan and Maxi. If these two just sat down and spoke with one another, this book probably would have been 200 pages shorter.
It reminded me a lot of Johanna Lindsey’s style of writing and this seems to be something that could have been written as a bodice ripper in the 90s. So if you’re into that you may want to check this book out. I usually enjoy that scene, but the MMC came off as too much of a caveman for me to like him😅 I feel like some of Lindsey’s MMCs are the same way, hence the comparison.
I might read the sequel that comes out next year, but I doubt it.
Original Dnf at 52% review:
I really liked the beginning of this (first 75 ish pages) until they got to Riftan’s castle, where it became basically a smut fest with no plot.
Also a lot of Maxi and Riftan’s problems would be solved if they just spoke to one another 😅 I got tired of the constant misunderstandings between the two of them. I know Maxi has a stutter, but still at least Riftan could have spared a moment to try to ask her some questions instead of constantly trying to jump her bones 🙃.
I might try reading the web comic at some point, but the novelization form of the story started to seem very serialized and bored me after a while.
Honestly, if any of my friends on here have read this and it eventually gets better, please let me know. If so I’ll try to reread it at some point…..
June 8, 2024
*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review*
So, a quick disclaimer: I haven't read the manhwa of this novelization. I wanted to see how the novelization stood on its own terms and see if it would interest me enough in reading the manhwa.
Before I get into the bulk of my review, I want to say that the novelization read pretty well overall. It didn't seem overly stiff or clipped. I think if you like the manhwa, reading the novelization would definitely be worth your time.
Unfortunately, I... didn't like this... at all. There are multiple reasons for this. Primarily, the love interest, Riftan, is just terrible. I couldn't get behind his and Maxi's romance at all. Especially not when it does that thing in some romance novels that I hate: noncon to dubcon to consensual sex. Maxi starts out afraid of Riftan (for good reason, guy is huge, has anger issues, and is generally a grump). Some of this makes sense because Maxi is very heavily abused by her father and thus, afraid of men. And a lot of Maxi's and Riftan's relationship is obscured by misunderstandings and lack of communication. Whether this resolves later in the manhwa, I don't know. The point is, I cannot root for a romance where marital rape is a factor and is also barely addressed. Riftan also almost never seems to take accountability for his anger and is very paternalistic to Maxi, which I also hate.
Again, maybe this is resolved later, but the fact is I don't care enough to continue and I don't really care to see Riftan redeemed (if he even is at all).
So, maybe good for fans of the manhwa or people interested in the manhwa, but not for me.
So, a quick disclaimer: I haven't read the manhwa of this novelization. I wanted to see how the novelization stood on its own terms and see if it would interest me enough in reading the manhwa.
Before I get into the bulk of my review, I want to say that the novelization read pretty well overall. It didn't seem overly stiff or clipped. I think if you like the manhwa, reading the novelization would definitely be worth your time.
Unfortunately, I... didn't like this... at all. There are multiple reasons for this. Primarily, the love interest, Riftan, is just terrible. I couldn't get behind his and Maxi's romance at all. Especially not when it does that thing in some romance novels that I hate: noncon to dubcon to consensual sex. Maxi starts out afraid of Riftan (for good reason, guy is huge, has anger issues, and is generally a grump). Some of this makes sense because Maxi is very heavily abused by her father and thus, afraid of men. And a lot of Maxi's and Riftan's relationship is obscured by misunderstandings and lack of communication. Whether this resolves later in the manhwa, I don't know. The point is, I cannot root for a romance where marital rape is a factor and is also barely addressed. Riftan also almost never seems to take accountability for his anger and is very paternalistic to Maxi, which I also hate.
Again, maybe this is resolved later, but the fact is I don't care enough to continue and I don't really care to see Riftan redeemed (if he even is at all).
So, maybe good for fans of the manhwa or people interested in the manhwa, but not for me.
October 30, 2024
I was excited about reading this book—the plot seemed so promising! But, while I enjoyed parts of it, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
I was drawn in by the storyline, especially seeing Maxi, sheltered and unsure, start to find her voice in a restrictive medieval world. Her journey was inspiring, and I rooted for her as she began standing up for herself. Riftan’s character intrigued me too, though I wish there had been more depth to both of them. They each have defined personalities, but something feels missing, like we’re only scratching the surface.
The worldbuilding gives off those familiar fantasy medieval vibes, which I always enjoy. It’s not the most unique, but it sets the tone well. And honestly, I think this story works better as a webtoon, with a great artwork it could bring more emotion and layers to the characters and setting.
It’s an easy, quick read with a story that kept me interested enough to pick up the next volume. Despite some simplicity in the writing and character development, I’m curious to see how Maxi’s journey continues and if her relationship with Riftan deepens over time. Fans of straightforward, character-driven fantasy romance may enjoy this as a light read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was drawn in by the storyline, especially seeing Maxi, sheltered and unsure, start to find her voice in a restrictive medieval world. Her journey was inspiring, and I rooted for her as she began standing up for herself. Riftan’s character intrigued me too, though I wish there had been more depth to both of them. They each have defined personalities, but something feels missing, like we’re only scratching the surface.
The worldbuilding gives off those familiar fantasy medieval vibes, which I always enjoy. It’s not the most unique, but it sets the tone well. And honestly, I think this story works better as a webtoon, with a great artwork it could bring more emotion and layers to the characters and setting.
It’s an easy, quick read with a story that kept me interested enough to pick up the next volume. Despite some simplicity in the writing and character development, I’m curious to see how Maxi’s journey continues and if her relationship with Riftan deepens over time. Fans of straightforward, character-driven fantasy romance may enjoy this as a light read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 29, 2025
What have they done to my boy? He was so sweet, so quiet--they made him MEAN. They made him OPEN his MOUTH. We were BETTER when he STOOD and BROOD.
dnf
November 30, 2024I'm in love with this cover, but I give up on the book after 25% *which were a struggle to read*.
February 10, 2025
oOf... official rating: undecided :3
Edit: Official rating: 3.5
Listennnn.... I both enjoyed and felt frustrated with this book. I think it's because this is the first novelization of a manhwa I'm reading that I'm confused about the plot structure and pacing but I felt like the characters and authors took 3 steps forward then 2 steps back.
Side note: Aot of low reviews dnf this because of the non-con and dubious consent... SORRY TO SAY THIS BUT UNFORTUNAETLY KOREAN AUTHORS USE THIS ALOT. I've been reading idk how many manhwa's and this is a norm... they romanticize non-con and dub-con pretty often so I knew what to expect when opening this book and this is just me warning you if you don't like those topics then please skip over this book.
Let's start with Maxi. From the beginning we know she's been abused her entire life and then pretty much forced in an arranged marriage with a man who she's never met. He's a force to be reckoned with as he comes off as mean and potentially abusive as well. Maxi has a stutter and because of her abuse and seclusion she's super naive and has a low self-esteem. I assume the major plot of this book is having her learn about self-confidence and self-love and we see her start to come out of her shell as she lives as the Mrs. Calypse but I feel like the author doesn't really know how to push the story forward... Multiple times we see her shrink back after minor situations and sure she eventually gets over them but it's like we go back to square one when it comes to her views of herself. And in a way it makes sense as I can empathize with her after suffering abuse for so many years... it takes time to learn how to love yourself and to gain the confidence in living for yourself but I felt like with Maxi in this book... there was almost no progress... towards the end of the book it seems like there might be an inkling of her learning of her own self-worth but idk how many novels the publisher plans to do as Idk if I could take 2 more books of this....
Then we have Riftan. Man has the emotional intelligence of a fucking teenage boy istg... He doesn't know how to properly communicate and it make sense since he was at war for 3 years but after coming back and seeing your wifes strange behavior you don't think to question a few things???? Like bsffr... Maxi flinches every time someone gets angry and visibly uncomfortable around men.... like???? Ig he's that stupid.... And his character was pretty much the same... he was a bit of an asshole in the beginning be he treated Maxi as his proper wife which I respected. It was clear he was attracted to her so I was excited for their relationship to progress and when it finally did Riftan's anger and ignorance basically put a wall between the couple. He saw her as this fragile thing and wanted to keep her isolated that it felt misogynistic to a point... It's like he never wanted her to make her own mistakes, have a hobby, or make any friends. At first I thought it was maybe jealousy but it was just too much that the author made him obsessive.. and not the good kind.... I do like how he stands up for her and does his best to be kind to her as you can tell he's never really delt with women so I hope to see him and Maxi progress as a couple.
Their spicy scenes tho??? After the non0con that shit is good. It wasn't corny (which is a GODSEND) and it felt like the two were actually learning how to please each other and how to be more intimate as a couple... however.... they need to learn to chill cuz damn.... it happened way too much....
Maxi and Riftan have a lot of potential to be a great couple but they seriously need to spend more time together OUTSIDE OF THE SHEETS because I felt like they had pretty cute dynamic going on and can actually learn from one another.
Overall this story was very entertaining cozy romantasy and I hope in book 2 we can see both Maxi and Riftan growing instead of lagging behind because if not then I'm going to be bored of this story pretty fast... Also in terms of the romatasy thing it's got going on I think I would put this as one of my top romantasy recs... really the only other romantasy I can say I've really enjoyed is Elise Kova's A Dance with the Fae Prince book and Katee Robert's Neon Gods book.
I'll also edit this review once I read the manhwa edition to see how much the two compare.
Edit: Official rating: 3.5
Listennnn.... I both enjoyed and felt frustrated with this book. I think it's because this is the first novelization of a manhwa I'm reading that I'm confused about the plot structure and pacing but I felt like the characters and authors took 3 steps forward then 2 steps back.
Side note: Aot of low reviews dnf this because of the non-con and dubious consent... SORRY TO SAY THIS BUT UNFORTUNAETLY KOREAN AUTHORS USE THIS ALOT. I've been reading idk how many manhwa's and this is a norm... they romanticize non-con and dub-con pretty often so I knew what to expect when opening this book and this is just me warning you if you don't like those topics then please skip over this book.
Let's start with Maxi. From the beginning we know she's been abused her entire life and then pretty much forced in an arranged marriage with a man who she's never met. He's a force to be reckoned with as he comes off as mean and potentially abusive as well. Maxi has a stutter and because of her abuse and seclusion she's super naive and has a low self-esteem. I assume the major plot of this book is having her learn about self-confidence and self-love and we see her start to come out of her shell as she lives as the Mrs. Calypse but I feel like the author doesn't really know how to push the story forward... Multiple times we see her shrink back after minor situations and sure she eventually gets over them but it's like we go back to square one when it comes to her views of herself. And in a way it makes sense as I can empathize with her after suffering abuse for so many years... it takes time to learn how to love yourself and to gain the confidence in living for yourself but I felt like with Maxi in this book... there was almost no progress... towards the end of the book it seems like there might be an inkling of her learning of her own self-worth but idk how many novels the publisher plans to do as Idk if I could take 2 more books of this....
Then we have Riftan. Man has the emotional intelligence of a fucking teenage boy istg... He doesn't know how to properly communicate and it make sense since he was at war for 3 years but after coming back and seeing your wifes strange behavior you don't think to question a few things???? Like bsffr... Maxi flinches every time someone gets angry and visibly uncomfortable around men.... like???? Ig he's that stupid.... And his character was pretty much the same... he was a bit of an asshole in the beginning be he treated Maxi as his proper wife which I respected. It was clear he was attracted to her so I was excited for their relationship to progress and when it finally did Riftan's anger and ignorance basically put a wall between the couple. He saw her as this fragile thing and wanted to keep her isolated that it felt misogynistic to a point... It's like he never wanted her to make her own mistakes, have a hobby, or make any friends. At first I thought it was maybe jealousy but it was just too much that the author made him obsessive.. and not the good kind.... I do like how he stands up for her and does his best to be kind to her as you can tell he's never really delt with women so I hope to see him and Maxi progress as a couple.
Their spicy scenes tho??? After the non0con that shit is good. It wasn't corny (which is a GODSEND) and it felt like the two were actually learning how to please each other and how to be more intimate as a couple... however.... they need to learn to chill cuz damn.... it happened way too much....
Maxi and Riftan have a lot of potential to be a great couple but they seriously need to spend more time together OUTSIDE OF THE SHEETS because I felt like they had pretty cute dynamic going on and can actually learn from one another.
Overall this story was very entertaining cozy romantasy and I hope in book 2 we can see both Maxi and Riftan growing instead of lagging behind because if not then I'm going to be bored of this story pretty fast... Also in terms of the romatasy thing it's got going on I think I would put this as one of my top romantasy recs... really the only other romantasy I can say I've really enjoyed is Elise Kova's A Dance with the Fae Prince book and Katee Robert's Neon Gods book.
I'll also edit this review once I read the manhwa edition to see how much the two compare.
Want to read
June 10, 2024June, 2024
IF THIS IS A DREAM, IT IS A GREAT ONE 😭❤
IF THIS IS A DREAM, IT IS A GREAT ONE 😭❤
July 5, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Banter: 🔥🔥🔥
💖Single POV Romantasy
💖Damsel in distress vibes
💖Main Character transformation
This is a tale of a girl who feels utterly helpless in her abilities. She is forced into a marriage and at first it seems like a bad thing but comes to love her relationship with her partner. She is a misunderstood woman who feels the need to keep her secrets from him all for fear of being rejected. Eventually, things begin to change as she grows into her role as the lady of the castle.
What I Loved: There was so many steamy moments in this book between the two main characters and really warmed up the conflict at the beginning. I love how the Riftan ( MC’s love interest) sees past her stutter and is obsessed with her. There was a change in the main character which changed her from being a dainty shy flower into someone who is determined to help and make something of herself in anyway possible with the help of those around her. I do see this main character coming into herself in terms of her power and her strong will to change things for the betterment of not only herself but her situations.
What I Did Not Like: There was a sense of confusion between the two main characters in this book, Maxi and Riftan have a hard time truly sharing their feelings and getting things clear. At times, it seems like Maxi’s natural stutter and her shyness but I truly felt like shaking this character into saying what she needed to say so she wouldn’t feel pushed around. I did not feel there was a strong plot in this story and felt that the end was a little rushed. It doesn’t seem to have a great balance between romance and fantasy but thinking about it, there will be more volumes of Under The Oak Tree so it doesn’t seem like a big issue.
Overall, this is a great choice if you like a lot of steamy scenes and minimal fantasy as this is a duke’s daughter and a knight romance and sort of enemies to lovers from the perspective of Maxi (the MC).
Special thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Electronic Advanced Reader Copy (E-ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest, and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Banter: 🔥🔥🔥
💖Single POV Romantasy
💖Damsel in distress vibes
💖Main Character transformation
This is a tale of a girl who feels utterly helpless in her abilities. She is forced into a marriage and at first it seems like a bad thing but comes to love her relationship with her partner. She is a misunderstood woman who feels the need to keep her secrets from him all for fear of being rejected. Eventually, things begin to change as she grows into her role as the lady of the castle.
What I Loved: There was so many steamy moments in this book between the two main characters and really warmed up the conflict at the beginning. I love how the Riftan ( MC’s love interest) sees past her stutter and is obsessed with her. There was a change in the main character which changed her from being a dainty shy flower into someone who is determined to help and make something of herself in anyway possible with the help of those around her. I do see this main character coming into herself in terms of her power and her strong will to change things for the betterment of not only herself but her situations.
What I Did Not Like: There was a sense of confusion between the two main characters in this book, Maxi and Riftan have a hard time truly sharing their feelings and getting things clear. At times, it seems like Maxi’s natural stutter and her shyness but I truly felt like shaking this character into saying what she needed to say so she wouldn’t feel pushed around. I did not feel there was a strong plot in this story and felt that the end was a little rushed. It doesn’t seem to have a great balance between romance and fantasy but thinking about it, there will be more volumes of Under The Oak Tree so it doesn’t seem like a big issue.
Overall, this is a great choice if you like a lot of steamy scenes and minimal fantasy as this is a duke’s daughter and a knight romance and sort of enemies to lovers from the perspective of Maxi (the MC).
Special thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Electronic Advanced Reader Copy (E-ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest, and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Want to read
October 22, 2024Look how pretty Maxi is on the cover omggg 🥹😭
I’ve read the manhwa (though it’s not completed 😭) and webnovel of this, so I’ll be absolutely devouring it as soon as it’s released. This story definitely has some darker themes, but it’s also wholesome in a lot of ways. The art for it in the manhwa is stunning and it’s very easy to read (long strip so you just scroll on your phone).
There’s a lot of romantasy manhwa, so even if you wanna skip on this particular one I’d recommend checking the medium out in general.
I’ll be reading for Maxi (the FMC), not Riftan (the MMC). I’ve personally felt like the story is about Maxi’s growth more than anything, and she’s absolutely wonderful. Girl has been through some shit. Riftan is.. interesting. He adores Maxi and he’s usually wonderful (keyword being usually) but he’s also been through some shit.
Side note - I read a bit of the Japanese translation of this and can see why people found the consummation scene jarring. It’s explained later on in other formats - no idea if it is in this book yet as I’m out of practice with my Japanese and it gave me a decent headache. 🤣 I’ll see how the English version compares though before getting into it.
I’ve read the manhwa (though it’s not completed 😭) and webnovel of this, so I’ll be absolutely devouring it as soon as it’s released. This story definitely has some darker themes, but it’s also wholesome in a lot of ways. The art for it in the manhwa is stunning and it’s very easy to read (long strip so you just scroll on your phone).
There’s a lot of romantasy manhwa, so even if you wanna skip on this particular one I’d recommend checking the medium out in general.
I’ll be reading for Maxi (the FMC), not Riftan (the MMC). I’ve personally felt like the story is about Maxi’s growth more than anything, and she’s absolutely wonderful. Girl has been through some shit. Riftan is.. interesting. He adores Maxi and he’s usually wonderful (keyword being usually) but he’s also been through some shit.
Side note - I read a bit of the Japanese translation of this and can see why people found the consummation scene jarring. It’s explained later on in other formats - no idea if it is in this book yet as I’m out of practice with my Japanese and it gave me a decent headache. 🤣 I’ll see how the English version compares though before getting into it.
November 16, 2023
SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP
December 5, 2024
this was so cutesy
December 24, 2024
Disgusting intro
July 3, 2025
so BORING
November 28, 2024
This was my first introduction to Under the Oak Tree, and I really enjoyed the story. I listened to the audiobook, which was very well done, though I’ll note that Maxi, the main character, has a stutter that’s portrayed throughout the entire narration—just something to keep in mind. Maxi, or Maximilian, is the daughter of the Duke of Croyso, and a lifetime of neglect, abuse, and isolation has left her with low self-worth and confidence. She is married off to the fearless knight Riftan and whisked away to his estate to start their new life together. Maxi’s character development is charming; watching her gradually find herself and grow in confidence was really rewarding.
The medieval-fantasy world is intriguing, too, with hints of magic systems and backstories involving dragons, werewolves, and other mysteries woven throughout. I’m really looking forward to Volume 2!
The medieval-fantasy world is intriguing, too, with hints of magic systems and backstories involving dragons, werewolves, and other mysteries woven throughout. I’m really looking forward to Volume 2!
December 14, 2024
Let me just start by saying that I had high hopes for this book after hearing a lot of good things about it, and people being excited that it was being traditionally published as a novel, but I did not enjoy this book.
It started off with a descriptive of an SA between a husband and an innocent wife on their wedding night, where she had no idea what was going on, and told him no and to stop many times. And then he leaves her without a word for three years, comes back and then instantly blames her for not fulfilling her wifely duties while he was gone? And THEN when he comes back, he SAs her again and there's more instances of it later on as well. And this is supposed to be the romance everyone loved in the graphic novel? I'm so confused on why some people talked this up. I get that this is a fantasy romance that takes place in medieval times when that was acceptable and was expected, but it's not now, so lets not make it a thing, please and thank you. Nothing else that happened in this book redeemed these characters for me.
Maxi was a terrible FMC. She just let everyone walk all over her constantly and couldn't stood up for herself and because of her stutter and severe lack of confidence due to familial abuse. But I still couldn't find myself rooting for her or caring about what happened to her. Riftan was just as bad, but in another way. Instead of letting everyone walk all over him like Maxi did, he was the one that walked all over her. After coming back from his three year journey fighting dragons, he instantly verbally attacks her and doesn't listen to a single word that she has to say after he left her without a word on their wedding night..... after SAing her. The relationship between the two lacked so much chemistry and stemmed from marital rape... Of course, with the relationship starting like that, I don't care what happens in the relationship afterwards to "progress" the relationship, I would never root for this. I'm pretty sure Maxi just had stockholm syndrome and thought she had feelings for him after what he did to her.
I will not be continuing this series.
It started off with a descriptive of an SA between a husband and an innocent wife on their wedding night, where she had no idea what was going on, and told him no and to stop many times. And then he leaves her without a word for three years, comes back and then instantly blames her for not fulfilling her wifely duties while he was gone? And THEN when he comes back, he SAs her again and there's more instances of it later on as well. And this is supposed to be the romance everyone loved in the graphic novel? I'm so confused on why some people talked this up. I get that this is a fantasy romance that takes place in medieval times when that was acceptable and was expected, but it's not now, so lets not make it a thing, please and thank you. Nothing else that happened in this book redeemed these characters for me.
Maxi was a terrible FMC. She just let everyone walk all over her constantly and couldn't stood up for herself and because of her stutter and severe lack of confidence due to familial abuse. But I still couldn't find myself rooting for her or caring about what happened to her. Riftan was just as bad, but in another way. Instead of letting everyone walk all over him like Maxi did, he was the one that walked all over her. After coming back from his three year journey fighting dragons, he instantly verbally attacks her and doesn't listen to a single word that she has to say after he left her without a word on their wedding night..... after SAing her. The relationship between the two lacked so much chemistry and stemmed from marital rape... Of course, with the relationship starting like that, I don't care what happens in the relationship afterwards to "progress" the relationship, I would never root for this. I'm pretty sure Maxi just had stockholm syndrome and thought she had feelings for him after what he did to her.
I will not be continuing this series.
December 9, 2024
2.5⭐️ i am genuinely so confused with this book. forget a plot, this was a full on slice-of-life manuscript that just kept going…
the one thing i liked was the novel’s overall vibe. just picture
that’s the vibe. it’s cute and cozy until ur hit with a massive TW for SA!! 🚩🚩like!!? i was honestly caught soo off guard because i didn’t expect the mmc to be like that😭😭😭😭 BIG NOOOO😭 i strongly recommend checking the tws before picking this up😭
i didn’t support the romance between the characters. i didn’t like riftan as the main love interest. i was waiting for some plot to actually happen for the whole nearly-500 pages but i kid u not, there was zero plot. there seemed to be no main conflict save for this constant miscommunication between the characters. reading about maxi’s day whenever riftan was gone was tedious but still better than when they were together. (all he wanted to do was bonk and bonk and bonk like sirrrrrr. straight to horny confinement gotdamm😭)
but did i still read the entire book? yes..
sue me the fantasy slice-of-life vibes were goodd. i had character references from the webtoon version of utot, so my trick was to imagine i was reading the webtoon version with illustrations rather than just reading the book alone. IT HELPED A LOT.
the writing was easy to digest and descriptive enough to feel immersed in the world building +magic system 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 maxi spending her days studying magic in the library & refurbishing the castle with merchants was sort of cute to read too 𖤣𖥧📜🕯️
i can see how this would be enjoyable as a webtoon after undergoing some heavy censoring🥲
do i recommend this book tho? no 😂😂 that’s not to say don’t ever read this but do so at your own discretion…..
the one thing i liked was the novel’s overall vibe. just picture
regency/medival fantasy manhwa with pretty descriptions of clothing, warm homecooked style meals served before large hearth fireplaces, and clashing swords of armoured knights in training 🏰⚔️🍲🪵𐦍 ༘⋆
that’s the vibe. it’s cute and cozy until ur hit with a massive TW for SA!! 🚩🚩like!!? i was honestly caught soo off guard because i didn’t expect the mmc to be like that😭😭😭😭 BIG NOOOO😭 i strongly recommend checking the tws before picking this up😭
i didn’t support the romance between the characters. i didn’t like riftan as the main love interest. i was waiting for some plot to actually happen for the whole nearly-500 pages but i kid u not, there was zero plot. there seemed to be no main conflict save for this constant miscommunication between the characters. reading about maxi’s day whenever riftan was gone was tedious but still better than when they were together. (all he wanted to do was bonk and bonk and bonk like sirrrrrr. straight to horny confinement gotdamm😭)
but did i still read the entire book? yes..
sue me the fantasy slice-of-life vibes were goodd. i had character references from the webtoon version of utot, so my trick was to imagine i was reading the webtoon version with illustrations rather than just reading the book alone. IT HELPED A LOT.
the writing was easy to digest and descriptive enough to feel immersed in the world building +magic system 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 maxi spending her days studying magic in the library & refurbishing the castle with merchants was sort of cute to read too 𖤣𖥧📜🕯️
i can see how this would be enjoyable as a webtoon after undergoing some heavy censoring🥲
do i recommend this book tho? no 😂😂 that’s not to say don’t ever read this but do so at your own discretion…..
January 7, 2025
Not every manhua should be made into a book. No, you guys don't understand how many rage fills me atm. She's so so so insecure and "little lady" coded it got old fast. This is a female rage book as in, Me, the female, is enraged.
The chapters are long for no reason. This is essentially what happened:
- She arrived at his palace
- they banged
- she renovated the palace
- they banged
- she discovered her magical abilities
- the banged
- oh, and he r*ped her in chp 1
this book was 15 hours long and they accomplished nothing!!!!!!!!
The chapters are long for no reason. This is essentially what happened:
- She arrived at his palace
- they banged
- she renovated the palace
- they banged
- she discovered her magical abilities
- the banged
- oh, and he r*ped her in chp 1
this book was 15 hours long and they accomplished nothing!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2025
This is a great story however the FMC is exceptionally naive and terrified of all men at the start of the story. This gives a great sexual awakening perspective but it also has a rough start. The explicit scenes are explicit and that includes the first scene that feels extremely grapey.
# Under the Oak Tree, Vol. 1
# 1/5/2025 ~ 1/7/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0
# Under the Oak Tree, Vol. 1
# 1/5/2025 ~ 1/7/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0
Read
January 28, 2025DNF at 21%
Nope no no I can't read this book. Even tho I have already read the original manga by this author and pretty much know the whole plot so far, and ngl I don't like the characters and the romance at all but was there for the plot, this book was just repetetive and worse than the manga itself.
Nope no no I can't read this book. Even tho I have already read the original manga by this author and pretty much know the whole plot so far, and ngl I don't like the characters and the romance at all but was there for the plot, this book was just repetetive and worse than the manga itself.
February 16, 2025
This is much smoother than the web novel translations I read before (which were also official), and the story comes across much more clearly. Maxi and Riftan are still idiots who need to actually talk to each other, but the reason behind that feels more grounded, and on the whole this is the better way to read the story.
CW: domestic abuse (by father)
CW: domestic abuse (by father)
May 21, 2025
God forbid the main female character isn't a girl boss overly powerful baddie ya'll just hate sensitive women.
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