Copper Coins: Tong Qian Kan Shi (Novel) Vol. 1

First of all, I was really positively surprised by the disabled representation throughout the book. There are multiple disabled characters, and I really liked how naturally they were included in the story. We definitely need more representation like this. But honestly, my favorite thing about this book has to be Xue Xian and Xuanmin. Their banter is so good and feels quite different from what I’ve read in other danmei so far. Xue Xian is constantly making fun of Xuanmin for being so controlled, cold and barely talking, while Xuanmin just… exists next to him and rarely reacts to any of it. Their whole dynamic is just incredibly entertaining. Xue Xian is probably my favorite character here. He’s a proud dragon who has lost almost everything and is desperate to get his body back, but there’s so much more to him than that. At first, he can come across as a little intimidating, but he’s actually quite curious about the world around him. Sometimes almost like a curious child. He pretends he doesn’t care about anything except getting his body back, but then he can’t help getting involved whenever something catches his attention. Despite being grumpy most of the time, he also can’t just ignore someone who needs help. I especially loved following his thoughts while he spends most of the journey as a little paper doll in Xuanmin’s pocket. The way he gets frustrated, tries to bribe the very unbothered monk whenever he wants something, and constantly comments on what’s happening around him was honestly so funny. He’s such a strange combination of grumpy, proud, curious and wholesome, and I loved it. The side characters were great too. The doctor in particular was such a fun addition to the story, and I enjoyed having him along for the journey. The writing was another big plus for me. It flows really well and was so easy to get into. Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting it down. I actually got the second volume right after finishing this one because I need to know what happens next. I’ve read quite a few danmei series by now and while I definitely have my favorites, I haven’t found a new one in a while that I’ve felt this invested in. At least after the first volume, I really, really love these characters, and if the series stays this good, I could definitely see it becoming another favorite of mine.