The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong (Novel) Vol. 1

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! Shen Yuan's POV is fresh, fun, and an absolute delight to read. He had me laughing out loud at some points with his wry commentary and exasperated attitude towards the world he ended up in. In addition, the Bingqiu dynamic is genuinely hilarious and I really adore their interactions, especially in this first book. For me, the thing that stands out about Scum Villain is its nuanced exploration of the cycle of abuse and its themes of nature vs. nurture and child development. As a psychology student, it was fascinating to think about how the influence of even just one role model can drastically alter the mindset of an impressionable child. At its core, Scum Villain is a story about relationships, whether romantic, platonic, familial, or filial, and how our actions affect those around us. And to finish off my review, an obligatory reminder to look up the content warnings for this series before you read it :) stay safe and stan Bingqiu!