Belle and the Beast's Labor Contract - Reviews

Belle and the Beast's Labor Contract
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machiabeeli's avatar
Mar 14, 2022

Oh god, this one is disappointing all around. 

At first, the premise of the story seemed cool because we finally get to see an adapted version of the much beloved Beauty & The Beast tale in manhwa form. And it's an isekai so there are plenty of possibilities to play around with. Sadly, the author is too limited by the original that they were afraid to try out something new. 

If you already know the story, this is more or less a rehashed version of it but just in manhwa form. It's so frustrating because they paint Belle to be this bad-ass, capable, independent woman yet they take away any and all braincells from almost all the characters in the story. They make the worst decisions that could easily be avoided if they just use their BRAIN.

I'll go into spoiler territory now alright, just to prove my point. It's not much of a spoiler since you already know the story.

The father is supposedly this very rich businessman who could've made it if his ships didn't sink. He has the business acumen and capabilities, but cursed with terrible luck. Belle works hard to earn them money by becoming a human Upwork in the middle-ages - doing odd jobs to earn back money to help finance their business. What does their father do upon receiving the money? He spends it on DRESSES. That's right DRESSES for Belle's sisters. Uhm?????? Your eldest child risks her life to get you some cash to help with your debt and you waste it all on DRESSES???? How did he even start his own business in the first place if he's clearly lacking the common sense needed to keep it running?

The sisters are painted to be these airheaded creatures, sheltered from the brutal truth of their poverty. Okay, fine. But Belle doesn't hold any animosity towards them even if they do nothing but ask for money. How is that,,,realistic? Belle doesn't complain that her sisters don't help with earning money or do some of the chores around the house. Not to mention, they're quite inconsiderate of their father's condition.

Finally, there's the obsession with guns. Nothing wrong with guns, it just seems like they added them in the story to make her seem cooler but she doesn't really do anything with them. They show a couple of scenes where she uses it but it feels more like an accessory rather than a weapon in her hands, with how the author incorporates it in the scene. If she was good with guns, why not work for a gun shop? Why not create a business revolving around guns since she clearly has the experience with using and identifying them? 

The plot and the pacing are also strange. The way they brought in the beast feels too easy, with little to no tension between them. Beasts in the story are regular creatures, influenced by magic. The Beast ML is an exception because he has the ability to speak and has a castle.  I think the original plot is supposed to show that the inner soul of a person shines through the packaging so we should treat everyone with kindness. With that build-up, the strangeness and grotesque form that supposedly puts off Belle (in the original) is lessened and the message doesn't hit as hard as it does. This is equivalent to the beast becoming a dog with a pedigree, rather than the wolf it originally was supposed to emulate. How the Beast is also drawn in the manhwa looks more human than beast. Personally, that was a big letdown for me. He doesn't look intimidating or fearsome or legendary. He just looks like some really hairy dude in need of a shave and a dentist's appointment.

I say pass on this.

Dropped at Chapter 5.

1/10 story
3/10 art
1/10 characters
1/10 overall
kasumiaira's avatar
Jun 30, 2023

One word, dissapointed. At first it's good. Until chapter 40 something, it's feel like the story is bad n the art become terrible. Maybe the author and artist change. It's like skip so many thing. I force myself to read until the end. Manage to finish it, but still terrible story. The art like to skip suddenly. Even the story doesn't make sense. Don't read it unless u want to waste ur time

2/10 story
4/10 art
3/10 characters
3/10 overall
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