Vow of the Willow Tree

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

In pursuit of reunification with his love who died far away, the deathless Liu Xie makes a deal with the heavens to bring her orphaned daughter Idony to the First Palace where the Heavens meet the mortal land. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, even for him as the fate of others link to his and Idony's journey. Bo is a lost dog of a man, seeking vengeance. Rui Yifu is a false friend fleeing from his own face and past, and Li Baobao comes for penance. Yet something else may be pulling the strings, its own designs expanding like terrible roots in the soil. A slow burn.

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Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2022
Author: VVerity

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 99
Views: 111,712

Chapters(148 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

A V DalcourtRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: The story is written in third person following multiple POVs. It's a bit light on the description which hurts the full emersion for me, but that's a personal preference. The light description is only used to piece in pertinent details where relevant. The results is a surprisingly quick read.
Story: We start with a starving Idhone (sorry I know I butchered her name, I was listening to the book) who while on her last legs, is found by a wanderer (I forgot his name - but he is by far my favourite character). This wanderer is in search for this girl’s mother, and has taken it upon himself to return the girl to the palace (so hints that she's a princess). In the time the eating machine in the shape of a small girl is meeting all sorts of people while in pursuit of her next meal - we know this will end in trouble...
But as much as I enjoy the way the story is just starting to unfold, I'm really liking the way lore and mythology is shared in the story by way of events and dialogue without feeling like a history-based info dump.
Added to my list of fiction I'll read when new updates happen, well worth the time.
AJ FluffRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Vow of the Willow Tree has the feel of an old legend being enacted right in front of your eyes. There is a dreamy quality to the writing and a slightly exagerated air to the characters which combine with the incredibly solid worldbuilding to create a fantastic tale about a mysterious traveler and the orphan girl he's protecting.
The characters are really what made this for me. Theyr'e delightful! Idony comes across as an actual child, young and scared (but not always of what she should be). She doesn't know a whole lot about the world, and she's not too interested in it unless it has food. She's starved for most of her life, so her focus on food comes across as very believable in addition to adding some moments of levity. Liu Xie, Idony's finder and protector, is mysterious but also calm. But each character comes across as fully formed and incredibly well-written. They're a bit over-the-top, but consistently so and in a way that dramatization adds to the charm of the story.
Style and voice is enchanting, with exquisite descriptions and a lovely flow to each line. My only nitpick would be that sentences can get a bit wordy, but that's a very personal-opinion note.
Grammar is fine, although some lines can sound a little too passive. One point I found odd, was that sometimes chapters begin with pronouns and not names, which was a bit confusing to me.
Anti_HeroesRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: The author effectively uses vivid imagery to create a visual and immersive experience. The prose flows smoothly, and the pacing is well-balanced, capturing my attention and maintaining it throughout the chapters. The dialogue is natural and realistic, adding depth to the characters and driving the plot forward.
Story: Xianxia novels often incorporate mythical creatures, monsters, and martial arts battles. The author briefly mentions a new king, messengers, and strange talismans, hinting at the presence of mythical elements. Without a complete reading of the story, it is difficult to determine the overarching themes. However, the author touches on themes of family, friendship, and the protagonist's journey to heal and find her place in a new environment. The focus seems to be on a young girl named Idony, who finds herself in a foreign land with unfamiliar customs and a different language. The story's premise, which includes elements of adventure, mystery, and personal growth, holds great potential for further exploration.
Grammar: is solid. Overall, the grammar contributes to the enjoyment of the story.
Characters: are well-developed and exhibit depth and complexity, with memorable scenes. Idony, the protagonist, is relatable and sympathetic, and the author effectively portrays her emotions and struggles. The exchange of the good luck charm creates a connection between Idony and Rui Yifu. Idony's encounter with the boy wanting to play hide-and-seek, as well as the evolving dynamic between Idony and Liu Xie, particularly when he offers her food, contribute to the development of the characters. These scenes introduce new relationships, showcase their personalities and choices, and hint at potential conflicts and personal journeys.
Overall: "Vow of the Willow Tree" lay a solid foundation for a promising story, and showcases a well-crafted narrative with strong writing, compelling characters, and an engaging plot. The author's descriptive style and attention to de
Beanmeister12Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Story: A fun story about a man who used to be a god bringing a young girl back to her home. The story is a slow burn, with most of the time being spent exploring the interesting Xianxia world and its characters. It feels nice to watch the characters interact as they make their journey. There isn't much action yet, but what action there has been is unique and feels real. The juxtaposition between the fun road trip aesthetic and the dangers lurking just around the corner is done very well. The story's blurb also hints to a deeper, darker story.
Stye: The narration is done incredibly well. Locations and movements are described given just enough information that they're easy to imagine and follow, but not that it becomes overwhelming. Not much time is spent looking into the character's thoughts on scenes, however. The worldbuilding is also done very well; it feels real in the context of characters interacting, and builds upon previously established ideas with ease.
Grammar: Decent, though there are many run on sentences that can become difficult to follow. Otherwise, not much to say; the writing is done well.
Character: There's are five main characters (and a pig!), each of which have their own unique personalities with likable and dislikable traits. They each have fun dynamics with each other, and the dialogue feels snappy. The side characters also have their own unique flairs and give the world a healthy heaping of spice.
I'd highly recommend giving this story a look. It has a lot of potential.
Blind_WatcherRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A less angsty Xianxia that has some real meat to it. Danger feels omnipresent and real.
Grammar: Fine for the most part. There are a few run-on sentences in the earlier chapters, but nothing a good editting pass won't fix later.
Style: Very interesting and poetic descriptions for certain actions and events, which suits the setting nicely. I would generally agree with another reviewer's observation that certain elements of the world building are left by the wayside in favour of what requires an imediate payoff. However, having read considerably further, I would say that it actually evens out quite well by the second volume.
Character: I had a little trouble initally differentiating the primary characters in the first volume, but I tend to struggle with names at the best of times. The characters all seem to fit the setting quite well, but I must admit that Bo tends to come off as something of a fifth wheel. The group has a number of relatively well defined roles and everyone does their part for the story, except Bo. Or more accurately, anything Bo does, someone else could have done. Bao Bao is in a similar position but actively contributes to the lore of the world in general conversation. Bo tends to just reinforce things other characters have already introduced. He isn't a bad character, but at this stage of te story he comes accross very much like Sohka from Avatar the Last Airbender (Early seasons). So with that in mind as a comparison, I won't hold it against the character as things currently stand. Who knows, things might change.
Story: The premise is interesting and the take on the trope is new to me. Everything has a sort of 'journey to the west' vibe to it, and I like that. The world has cultivation and whatnot, but it's refrreshing not to have cultivators D-measuring all over the place. I particularly like the nuance given to the Demons and the explainations given down the line against worshiping them and why.
TheScribeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is great work so far, bringing a vivid, patient interpretation of the XiaXia genre to RR.
The world building is deftly done, brings the setting and context to life nicely. The characters are nuanced and likeable - three-dimensional protagonists with their own motivations, personalities, and styles. The author has a gift for humour in dialogue, and this subtly builds the personality of each character whilst keeping the pace of the prose ticking over.
As a primarily traditional fantasy reader, I found the XiaXia genre setting fascinating, very atmospheric without being overwhelming for a first-time reader. Very rewarding to find a story with this origin so expertly brought to life in English.
I like slow-burn stories where the author takes their time to patiently build the world, the characters, and the plot towards a satisfying conclusion, and it definitely feels like that’s where this is going. My only comment here is that the synopsis doesn’t seem to quite match up with the plot so far, but I’m sure that will be updated.
Nothing major on grammar - stylistically it’s also very fluid even if there are a few bits I would change for rhythm. Definitely not at all distracting to the otherwise excellent work.
Definitely worth a read!
drifter265Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
We're dropped in a world where Idony and Liu start their journey rather soft and quickly. They banter and are working to get along, as much as an 8-year-old with someone much older than her can. It's rather quite entertaining.
Style: Lot of description and moving. There isn't much depth into the introspection of the characters or what they believe about this mysterious world. But the style makes up for it. It's told in an elegant and careful way, which is quite necessary for its slow burning pace. The author has clearly put a lot of thought into each element of the story.
Story: It's cool to think of a God in a lesser human's body with the mission to bring his great love's daughter back home. The pig was an entertaining addition and so was Bo with his rather odd introduction. When they met back with the mother, I could feel the emotion bursting out. It was touching. I would hope sparks fly in the romance between Liu and her.
Grammar: Not many errors from what I can see. I did my best to look passed the ones I did find, as I feel how well the story was told should trump any sort of grammar mistakes. This story is told well and the grammar mistakes are looked passed. Some stories here on RR have glaring grammar mistakes and it really brings you out of the story. Not here.
Character: Idony can seem a bit of a bratty child. She's always speaking with exclamations, but maybe that's just part of what makes her so likeable. Liu comes off as the wise and laconic older companion. I wished there were more contradictions between the characters and their desires or fears to create a more a compelling conflict, but the characters are unique and diverse enough here that it can get by.
Here's praise for the continuing of a wonderful journey with loads of potential.
obsidianblackRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Imagine a book like "the girl who fell beneath the sea" if you removed the sappy YA romance and deepened the mythology and raised the stakes.
Or an epic adventure story painted with Xianxia colours.
An amazing world with a rich history in the background, with the heroes' tale in the foreground - not unlike something like, for example, Dark Souls.
Excellently written characters, with proper development and arcs.
And a story properly concluded.
That is what you can expect to find here.
sonicblueRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Reminiscent of what I remember of reads from literature class, this story feels like it has multiple layers to it. Each scene seems carefully crafted to display more about the world and characters, while still leaving room for imagination and interpretation. The setting is mystical and not everything is explained but that feels intentional and poetic. Well done by the author.
Dylan KingRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
For starters, I'd like to begin by stating just how much I adored the first few chapters of Vow of the Willow Tree. Vow is the story of Liu Xie and Idony's journey together. The blurb adds more information that I haven't gotten so far in the story - such as the fact that Liu Xie is a god, and Idony is the reincarnation of his lover's deceased daughter, whom he is trying to reunite with her mother in the heavens - but really, this isn't important in terms of where the strenghts of the story lie so far. There is a hint of quest fantasy draped in eastern mythology, but the real strength of the story so far is in its use of the found family trope. Liu Xie has a fnatastic habit of picking up strays, and I can already begin to see the formations of tight bonds between them all being formed.
The character work ties this together brilliantly, and already we have a strong sense of who the main cast are and why we should care; and everything is tied together with a straightforward and not overly flowery style with a very good standard of grammar.
Overall, I highly recommend Vow to any reader looking for somehting a little different. of all of the stories I have reviewed recently, this is probably my favourite, and one I will most definitely be following.