This review contains major spoilers for Thrice Married to a Salted Fish Vol 1.
When it comes to danmei, I usually go in blind. Aside from the synopsis, I don’t usually look up too much about a title because it’s very easy to get accidentally spoiled. All this to say, aside from the synopsis, I knew nothing about Thrice Married to a Salted Fish, which turned out to be the best thing in the world. At every page turn this book held me in suspense. Each tiny clue would have my heart racing, trying to guess at what was coming but also not wanting to think too much ahead. I had no idea this story was going to grip me the way it did.
About Thrice Married to a Salted Fish
Thrice Married to a Salted Fish is a danmei by Bi Ka Bi, published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. In it, Lin Qingyu is a promising medical student who has had his entire future ripped from him. At the whim of the empress, he has been forced to marry Lu Wancheng, the marquess of Nan’an’s eldest son. Lu Wancheng is sickly and doesn’t have long to live. Lin Qingyu hates everything about this but must comply in order to ensure his family’s safety.
Lin Qingyu seems to be some sort of evil genius and Lu Wancheng wants nothing more than to support him in his evil deeds. In that support, the two grow closer and as they do, Lin Qingyu can’t help but notice something is just off about Lu Wancheng. He says really weird phrases and seems to just know things. But never in a million years could Lin Qingyu imagine why Lu Wancheng is acting this way.
My Thoughts
What didn’t I think to be honest?? I haven’t had a new book that has made me “lock in” like this in a while. I have been loving all my reads but Thrice Married to a Salted Fish starts off with so much mystery and intrigue, I just could not put the book down. My entire reading of the book was spent screaming any time Lu Wancheng said anything remotely weird. The first inkling I got that Lu Wancheng had transmigrated was when he talks about his “old body.” But now that I’m rereading some of the first chapter, I can see some traps laid out that explicitly state just HOW different Lu Wancheng was acting. When it really became clear to me was when he said “Damn, what a flex.” I lost my entire mind!
“It was weak, and he wasn’t far from death, but now it’s like he’s a different person.” Physician Zhang clicked his tongue in wonder. “It’s miraculous—as if new life was breathed into him.”
Thrice Married to a Salted Fish Book 1 – Bi Ka Bi
Having figured out that Lu Wancheng had transmigrated really changed my entire world view. It was jarring reading the story at first because Lin Qingyu is really…mean. Obviously, he has a lot to be angry about and no one can fault him for that. But as a main character, when people are thrust into situations like that, they just do what they need to in order to survive. Lin Qingyu was talking to people crazy, plotting on revenge, and setting people up for bad things to happen to them. With the suspicions that Lu Wancheng was not from this world, I kind of put together that this was a fictional world of a book where Lin Qingyu is the villain. (This hasn’t been entirely confirmed in this volume, but that’s what makes the most sense to me.) This realization made is much easier for me to accept his evil ways.
Even with Lin Qingyu being an evil genius, I love him so much. He has every right to be evil, but deep down, he’s a caring soul. Although he didn’t want to get close to Lu Wancheng, he did what was in his power to extend his life. As the two grow closer, Li Qingyu lets his guard down and befriends Lu Wancheng. What at first may feel like a pity friendship (he’s dying so I might as well play nice) grows into a meaningful bond. It’s clear that Lu Wancheng has feelings for Lin Qingyu, but I appreciate that Lin Qingyu doesn’t immediately return them. At the end of the day, he holds so much resentment towards Lu Wancheng and the situation in general. He wouldn’t have been forced to give up his future otherwise. It would have been unrealistic for them to kiss kiss fall in love super fast.
All this to say, I cannot wait to watch them fall in love. I cannot wait for Lu Wancheng (Jiang) to remigrate and find Lin Qingyu again. I hope Lin Qingyu is able to become a doctor and they have a much smoother time in Jiang’s next life together. (Who am I kidding? It will not be this smooth.) This series took my heart by storm and I can’t wait for what is to come next!
Thrice Married to a Salted Fish Book One
Written by Bi Ka Bi
Cover and Bonus Color illustrations by Mio (taemintbonbon)
Interior B&W illustrations by Mulliga K.
Translation by Mimi, Huayu, Eli
Copy Editor: Amanda Eyer
Proofreader: Lexy Lee, Imogen Vale
Editor: Heather Wychbold
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Thrice Married to a Salted Fish Book One is available now.
