Kill the Villainess
The Dark Side of an Underdeveloped Romance Story
Introduction:
Kill the Villainess has a set up that mixes the idea of a body swap and an isekai where the protagonist is sent to a new world. In this story our protagonist has her consciousness magically pulled from our world into the world of a romance novel; the twist being that she’s not put into the role of the novel’s heroine but the novel’s villain, Helena’s romantic rival, Eris. Now she has to contend with another world’s intense politics and magic as she’s forced to play the evil love interest to the heroine’s lovers. However, because she’s not Eris, the petulant, jealous, rich girl, she changes everything.
When our protagonist finds out about where she is, who her host is and what she’s expected to do; she tries to escape the story. She tries many many forms of suicide and every single one is thwarted by the story. Jumping off of a high building is foiled by a passing hay cart, a stab wound is healed by magic, poisoning or hanging is foiled by a convenient character walking by.
Seeing that the world is forcing her to finish the book's story, her goal becomes to finish the book’s story ASAP. The problem is, Eris is supposed to kill Helena, who would then be promptly resurrected. Our protagonist doesn't know if she’ll be able to manage killing Helena at all, because Helena is the person least deserving of death in the book.
What’s Inspiring about Kill the Villainess?:
While reading different fiction, fantasy, and romance novels have you ever had the thought “Well that has dark political implications” or “How does this royal family have infinite money?” then this is the series for you. It builds the world of the novel our protagonist gets sucked into more than the book she read ever did. Filling in the holes left behind by the author of the novel. It is fascinating to see the corruption and the cruelty that fill the gaps left by this rather classic tale of royalty falling in love with a commoner.
‘Kill the Villainess’ explores what a world that such hasty world building creates. While the original novel’s story is one about the prince (Who is engaged to Eris) falling in love with the servant girl Helena, it leaves its world full of gaps. That is then filled in by the ego and cruelty of men in power. How their systems create broken people like Eris who hurts everyone. How these systems affect people at every level of society.
There is rarely a story that makes me want the majority of the principal characters to just die. The Prince, horribly selfish. The Dragon Slayer, violently insecure. The Priest, shamefully lustful. All of this is possible because the King is jealous and power hungry. Willing to kill or molest anyone to hold on to power. Not to mention the King’s friend, Eris’s father, who is insatiably greedy. All of these forces are consequences of shallow characterization, and hasty world building, while also requiring the world to create a villain like Eris. A world so awful to break a young woman, a woman whose wish to end it all caused a spirit from the real world to be sucked into the story. No wonder, especially once we see the evil the King and Prince are willing to stoop to.
That… that is just AWESOME!! What a clever way to characterize this world, to misdirect our protagonist and all layers that aren’t visible from the outset. Leaving us with the true desire to see this whole world burn except for our pure of heart Helena. The story didn’t hook me right away but when the complexity was unearthed I became locked in!
It is impressive though to see Eris overcome these horrible systems and characters to try and do good. To try to protect and educate Helena, while agonizing over having to kill her as the story demands. It is truly compelling and surprising watching her jump through the hoops she needs to to help those she needs to help the people around her.
Final thoughts:
The idea that goodness, compassion, undying loyalty, and comfort can exist in such a broken world is so inspiring. That a person with their wits and compassion can change everything and make the world a better place is awesome. Of course none of this comes easily but it does matter, even with some sacrifices and much pain.
While the story is heavy at times and covers some disturbing events (like what the king and prince do to Eris to try and control her) it is ultimately a story about love and justice. Evil reaps what it sows, and love is rewarded with understanding and loyalty. It is a subversive story that’s themes blow me away. If this sounds interesting to you I recommend that you read it!
Looking for more Inspiration? Continue Here:
We visit the story of “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” where Maggie doesn’t have any of the traditional fantasy skills and yet is one of the most compelling characters I have come across.