Jan 14, 2025
I'll start off my review by confronting the main reason I imagine most readers don't like this series: the faulty premise.
It begins with a young, tortured boy being ruthlessly and horrifically bullied and abused by just about everyone around him until, finally, he succumbs to a disease and is reincarnated as a noble child in a fantasy world. Now, given that premise, you might expect (or at least desire) that this young boy's new life will accommodate him with a loving home surrounded by an attentive family and considerate circle of friends that he was robbed of in his past life. You know, to bring
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some kind of catharsis to the reader. This series more or less does that, however not only does this protagonist not remember his past life until his early adolescence (and in that time grows into a much different person than the boy at the start), but it uses its hopeless start as a springboard into a gritty and intense power fantasy that a number of readers may find emotionally oppressive. In fact, this manhwa has so many consistently shocking and disturbing scenes that it may as well have the "Horror" tag. However, as I'll get into later, the manhwa has a roughly equal amount of beautiful and heartwarming scenes that balance this out. If you'd rather read a more idyllic story like the one I described, check out "The Monstrous Duke's Adopted Daughter" instead. While I can't say that series impresses me with its writing in the way this one does, it certainly does a much better job at delivering an emotionally gratifying payoff to its premise than this.
Now, with that out of the way, I will attempt to convince you why this manhwa, despite its flaws, is still a quality piece of work worth reading.
Plot: 7/10
I'll admit that the plot of this series is aggressively shounen in the sense that, for the most part, there isn't much of an overarching plot – rather, the protagonist is guided by an ambiguous dream that leads him into a series of non-stop struggles and confrontations. And because there are few real training arcs or even much filler content, this series does partly succumb to the shounen trope of the protagonist unlocking abilities in the midst of battle. However, where a number of shounen series go about this in an overly-sentimental and nonsensical way, the writing of this manhwa is thorough enough such that every new revelation, mid-action sequence or not, makes sense within the worldbuilding and can be explained by the wit of the protagonist. The main trope I take issue with is that I'm never a fan of combatants explaining their tactics in the middle of a high-stakes battle, which unfortunately this series does often. Aside from that, this manhwa has an impressively rigorous plot structure and every new event feels like a natural extension of the previous ones. So while it is rather lacking in long-term development, it manages to excel at short-term development to a level of success I haven't read anywhere else. And while some readers may rightly prefer a less intense or more balanced storytelling experience, if you're mainly here for nonstop gritty, well-written, and visually appealing action, this manhwa will not disappoint you.
Character: 8/10
The characters are one of the main selling points of this manhwa. While the protagonist, Eugene, may not be so lucky as to have a safe and easygoing second life, he is granted an absurd amount of advantages that put him on the verge of being OP. Except, of course, for the fact that he’s shackled with just as many absurd and unfair restrictions as a counterbalance. The admirable thing about Eugene is that, although he's gone through multiple lifetimes worth of torment, through it he has grown a tremendous amount of spirit and resilience that culminates in an enduring and balanced sense of justice – in fact, he always goes above and beyond to help people even when it seems beyond his means through sheer force of will. In a number of other shounen series, an overly selfless protagonist may become grating or tacky after a while, but I've never found that to be the case with Eugene. That's because, while he's definitely selfless to a fault, he is able to go about it with a good measure of rationality and cunning at times that gives much-needed balance to his character. Furthermore, a lot of the time when Eugene intervenes or otherwise has his 'heroic moment,' it comes fresh off the heels of some deeply terrifying or hopeless situation that portrays Eugene as a literal light in the darkness, a theme you’ll find a lot in this manhwa. The other characters, for their part, are all competently written. While some are a hell of a lot more likable than others, and a lot of the antagonists tend to be shounen-standard (that is to say, comically evil and mundane), I can at least respect the fact that just about every character has a discernable motivation or rationale behind their actions, which I can't say for many power fantasy manhwa.
Worldbuilding: 8/10
The worldbuilding is phenomenal. First of all, the geography and political landscape are quite good, with a large number of interest groups vying for power and inconveniencing characters frequently and even features a number of unique cultures. There’s also a decent amount of historical content that, while it may not be overly intriguing with its straightforward themes of good versus evil, it does add a tangible amount of depth to what is by far the most innovative part of the world; the magic system. With a novel basis on music theory, the magic system is probably the most sophisticated and interesting of any battle manhwa I've read. The only thing I can compare it to is "The Infinite Mage" but, unlike that manhwa, there is practically no wasted time or exposition dumps in how it's explained to the reader. Instead, the reader is fed information at a very meticulous pace such that any new piece of information, no matter how small, is almost always immediately relevant. The advantages of this are that the reader is never bored by exposition or becomes confused having to keep track of everything, which is great for casual readers. Though, some disadvantages are that the worldbuilding can become broadly reductive where intrigue could be added. For instance, there's never a map or rarely an indication of some new and exciting level of magical understanding that Eugene is implied to reach later in the story. So while it's difficult to say the worldbuilding is masterfully comprehensive, it does suit the story very well to the extent that each new revelation keeps you guessing and adds a much-needed amount of flair and excitement to the story.
Illustration: 8/10
The art style is extremely unique. The closest thing I could think to compare it to would be "A Returner's Magic Should Be Special" except that it’s fittingly a lot more chaotic and vibrant. Whether this manhwa is trying to scare you with something uncanny and nightmarish, or relieve you with a serene or breathtaking landscape, or endear itself to you with its expressive characters, one way or another, the art gets it done. Though there are times where the art can become overbearing with how gratuitous it is, or even with just how over-the-top the chaotic scene can get, it's definitely a refreshing sight compared to all the washed-out Solo Leveling clones that inundate its contemporaries. At the end of the day, though, there are just so many beautifully drawn panels in this work to the extent that a reader of any standard for art quality should be satisfied with it.
Pacing: 6/10
The pacing is by far the most problematic thing about this manhwa. As has been established, it's not a slice of life fantasy like “The Infinite Mage”, and it both suffers and benefits from this. Where Infinite Mage bored me with its exposition dumps, low stakes, and slow pacing, this manhwa seems to have the exact opposite problem. The way it switches from relaxing and lighthearted to intense and disturbing makes for tonal shifts so jarring that it's easy for the reader to get whiplash. It's sort of like getting on a roller coaster that reaches its maximum speed right away and never bothers slowing down to make its descents any more suspenseful or climactic. A lot of times when I felt this manhwa should be decompressing during a payoff, or even just slowing down to focus on its side characters, it skipped right along to the next action sequence, still leaving me too nauseous and reeling from its unending emotional torment to get my bearings in order. Like I said, it’s enjoyable from a purely action stand-point, though emotionally-invested readers will likely find themselves exhausted from this pattern. Still, I'd rather a story be too fast than too slow, and I do believe that the fast pacing ultimately benefits this manhwa more than it hurts it.
Enjoyment: 8/10
The title 'My Second Life Is a Healing Life?' is a question, and the answer is a resounding no. This manhwa is more like 'My Second Life Is Still Horrific, But At Least I Can Fight Back Now.' It embodies the word ‘chaos;’ everything from the plot, art, and characters is chaotic but it still manages to come together, which ultimately might be the most impressive thing about it. It's very well-made for a power fantasy manhwa, and even if you don't like the premise, I highly recommend at least giving it a shot. It's a wild ride, but ultimately a thrilling and unforgettable one.
TL;DR
Despite its faulty premise, it's a standout power fantasy thriller that's emotionally load-bearing and sometimes gut-wrenching to a fault. It has a gritty, shounen-style plot, well-written characters, innovative worldbuilding, evocative art, and lightning-fast pacing that may leave some readers disoriented. Still, it’s a chaotic and one-of-a-kind ride worth giving a shot.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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