This time travel story started as a Korean webcomic and gained enough popularity that an English publisher picked it up to release in the US.
The story starts with Aria facing execution for her misdeeds toward stepsister Mielle. Except Mielle reveals that she manipulated the situation and goaded Aria into her terrible actions. Instead of dying, Aria awakes as her younger self in an earlier time. Thinking she may have just had a terrible dream, she plans to put her sister’s deception and her own execution aside; however, she finds a broken hourglass in her bed. The exact one she saw while dying and wished for a second chance.
With her knowledge of people and situations to come, Aria starts making immediate changes to her life’s trajectory, starting with her education. Previously, she felt like she could never match Mielle’s intellect and manners, so she never tried to master her lessons. Now, she can see that Mielle just had a head start since she was born a noble, and Aria was not. As she applies her skills and surrounds herself with suitable tutors, Aria outshines Mielle several times and outwits her immature plans of pain and defamation.
The color art is visually appealing and gives another layer of understanding for the reader because one of the issues Aria faces is not knowing current fashion trends, including color and style. You can really see the difference between her before and after circumstances with the color applied.
If you have readers that enjoyed the recent anime, Tearmoon Empire, or enjoy stories that feature a character living through something traumatic and being granted the opportunity to go back in time and change their fate, this would be a great addition to your collection. Be aware that this story’s main character plans to become a villainess on par with her stepsister from the original timeline. She’s morally gray for most of book one. If you don’t have anyone clamoring for that kind of story yet, this would work well in the young adult section of any public library. This is a review of the first volume, but volume two was just released.
The Villainess Turns the Hourglass Vol. 01
By SANSOBEE
Art by Liz Antstudio
Ize Press, 2023
ISBN: 9798400900808
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18)
