Very satisfying, with lots of twists and turns.

Kayena Hill, is the imperial princess and a villainess in a novel. She has already died twice and has now been reborn. This time she is determined to live and to subvert all the scheming around her so that she can have the life she truly wants, free from the schemes of court.

And so this time she becomes the puppeteer and forges the way for her future. This is a great read with lots of intrigue and with characters who have depth. I enjoyed reading this and definitely want to read the future volumes. Very satisfying with good artwork.

Previously mistaken this as the other Villainess manhwa lol. Anyway, this comic really brings back memories to the times I was an addict of this genre. I'm hoping to continue the rest with the published version.

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

The Villainess Is a Marionette, Vol. 1 by Manggle was a fun and twisty manhwa comic about a girl reincarnated into her previous life after a tragic death. She is smarter and sneakier this time around, wanting only to live a peaceful and happy life, and all of it was great. Loved this, so scheme-y.

A Visually Stunning and Intriguing Take on the Villainess Trope

The Villainess Is a Marionette, Vol. 1 offers a captivating blend of political intrigue, character development, and breathtaking artwork. The story follows Kayena Hill, an imperial princess who, after experiencing two tragic lives—first as herself and then as a modern-day reader of her own tale—is granted a third chance to rewrite her destiny. Armed with knowledge from her previous lives, Kayena is determined to seize control and become the puppeteer rather than the puppet.

The narrative stands out by combining elements of reincarnation and metafiction, allowing readers to explore Kayena's transformation from a manipulated figure to a strategic mastermind. Her interactions with other characters, especially her brother Prince Regef, are layered with nuance, showcasing her shift from a passive participant to an active player in the empire's power dynamics.

Manggle's artwork is a visual feast, with intricate details in character designs, opulent costumes, and expressive facial features that enhance the storytelling. The luxurious aesthetic complements the high-stakes drama unfolding within the imperial court.

While the story excels in many areas, it occasionally leans heavily on exposition, which can momentarily disrupt the pacing. However, these moments are brief and do not detract significantly from the overall experience.

In summary, The Villainess Is a Marionette, Vol. 1 is a compelling read that breathes new life into the villainess genre. Its unique narrative structure, combined with stunning visuals, makes it a must-read for fans of political fantasy and character-driven stories.

The concept of this manga, coupled with the great art, made for a really unique story. I am always a sucker for when the protagonist knows/can see the future and uses that knowledge to influence the present, so this was just fantastic. I absolutely cannot wait for more in this series!

I loved reading this manga! It’s filled with gorgeous art and a unique story where Kayena is given a third chance at life to change her fate. The concept hooks you right from the start as her knowledge of the future allows her to pull strings and take control of her own narrative.

This manga is brimming with creativity and the story is so much fun to read. I highly recommend it!

This was so good. That brother......... the actual worst. I have read many isekai fantasy romance webtoons and I know this is going to be a good story of revenge. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

Reborn FMC turns into a princess? I'm in!
A prince trying to use his sister (without knowing she is not his sister anymore)? I'm in (although the change is so immediate that he should know something is wrong).
A duke's heir who doesn't want a relationship with the royal family? I don't remember reading other stories like that... I'm in!
The art is good, and the story progresses smoothly. I can't wait to read Vol. 2!

Unfortunately I was not able to access this title and cannot give adequate feedback until it's available to read elsewhere. I selected this one based on the cover and the description which does sound interesting so I would still check it out at a later date.

I'm obsessed with this webtoon. The art is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, the story is super interesting and has me by the throat, and the characters? They're so much fun. I love everything about it.

Thank you to Ize Press for the e-arc of this manhwa!! This isekai story is soooo compelling and enjoyable. I love the political intrigue and the vast range of characters featured! And the art style is LITERALLY STUNNING. I cannot WAIT for the next volume. 4 🌟

I had already started to read the webcomic, so I was excited to see there was a physical volume being released. The story is a pretty typical romantic fantasy webcomic, but is interesting enough that I will continue to read it.

The art style is beautiful, but something about the character design in the first part threw me off a bit. You can tell the illustrator was developing the story’s art style as the story goes on, so it’s a little bit inconsistent at first. I love all the detail that went into everything!

I originally read this on Tapas, so I appreciated this is finally getting physically published. It very much cleaned up from the original. As I was reading, it was just as good as I originally remembered it. I feel like they cleaned up some of the translations too, because it didn't read clunkily.

Overall, I love seeing this in print. Manggle's art is sooo pretty.

Thank you Yen Press for the arc.

I love this reincarnation thing and that the protagonist ends up as a character from a story she knows 🙂‍↕️✨✨

I really liked Kayena, who tried to change the story so she doesn't end up dead like the original character. The protagonist, Kidrey, really caught my attention, although we don't see much of him here, I feel like it could be one of my favorite manhwas. I hope it is. The story is promising, so I want to read more.


Thanks ize press / netgalley for the arc

For whatever reason I just could not get into this story. Though I do think it has a lot of potential for the right audience. The art work was fantastic and I thought the characters themselves were very interesting and have a lot of room for growth within them. Overall it was ok, just not for me. I did really appreciate that at the end of the book they had a breakdown of each character and their features/information about them.

Excellent start to a series. Kayena wakes up from being poisoned with memories of her past life in the modern world and memories of the fate of her character. She is determined to ensure her survival and freedom.

I find it fascinating that instead of getting rid of her brother, who had a hand in her death, she is still determined to put him on the throne. It was amazing to see how she uses her knowledge to change things into her favour.

I can't wait to read more!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-Arc and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC.

This is a Korean graphic novel with a villainess main character. She was reborn into a fantasy novel's world after she died on Earth. If those tropes are too cliché, this story is not for you. I, however, never get weary of them.

The protagonist, Kayena Hill, weaves herself between the political intrigues to avoid her original tragic fate. Her manipulative tactics mark her as "bad," yet her goals are for peace and stability. She wields wit and charm to navigate a toxic environment.

It's refreshing to read a story in which there are few characters who don't use common sense or logic.

These stories are so beautiful. There are more and more of them, and I want to read them all. Yes, all of them.

This genre, which I don't know whether to call isekai or what... captivated me several years ago, and now more and more stories like this are being published. The truth is, they all have a touch that makes them special, and this one captivated me instantly. I feel like the protagonist has many interesting tools to change the future, and I hope her brother can come to his senses.

I'm eagerly awaiting the second part because I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

Thank you so much, Yen Press, for the ARC I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another villainess transmigration story where the main character does her best to prevent their tragic ending from coming to pass. These stories are my junk food, my guilty pleasure; I read them for the beautiful art style, the predictable redemption stories, and the romances between characters who weren't supposed to fall in love but can't resist each other. Villainess protagonists tend to have more personality and dimension to them compared to the straightforward Mary Sue or self-insert heroines of old, and Kayena sticks to this archetype. They can either get away with more vicious and underhanded behavior, or upend the expectations of those around them by doing good deeds. Either way, their motivations are almost always selfish, even if what they do ends up helping others and saving the world, so I find it more entertaining than the average hero's journey. The romantic interests almost always fall first and fall hard, there's some angst when the female lead feels conflicted about reciprocating those feelings, and the obstacles to overcome in order to reach their happy ending are EXTERNAL 99% of the time, not a ridiculous miscommunication. Anyway suffice to say I like Kayena and Rafael.

There are two major pieces that make this story stand out: the relationship between Kayena and her half-brother Regef, and the tool Kayena gains in a future volume that I won't spoil. Because this is just volume 1, most of the contents will seem similar to the majority of villainess manhwas you can find out there. But there is plenty to look forward to that will delight you, so if you're like me and can't get enough beautiful villains taking control of their fates, buckle in!

On a final note, this one seems to be another adaptation with limited changes compared to the online serialized release. I cannot discern any updates or changes to the translation beyond the typical standardization of Proper Nouns (names, places, fantasy terms) and some new illustrations for the cover, endpapers, and chapter partitions. I hope there's more bonus content in future volumes, since the three character sheets at the end were pretty limited in this one.

I've always loved isekai and reincarnation novels and manhwa so this was a treat to read! Its was nice to see the heroine navigate everything differently in this life! Excited to see more!