A Timid Lady Was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke – Volume One Manga Review

Could Marie’s life actually be better now that’s she has been turned into a cat!?

Sample the series!

Japanese (Pixiv)

Official Synopsis (Yen Press)

Even though I’m the daughter of a viscount and betrothed to a prince, my life is anything but a bed of roses. My half sister has stolen my fiancé, made me the villain of her love story, and cursed me to become an ugly cat—doomed to die a claw-ful death on the streets! But just before I collapse from hunger in the rain, tender hands cover me with an umbrella. I look up to see…none other than the infamously cruel and fearsome duke! Just what fate lies in store for me? And will I ever be able to reverse this curse?!

My thoughts on this volume (Spoilers!)

While I have grown somewhat tired of the evil step-sister trope, I did enjoy this volume! As the step-sister’s relevancy ends as soon as she succeeds in turning Marie into a cat, she never has a chance to steal the spotlight.

This series follows Marie, a sweet young aristocratic lady. She’s described as being more introverted, preferring to drink tea and read rather than socialize with others. Because she’s a more insightful character, her step-sister quickly decides that she isn’t worthy of her title. It seems like the manga itself also deems her unworthy, as it refers to her as a timid lady right in the title! Personally, I found Marie to be an instantly charming character. She’s kind and gracious to everyone around her, so I really don’t understand how everyone can look down on her so easily.

I’m not going to spend much time talking about my thoughts on Marie’s step-sister or her deeds. As a villainous character she fulfilled her purpose, but I’m invested in Marie’s story, not hers.

I absolutely loved the introduction of Merck’s character. Having him and Marie begin their relationship through letter, neither knowing who the other was, was beautiful! It had me full of anticipation of what would transpire once they did finally meet face-to-face—would they bring up the letters? Would they think they just bumped into each other by accident? Would Marie be terrified when she realized he was the person she was talking to? Sadly all of my hopes were shattered, as Marie would be turned into a cat before they had the chance to have an actual conversation.

Once Marie becomes a cat and begins living with Merck, we get to see a side of him only a cat could see. This works out for the better, as there’s no way Marie could be scared of him after being treated with such care. Merck had been described as a terrifying and cruel person, but upon observing him, nothing could be further than the truth. I love it when male leads have gaps, but it left me curious about how all the rumours surrounding him came to be. He almost reminds me of Arnold from 7th Time Loop, so I wonder if he also allows the rumours to flourish for the sake of his own goals…

I hope Marie can be turned back into a human soon, but I also hope that she never leaves the Duke’s residence—he’s meant to be her fiance, after all! I fear for what could happen to Marie if she were to go back to her familial home. All that’s waiting for her is a deadbeat father and an evil step-sister. In comparison, everyone in the Duke’s residence treats her like one of their own. While sure, that may just be because she’s a cat, I’m sure they would treat her just as kindly while in human form.

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