“Penelope Eckhart's fate may seem grim, but she's determined to avoid it by rescuing sympathetic love interest Eckles. Yet when her very way out of death turns out to be more dangerous than she thought, Penelope realizes she needs a backup plan-and a backup man…!” (IZE Press)
Continuing on from the first volume, “Villains are Destined to Die” further establishes the ability of SUOL to weave an engaging narrative under a solid visual direction. This consistency in delivery compensates for the fact that volume 2 is rather slow-paced and continues to focus on introducing characters and establishing the lore behind the dating game that the protagonist finds herself trapped in. While this may not illicit the same excitement as in the inaugural release, or push the narrative forward in leaps, it gives the reader additional time to familiarize themselves with the story and the various cast that make up the series.
Notably, the inevitable appearance of former royal-turned-slave, Eckles, injects drama into the hierarchy of the royal family and stirs up competition among the various romantic interests of Penelope Eckhart. Comparatively, the introduction of the mysterious ‘masked rabbit magician' does little to disrupt the status quo but further explores the mechanics of the dating sim–including the introduction of magical items that can alter storylines. These two opposite personas help to further define Penelope's character through her treatment of both, allowing her to show indifference or compassion not expressed in the previous volume.
Visually, the art stays consistent, with an emphasis on fashion and capturing the decadent lifestyle of royalty. However, the complete lack of strong background environments does fail to convey some of the implied grandiose of the kingdom. When it comes to capturing the emotions of Penelope (the most important element), the books, thankfully, don't fall short. Essentially, the artistic direction wavers between picturesque and uninspiring, and at this point in the series, it is apparent what readers can expect moving forward.
The second volume of “Villains Are Destined to Die” feels slightly stagnant in how it is still establishing the world and rules that govern Penelope and her quest to escape the dating sim by finding favor with both romantic partners and family. This approach, to the book's benefit, stays consistently engaging and well-explored through SUOL's adaptation of the story by Gwon Gyeoeul. Ultimately, those who fell for the charms of Penelope from the get-go will be pleased that the series continues forward in the same manner as the inaugural release. There is still ample reason to be intrigued by the story and how it will develop.
