While there are a few problems with this volume—it’s extremely unclear why Si-Joon is being targeted and also very obvious that his love interest, Doe-Doe, is a Mean Girl—I ended up enjoying it quite a lot. Si-Joon could’ve been an unlikable character, with his stated dislike of strong women and preference for someone quiet and gentle, but his genuine puzzlement over why girls make such a fuss over him makes it clear that it’s not feminine strength that he objects to, really, but just the shrill pushiness that he faces day in, day out as girls try to curry his favor by hurling boxes of homemade cookies at him. I also quite like Mu-Yeon’s calm competency and aura of mystery as well as Ji-Oh’s discerning nature and level of participation in the story.

The greatest appeal of Pig Bride is its fairy tale feel, which grows even stronger with this volume, as Si-Joon begins to experience dreams of a past life with a woman who reminds him of Mu-Yeon. Images from the dream recur in his waking hours and begin to impact how he feels about his fiancée. Although he does get angry at her and attempt to push her away, it’s apparent that it’s mostly his own confusion that is the problem. The developing relationship between these two is handled well and is easily the most compelling thing about the story.