Like many, this show sat on my anticipated shows list of the year and I wasn't disappointed. I've heard of dramas adapting the 'novoland' theme but this would be the first series I've seen and though I was a bit confused at the start due to the lack of introduction on the merfolk story, that picked up towards the mid-end of the show but I admit, I still don't fully understand why it was titled 'novoland pearl eclipse'.

As far as the show goes, you can tell the show had a relatively high budget, so the post production wasn't disappointing—though not completely up to parr with TMOPB, but it sits very high on the list. Nothing looked too out of place and the props and lighting were great! The theme song blew me away. I love that they got Zhou Shen to sing in this as their ballad, and it's so fitting. Honestly, get him or Mao Bu Yi for me and I think that alone would have roped me into watching any period drama.

Yang Mi wasn't disappointing in my opinion. I love that she wasn't dubbed. I've seen her in all her other shows and reality tv shows and she's a very capable actress who I really think carried the show so well. In times of her sadness, bravery and passion—you saw it all and she wasn't too fake. The whole cross dressing thing didn't surprise me but I did find it obviously unbelievable (I mean, which man could pull off long fake eyelashes back then, haha). I was a little annoyed they had to drag that out till episode 36 but other than that, she did well. I hadn't watched anything with William Chan before so this was a first for me. Admittingly, his two hair strand hairstyle was a bit weird (I much preferred it when he had it all up) and am so glad (for once) that his voice got dubbed as I think hearing how he really speaks would have thrown that whole cold and serious demeanour he had going on. But man that last episode where he talks to Haishi about what it would have been like if they had met sooner, his emotions in his acting was beautiful. You could sense the hesitation and exhaustion he was feeling but also the anxiety he had about not fulfilling their future together. <3

I love the poem she repeated about them-again the small details that fitted them so well:
"high are the mountains, and small is the moon
small but shining pure,
my mind goes far away to someone
A day without him
would upset me so"

Overall, this was a show about love, sacrifices, loyalty and how they're shown in different forms (like others have said and I strongly agree) — from Tilan and the Emperor, Zhouying and Zhe Liu and especially Haishi and FJM. In the end, though it might not have been the ending we all wanted, I thought it was fitting. Haishi and FJM have always been faithful to each other but knew that the country and people were always meant to be put first. Though their wishes of being able to fulfil a long married life (with kids—I found it funny she kept repeating this), I like that she was made the 'mother' of the young emperor and that FJM was still there to mentor him like he did with Haishi.

Would definitely watch this again —and I don't say this often. It sits very close to how much I loved ALP.