Doggone Academy

My Thoughts on Doggone Academy

"Doggone Academy," or "Damn Academy" as it's apparently known in some circles, has been quite the rollercoaster ride. After diving in and reading a good chunk of the available chapters, I can see why it's garnered such a mixed bag of opinions. It's a story with a lot of potential, but it doesn't always hit the mark.

First Impressions

The initial chapters definitely hooked me. The setup with Damian, the abandoned orphan, and his childhood sweetheart Liza, is compelling. Their relationship, while perhaps a bit toxic in retrospect, felt believable given their circumstances. I was genuinely invested in seeing how Damian would cope after their rather abrupt separation.

What Works Well

The character development, when it's present, is a definite strength. I appreciate how Damian's past traumas shape his personality and his struggles to trust others. The world-building, while not groundbreaking, is steadily revealed and doesn't feel info-dumpy. The author does a good job of sprinkling hints about Damian's specialness throughout the story, keeping me guessing. Also, the action scenes are gripping and intense. The secondary characters are well-defined, even if not every single one gets a ton of screen time.

Areas of Concern

The pacing can be a real issue. Sometimes the story crawls along, while at other times, major plot points feel rushed. The harem aspect can also feel a bit forced. Several of the female characters seem to become infatuated with Damian for somewhat flimsy reasons. The masked identity subplot is convoluted and doesn't always make logical sense. I agree that the constant POV switches in the earlier chapters can be jarring and disrupt the flow of the narrative.

Final Verdict

Overall, "Doggone Academy" is a flawed but ultimately engaging web novel. If you're a fan of fantasy academy stories with a harem element and are willing to overlook some pacing issues and occasional logic leaps, I think you'll find something to enjoy here. Just be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions and some potentially frustrating plot contrivances along the way. I'd give it a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars.