Written by Kim Su Ji, Under the Oak Tree is a New York Times Best-Selling book that was adapted from its Manta webcomic. It combines romance, drama, and fantasy as it follows the life of Maximilian Coryso, a young woman married to Riftan Calypse, a cold and aloof knight.
Despite coming from a strong, aristocratic family, Maximilian lacks confidence due to her father’s abuse and the harshness of her early life. She is initially forced into marriage with Riftan, a knight known for his rise to fame after becoming a war hero. At first, Riftan appears emotionally cold and uninterested in Maxi, but the two grow closer as the narrative goes on.
His troubled past complicates Riftan’s love for Maxi in his own life, previous encounters with Maxi’s father, and his strong sense of duty. On the other hand, Maxi has to deal with her insecurities, but she slowly grows in confidence, becoming more assertive and emotionally independent. The novel introduces themes of personal growth, healing from past trauma, and the power of love to overcome emotional and physical barriers.
Despite being set in a fantastical world with magic, knights, and legendary creatures, Under the Oak Tree is fundamentally a tale of emotional openness, recovery, and the enduring love between two nuanced individuals who, despite their challenging pasts, find hope in one another. The novel’s emotional depth, private moments, and character growth—all of which center on Maximilian and Riftan’s relationship—have made it popular.
Physical Book Details
The physical book’s release excited loyal readers of Under the Oak Tree in many ways, one of which was its creative and detail-oriented features. The cover showcases a very bright and captivating portrait of Maxi, with her radiant red hair and brightly colored eyes surrounded by branches of an oak tree.
The line, “The first moment I saw you, I knew you would ruin me,” spoken by Riftan to Maxi, appears across the book’s paper end. The book’s sprayed edges, full-color patterned endpapers, silver foil stamping on the cover, and ribbon bookmark were perfect additions for collectors and enthusiasts.
[SPOILER ALERT BELOW! READ WITH CAUTION]
Maxi’s Character Development
The most important element of this story is Maxi’s progression with her self-worth and determination, particularly her journey in overcoming her deeply ingrained insecurities. Much of her initial self-doubt comes from her rocky relationship with her father, who consistently undermined her worth and intelligence. Her initial perception of her value in her relationship with Riftan reflects her struggle to see her worth due to her father’s harsh treatment.
A significant turning point in Maxi’s development occurs when she decides to redecorate the castle. Although this task may not seem like much, it was the first one assigned to her exclusively, demonstrating her ability to manage expected projects. As she grew more involved in renovating their house, including handling finances and monitoring their expenditures, she assisted with other castle tasks, which gave her a better grasp of her intelligence and potential. She developed a sense of capability, the stepping stone for her larger achievements.
Additionally, Maxi’s commitment to learning magic towards the end of the book is another huge element to her personal development. Whether redecorating or experimenting with magic, each of these efforts became a form of self-expression and a way for Maxi to feel valued beyond her role as Riftan’s wife.
This progression is enjoyable to read because it doesn’t come at the expense of her relationship with Riftan. Instead of becoming dependent on him, Maxi’s development enables her to be a partner on par with him. She slowly learns to rely on her abilities, which makes her more secure in her bond with Riftan. She finds her strength and sense of purpose, which makes her fully trust Riftan in his love and respect for her as a partner.
Riftan Analysis
Riftan himself first comes off as cold and aloof, unable to express his emotions accurately due to his rough upbringing and his difficult journey in war during the years he and Maxi were separated. Early in the novel, anyone can tell that Riftan’s love for Maxi is genuine and deep. Yet his inability to express emotions properly drives the two into a bumpy relationship.
As the story progresses, Riftan’s love for Maxi grows as he begins to recognize that his distance and coldness only hurt her, not reassuring her in her role as his wife. He starts to view her as more than a fragile wife he must protect. He opens up to her and confronts his insecurities, which deepens their bond and his confidence in being her husband.
Readers may find Riftan’s division of duties between his roles as a husband and a knight to be one of his more annoying traits. To him, his happiness and personal desires are viewed as sacrifices regarding his duty. He feels a deep sense of responsibility to his kingdom, yet it comes at the expense of his relationship with Maxi. His feelings of unworthiness and a husband are frustrating to watch, as he constantly reassures Maxi of her insecurities, even when internally battling his own, which are similar to hers.
A scene that stands out is when he realizes Maxi is practicing magic and unintentionally hurts her by saying he doesn’t need her to protect him. His readiness to protect Maxi at any cost unknowingly hurts her, as she starts to again question her capabilities.
In the end, it is clear that he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his wife and his kingdom safe, even if it unknowingly hinders the independent development of his wife’s mental and physical capabilities. Riftan loves deeply but doesn’t know where or how to direct that love, which is something that hopefully develops further in the second volume.
Riftan and Maxi’s Love Story
Riftan and Maxi’s love story certainly doesn’t begin smoothly. Their wedding night is filled with awkwardness, uncertainty, and fear for Maxi. After that night, Riftan becomes a knight, burdened by guilt over his past and a deep desire to protect those he cares about. Meanwhile, Maxi’s existing anxiety and insecurities only widen the distance between them. When they reconnect, they constantly encounter situations causing miscommunication and unresolved anger, further complicating their relationship.
They slowly but surely learn to love and trust each other. Maxi finds small ways to show her affection for Riftan, such as giving him thoughtful gifts like trinkets or opening up about her true feelings. At the same time, Riftan constantly reassures her, offering her both material items like dresses and jewelry and emotional support, whether through quiet horseback rides or spending time with her that he thinks she will find enjoyable. Over time, they discover what brings each other joy and excitement, finding new ways to connect and strengthen their bond.
The love story’s development is a little slow until the final three chapters, when Maxi and Riftan begin to be honest with one another, and Maxi begins to discover his purpose. This is the ideal prelude to volume two.
Underdog Character: Ruth
The real star of the show is the castle’s sorcerer, Ruth Serbel. Ruth is the best side character, essential to the story’s development and Maxi’s self-growth. Although often sarcastic and condescending, Ruth’s role plays a huge part in controlling the estate’s safety and affairs. He initially seems to view Maxi as incompetent and bothersome, yet he dedicates much of his time to helping her figure out her duties as the wife of the estate.
The significant shift in their relationship came when the duo discovered Maxi’s affinity for magic and began focusing on curating and cultivating her power. Ruth can use Maxi as additional assistance for his various tasks, and Maxi finds her value in helping others on the estate by healing them. As a result, their relationship gradually develops into a lovely friendship. Ruth also provides ways for Maxi to be closer to the estate’s staff and knights and try to tackle her speech impediment, allowing Maxi to feel more comfortable in her position and self-determination. Anyone could argue that without Ruth’s presence as an insistent side character, Maxi would not have had any character development, making him one of the most important characters in the novel.
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Overall, Under the Oak Tree is a captivating introduction to the “Romantasy” genre and a successful adaptation of its MANTA webcomic. As the first part of the series, the novel does an excellent job of introducing the characters’ personalities and motivations, setting the stage for deeper developments in their relationships, and making the wait for the second volume feel agonizingly long. One element I’m particularly eager to explore further is the political tension, which adds a compelling layer of complexity to the dynamics between Maxi, her father, and the other characters introduced throughout the story. With a well-crafted setup and steady character development, Under the Oak Tree Volume One aims to draw readers in and leave them excited for what comes next.
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Featured Image Credit: Courtesy of Manta Comics
