Novoland, Castle in the Sky is not what you expect it to be. The first few episodes( along with an ending credits sequence...but I'll talk about that later) come across as light-hearted. It seems that nothing really has any consequence, and things just sort of happen.

What made me keep watching, honestly, was the main actors. They did a stunning job portraying the main characters, particularly the two leads. They had great chemistry, and every interaction was fun to watch.

There is enough drama and 'mystery' in the first half of the series that when the tone shifts it isn't too disorienting. In the end, however, I must admit that the second half of the series is certainly more interesting and better paced than the first half, which is a bit long-winded and drawn out.

The Good:
*Great acting
*Great chemistry between the main characters
*Beautiful costuming and a unique atmosphere - the concept of Asian steampunk isn't often explored and as such the unique visuals in this were a breath of fresh air. There is definitely a style to this drama and it is unique and in my opinion, much appreciated.
*The Plot - it is an interesting and unique concept, and I honestly was hooked for the latter half of the series. There was a lot of drama, a lot of suspense, and it was very interesting to follow.

The Bad:
*The Plot - I know, this is one of my good things, but hear me out. The plot is interesting in that it is unique. But it is also full of holes, loose ends, and story arcs and characters that go absolutely nowhere. Things that are important aren't properly explained( including the main conflict, the Shooting Star flower deity) and a lot of the characters end up with absolutely no development when it initially seemed like they would be explored more. Was it interesting? Yes. Was it good? No.
*The pacing. For the love of all that is good, the pacing was terrible. The beginning of the show just shoots off into the plot, then drags for a few episodes, another conflict is introduced, rinse wash and repeat for ten episodes or so. Around episode fifteen, things pick up and the pacing becomes more consistent, but the last episode just shoots itself in the foot. Ugh.
*The end song. Trust me guys, if you watch one episode you will know what I mean. This song... is ridiculous. It's almost funny at first before it quickly grown obnoxious when the tone of the series starts to shift. The song is so upbeat, it does not at all fit with the grand fantasy that Novoland is trying to develop into. 10/10 skip every time.

Conclusions: I would highly recommend this drama. If you are considering watching it: do. I was doubtful, and I was surprised. Maybe you will be too.