First things first: do not judge this book by its title. “Eating Melons in the Police Station” sounds like it’s going to be some wild, comedic slice-of-life full of gossip and shenanigans. It’s not. At all. Maybe 1% of the story has anything to do with the title—and that’s being generous. So go in with different expectations, and you might enjoy it more.
That said, I did like the novel. It’s a fantasy-meets-modern-world kind of plot, with a demon lord turned police director and his former demon dog daughter (yes, you read that right) showing up in adorable human toddler form. There’s something oddly wholesome about a ruthless villain trying to figure out how to be a dad in the real world, complete with requests for crispy-skinned chicken and awkward daycare runs.
The father-daughter dynamic is easily the best part. Zhong Yuntong is cute without being annoying, and Zhong Jin’s confusion, slow emotional thaw, and protective instincts hit just right. It’s sweet, chaotic, and occasionally hilarious—especially when the ex-wife strolls back into the picture like a plot twist nobody saw coming.
So why not a full 4 stars? The translation. It’s rough. There are constant gender confusion issues, pronouns flipping around, and sometimes entire sentences feel like a guessing game. It’s readable, but it definitely takes away from the experience. Honestly, if a better translation existed, I might’ve bumped the score up.
As it stands, I give it a solid 3. It’s a one-time read for me. Fun in parts, heartwarming in others, but not quite polished enough to revisit. Still, if you’re in the mood for something light with fantasy elements, cop station drama, and a side of found-family fluff, it’s worth checking out—just be ready to mentally fix the grammar as you go.
