A Demonic Plauge

   

 


   So I picked up the first three volumes of Girl from the Other Side which is a manga/graphic novel. The volumes are a bit short so I decided to just put them together. Most graphic novels are either about a romance, a superhero, or both. But this book was different. The book is set in a dystopian world where there is a demonic plague of creatures going around. If you get touched by sed creatures you become one. The main character, a little girl named Shiva about the age of five or six, is drawn in all white so she stands out amongst the dark world. Then we get to the second main character, a monster plagued with the curse of looking like one of them while still retaining his humanity, looks after the child after finding her wandering in the woods on her lonesome. I think it’s interesting that the girl is drawn as bright white so she stands out like a little light on the pages. The monster was in a dark place, no pun intended until he found his light, his reason for living. After finding Shiva he decided to take her back to her home and basically assumed a fatherly role. The monster took care of her day in and day out feeding, playing, and making sure she was happy. The little girl decided to give the monster his own name, due to him not remembering his, Teacher she believed was the perfect name. Teacher spends his days with Shiva and nights trying to figure out how to rid himself of the disease. It bothers the monster that if she were in harm's way he would be completely helpless to save her. 

     I find this book both adorable and heartbreaking while shiva sees Teacher as a person, the humans do not. While walking in the woods together the humans saw them but instead of trying to save the girl from her “danger” they said they should go ahead and kill her too. I get there's a disease but being willing to kill a little girl like that is just cruel. Every day the monster and the little girl would have a tea party and Shiva would ask "Is Auntie coming home soon?" and the monster would have to tell a white lie saying "She's just busy she'll be coming home right after." What hurts is in reality her aunt left her alone so she can go to the city where it's safe. The aunt didn't want the burden of taking care of the child so she just left like it was nothing. When I read this part I was both shocked and mad. How could a person just leave a defenseless child on their own? 


    I'm going to continue on about the way this was drawn because I love to draw and I find lighting very interesting. For instance, when the monster is just drawn by himself the world is dark and colorless while being very scratchy with the ink but when the girl is in frame or it's just her the world is more refined, bright, and colorful. I feel like the lighting shows their individual views on the world such as Shiva seeing the good in the world through a child's eyes and the monster seeing only the bad or the reality of things. Even when they are in the same frame teacher is seen with darkness around him and Shiva is only light. I truly loved this series and I am going to read the rest of the volumes when I get the time. I think it's really cute and I'm curious on where the storyline will be going in the future volumes.

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 9, 2023 at 9:17 AM

    This sounds like a really interesting book and a great example of a dystopian novel. I also think you did a great job explaining the book while still tying in your own thoughts about it. I personally do not remember ever reading a book like this so unfortunately I can not recommend you anything but I think I might look into it. 4/5 stars.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 9, 2023 at 9:24 AM

    This is definitely on my read list! I don't read manga/graphic novels, but after reading a dystopian book last year, I am interested in this. Good job explaining the book!

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  3. AnonymousNovember 16, 2023 at 9:29 AM

    I personally have never read any style of book like this but by the way you explained it, I'm totally going to look into it. You picked a great example of a dystopian novel, and while explaining the book, you also tied your thoughts and connections into the book as well. I'll have to give this blog a 4.5/5! Thanks for the book idea!

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