Isabella's Reading Corner: The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Vol. 1

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Vol. 1

Author: Nagabe

Publication Date: January 24th 2017

Publisher: Seven Seas

Beautiful drawings offset this dark fairy tale about a little girl who lives among monsters. In The Girl from the Other Side, there are two worlds - the Outside where horrific beasts roam and the Inside, where humans reside, safe from their cursed touch. If an Insider shows any sign of the curse that afflicts the Outsiders, they are killed immediately, and their bodies removed and placed beyond the wall.

Suspected of being afflicted, Shiva is left in the woods to save her from certain death at the hands of Insiders. She is cared for by one of the beasts, who she calls Teacher. He is more than just her protector, though, as he also takes on the role of father. Teacher is gentle and kind. He worries that she will be emotionally hurt when she discovers that her family is not coming to get her. 

Although the Outsider can curse with his touch, he avoids doing so and he is not deliberately cruel. The Insiders are more of a danger to themselves and those they believe to be different, as they harm with intention. Shiva is spotted in the woods by a human and even though she is clearly not an Outsider, the reaction to her is one of irrational fear and distrust instead of understanding. Her physical safety is soon in jeopardy and I questioned who the real monsters in the book are. This is a lovely, thought-provoking manga and I'm looking forward to reading the next volume of the story.

From the publisher:

An ethereal fantasy from the editorial team behind the New York Times bestselling series The Ancient Magus’ Bride

The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún is an all-new manga series that pulls readers into a magical and enchanting tale about a young girl and her demonic guardian. A haunting story of love and fantastical creatures, The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún is a gorgeously-illustrated manga series. Each volume in the series will be released with a beautifully-textured matte finish cover and will include at least one full-color insert.

In a world split between the Inside and the Outside, those living in both realms are told never to cross over to the other side, lest they be cursed. A young girl named Shiva lives on the other side, in a vacant village with a demonic guardian known only as “Teacher.” Although the two are forbidden to touch, they seem to share a bond that transcends their disparate appearances. But when Shiva leaves Teacher’s care to seek out her grandmother, the secret behind her mysterious living arrangement comes to light.

You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Vol. 1 here.