Clara & the Devil, Volume 1

by Olivie Blake, Little Chmura (Illustrator)

The devil has come to town. And he wants a library card. Star author Olivie Blake and artist Little Chmura kick off a deliciously dark graphic novel romance series with Clara & the Devil, Volume 1.

Clara has the rest of her life figured out. She’ll graduate college with the support of her best friend, Jonah; marry her adoring boyfriend; take a full-time job at her local library; and settle down in her small seaside hometown. But when an unusual tourist—tall, dark, and infernal—comes to town, Clara’s careful plans quickly start to unravel.

And even while the stranger, who openly calls himself the devil, strikes up a situationship with Jonah, he continues to tempt Clara with reckless talk of power, ambition, and lust. Over the course of one sultry summer, tensions between Clara, Jonah, and the devil mount to an intolerable degree, and Clara is forced to confront the desires she’s kept secret her whole life, even from herself.

This deliciously dark tale of Faustian bargains and seduction from New York Times–bestselling author Olivie Blake and fan-favorite artist Little Chmura kicks off a series that explores artistry and power through the temptation of the seven deadly sins.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror, Comics, Romance, Adult, Graphic Novels Comics

Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2026

About the author

Olivie Blake is the pseudonym of Alexene Farol Follmuth, a lover and writer of stories, many of which involve the fantastic, the paranormal, or the supernatural, but not always. More often, her works revolve around what it means to be human (or not), and the endlessly interesting complexities of life and love.
​
Olivie has penned several indie SFF projects, including the webtoon Clara and the Devil with illustrator Little Chmura and the viral Atlas series. As Follmuth, her young adult rom-com My Mechanical Romance releases May 2022.

Olivie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and new baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.

Reviews

[gabbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thought I had when I opened this was... GOD, AM I STUPID??

I went thirty years without ever picking up a graphic novel. Not by conscious choice. I simply never thought about them. And then I saw the cover of this one. As soon as I opened it, I was internally screaming at myself for my own stupidity. Every time I'm reading a book I like, I go looking for fanart. Maybe it's because I have aphantasia, or maybe I just love seeing characters and the world come to life. Do you see where this is going?? This whole time, there has been an entire medium where you get the story and the art served on a platter!!!

Ahem. Ok. Now that I got that off my chest.

Imagine you're at your job at the library, comfortable with your predictable life: graduating college, a nice boyfriend, a best friend, a small coastal town you've always called home. Everything is mapped out. And then the devil walks in. He… wants a library card? He keeps coming back, whispering about power and desire, tempting you with dreams you’ve never dared to entertain. How long can you pretend your tidy life is enough? Do you even want to keep pretending?

The art is the soul of this book. Little Chmura's watercolor palettes and wild black swirls create something genuinely beautiful and unsettling all at once. The kind of art where you linger on a panel to look at it. You can feel the tension between the characters before you even look at the dialogue. Also, the devil is hot. Can I take Clara's place?

There’s a poetic sort of dichotomy to what you expect the devil to be doing and what he is doing in this story. I wish it had been explored more. You obviously have an idea of what the devil is up to, but what if that's not the case? What if it's something else? It's a compelling part of the story, and one I wish was explored more.

The dialogue felt a bit bland at times, like it could have been spiced up more. Most of the time when I was getting butterflies or whatever, it was more “damn that’s some hot artwork” rather than the dialogue doing anything. I don’t think the direction it was going was bad, I just think it could have said basically the same things with more oomph.

Clara is Not Like Other Girls. Like, stereotypical even for the stereotype:

"It’s true that in a world of crop tops and reality TV, I’m…. kind of an anomaly”

Wow, you’re so different and lonely because you don’t wear crop tops or watch Love Island. I don’t know how you stand it, girl. I bet you’re one of the guys. I bet you barely wear any makeup. I bet you’re proud that you don’t listen to Taylor Swift. I bet you drink beer and make a scene of it.

There’s also the matter of Clara’s boyfriend, who, in the latter parts, is completely forgotten about. Like, literally just not part of the story anymore. Did Clara forget she has a boyfriend? Is that how his absence is supposed to be interpreted? Because I’m not sure what else could excuse what happens in the story.

Even with all of that, I'm glad I picked this up. The art alone makes it worth your time, and I think I'm going back for volume 2. I am now, it turns out, a person who reads graphic novels. (more internal screaming)

[Iqra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sampler review

3.5*

It’s good, a little basic when it comes to the dialogue but I was hooked still. I’m not sure yet where the story is going but I’m genuinely curious and can’t wait to read the whole thing when it releases!

ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Tor Bramble for the ARC! ♥︎

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

At this point I'll read anything Olivie Blake writes.
This is a graphic novel with beautiful illustrations by little chmura, who I already love from other olivie books, and the usual gorgeous writing. This talks mainly about sex and power, and it is SO. GOOD.
It's a quick read, only 180 pages, and so worth it. If you like Olivie's book go for it, you won't regret it.

Thank you Netgalley and First Second Books for the ARC.

[Melanie (meltotheany)]

this really is going to be my entire personality upon release :]

[Ink & Ivy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was definitely not for me.

Clara lives in a small town and works as an assistant librarian while finishing up college. She’s been dating her high school sweet heart, Andrew, for seven years and they’ve been waiting until marriage to have sex. She has a best friend, Jonah, who she obviously has a crush on.

I would say everything goes downhill after she meets the devil, Nick, but really she’s rough from the start. The first chapter is her talking about how she essentially likes to put other people down (in her head) to make herself feel better - she looks for the flaws in everyone. I mentioned earlier that she has a crush on Jonah, which is insanely obvious by the way she thinks about him and the general fact that she talks more about him than her longtime boyfriend Andrew. The devil getting added into the mix really just exacerbates the whole situation. She ends up cheating on Andrew with the devil and Jonah. Cool.

To me, the devil tempting you is such a poor excuse for pursuing your dreams in this fashion and cheating. I absolutely hated Clara from start to finish. If we ignore the characters, I’d say the inner monologue was rough too: “I’m twenty-one and not dead so I went to a party…”. I’m not that much older than Clara but that’s never been close to my mentality. I even grew up in a small town. I don’t know what to say other than I wouldn’t recommend this series - sorry.

Thank you First Second Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this book is perfect.

It has art by Little Chmura and every page looks like an artwork. I loved the style, the dark color palette and how the pages were filled.

Olivie Blakes writing is one of my favorites, so it wasn’t that surprising that I would love the story and the writing in this little comic.

I will definitely continue with volume 2 as soon as it comes out.

[Minna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivie Blake is an amazing storyteller and you have to just trust the process with her work. I think that's always the fun bit about reading something Olivie Blake wrote, because you are often sitting there going "what is happening?!" "where is this going?!" or "what's going on!!!!". I devoured this in one sitting and couldn't pull my eyes away from my screen. The pages are filled with gorgeous watercolor styled art that left me in awe. I kept looking at all the small details on each page, and I already want to go back and reread to appreciate the stunning work on all the pages. I didn't realize there was going to be multiple volumes for this story, and I am excited to see where this all goes!

Thank you so much netgalley and First Second books for the e-arc! <3

[julkahap]

Bardzo intrygujący początek, jeszcze do końca nie wiem, co o tym sądzić, ale jestem ciekawa, co z Clarą będzie dalej i będę czytać dalej.

[Nouf · Rating 3 out of 5]

☆3.5☆


The artwork in this book is truly stunning! The writing style reminds me of her other book 'Masters Of Death' which is one of my favourites!

The story was so captivating and beautifully crafted that I read the whole book in one go. Once again the artwork was breathtaking and Little Chmura's talent shines through!

I can't wait for vol.2!!

[Nicole Simkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art in this is phenomenal. It wouldn’t be as impactful had it not been a graphic novel. I loved the story of Clara, and the Devil. I loved how mysterious he was and how he was able to tell Clara and Jonah what they wanted before they knew it. It was so captivating. I read this book in one sitting and it left me wanting more.


•• Spoilers ••
The transformation that I got to see unfold through the pages was beautifully thought through. Seeing the similarities between desire and power and watching Clara tow that line, wrestling with herself and what she truly wants. I can’t wait for book 2 to come out

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Olivie Blake’s writing and I am so happy her and little chmura ended up doing this graphic novel. Typical Olivie Blake fashion you hate but love all the characters (maybe some more than others lol) this was a really good story about power love and sex. I recommend to anyone who loves her writing! I can’t wait for Volume 2! Thank you Netgalley and First Second Books for the e arc!

[Yoko · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork was stunning but i felt like the story had nothing much to say.

[heba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I firmly believe Olivie Blake’s name belongs across every body of literature in existence, so of course, a comic book series by THE Olivie Blake is an instant hit. True to form, she delivers a quick-witted, seductive story about sex and power; the kind of tale that revels in the irresistible allure of breaking free from life’s neatly packaged expectations and the power that comes from indulging, fully and unabashedly, in temptation and desire.

I always say this, but the art!? The art! Little Chmura's breathtaking illustrations are always a delight to bear witness to. Every panel is rich and dripping with the kind of moody intensity this story demands. The synergy between Blake's voice and Chmura's visuals is nothing short of magic. This is a promising start to a series that is sure to be wickedly addictive. Bring on Volume 2 (have ya'll seen the cover!?).

Thank you to NetGalley and the First Second Books team for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Minji · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is gorgeous but I'm really not sure what this book is supposed to be about. Not sure if I'll read volume 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for this eARC!

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of Clara & The Devil, Volume 1 by the publisher.

It is rare I get the opportunity to review a graphic novel, so when Tor emailed me to ask if I wanted to review Clara & The Devil I jumped at the chance. I've never seen or read the original Webtoon so I went into this completely blind. I devoured the whole graphic novel in just two sittings as it's a story that keeps a lot of information close to its chest, but hints at just enough to keep you reading. This is just Volume 1 and it's clear that there is a lot more to be explored in the next volumes.

Olivie Blake & Little Chmura are a match made in heaven. Blake's dark narrative blends perfectly with Little Chmura's intense illustrations. The watercolour-style illustrations are stunning and there's just enough detail to add to the Devil's narrative, but not so much that it overwhelms the main focus of the story, the characters. Each page is different, some using more white space, others covered in dark imagery, and still more that have you stopping to study the small details of each section.

Volume 1 feels like just the introduction to the story. You meet Clara, the Devil and her best friend Jonah. It's full of tension as you wonder what the Devil is up to, what Clara really wants and what exactly the Devil is doing to Jonah. While there is no on-page spice there is enough sexual tension throughout the graphic novel to have you trying to read between the lines. A choice which I think works perfectly for the story. Right at the end you get a glimpse of where the story might go. It's almost a shame that it doesn't continue on for longer, as this volume feels like a prologue or introduction to the story. The preview for Volume 2 shows that it develops past the town and characters that you meet in Volume 1 which got me interested in where things may go.

There's hints of a story within Volume 1, but it's definitely more of a character-building Volume than a story-heavy one. With that being said I'm intrigued enough that I'll pick up Volume 2 and see what Blake & Little Chmura have in store.

[Madelyn (Vaughn) Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 star art, 4 star story. this book is BEAUTIFUL

[Cass · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a tale as old as time, the Devil seducing an unsuspecting soul into sin. But is that such a terrible thing, when the Devil perceives the truth you conceal?

Little Chmura's art goes perfectly with the eerie yet enthralling story that Blake has written. I'm in love with the way the art is designed, esp with the color palette and piercing eyes.

This is a really excellent first hook for the series, and I am reminded that I'll need to actually get to all of the Olivie Blake books on my tbr.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

[axi ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

not for me at all :/

this was sooo underwhelming. very much a no plot just vibes type of book, but the vibes are nowhere near good enough to carry the story. this desperately needed more plot and depth and development

i will keep picking up everything olivie blake writes just because of how much i adored alone with you in the ether but i fear that might have been a one time thing for me 😭

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

[Dustin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, this was an okay read. The art is very unique with its watercolors and near minimalism; it's frequently very gorgeous. However, neither the plot or characters really grabbed me. There's potential here, but I don't think this series is for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the review copy!

[Jordyn (readingwithjordyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy pub day to Clara and the Devil Vol 1!! Thanks to @23rdstbooks for the free early copy of one of my most anticipated books of the year. I cannot say enough good things about the artwork and this stunning graphic novel from Olivie and Little Chumera (my fave duo).

Clara and the Devil is the first volume in a graphic novel series by author Olivie Blake and artist Little Chumera. It follows Clara, a librarian, who is visited one day by the Devil at her local library. The Devil takes a liking in Clara and returns to visit often, determined to get her attention. Clara, who has her life planned clearly, starts to feel herself unravel as the Devil comes between herself and her boyfriend and her best friend Jonah.

This graphic novel is dark, delicious, and so fun to read. Olivie explores the deadly sins as the Devil encourages Clara to lean into her dark side and explore her attraction and fascination with him. By far my favorite part of this book is the beautiful artistry that brings the story and characters to life. I could FEEL the tension between Clara and the Devil from the drawings alone paired with the dialogue.

I had so much fun reading this graphic novel, I read it in one sitting!! Super easy to read and I highly recommend for any Olivie Blake / graphic novel fan.

[grace ᵕ̈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art in this graphic novel is so beautiful and it is absolutely perfect in telling this particular story. There were certain artistic choices I thought were SO clever, like how the boyfriend’s face is always obscured so we don’t truly get a picture of what he looks like and how the flames in one panel also looked like hands reaching out.

There’s a very loose plot to this novel. The devil comes to town and wants a library card. It’s mundane and a little repetitive, but I think that’s the point to it. Clara’s life is her town, her boyfriend, her job, her plan. She has everything set in stone. While she’s had *some* ideas of “something else”, she’s never acted on them. She lives day-to-day knowing more or less how things are going to go. The devil comes and he plants ideas and curiosities in her head—and she has a realization that maybe that “something else” is attainable too.

I wish this was longer. Now we have a perfect intro to Clara’s story but not much follow up. OK ALSO- when Clara called herself “an anomaly” for not wearing crop tops or watching reality tv I HAD TO LAUGH. THE PICK ME/NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS ENERGY IS TOP TIER.

Will I be reading the future installments? Absolutely. I’m excited to see what Olivie Blake and Little Chimura have up their sleeves

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara is stronger than I am. If the Devil came in to get a library card I would fold immediately.

Clara has a straightforward life with a boyfriend and a job at the library, and that's enough for her. Enough, but only until the Devil comes town, in search of a library card and...something else.

It's no secret that I'm an Olivie Blake fanboy so when I saw she was putting out a graphic novel with art by Little Chmura I was sat. Sure enough, volume 1 is the start of a pulse-pounding story about desire and power, with all of the weirdness I've come to expect from Olivie Blake. I know this is a silly thing to put in a review but the color palette! The art is really gorgeous–kind of uncanny at points but I think that fits the story.

I look forward to the next volume and Olivie Blake continuing to put out crazy, awesome books!

Thank you to Olivie Blake and 23rd St. Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

[vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 | me lo leí de un saque porque tenía ganas y las ilustraciones son PRECIOSAS. olivie blake es todo para mí, cuando la leo se prende una lamparita en mi cerebro que ilumina mis neuronas con la “luz olivie blake” porque siempre le capto y le amo la vibra al toque.

solo le puse poco puntaje porque esto es el inicio de la historia y podría haber tirado más bombazos o más cositas interesantes para engancharme por otra cosa aparte de porque es un libro de ella. igual, el concepto de que conozcas al diablo porque va a buscar la tarjeta para la biblioteca????? dejate de jodeeeeeer.

[Mimi Schweid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara's Not Like Other Girls, she's Different. While Clara screamed 21 Year Old Pick Me Energy this was an enjoyable read. The art is gorgeous. The Devil is amusing, the story is predictable, and Olivie's writing is enjoyable. I look forward to Volume 2 in 2027.

[Mia Frew · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it!

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

So is she into bdsm now…?

[Effy Otter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need more immediately.

[Jenna M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish the devil would come to my library.

[Hanae · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ?

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork in this is absolutely gorgeous.