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The Dreaming #3
The Dreaming Volume 3
Where did the ghostly girls come from? And what do they want? Before the students know it, the missing girls enter the school, where Amber spots Millie, who speaks to her almost as if to warn her of something. Is there more to this supernatural mystery than just the school itself? The answers to why these girls have come back and what caused their death are revealed in this haunting series finale.
Paperback
First published December 11, 2007
6 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Queenie Chan
45 books86 followersQueenie Chan was born in Hong Kong in 1980, and migrated to Australia when she was six years old. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems, but didn’t follow that career path due to graduating in 2002, in the middle of the dot-com bust. In 2004, she began drawing a 3-volume mystery-horror series called “The Dreaming” for LA-based manga publisher TOKYOPOP. To date, it has been translated into multiple languages.
She has since collaborated on several single-volume graphic novels with best-selling author Dean Koontz, as prequels to his “Odd Thomas” series of novels. After that, she worked on Small Shen, the prequel to Kylie Chan’s “White Tiger” Chinese fantasy series.
She is currently living in Sydney, Australia, and is working on a series of 8 short ghost stories, titled “The Man with the Axe in his Back”. It will be out as e-books in both prose and comics-prose format in August 2014.
She has since collaborated on several single-volume graphic novels with best-selling author Dean Koontz, as prequels to his “Odd Thomas” series of novels. After that, she worked on Small Shen, the prequel to Kylie Chan’s “White Tiger” Chinese fantasy series.
She is currently living in Sydney, Australia, and is working on a series of 8 short ghost stories, titled “The Man with the Axe in his Back”. It will be out as e-books in both prose and comics-prose format in August 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 29, 2009
(This review is for Volumes 1-3)
I wanted to like "The Dreaming", and I was planning to at least give it three stars. But the combination of culturally appropriative dodginess, and the fact that I had to skim rather than read the last two sections due to trigger issues didn't do much for my opinion of it.
I'd been looking forward to reading this. After all, it was an Australian boarding-school story, essentially. Only it turned out to be a boarding-school story in the same way that Harry Potter is totally original. Ie, not. The first volume had barely begun when students began to leave the school, and there wasn't a single classroom scene. In addition, the setting was unrealistic (a Victorian mansion buried deep in the Bush - conveniently close to Sydney's North Shore, and able to be reached by taxi from the airport), and for too long it looked like the only PoC (Miss Anu) was being set up as a lesser villain.
Then, having spent two volumes describing the mansion, clothing and etc as "Victorian", the "Victorian" era was dated to 1910, which is late Edwardian. In terms of accuracy, I was being asked to suspend disbelief more than I could.
But I could have coped. I would have snarked, but still been able to enjoy the story for what it was. But in the first volume I'd been put on my guard but the line: "this school may be old, but the forest around it is *ancient*". Somehow this rang false to me: either there would be some attempt to incorporate Dreaming stories, or else what was "ancient" would end up being during white settlement, and there's some dodginess right there .
As it happened it was the first. Chan created a story around so-called "Quinkan" spirits who have possessed the school girls, pretty much just because they could, and because they were "evil spirits". However there was no reference to indigenous people, and in what may be an unfortunate coincidence, there are a North Queensland people who are called the Quinkan. Lines in "The Dreaming" (at which point even the title started to bug me, because although the way the possessions take place is through the girls dreams, the link to that part of indigenous culture known as the Dreaming was so *badly* handled it made me wince) about how "Quinkan are evil", "there are no good Quinkan" etc are - to say the least, problematic.
This spoiled my reaction to the book entirely. I will no longer suggest that students read it. (I had been doing so, on the basis of other students who had told me it was good.) I am, however, glad that this was my second encounter with a graphic, not my first. Had it been my first it would have been enough to put me off graphic novels entirely, I suspect.
I wanted to like "The Dreaming", and I was planning to at least give it three stars. But the combination of culturally appropriative dodginess, and the fact that I had to skim rather than read the last two sections due to trigger issues didn't do much for my opinion of it.
I'd been looking forward to reading this. After all, it was an Australian boarding-school story, essentially. Only it turned out to be a boarding-school story in the same way that Harry Potter is totally original. Ie, not. The first volume had barely begun when students began to leave the school, and there wasn't a single classroom scene. In addition, the setting was unrealistic (a Victorian mansion buried deep in the Bush - conveniently close to Sydney's North Shore, and able to be reached by taxi from the airport), and for too long it looked like the only PoC (Miss Anu) was being set up as a lesser villain.
Then, having spent two volumes describing the mansion, clothing and etc as "Victorian", the "Victorian" era was dated to 1910, which is late Edwardian. In terms of accuracy, I was being asked to suspend disbelief more than I could.
But I could have coped. I would have snarked, but still been able to enjoy the story for what it was. But in the first volume I'd been put on my guard but the line: "this school may be old, but the forest around it is *ancient*". Somehow this rang false to me: either there would be some attempt to incorporate Dreaming stories, or else what was "ancient" would end up being during white settlement, and there's some dodginess right there .
As it happened it was the first. Chan created a story around so-called "Quinkan" spirits who have possessed the school girls, pretty much just because they could, and because they were "evil spirits". However there was no reference to indigenous people, and in what may be an unfortunate coincidence, there are a North Queensland people who are called the Quinkan. Lines in "The Dreaming" (at which point even the title started to bug me, because although the way the possessions take place is through the girls dreams, the link to that part of indigenous culture known as the Dreaming was so *badly* handled it made me wince) about how "Quinkan are evil", "there are no good Quinkan" etc are - to say the least, problematic.
This spoiled my reaction to the book entirely. I will no longer suggest that students read it. (I had been doing so, on the basis of other students who had told me it was good.) I am, however, glad that this was my second encounter with a graphic, not my first. Had it been my first it would have been enough to put me off graphic novels entirely, I suspect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2012
It took me a long time to finish this series even though it’s only 3 volumes long. Mostly because it’s a few years old and I couldn’t find the last volume (and never remembered to look for it online). I liked that it’s yet another interpretation (a paranormal one) of the missing girls from a turn of the 20th century Australian girl’s school (this really did happen).
As always end of series volumes are impossible to review without spoiling it. Amber and Jeanie, twin sisters sent to the modern day version of the school are now facing what the other girls had, a supernatural entity making the girls disappear. They, along with their teacher, Miss Anu, figure out what it doing this (giving it a very near Indigenous twist) and are in a race for their lives. It’s just not the spirits after them, but the headmistress, Skeener, has deadly secrets of her own. It’s followed up with a years later epilogue.
Honestly, while it is a good ending in some ways I felt like it was a bit flat. I would rather not have had the epilogue even though it was trying to bring it around full circle in an odd way. I have to admit, I am not the Queenie Chan fan many others are. Overall, it was good, and interesting to see an all-female cast.
As always end of series volumes are impossible to review without spoiling it. Amber and Jeanie, twin sisters sent to the modern day version of the school are now facing what the other girls had, a supernatural entity making the girls disappear. They, along with their teacher, Miss Anu, figure out what it doing this (giving it a very near Indigenous twist) and are in a race for their lives. It’s just not the spirits after them, but the headmistress, Skeener, has deadly secrets of her own. It’s followed up with a years later epilogue.
Honestly, while it is a good ending in some ways I felt like it was a bit flat. I would rather not have had the epilogue even though it was trying to bring it around full circle in an odd way. I have to admit, I am not the Queenie Chan fan many others are. Overall, it was good, and interesting to see an all-female cast.
May 2, 2013
Not many students are left and things continue to get stranger. And the missing girls show up, right outside the school. Amber speaks to Millie, who gives her a warning.
And Mrs. Skeener has gone missing. Now Jeanie, Amber and Miss Anu are trying to figure out what's going on.
A lot of my questions were answered in this volume, but some of the mysteries were still unanswered. Such as, who is "her"? I know she was a student, but it's never revealed who she is exactly.
I thought all three volumes were really good. I like the story, the mysterious feel of it all and it could be intense at times, especially since you didn't really know why girls were going missing right away. But I feel the ending was kind of sad. It seems that school will forever to in Jeanie's mind. Sure, she's went on to have a career and all, but I don't think she came from that school the same person she was when she first got there. And Amber had the most changes of all, but I won't reveal what, as it'll spoil the series.
Really good manga trilogy. I liked it a lot.
And Mrs. Skeener has gone missing. Now Jeanie, Amber and Miss Anu are trying to figure out what's going on.
A lot of my questions were answered in this volume, but some of the mysteries were still unanswered. Such as, who is "her"? I know she was a student, but it's never revealed who she is exactly.
I thought all three volumes were really good. I like the story, the mysterious feel of it all and it could be intense at times, especially since you didn't really know why girls were going missing right away. But I feel the ending was kind of sad. It seems that school will forever to in Jeanie's mind. Sure, she's went on to have a career and all, but I don't think she came from that school the same person she was when she first got there. And Amber had the most changes of all, but I won't reveal what, as it'll spoil the series.
Really good manga trilogy. I liked it a lot.
October 22, 2016
The third and final volume to The Dreaming trilogy by Queenie Chan (I wonder if that's even her real name). And what a fantastic conclusion!
In this volume of The Dreaming, Jeanie finds the answers she is looking for and together with Amber and Miss Anu they discover exactly what's going on. Mrs. Skeener reveals her story in a frantic attempt to salvage her and the school's reputation and the readers finally get the whole picture.
I quite liked incorporation of Aboriginal myth in this book- I thought it made it unique to its setting (Australia) and was an interesting concept overall. I'm very pleased I finally got to complete the series. Short and sweet this manga is every bit gripping and full of mystery. Highly recommended.
In this volume of The Dreaming, Jeanie finds the answers she is looking for and together with Amber and Miss Anu they discover exactly what's going on. Mrs. Skeener reveals her story in a frantic attempt to salvage her and the school's reputation and the readers finally get the whole picture.
I quite liked incorporation of Aboriginal myth in this book- I thought it made it unique to its setting (Australia) and was an interesting concept overall. I'm very pleased I finally got to complete the series. Short and sweet this manga is every bit gripping and full of mystery. Highly recommended.
December 30, 2017
This story was really drug out, and while interesting, I think it probably would have been better if some of the fluff was taken out, and more of the story was focused on. It could have been just two volumes, and probably been much better.
June 17, 2015
An eerie and exciting wrap-up to this series. The ending was a bit sad and of course, just a little creepy. Great ending and I seriously wish this series was longer!
February 17, 2021
***Trigger Warnings: Fire, car accident, murder, unsolved disappearance, child abuse and appropriation of Aboriginal mythology.
Note: The author mentions the misconstrued depiction of Aboriginal mythology on her website when viewing this trilogy, so I was aware when I bought the trilogy of this depiction. I also bought all these books secondhand as they are technically out of print and hard to find for reasonable prices.
I originally read The Dreaming in high school, I remembered it being a horror manga that took place at a boarding school. It led to my inspiration of my own paranormal dark academia idea. But I admit I forgot most of the stuff that happens in book 3 and I wish that the author had maybe extended the story a little more.
The first two were really great, but I think this book wraps things up too quickly.
I also found the character of Jeanie extremely annoying throughout all the books. She disregards Amber constantly even when she is visibly depressed and sick. We are left up in the air about what happened back home that led them to be sent to the school. And the ending when Jeanie is learning get the backstory of the school and ghosts, she is concerned about getting away from Mrs. Skeener. And then she blames the fire on a dead woman whom did nothing to her except be strict, hate twins and kind of scare her.
Amber’s backstory about why she loves the occult is weird and a little disjointed. Like what happened? Did she get hit by a car or not? And what does it have to do with the occult? Also Amber knew about the mirror game, she wanted no part in it in the first book and fell asleep, she said nothing about Jeanie not doing it. So why is so surprised when Jeanie admits to doing it?
I don’t know the details when it comes to plotting and writing any sort of graphic novel. But this one seems disjointed and not very well planned out. Especially transitioning from books 2 to 3. I possibly need to read them again all at once but that’s how I feel right now.
The backstory about Mrs. Skeener and her sister was actually much more terrifying and interesting, and kind of wish I got more of that. And a better reaction from Jeanie when hearing what happened. Also Amber gets fully possessed by Mary Specter and Jeanie doesn’t notice or care.
The ending was just weird and not great.
2 stars for this book.
And as for the whole trilogy, 3.5. Mostly because the concept was good and the setting was unsettling. Also the art is very good, especially the art at the beginning of each chapter where we see more horrifying elements.
Note: The author mentions the misconstrued depiction of Aboriginal mythology on her website when viewing this trilogy, so I was aware when I bought the trilogy of this depiction. I also bought all these books secondhand as they are technically out of print and hard to find for reasonable prices.
I originally read The Dreaming in high school, I remembered it being a horror manga that took place at a boarding school. It led to my inspiration of my own paranormal dark academia idea. But I admit I forgot most of the stuff that happens in book 3 and I wish that the author had maybe extended the story a little more.
The first two were really great, but I think this book wraps things up too quickly.
I also found the character of Jeanie extremely annoying throughout all the books. She disregards Amber constantly even when she is visibly depressed and sick. We are left up in the air about what happened back home that led them to be sent to the school. And the ending when Jeanie is learning get the backstory of the school and ghosts, she is concerned about getting away from Mrs. Skeener. And then she blames the fire on a dead woman whom did nothing to her except be strict, hate twins and kind of scare her.
Amber’s backstory about why she loves the occult is weird and a little disjointed. Like what happened? Did she get hit by a car or not? And what does it have to do with the occult? Also Amber knew about the mirror game, she wanted no part in it in the first book and fell asleep, she said nothing about Jeanie not doing it. So why is so surprised when Jeanie admits to doing it?
I don’t know the details when it comes to plotting and writing any sort of graphic novel. But this one seems disjointed and not very well planned out. Especially transitioning from books 2 to 3. I possibly need to read them again all at once but that’s how I feel right now.
The backstory about Mrs. Skeener and her sister was actually much more terrifying and interesting, and kind of wish I got more of that. And a better reaction from Jeanie when hearing what happened. Also Amber gets fully possessed by Mary Specter and Jeanie doesn’t notice or care.
The ending was just weird and not great.
2 stars for this book.
And as for the whole trilogy, 3.5. Mostly because the concept was good and the setting was unsettling. Also the art is very good, especially the art at the beginning of each chapter where we see more horrifying elements.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2022
Book 3 was a big surprise to me for how it would end and the last of the dots to be connected!
I will say, it did dissapoint me a little. I'm confused as to how Queenie wrote some of this, as it wraps up quicker than I think it should (perhaps this is why there was a series collection made years later with some additional content?)
Some things that confused me is, what was the real reason Amber and Jeanie were being sent off to this school and how come their aunt never came back? Like she was to be gone for a while but surely she should have returned before the school closed down right?? Also, how did Mrs. Skeener end up with the school and get away with changing her name if she never married? What really ended up happening to Amber as an adult? Did Jeanie just lean into the trauma? That really confused me at the end, especially since the school was no more.
I could tell part way through book 1 that this was Jeanie's story and she's the main character but I wish we got more of Amber's perspective and scenes that were just her and how the mystery/paranormal aspects of the school were making her feel. Amber's confession of her getting ran over and possibly not even being real was a huge surprise, but it didn't go as far as I would have hoped, same with her ending up possessed by Mary and eventually learning to paint just as her. Like there's way more to what was going on with Amber both during their stay at the school and after!
I think books 1 and 2 really set up the story nicely, and I thought 3 would just tie it together and answer all the questions but it didn't, it answered most and left some up to interpretation. Also, Queenie has never written anything else in this genre so I don't know if there's a disconnect of her knowing how to properly/effectively wrap up this big of a mystery or she just wanted to leave it so open ended for “spooky factor” I'll give the series a lot of grace as it is aimed at 13+ so the art being very detailed and so beautifully horror does push everything to feeling more polished.
I'm very happy I was able to finish this series. It's traffic that it's so hard to get your hands on as it must not have sold well enough for many copies to be made, and I'll have to pick up the collection book to find out what other content she added. I'd still reccomended this series though! It will always have a place in my heart and on my shelf!
I will say, it did dissapoint me a little. I'm confused as to how Queenie wrote some of this, as it wraps up quicker than I think it should (perhaps this is why there was a series collection made years later with some additional content?)
Some things that confused me is, what was the real reason Amber and Jeanie were being sent off to this school and how come their aunt never came back? Like she was to be gone for a while but surely she should have returned before the school closed down right?? Also, how did Mrs. Skeener end up with the school and get away with changing her name if she never married? What really ended up happening to Amber as an adult? Did Jeanie just lean into the trauma? That really confused me at the end, especially since the school was no more.
I could tell part way through book 1 that this was Jeanie's story and she's the main character but I wish we got more of Amber's perspective and scenes that were just her and how the mystery/paranormal aspects of the school were making her feel. Amber's confession of her getting ran over and possibly not even being real was a huge surprise, but it didn't go as far as I would have hoped, same with her ending up possessed by Mary and eventually learning to paint just as her. Like there's way more to what was going on with Amber both during their stay at the school and after!
I think books 1 and 2 really set up the story nicely, and I thought 3 would just tie it together and answer all the questions but it didn't, it answered most and left some up to interpretation. Also, Queenie has never written anything else in this genre so I don't know if there's a disconnect of her knowing how to properly/effectively wrap up this big of a mystery or she just wanted to leave it so open ended for “spooky factor” I'll give the series a lot of grace as it is aimed at 13+ so the art being very detailed and so beautifully horror does push everything to feeling more polished.
I'm very happy I was able to finish this series. It's traffic that it's so hard to get your hands on as it must not have sold well enough for many copies to be made, and I'll have to pick up the collection book to find out what other content she added. I'd still reccomended this series though! It will always have a place in my heart and on my shelf!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2021
Wow. I did not remember that ending. Well, I remembered there was a fire and flashback, but not the whole thing with Jeanie and Amber. The use of the paranormal, specifically an entity not common in literature, was interesting and I loved the depictions of it, especially from the paintings. I was still left with a couple questions, though.
1. Why was Mary able to paint the story? This isn’t a question of her ability, more of how she got the visions. Was it the creature infecting her mind? Or was she always open to the paranormal? I guess there doesn’t need to be an answer; it’s just something I was left wondering.
2. Her last words. I’m not saying I agree/disagree with Beatrice, but what did Mary mean by them? More specifically, what did that smile mean? Did she think her sister would kill her to survive? Was her understanding of Mary shattered and she couldn’t be with her? It also leads me to wonder if she walked into the bush - she must have, right? - or if the creature came and got her. Again, I think it’s okay to not know the answer; it puts us in a similar headspace as Beatrice, forever wondering what her sister was thinking. I’m just curious.
3. Finally, my biggest critique: why was someone from a sanatorium allowed to run a school? Her dad died and left her the building, okay. But was she medically cleared to go? She clearly had PTSD along with issues of abandonment and feeling unworthy. I know therapy wasn’t the best back then, but did they really expect a person who spent most of their life in a sanatorium to be able to go out on their own and be totally fine? I mean, I guess she was able to mask it pretty well, until shit started happening again. And like I said, I know psychology was wild back then. It just blows my mind that she was able to run a school with no support.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It’s haunting and sad, and the mystery keeps you going. It wasn’t quite like I remembered it, but, then again, I read it first when u was around 12. The series is a bit of a pain to find, but I’d definitely recommend it to manga fans of the paranormal and crime/mystery.
1. Why was Mary able to paint the story? This isn’t a question of her ability, more of how she got the visions. Was it the creature infecting her mind? Or was she always open to the paranormal? I guess there doesn’t need to be an answer; it’s just something I was left wondering.
2. Her last words. I’m not saying I agree/disagree with Beatrice, but what did Mary mean by them? More specifically, what did that smile mean? Did she think her sister would kill her to survive? Was her understanding of Mary shattered and she couldn’t be with her? It also leads me to wonder if she walked into the bush - she must have, right? - or if the creature came and got her. Again, I think it’s okay to not know the answer; it puts us in a similar headspace as Beatrice, forever wondering what her sister was thinking. I’m just curious.
3. Finally, my biggest critique: why was someone from a sanatorium allowed to run a school? Her dad died and left her the building, okay. But was she medically cleared to go? She clearly had PTSD along with issues of abandonment and feeling unworthy. I know therapy wasn’t the best back then, but did they really expect a person who spent most of their life in a sanatorium to be able to go out on their own and be totally fine? I mean, I guess she was able to mask it pretty well, until shit started happening again. And like I said, I know psychology was wild back then. It just blows my mind that she was able to run a school with no support.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It’s haunting and sad, and the mystery keeps you going. It wasn’t quite like I remembered it, but, then again, I read it first when u was around 12. The series is a bit of a pain to find, but I’d definitely recommend it to manga fans of the paranormal and crime/mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2024
An ending worth the wait!
So much has happened since Amber and Jeanie stepped into the foreboding Australian Greenwich private college. With Amber up from her illness and the strange happenings at the school, the girls to work together with a teacher who luckily was investigating the school. The three pooled their knowledge of written texts and the dream world to put together the missing pieces, but have they figured out the mystery in time to save not only themselves but the rest of the student body before they all become more innocent girls fed to the Bush that surround the school.
Only 3 volumes long, this was a short read, but definitely worth it! The atmosphere was perfect for a horror story, the art brought out the feelings of the characters well and the school along with the elaborate Victorian dresses were beautiful touches to the background, and the story was chock-full of twist and turns, some that may be seem obvious, but others that will have you on the edge of your seat and gasping when you find out the truth.
There were some minor nitpicks that I could say, but the series overall was so good I don't see a need to fault a great story by a (at the time I believe) relatively new artist for the sake of negativity. I still love the ending and feel like if that was the perfect way to end The Dreaming.
If you like spooky stories, please please check out this series. I will forever recommend this; it is now one my top 5 favorite completed series.
Check out my bookstagram! @Witchy.Otaku
So much has happened since Amber and Jeanie stepped into the foreboding Australian Greenwich private college. With Amber up from her illness and the strange happenings at the school, the girls to work together with a teacher who luckily was investigating the school. The three pooled their knowledge of written texts and the dream world to put together the missing pieces, but have they figured out the mystery in time to save not only themselves but the rest of the student body before they all become more innocent girls fed to the Bush that surround the school.
Only 3 volumes long, this was a short read, but definitely worth it! The atmosphere was perfect for a horror story, the art brought out the feelings of the characters well and the school along with the elaborate Victorian dresses were beautiful touches to the background, and the story was chock-full of twist and turns, some that may be seem obvious, but others that will have you on the edge of your seat and gasping when you find out the truth.
There were some minor nitpicks that I could say, but the series overall was so good I don't see a need to fault a great story by a (at the time I believe) relatively new artist for the sake of negativity. I still love the ending and feel like if that was the perfect way to end The Dreaming.
If you like spooky stories, please please check out this series. I will forever recommend this; it is now one my top 5 favorite completed series.
Check out my bookstagram! @Witchy.Otaku
September 30, 2023
I’m sorry this is pretty bad. It’s only good from a standpoint of this is just a fun little mediocre tale set for preteens. Sure, but rlly even at that it’s not great. Again I’m an adult going back to read this. I only had the first volume as a teen & never got to finish the series. Over a decade later, here I am finally finishing. I can tell you it wasn’t worth it. Some can say I can’t rate this anymore because I’m not the target audience. It’s not that, I think something can still hold up. Let me put it this way. I would only recommend this be read if a young kid or teen happen to take interest in it already. Sure, that’s fine. But as far as me actually recommending it out to others of any age, I wouldn’t. There’s tons of stories out there with really only slight few recommendations actually choosing to get read. This is one that can be skipped.
That all being said, it’s decent. The author put their work into it. It’s a cute little cheesy story. I was disappointed with the ending because it built up all this story to really not dive into any of it. Then the entire ending was all telling no showing. It just summed everything up. Nothing really got answered, solved, anything. It was only an experience, just all a dream.
That all being said, it’s decent. The author put their work into it. It’s a cute little cheesy story. I was disappointed with the ending because it built up all this story to really not dive into any of it. Then the entire ending was all telling no showing. It just summed everything up. Nothing really got answered, solved, anything. It was only an experience, just all a dream.
April 17, 2025
My favored to least favored volumes of this series ranked in order.
1. Volume 2
2. Volume 3
3. Volume 1
Overall, this manga was an enjoyable story with folklore-like esque. The ending, too, was done beautiful; The cycle going on once again, with Jeanie becoming just like Mrs. Skeener. Living in the silent solitude of the school, despite it being burned down to the grounds. Meanwhile, there is no "Amber" anymore. She's possesed by Mary, and it will always stay like that under the guise of her "memory-loss". It's obvious in some ways that Jeanie (in the epilogue) is aware of Mary's possession of Amber, it being visible through her sudden love for painting, etc. but she won't do anything. Either because she's too stuck up with Mrs. Skeeners last words to her. "I wasn't wrong." With this, she's trying to convince herself that she didn't do anything wrong either.
"Haunted boarding school" is a famous trope in modern and old literature. The Dreaming portrayed it appealingly, adding unique tones and characteristics. This story was enjoyable in general, despite it not being very original.
1. Volume 2
2. Volume 3
3. Volume 1
Overall, this manga was an enjoyable story with folklore-like esque. The ending, too, was done beautiful; The cycle going on once again, with Jeanie becoming just like Mrs. Skeener. Living in the silent solitude of the school, despite it being burned down to the grounds. Meanwhile, there is no "Amber" anymore. She's possesed by Mary, and it will always stay like that under the guise of her "memory-loss". It's obvious in some ways that Jeanie (in the epilogue) is aware of Mary's possession of Amber, it being visible through her sudden love for painting, etc. but she won't do anything. Either because she's too stuck up with Mrs. Skeeners last words to her. "I wasn't wrong." With this, she's trying to convince herself that she didn't do anything wrong either.
"Haunted boarding school" is a famous trope in modern and old literature. The Dreaming portrayed it appealingly, adding unique tones and characteristics. This story was enjoyable in general, despite it not being very original.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2024
The series concludes in this book as twins Jeanie and Amber get to the bottom of the mystery of Greenwich Private College once and for all and figure out why so many girls have vanished.
Without giving away too much, lots of supernatural events unfold here at a fast pace and we find out about head master of the school Mrs Beatrice Skeener’s origin story of how she and her long lost twin sister Mary got to Australia and honestly it tugged at some heart strings for her and also helped tie some loose ends on questions the first two books raised.
However, the ending and the epilogue fell a little flat for me but overall the series was an eerie, suspenseful, spooky boarding school tale that was worth the time. Funny story. 9 actually only originally had the first book when I was moving my old bookshelf and books from my childhood bedroom to my house now and reread it and didn’t realize the series was only three books so luckily I found the rest so now this is no longer a series I started but never finished haha 😆
Without giving away too much, lots of supernatural events unfold here at a fast pace and we find out about head master of the school Mrs Beatrice Skeener’s origin story of how she and her long lost twin sister Mary got to Australia and honestly it tugged at some heart strings for her and also helped tie some loose ends on questions the first two books raised.
However, the ending and the epilogue fell a little flat for me but overall the series was an eerie, suspenseful, spooky boarding school tale that was worth the time. Funny story. 9 actually only originally had the first book when I was moving my old bookshelf and books from my childhood bedroom to my house now and reread it and didn’t realize the series was only three books so luckily I found the rest so now this is no longer a series I started but never finished haha 😆
August 2, 2024
Reread from way back in middle school. Reviewing all 3 at the same time, so you'll see this copy and pasted. This used to terrify me, but now I just see it as a charming mystery! Definitely some creepy art work with a good ghost story but not nearly as scary as I remember.
The dialogue is definitely choppier than I remember and some of the story beats were... odd?? Minor spoilers ahead:
If you know your twin sister is acting odd and having horrible, horrible nightmares and telling you she wants herself back... WHY would you give her MORE sleeping pills and just leave her alone in your room with assumed ghosts roaming about the school???? Just weird choices to make.
Overall not a bad little ghost story manga!
The dialogue is definitely choppier than I remember and some of the story beats were... odd?? Minor spoilers ahead:
If you know your twin sister is acting odd and having horrible, horrible nightmares and telling you she wants herself back... WHY would you give her MORE sleeping pills and just leave her alone in your room with assumed ghosts roaming about the school???? Just weird choices to make.
Overall not a bad little ghost story manga!
January 18, 2021
Felt a bit anticlimactic.... like it just ends. I mean it still affects them even in old age but like- there’s no huge battle or anything there’s just kind of a reveal with Mrs. Skeener- (how did she get married anyway if she was living in the asylum for so many years? Never explains it...) and I mean the place just burns down. No big battle or anything super cool or dramatic... just kinda one of those “poetic” endings... which isn’t bad but I wanted more. The first two were super eerie! Third one left me kinda eh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2018
What the....? 😰 This conclusion was anything but satisfying. I really don't question anymore why I didn't remember this. The ending was so weird, and not scary at all. What a shame.
So she burned the place, kept dreaming about it, and let her sister move away? Okay it was heavily implied that it wasn't her sister anymore but Mary. Still...... and then she thought that her life with all those nightmares wasn't actually bad at all? What.... ....no. I did not like this.
#CharmsExtraCredit 🌟
So she burned the place, kept dreaming about it, and let her sister move away? Okay it was heavily implied that it wasn't her sister anymore but Mary. Still...... and then she thought that her life with all those nightmares wasn't actually bad at all? What.... ....no. I did not like this.
#CharmsExtraCredit 🌟
December 28, 2020
This review is for all three volumes. Overall, it was really good. It had that creepy factor and had some Australian folklore, which is cool because I dont see that very often. My biggest complaint is that the story was very disjointed at some points making it had to follow. It was like you went from point A to point Z, but skipped points C, L, O, and R. Despite that, I recommend giving it a go as they are quick reads. I read all three in a few hours.
December 7, 2024
The volume with all the answers! This was definitely the best volume in the series; the buildup in volume 1 took too long imo but they stuck the landing here. I really like the climax, the answer to the mystery was interesting, it made sense, it wasn't cliché, I'd never heard of it before, it was perfect for the setting of the story. I do have some lingering questions after the epilogue... is she okay??
April 10, 2018
A really nice ending to this trilogy. This was a series I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend for a quick and easy light read. The story plays like the type of ghost story you would tell around a fire at a camp or on a sleepover with friends, haunting yet still somewhat lighthearted and charming.
Rating: 3.5
Rating: 3.5
December 29, 2020
WOW. So I was able to connect the dots on how this would end but I'm happy with that. I think that this finale to the series was so beautifully put together. I enjoyed this series as a whole purely because I think it's been long overdue that I figured out just how it ended.
December 24, 2017
Schöne Manga-Reihe.
July 3, 2019
I was going to read just the first volume tonight. I fell into the story and finished all three before I knew it. Definite recommendation, very strange, with beautiful artwork.
February 12, 2020
The spookiest
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June 1, 2022
the ending was kinda meh, but I still really enjoyed the series regardless.
read on Kindle, would love to own it or the omnibus one day!
read on Kindle, would love to own it or the omnibus one day!
September 23, 2022
Okunmasa da olabilecek bir manga denemesiydi.
December 29, 2020
the last Volume in the series and I wish we had more but all in all these series is a great read if you love a short mystery.
August 1, 2022
wasn’t until I was reading where they were after the incidents that I realized I read vol 3 instead of 2 but I was already done at that point...
March 10, 2020
This is a rambler. You've been warned. Credit where credit's due for the ending (sans mystery wrap up). The sisters didn't get a traditional happy ending, which is refreshing in YA. So many novels don't show the ramifications of tragedy. Watching Amber and Jeanie drift apart (Amber just up and left one day) when they were once so close, was sad to say the least. But I think it was a realistic aspect for Jeanie to acknowledge she doesn't want to see her twin, that it would bring everything back. So... the realism was awesome, but the fantasy/supernatural elements (you know, the reason I picked up this series) was a full on Monet. A case of doing too much. There were quite a few goings on (ghostly girls, the school's past, the twin connection, and Mrs. Skeener's past) to wrap up, and the while explanation for the Mrs. Skeener, twins, and school made sense (Mrs. Skeener and her twin sister arrived at the school to visit their aunt way back, only to be sacrificed to the fairy queen chick for revenge. Skeener kills them in defense and is called a monster by her sister, who up and leaves without a trace), the ghostly girls felt tacked on (Aboriginal spirits called Quinkan are possessing the girls, taking any form, luring others into the forest). It was like, she wanted to force another Hanging Rock comparison. This happened in the second volume as well, when Millie is talking up Aboriginal eons/staying young forever. Yeah... that was just another thread that went nowhere. This left me with more questions than answers, like what happened to their aunt? Where did the twins end up living right after the tragedy? But I can't get over how good the ending was. Jeanie reveals that Amber's become a painter in England (anyone else think Amber became Mary-Skeener's twin, who'd possessed her? She herself was a talented painter...) while Jeanie is living a normal life as a paralegal. But by night, she returns to the school in never ending dreams. She also laments on the parallels between herself and Mrs. Skeener, separated from her twin, caught in the clutches of a school long dead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2009
The Little Bookworm
When twins Jeanie and Amber are sent to Greenwich Private College in Australia, they expect it will be a regular school. Things quickly turn creepy as the sisters are told to pretend they are not twins and start dreaming the same dreams. As they delved further into the history of the school and the rumors of haunting and missing girls, the twins start to realize that the key might be in their dreams.
I went ahead and read all three since manga are short and it's only a three part series. This is some creepy stuff right here. The first volume is the introduction to the story with one of the twins getting weirded out right away at their new boarding school. Then they have the same dream about the bushland that surrounds the school and girls with knifes. The second and third volume give more history of the school and the disappearances that have happened over the years with the very creepy back story of the vice-principal. At first, it seemed that the story was going to devolve into some lame fairy tale, but then it takes a sharp turn at what? and then stops at nightmarish so I was actually somewhat surprised at the end. Though there was a storyline that feels like it was dropped somewhere along the way and I'm not quite sure what happened there at the end.
As far the artwork, it is typical manga style although with more creepy eyes than I have read before. I had some trouble with who was who until I realized that Jeanie always has a ponytail and then I got it. I think it is hard to draw twins and not have confusion though. The art really did add to the overall effect the story was going for and the paintings inside of the school were majorly horrible (like in scary, not in poorly drawn or anything).
When twins Jeanie and Amber are sent to Greenwich Private College in Australia, they expect it will be a regular school. Things quickly turn creepy as the sisters are told to pretend they are not twins and start dreaming the same dreams. As they delved further into the history of the school and the rumors of haunting and missing girls, the twins start to realize that the key might be in their dreams.
I went ahead and read all three since manga are short and it's only a three part series. This is some creepy stuff right here. The first volume is the introduction to the story with one of the twins getting weirded out right away at their new boarding school. Then they have the same dream about the bushland that surrounds the school and girls with knifes. The second and third volume give more history of the school and the disappearances that have happened over the years with the very creepy back story of the vice-principal. At first, it seemed that the story was going to devolve into some lame fairy tale, but then it takes a sharp turn at what? and then stops at nightmarish so I was actually somewhat surprised at the end. Though there was a storyline that feels like it was dropped somewhere along the way and I'm not quite sure what happened there at the end.
As far the artwork, it is typical manga style although with more creepy eyes than I have read before. I had some trouble with who was who until I realized that Jeanie always has a ponytail and then I got it. I think it is hard to draw twins and not have confusion though. The art really did add to the overall effect the story was going for and the paintings inside of the school were majorly horrible (like in scary, not in poorly drawn or anything).
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