This is a dark, macabre, horror story disguised in a fantasy, supernatural, and magical land! Phenomenal storytelling! Spectacular artwork! Excellent! 😁📖
I disegni sono la cosa più bella di questo manga. Insieme alla crescita del rapporto tra Somali e il Golem. Tutto il resto, come si suol dire, è noia. La storia procede lentamente e di passi avanti se ne vedono pochi: la prima parte del volume ci regala un altro piccolo flashback riguardante la guerra tra altraforma e umani, con la disfatta di questi ultimi. Haitora ripercorre la sua storia e le decisioni che l'hanno poi portato a incontrare la piccola Uzoi, il suo senso di colpa per aver ucciso la madre della ragazzina - un rapporto di affetto sincero, alla cui base, però, si nasconde una bugia. Per certi versi, il legame tra Haitora e Uzoi richiama quello tra i nostri due protagonisti.
Altro dettaglio interessante di questo volume è quello relativo alle condizioni del Golem, che sono in via di progressivo peggioramento: resta da vedere se riuscirà ad arrivare alla fine del viaggio oppure no. La cosa certa è che ormai lui stesso si considera il padre di Somali e non ha alcuna intenzione di abbandonare la bambina: il suo compito è ormai quello di proteggerla e prendersi cura di lei. Una missione molto bella e dolce, ma magari potremmo pure far procedere la trama un po' più velocemente, no?
This is a beautifully written and drawn story about a golem (a bio-mechanical being) who has become the ' father ' of a human girl, in a world where humans are routinely killed and eaten by other sentinent beings. The golem is looking for humans to leave her with, as he is nearing the end of his life. The art is magnificent, and the story by turn sensitive and sometimes scary. You could read it to young children, but you might want to skip/soften occasional story elements. I'm 68, and I teared up occasionally. It's a magnificent achievement, and I will look for work by the same creator. I'd happily buy a print version. A note to Amazon: you'd get more reviews if the text entry on Kindle Fire tablets had a dictionary large enough so it didn't routinely and automatically replace 'golem' with 'golden' and other idiocies, necessitating reviewers proofing reviews for errors INTRODUCED by the 'spell checker '.
That got dark super quick. The world building is incredible, it reminds me so much of the promise neverland but if the story focused more the the wholesome adventure. I love love this series, I'm gonna miss it when its over
This is probably one of my favorite manga :) I adore the artstyle and the covers are STUNNING. The story is heartwarming but also dark in some parts, a good balance. Would definitely recommend!
Somali and the Forest Spirit, Vol. 4 takes a much darker turn as the story delves into the tragic backstory of the cursed man previously introduced. Before becoming what he is now, he once had a family, but they were captured by non-human hunters. After escaping, starvation drives him to a horrifying act: killing and consuming his companion’s mother. This act immediately curses him, resulting in the deaths of his wife and daughter. The revelation is heavy and unsettling, especially as it explains how he later comes to be with Uzoi, along with her finding out the truth. Their bond is deeply disturbing, shaped by trauma and survival rather than warmth, making this portion of the volume particularly grim. Although they bond through trauma, there were brighter moments, so Uzoi doesn't want him to die or get vengeance, but to live.
After this harrowing detour, the narrative shifts back to Somali and the Golem as they reunite with old friends and continue their journey. The Golem, whose body is slowly deteriorating, begins openly discussing his fears with friends, especially his dread of leaving Somali behind once he can no longer protect her. These conversations highlight his internal struggle and further intensify the pursuit of his purpose of finding out more about humans before he runs out of time.