Witchy

Witchy #1

by Ariel Slamet Ries

In the witch kingdom Hyalin, the strength of your magic is determined by the length of your hair. Those that are strong enough are conscripted by the Witch Guard, who enforce the law in peacetime and protect the land during war. However, those with hair judged too long are pronounced enemies of the kingdom, and annihilated. This is called a witch burning.

Witchy is a comic about the young witch Nyneve, who is haunted by the death of her father and the threat the Witch Guard poses to her own life. When conscription rolls around, Nyneve has a choice to make; join the institution complicit in her father's death, or stand up for her ideals?

Witchy was nominated for the 2015 Ignatz for Outstanding Online Comic, the 2016 DINKy for Outstanding Web Comic, and the Danish "Pingprisen" for Best Online Series in 2017 and 2018.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult, Comics, LGBT, Witches, Queer

268 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2019

About the author

Ariel Slamet Ries is a Naarm-based, Ignatz-award winning cartoonist and author of the comics Witchy, Cry Wolf Girl, and the newly released Strange Bedfellows. After studying animation in Denmark for 4 years, they lost their degree in the post and unceremoniously bumbled into making comics for a living. They’re interested in using a fantastical lens to examine the mundane, and curating empathy for flawed characters.

Reviews

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Jesse (JesseTheReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a solid set up as a first book in a series! There was a scene in particular that I wish would have been a bit fleshed out as it felt like there was quite a bit of build up to it and then all we really got was a small flashback peak into a portion of it. I loved the illustrations when it came to the action scenes! The movement of the story is fast and there's lots of intriguing elements that keep you invested. The mother daughter relationship showcased was WHOLESOME and I loved seeing the mother do everything she could to protect her daughter.

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

OwlCrate's May 2020 Box - REBELS WITH A CAUSE 🔥
My Rep Code: MEL10 ❤️

This was such a pleasant surprise! Witchy is a graphic novel story that centers on a witch kingdom called Hyalin! In this magical kingdom, the witch’s powers are dependent on how long their hair is, and they take a lot of pride in that. But if your hair is too long, and you are too powerful, the witch government can burn you to death. Also, the government tests the magical abilities of the young adults, and they can get conscripted into the military guard to protect the lands, which is also viewed as a great honor!

But our main character, Nyneve, not only is forced to hide her extremely long hair, but they also are very untrusting of the ruler Jung, and the other ruling witches, because she witnessed her father getting burned because he was so powerful. But now that the conscription is going to take place at her school, she is feeling very scared and a little helpless. That is, until she does something that will change her fate forever and cuts her hair off!

This first installment is all about the conscription “tournament”, the ramifications of Nyneve’s actions, new journeys to find out the truth of this kingdom and world, and a very cute talking raven named Banana! This story is also pretty diverse with very many characters of color (I feel like they are mostly south and south east Asian), a trans side character (I feel like this entire world is very gender fluid, but this side character is confirmed), and with a vast range of different body types! I also think the color palette is very unique, and very much captivated me throughout!

Content and Trigger Warnings for loss of a parent, transphobia (challenged), medical examination difficultly, and abandonment.

But I really enjoyed this story and I can’t wait to see what comes next! I truly always love a good magical story about people choosing their own destiny, even if the path to figuring that out can be a little difficult at times! And starring Asian witches, created by an ownvoices creator? Be still, my Filipino heart. And with most of my graphic works reviews, I like to do mini break downs of each chapter/issue so it will be an easier recap for me when a new installment is created! (Also, I just really like breaking down things!) But use caution for spoilers if you do not want to know anything about this story before going in!

✨ Also, you can read for FREE HERE! ✨


➽ Chapter One:
We get to find out mostly what happened to Neve’s father, we get to learn a little bit about this military guard the is forced to protect this witch kingdom, and we start to see that dictatorship can wear many masks!

➽ Chapter Two:
Batu and Prill are Nyneve’s two friends, and both have my heart. Well, Prill was a little bit of an enemy, I think! But only for like a page. We learn about the conscription and find out it is in two weeks!

➽ Chapter Three:
This chapter really makes you fall in love with Neve’s mom. We learn that she joined the guard because of a bet. And she proves that she is willing to do anything for her daughter, and sacrifice anything for her safety. We also get to see the conscription, and Jung separates the kids into different teams, where they are forced to compete. And we learn who gets recruited! (I’m sure you can see where this is going… hehe!)

➽ Chapter Four:
Nyneve is exploring a new place, with a talking raven, and meets a whole new community that is run by Batu’s sister, Io! (Let me also say, that I, too, would have a crush on Io!) But we get to see this orphanage for kids whose parents have been burned, and we get to see that maybe they are going to grow up to be a resistance army. Oh, also, we get to see Nyneve and Banana studying in a library filled with banned books and I just really enjoyed it and it made my heart happy! We also get to meet a very mysterious tree person named Eynag! And we get to see Neve decide what she is going to do next, when everything feels so unsure.

Again, I loved this. I really have even higher hopes for the next installment! I might go on the website I linked above and read the next two chapters because I just want more and more from this world. The creator has truly blown me away and I just want to support them forever. I hope you all enjoy this one too, if you choose to pick it up!

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❤ Reading Rush 2020

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Written Review

“If others pull you from the darkness, it's because they believe your life is worth living. Don't push them away because you don't feel you deserve it.”

Nyneve lives in a world seeped in magic.

Hyalin, a witch kingdom, has long depended on the service of its most magical in the Witch Guard.

Hair length is always directly correlated with the strength of your magic

And everyone deeply desires to have long hair (but not too long, cause then the rulers get a little nervous and might kill you for being too strong).

Nyneve has never bought into that belief and quite happily lives her life with her shortened hair

But then Conscription Day rolls around and she is faced with a choice that she never wanted to make.

I liked this comic!

I loved idea magic in this world and Nyneve was quite the interesting main character.

I do wish the book moved a bit faster in the beginning.

It felt like we spent so much time setting up one storyline and then just pivoted to a new one within the last quarter of the book. I wish the time between those two was a bit more balanced.

But other than that, I was satisfied with this book.

P.s. the illustrations and the color schemes were absolutely gorgeous.

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[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when I pick up a graphic novel and, within just a few pages, know that I’ve found a new favorite series to follow (at least, I’m assuming it’s going to be a series, based on the ending). Witchy takes place in a magical world where each person’s power is dictated by the length of their hair. Having watched her father burned when she was a child due to his hair being deemed too long by the government, Nyneve spends her life hiding who she is in hopes of going unnoticed by the army.

The art style in this is fun and light, but the plot has a lot of nuance and subtle heaviness to it. There’s an oppressive militia/government, a lot of hurting children and families, and something suspicious going on in the way the kingdom of Hyalin’s history is steadily being rewritten and erased. There’s also a ton of gorgeously effortless diversity, including characters of color, casual queerness, a trans girl, and more.

Between the cast of characters, the plot, the world-building, and a certain snarky talking raven, I loved Witchy a whole lot, and I really hope I’m right in my expectations of a sequel, because I definitely need more time with Nyneve and her friends in the kingdom of Hyalin.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Becca & The Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this not expecting too much from it but I ended up enjoying it so much that I read volume immediately.
Great humour, interesting story and a really cute art style!

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘If others pull you from the darkness, it's because they believe your life is worth living. Don't push them away because you don't feel you deserve it.’

Nyneve finds herself on the run when she defines the Witch Guard and cuts off her extraordinarily long hair—the source of magic for all witches—and evades conscription in this wonderful first part of the Witchy series by artists and author Ariel Slamet Ries. Welcome to witch kingdom Hyalin, a place of intrigue and danger where witches keep the ‘peace’. But Nyneve is uneasy with their ways, having grown up fatherless after he was executed by the guard for being too powerful, and does not wish to join them. Witchy, which began as a webcomic (read it here), is the first of currently two installments in a series that has some expansive and nuanced world-building, creating a fascinating landscape full of history and exciting characters that are a joy to watch butt heads and play out what is shaping up to be an epic story.


Classic moment of letting all the hair out so that it is messy and wild but also beautiful.

Admittedly, this one took me a bit to get into. There is a lot of set-up, which is fun, though the whole concept of the length of your hair being the strength of your power…is a bit awkward. Does it stay the same length always? You gather that cutting it is a massive offense, but they burn witches at the steak if their hair is too long, so there seems to be some logistical questions that could be better addressed here. Pushing that aside, this is really fun. The kingdom of Hyalin is inspired by a blend of Asian and Oceanic cultures, which is really exciting to see and the book has a wonderfully diverse cast. We also have queer and trans characters, so bonus points there too. While the art is bright and fun, it isn’t a style that particularly grabbed me and it can be tricky to follow along with at times with the layout (especially layout of dialogue) seeming a little chaotic.

I do appreciate the grit this graphic novel has and it does not shy away from difficult themes and conversations. Trauma and military violence are central to the story, and the need for resistance and progressive politics are addressed as well. Witch burnings and book bans give texture to the narrative, drawing connections with current day issues and struggles and allowing readers to consider the implications of them in a fantasy world where we can feel empowered.

Witchy is an interesting and fast paced action adventure and I will certainly be back for more. There’s a talking raven, how can you not love that!? It was a bit of a rough start for me but by the time I got to the end I was eager for more and fully hooked on the story, which is becoming more rebellious by the page. A delightful read.

3.5/5

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't bad, but it just very much wasn't for me. Waaay too fantastical for my personal tastes.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art was cool!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Jananie (thisstoryaintover)]

AHH THIS WAS SO GOOD. I LOVE the artwork and the story/world is just incredibly imagined. I'm so excited to see where this goes and I can see myself following it for a long time!

[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If others pull you from the darkness, it's because they believe your life is worth living. Don't push them away because you don't feel you deserve it.”

representation: characters of colour, trans side character.

[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]

★★★★

I really enjoyed this!

trigger warnings: loss of a parent, bullying, transphobia, violence.

[Xandra (StarrySkyBooks)]

I can't decide on how to rate this. 🤔

Things you must know :
- I really liked it!
- Full POC cast!! (fantasy based on Asian and Oceanic cultures, info here)
- Trans & queer characters!
- This is a graphic novelization of a webcomic (find it online here: Witchy)
- The ending is kind of abrupt, and I just wish there had been a better place to cut it off...
- I'm 99% sure there will be a second volume, since the webcomic is still going (this book goes up to Chapter 4, but the webcomic is on Chapter 6 right now), but this one book doesn't really feel like a whole story (and it's not meant to be, but still)

- CWs: mild transphobia, misgendering prior to medical examination, persecution, death of parent, death by fire, war themes, conscription, grief, implied suicidal thoughts.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

Witchy is a very engaging graphic novel about a kingdom in which the strength of people’s magic is determined by the length of their hair. This was such an interesting and new concept. One of my favorite aspects of this book was definitely the mother-daughter bond that Nyneve, the protagonist, has with her mom, it was described so well!
The side characters were lovely as well, I personally loved Banana.
Also, I did not expect to find LGBTQ+ rep in this graphic novel and I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
Somehow I didn’t realize that this was just the first installment in a series so now I’m obviously really curious to see how the story goes on.

[Susana · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


3.5 stars ⭐


This book is about:

A young witch named Nyneve who lives in the Hyalin kingdom where the strength of your magic is determined by the length of your hair. Those who are strong enough are chosen to become part of the Witch Guard, whereas those with hair judged too long are annihilated.

Nyneve has been haunted by the death of her father ever since she was a young child and when conscription for the Witch Guard rolls around, she has to choose between joining the institution which played a role in her father's death or stand up for her own ideals.


Pros:

I love how original this story is: this is the first time I've heard about a magic system like this and I found it to be fascinating. There is also a bit of world building which I feel is nicely executed.

Another aspect I enjoyed was how brave and strong Nyneve is, despite her perceiving herself as the opposite of that.

In addition, I really appreciated the mother-daughter bond the protagonist has with her mother and well as the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters.


Cons:

First, although I found the characters to be likeable, I didn't particularly connect with any of them.

Also, the art style is not exactly my favourite, not to say the illustrations aren't well done, it is just my personal preference.


Final thoughts:

In conclusion, Witchy is an engaging graphic novel, perfect for those who are looking for fantasy stories starring witches with intriguing and unique magical abilities wrapped in a captivating plot and colourful art.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's some interesting world building going on here. Nyneve lives in a land of witches whose power is determined by the length of their hair. Her father was burned for having too long hair. (Yeah, that doesn't really make sense. Why didn't they just cut his hair?) When a witch graduates from school, the best ones are conscripted into the military (The Guard). Nyneve wants nothing to do with the Guard after what happened to her father and hopes to do poorly enough to be left alone. Events spin out of there.

The art was a bit chunky but I enjoyed it. I did have some issues with panel sequences. At times, I couldn't figure out what was supposed to be happening. All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more.

Received a review copy from Lion Forge and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay wow I loved this! The worldbuilding was super interesting, and I can't wait to see more of the characters!

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★⭐ | Choosing your own path with all odds against you

In the kingdom Hyalin the length of your hair is a big deal. It determines the strength of your magic, thus short-haired people have fewer possibilities and are less respected. However, sometimes those in power decide that one's hair is too long and such a person is a treat to the country. Such a person is burned. Such a person was Nyneve's father. And now so is Nyneve.

Witchy is a story of choosing your own destiny even with the whole kingdom against you. It's about the fight against society's expectations. About sometimes simply running away when things get too intense. About different ways of standing up for yourself. About pain and about healing. About the sacrifice and about accepting it. About living your true life and about being forced to hide.

Witchy has also and interesting magic system with witches, various ways of channelling one's magic, talking birds, small spirits and so much else.

It's a tale of a controlling ruler and the manipulation from those in power. Of a determined mother. Of a lost father. Of protecting one another and finding friends where you least expect them.

The art style is original and the colours beautiful. The dynamic and cartoonish shapes seem to move the adventure faster and the colours which are a bit pale yet warm set an almost fairy-tale mood.

I received this copy from Edelweiss+

__________________________

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[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, first up, a warning: despite no indications on the cover or opening pages, this is obviously the first volume of what is intended to be a series. There is an arc of sorts, but not a complete story. Fortunately, I had an inkling that was the case so the non-ending did not taint the book for me.

Actually, I enjoyed it quite a lot and am hoping a second volume is not too far in the future.

In this fantasy world, hair-length is an indicator of how powerful a witch you have the potential to be. But it can also make you a target if the authorities think it means you'll be so powerful you'll be a threat to their rule. Having seen the consequences of that in her own family, Nyneve Ahmadzia casts a glamour on herself every day to make her hair appear shorter and keep herself under the radar, especially when it comes to conscription into the national military service. Obviously, things are not going to go as planned.

Terrific and powerful female characters (including one trans woman) fighting an unjust social system? Nice art? Count me in for the long haul!

[Hilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had great quotes about being true to yourself and accepting others. So many strong female characters. I loved the message. But there was too much going on and the plot was all over the place. It was very long BUT at the same time not long enough. I felt like I was watching a movie. A beautiful movie full of drama, action, fighting, escaping, evil rulers with magical hair. This could have easily been cut into six parts, or more, and expanded.

I needed it to slow down and expand some more. Seriously, just that tree lady deserved her own volume.

I am hooked though, I totally want to read more of Nyneve and Banana, the sneaky crow.

[TheSleepyLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3 Stars

Pros:
-Unique world
-Elements that remind me of Avatar.
-Relatable MC
-Loved the talking raven.
-Possible transgender character.
-Enticing cliffhanger

Cons:
-The art style was a little weird and distracting.
-The MC could be a bit whiny and hard headed
-The world is not fleshed out enough for me to really understand it fully.

Overall, the graphic novel is pretty big but it seemed like it was still not enough time to get a good grasp on how this world works and what these weird creatures are. The only thing I could understand is that the longer your hair is the more powerful you are magic wise and if your hair is too long you can be executed. I look forward to the next volume.

[Rachels_booknook_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A political fantasy about a girl who decides to fight the corrupt and magical government. The whole power of hair thing is an interesting part of the story. I also liked the art a lot and I liked that one of the more important characters is trans. Interested to see where the series goes from here!

[Chay · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: 4/5

Engrossing story with unique art and vibrant colors! Received a copy of Volume 1 of Witchy in an Owl rate subscription box. Will be continuing this story 😺

[Erika Sarutobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm currently on a graphic novel roller coaster and this so far is my favorite! The world setting and magic system are always something I focus on in these kind of plots and I love the one in this book! The art style is spectacular especially the backgrounds and the coloring of the whole novel! I also love how the population/cultures are mixed and the way it feels natural.

In this book, the length of your hair is what decides how much magic you have. But if your hair is deemed too long, then you can be seen as a potential threat to the kingdom and will be witch burned. Nyneve, our main character, witnesses the burning of her father and since then have hated the system and fears she might end up dying too. During the conscription, which is where they choose who's joining the Royal Guards, she tried to sabotage her team so that she wouldn't be chosen but in the end, she was. What she does next is what makes the novel so much better and jumps the plot further. I can't wait to read more of this!

I found out that there are some trigger warnings in the website so check it out if you want but everything is mostly mild.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this story as a webcomic and was then was very delighted to see it released in print! Nyneve has grown up in the witch kingdom of Hyalin, where the strength of a person's magic is linked to the length of their hair. Short-haired witched are teased and shunned, but witches whose hair is too long are deemed dangerous, potential enemies of the state. Nyneve's long-haired father was burned by the Witch Guard when she was young, and ever since then she's hidden her long hair. But she and her classmates have reached the age of mandatory conscription and when she is chosen as a future member of the Guard, her whole life is thrown into chaos. This volume is just the beginning of what is clearly going to be a big story-- indeed, there are over 400 pages posted to the webcomic site (https://www.witchycomic.com/) and I was happy to see volume 2 is slated for released in early 2022. I love the art and the coloring and I'm very curious to see where this story goes!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay...

It’s not something I’d continue with, I’m not an expert with Graphic Novels or anything like that it’s just personal opinions of what I like and what I don’t like and this was just middle of the road for me.

[Emily M · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I found this in my local used bookstore and devoured it in an afternoon, but I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it.

It has a lot of elements I normally love: witches, rebels and evil governments, talking animals, queer characters, female characters of varied build, all characters of varied skin an hair tones, and an overall pleasant color palate. But...it hasn't totally grabbed me, not so as to be like "I must read volume 2"!

I think part of that could be that could be that I find the central conceit distractingly confusing. (Maximum?) hair length is correlated with magical ability, and the government wants long-haired witches for their army (basically), but if the hair is TOO long then the witch gets burned. Which immediately made me wonder: "Could you not just cut their hair? Would that reduce their power?" And...yes, it appears to. So...what's the issue, exactly?

IDK. I may give this another read and then see if I want to continue. But for now it gets a 3.25/5.

[BookishStitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting start to a graphic novel series about witches with powers determined by the length your hair grows. I like the art style, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one and learning more about this world.

[Erica Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I wasn't expecting to love, but did. She is a total bad ass.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was late.

I figured I would just look at this book, because the cover looked so interesting.

And here I am, at 1:17am, writing the review, because, although it was late, I had to finish this first installment of this amazing fantasy world.

In this world, hair gives your magic the little bit extra push. The more hair you have, the stronger the magic.

Nyneve's father was killed because of his hair.

She does not want the same fate, and she doesn't want to work for the guards who killed him. So, when she is conscripted, she cuts off her hair, and runs away.





The drawings are amazing. The characters are fully formed. The world is well built.

My only complaint is that there isn't more of it.

A great book for children of all ages, including those who are adults.

Highly recommend this story of a girl who doesn't fit in and doesn't want to fit in.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[rachel, x · Rating 4 out of 5]

➸ Trigger warnings for transmisia, persecution for witchcraft, medical examination, grief and loss depiction, death of a father and husband, murder, fire recounted, war themes, conscription, and bullying.

▷ Representation: BIPOC cast; transgender & queer scs.

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