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Hollow Fields #1-3
Hollow Fields: The Complete Collection
Forgetting your homework was never this dangerous!
Little Lucy Snow was meant to be enjoying her first day at the nice elementary school in town; however a macabre twist of fate sees her enrolled instead at Miss Weaver's Academy for the Scientifically Gifted and Ethically Unfettered--also known as Hollow Fields.
Located on the outskirts of Nullsville and run by the insidious Engineers, the grim boarding school dedicates itself to raising the next generation of mad scientists and evil geniuses! Classes include Live Taxidermy, Cross-Species Body-Part Transplantation and Killer Robot Construction, and for her own survival Lucy has to master them quickly...the student with the lowest grades at the end of each school week is sent to the windmill for detention--and so far, no child has ever returned!
Little Lucy Snow was meant to be enjoying her first day at the nice elementary school in town; however a macabre twist of fate sees her enrolled instead at Miss Weaver's Academy for the Scientifically Gifted and Ethically Unfettered--also known as Hollow Fields.
Located on the outskirts of Nullsville and run by the insidious Engineers, the grim boarding school dedicates itself to raising the next generation of mad scientists and evil geniuses! Classes include Live Taxidermy, Cross-Species Body-Part Transplantation and Killer Robot Construction, and for her own survival Lucy has to master them quickly...the student with the lowest grades at the end of each school week is sent to the windmill for detention--and so far, no child has ever returned!
543 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
18 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Madeleine Rosca
11 books39 followersMadeleine Rosca is an Australian based manga creator who is well known for her award winning, completed, series Hollow Fields. She has a 37 page short story titled Haunted Housecall that can be found on YenPlus and is currently working on her next project.
You can keep up to date with the mangaka through her twitter, livejournal, and DeviantArt journal updates.
You can keep up to date with the mangaka through her twitter, livejournal, and DeviantArt journal updates.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 25, 2017
This was one of the first graphic novels/anime I have read.
It was a while ago, but I still remember liking it a whole lot.
The artwork is great. The main character is adorable. And the plot is packed with action and secrets.
And now, as I find myself reading more graphic novels and anime than ever, I feel like giving this one a re-read.
It was a while ago, but I still remember liking it a whole lot.
The artwork is great. The main character is adorable. And the plot is packed with action and secrets.
And now, as I find myself reading more graphic novels and anime than ever, I feel like giving this one a re-read.
August 7, 2015
NOTE: for anyone under the age of 12, this is probably fine. Pretend I gave it 3 or 4 stars for that age group.
But I'm not a preteen and it's a ridiculous plot-hole-filled mess.
LET ME EXPOUND ON ALL THE PROBLEMS THIS BOOK HAS, AND IT HAS A LOT.
I'm not going to touch on the obnoxious main characters. Lucy drove me nuts by hitting virtually every cliche in the book (clumsy but cute! Unknowledgeable but determined! Manages to learn an improbable amount of things very quickly even *with* secret help! Believes the best and is nice to everyone!), but so did every other character.
So basically, you have a 9-year-old who's sent to a new school, by herself, and is expected to find the way from the dock she arrives at to the school, which is not in the immediate area. And if you were giving directions to said 9-year-old girl, would you tell her the correct route, then tell her about a shortcut but that she shouldn't take it because the forest is dark and evil?
And then she gets to her school--it's not her new school, of course, it's another secret school for the children of mad scientists! During her introduction, there's a whole lot of "As you know, Bob," exposition. And she signs a contract to live here--before she realizes it's the wrong, school of course AND THIS IS WHY WE DO NOT LET 9-YEAR-OLDS WANDER AROUND EVIL FORESTS ON THEIR OWN--so when the head of the school finds out that a non!scientist's kid is now here, they can't kill her. Because she signed the contract so they can't kill her unless she steps out of line, like all the other kids.
This is so arbitrary. Minors can't sign binding contracts for Pete's sake. Her parents didn't know where she was. The only witness to the signing was the headmistress's right-hand henchgirl. Except for their own obsession with contracts of dubious legality, there is really nothing that actually stopped them from disposing of Lucy before the other students even knew she was there.
Headmistress Weaver and the rest of the teachers are are held together by stitches, which makes this even weirder: Weaver's boobs are stitched on. At some point in the past, she had to make a decision and say "Yes, I want these improbably-lifted-and-separated-things reattached. Moreover, I want them put on in a way that thrusts them and my stitches into my prepubescent charges' faces. And I refuse to wear a dress that covers them."
The entire series is about mad scientists, but I'm still not sure what the point is. There are a *lot* of kids at this school, if all their parents were bent on wreaking havoc the world should have noticed by now.
So, theoretically this story has its [in-story] roots "80 years ago," which is when the foundation for all this stuff was laid and oooh mysterious backstory. See, it seems that First, 80 years ago is portrayed as Victorian or Edwardian--but that would place the story earlier than current day--which is when the story seems to be set, and the manga was first published in 2007.
And the clothes they were wearing in those scenes? Implausible and distracting.
Also, at the end,
Also: Miss Weaver's hands. Where did those come from? We know that originally Artistically, though, they add a lot to her imposing image and look cool, but logically I'm not sure what the point would be.
Let's talk contracts again before I get to their consequences: what parent is okay with the whole "the kid with the most academic problems gets taken to be a lab rat and never seen again" scenario? There's a throwaway line near the end that "of course you're here because your parents don't care about you," but that's such a plot device. Really, every single child in the entire school is just an unwanted nuisance and their parents don't care anything for them? Although it would explain why the school hasn't been destroyed by angry relatives in its decades of existence.
Now, for the consequences and detention and WHAT REALLY GOES ON:
Speaking of which: WHY CAN THEY FLY? We're told that the process of
And after all that, the ending. For one thing, the number of students seems to have dropped drastically. For another (and another, and another),
Also: the 4-panel cartoons in the back were cute, but with Lucy writing to her parents, all I could think was THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, LUCY. Either they will send things/write back to the wrong address and discover you aren't at your intended destination, or they will notice right away you aren't at your intended destination. You should not have lasted long without them claiming you.
But I'm not a preteen and it's a ridiculous plot-hole-filled mess.
LET ME EXPOUND ON ALL THE PROBLEMS THIS BOOK HAS, AND IT HAS A LOT.
I'm not going to touch on the obnoxious main characters. Lucy drove me nuts by hitting virtually every cliche in the book (clumsy but cute! Unknowledgeable but determined! Manages to learn an improbable amount of things very quickly even *with* secret help! Believes the best and is nice to everyone!), but so did every other character.
So basically, you have a 9-year-old who's sent to a new school, by herself, and is expected to find the way from the dock she arrives at to the school, which is not in the immediate area. And if you were giving directions to said 9-year-old girl, would you tell her the correct route, then tell her about a shortcut but that she shouldn't take it because the forest is dark and evil?
And then she gets to her school--it's not her new school, of course, it's another secret school for the children of mad scientists! During her introduction, there's a whole lot of "As you know, Bob," exposition. And she signs a contract to live here--before she realizes it's the wrong, school of course AND THIS IS WHY WE DO NOT LET 9-YEAR-OLDS WANDER AROUND EVIL FORESTS ON THEIR OWN--so when the head of the school finds out that a non!scientist's kid is now here, they can't kill her. Because she signed the contract so they can't kill her unless she steps out of line, like all the other kids.
This is so arbitrary. Minors can't sign binding contracts for Pete's sake. Her parents didn't know where she was. The only witness to the signing was the headmistress's right-hand henchgirl. Except for their own obsession with contracts of dubious legality, there is really nothing that actually stopped them from disposing of Lucy before the other students even knew she was there.
Headmistress Weaver and the rest of the teachers are are held together by stitches, which makes this even weirder: Weaver's boobs are stitched on. At some point in the past, she had to make a decision and say "Yes, I want these improbably-lifted-and-separated-things reattached. Moreover, I want them put on in a way that thrusts them and my stitches into my prepubescent charges' faces. And I refuse to wear a dress that covers them."
The entire series is about mad scientists, but I'm still not sure what the point is. There are a *lot* of kids at this school, if all their parents were bent on wreaking havoc the world should have noticed by now.
So, theoretically this story has its [in-story] roots "80 years ago," which is when the foundation for all this stuff was laid and oooh mysterious backstory. See, it seems that First, 80 years ago is portrayed as Victorian or Edwardian--but that would place the story earlier than current day--which is when the story seems to be set, and the manga was first published in 2007.
And the clothes they were wearing in those scenes? Implausible and distracting.
Also, at the end,
Also: Miss Weaver's hands. Where did those come from? We know that originally Artistically, though, they add a lot to her imposing image and look cool, but logically I'm not sure what the point would be.
Let's talk contracts again before I get to their consequences: what parent is okay with the whole "the kid with the most academic problems gets taken to be a lab rat and never seen again" scenario? There's a throwaway line near the end that "of course you're here because your parents don't care about you," but that's such a plot device. Really, every single child in the entire school is just an unwanted nuisance and their parents don't care anything for them? Although it would explain why the school hasn't been destroyed by angry relatives in its decades of existence.
Now, for the consequences and detention and WHAT REALLY GOES ON:
Speaking of which: WHY CAN THEY FLY? We're told that the process of
And after all that, the ending. For one thing, the number of students seems to have dropped drastically. For another (and another, and another),
Also: the 4-panel cartoons in the back were cute, but with Lucy writing to her parents, all I could think was THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, LUCY. Either they will send things/write back to the wrong address and discover you aren't at your intended destination, or they will notice right away you aren't at your intended destination. You should not have lasted long without them claiming you.
November 16, 2024
This was mildly amusing, but mostly just really wacky. It read like a Ghibli knockoff with the dialogue and plot written by a child. There were a couple funny moments or good lines, but it mostly felt like the story was being held together by scotch tape. I like the premise of a girl winding up at the wrong school and learning to be better for it, but there wasn't enough focus on the how and why to really engage me.
December 24, 2021
This is a perfect manga from start to finish. steampunk madness at its finest <3 <3 <3! The author bio at the end mentions she was inspired by Lemony Snicket and Eoin Colfer, and it shows. The series' darkness is offset with levity and cuteness. There's humor; there's heart; there's adults being selfish, abusive and terrible; and there's children being intelligent, caring and resourceful. The story earns its - literally - explosive ending XD.
And it's a cute, beautiful, smartly-drawn manga. It was easy to read, because speech bubbles would be embellished to suit the character: zigzags like lightning for a robot, frothy bubbles for a science experiment, bold boxes for an adult and simple circles for a kid... The author played with framing and space, too. Like at one point, a character is knocked into another panel by a booby-trapped toy bunny. I will be keeping an eye out for future manga from this writer, she's got skills!
Spooky, sci-fi, shenanigans! A fun read for any age reader.
And it's a cute, beautiful, smartly-drawn manga. It was easy to read, because speech bubbles would be embellished to suit the character: zigzags like lightning for a robot, frothy bubbles for a science experiment, bold boxes for an adult and simple circles for a kid... The author played with framing and space, too. Like at one point, a character is knocked into another panel by a booby-trapped toy bunny. I will be keeping an eye out for future manga from this writer, she's got skills!
Spooky, sci-fi, shenanigans! A fun read for any age reader.
July 31, 2021
Content warnings: human experimentation, verbally abusive teachers, death (sort of, hard to explain).
I don't know how to rate this. On one hand the concepts explored here feel very adult and horrific, but the main character and writing is geared toward children/teens. The art also has scary elements that turn cutesy every now and then. It made it challenging to fully immerse myself. The main character is a child so I expected her to act like one, but then she would be act so grown up and put together. She would literally trip into the next part of the story.
There are quite a few plot holes, and the ending wraps up in a way that is hopeful but not fully conclusive (and a bit disappointing if I'm being honest). I thought the overall plot and reveal-while predictable-was still horrifying. The way the story uses the concepts of mad scientists and unethical experimentation was interesting. A bit under explored. There was a lot the story was attempting to do and I do not think it hit all the marks. Also the ending had elements that made it seem like some of the villains were forgiven, the bully was blackmailed, and the original goal of the main character is never fully realized.
In regards to the art and paneling it was pretty but confusing sometimes. Certain action scenes I had to look through twice to figure out. Some of the Engineers looked really similar and I confused them with each other. Sometimes you would be looking at a cute children's manga art style and then shift into slightly more realistic horror manga. The shifting tones threw me but were also interesting to see together.
Overall, hard to explain and wrap my thoughts around. It had potential that I felt like it didn't meet.
I don't know how to rate this. On one hand the concepts explored here feel very adult and horrific, but the main character and writing is geared toward children/teens. The art also has scary elements that turn cutesy every now and then. It made it challenging to fully immerse myself. The main character is a child so I expected her to act like one, but then she would be act so grown up and put together. She would literally trip into the next part of the story.
There are quite a few plot holes, and the ending wraps up in a way that is hopeful but not fully conclusive (and a bit disappointing if I'm being honest). I thought the overall plot and reveal-while predictable-was still horrifying. The way the story uses the concepts of mad scientists and unethical experimentation was interesting. A bit under explored. There was a lot the story was attempting to do and I do not think it hit all the marks. Also the ending had elements that made it seem like some of the villains were forgiven, the bully was blackmailed, and the original goal of the main character is never fully realized.
In regards to the art and paneling it was pretty but confusing sometimes. Certain action scenes I had to look through twice to figure out. Some of the Engineers looked really similar and I confused them with each other. Sometimes you would be looking at a cute children's manga art style and then shift into slightly more realistic horror manga. The shifting tones threw me but were also interesting to see together.
Overall, hard to explain and wrap my thoughts around. It had potential that I felt like it didn't meet.
January 31, 2014
Not only was the art super cute but the story was great too. I read in someone else's review that it's kinda like Harry Potter + steampunk + Frankenstein, and I think that's a pretty accurate description. I think I could've gone for more story in general (I mean I could've used some more details here and there, but it was nothing I couldn't live with and I don't mind saying I loved it anyway).
Throughout the story I had the feeling that we were building up to something either really big, really cool, or both. I am often disappointed in these cases, but this time I very pleasantly was not. It's an easy read and honestly if you like steampunk and cute things (errr.... Maybe if you're not into "cute" I would definitely say it's alternatively "awesome", if that helps) then this should be in your library somewhere. But not if you're not really into comics or graphic novels, in which case, idk why you're even on this page.
Throughout the story I had the feeling that we were building up to something either really big, really cool, or both. I am often disappointed in these cases, but this time I very pleasantly was not. It's an easy read and honestly if you like steampunk and cute things (errr.... Maybe if you're not into "cute" I would definitely say it's alternatively "awesome", if that helps) then this should be in your library somewhere. But not if you're not really into comics or graphic novels, in which case, idk why you're even on this page.
May 1, 2022
Mad scientists, secluded boarding school. Nothing will go wrong. 😂 Just kidding, of course.
This is a reread for me and I love this manga. I love the creepy goings on at the school, the story, and the occasional humor throughout. Anything that’s cutesy, yet horrific — I will love it mostly likely and that’s sort of how I’d describe this manga. It’s not overly scary, but just has that eerie feeling to it.
Lucy Snow arrives at Hollow Fields and is surprised to find out that it’s really a boarding school to raise the next generation of mad scientists/evil geniuses. She has a lot of work to catch up on because she doesn’t know the first thing about killer robots, body-part transplantation, grave-robbing, etc. To top it all off, if you happen to be the kid with the lowest academic score by the end of each week, you’ll be sent to the windmill for detention. Detention in which no one sees you or hears from you ever again.
This is a reread for me and I love this manga. I love the creepy goings on at the school, the story, and the occasional humor throughout. Anything that’s cutesy, yet horrific — I will love it mostly likely and that’s sort of how I’d describe this manga. It’s not overly scary, but just has that eerie feeling to it.
Lucy Snow arrives at Hollow Fields and is surprised to find out that it’s really a boarding school to raise the next generation of mad scientists/evil geniuses. She has a lot of work to catch up on because she doesn’t know the first thing about killer robots, body-part transplantation, grave-robbing, etc. To top it all off, if you happen to be the kid with the lowest academic score by the end of each week, you’ll be sent to the windmill for detention. Detention in which no one sees you or hears from you ever again.
December 26, 2016
I DID IT! 1000 BOOKS LOGGED IN 2016!! With 5 days to spare, too!
My son gave me this as a present LAST Christmas, and I didn't want book 1000 to be any old book, so I picked this one to read and enjoyed it very much.
This was surprisingly dark and complex for an all ages book! But not in an inappropriate way at all. The art is fantastic and while Lucy is a childish 9 1/2 year old, she seems unexpectedly adept at handling the challenging situations she gets herself into. And for such a high concept fantasy world, I didn't feel that I was doing too much suspending of disbelief.
My son gave me this as a present LAST Christmas, and I didn't want book 1000 to be any old book, so I picked this one to read and enjoyed it very much.
This was surprisingly dark and complex for an all ages book! But not in an inappropriate way at all. The art is fantastic and while Lucy is a childish 9 1/2 year old, she seems unexpectedly adept at handling the challenging situations she gets herself into. And for such a high concept fantasy world, I didn't feel that I was doing too much suspending of disbelief.
Read
July 28, 2011A unique and creative short manga that blurs the traditional lines between sci-fi and fantasy, between girls manga and science, and manages to have plenty of action and plenty of fascinating characters. And its short. This omnibus collects all three volumes in one which is a great way to read this story. Highly recommended for manga fans.
April 17, 2021
Hollow Fields,this book was a page turner from the beginning,I really liked the main character Lucy Snow,her going into that new school and dealing with all the challenges,you feel like your right there with her,wanting to comfort her and get out along with her. Excellent plot twist at the end!!
November 11, 2022
This book is very interesting!! I recommend this book to anyone who is intrigued by the thought of mad science and the story of little lucy snow, the unexpected nine year old hero of this story!
August 7, 2021
Has been a favorite of mine since i first discovered it in middle school. Has some good twists, humor and a lovable main character
January 8, 2025
a steampunk elementary school crowded with the preteen offspring of mad scientists that are constantly in danger of haywire experiments or vengeful teachers, navigating the social struggles of both popularity and betrayal, and an ominous detention death sentence........
it seemed rather promising to me, but unfortunately feels like it falls flat at times... it's as though the reader is being rushed through a story that really enjoys dawdling.
there's this big mystery of weaver's experiment, but as soon as it's introduced the reader understands what's going on... and they have to wait quite a few more chapters before it's revealed in the text, and it's just referenced in the same way over and over again... grr
this manga really teeters a weird line between "you really can't do that to children" and "you could have done more to those children" that i find really interesting. conceptually the kids are in an immense amount of peril at all times yet no child ever dies, bar maybe the finale. i guess no kids really die in the first few harry potters either, but that feels like it nailed the "really dangerous school" thing a lot better.
i wish there were more teachers, was more worldbuilding, i really think just a bit more meat on everything would be great... it has good bones! with what's there, though, i admittedly had fun with. i like the art and i like what story is there and i will definitely be reading the perfect cog. and lucy loves dinosaurs just like me! also the character names are all top notch (hehe)! also also this is my first non-japanese manga! silly!
ty wally :] m
it seemed rather promising to me, but unfortunately feels like it falls flat at times... it's as though the reader is being rushed through a story that really enjoys dawdling.
there's this big mystery of weaver's experiment, but as soon as it's introduced the reader understands what's going on... and they have to wait quite a few more chapters before it's revealed in the text, and it's just referenced in the same way over and over again... grr
this manga really teeters a weird line between "you really can't do that to children" and "you could have done more to those children" that i find really interesting. conceptually the kids are in an immense amount of peril at all times yet no child ever dies, bar maybe the finale. i guess no kids really die in the first few harry potters either, but that feels like it nailed the "really dangerous school" thing a lot better.
i wish there were more teachers, was more worldbuilding, i really think just a bit more meat on everything would be great... it has good bones! with what's there, though, i admittedly had fun with. i like the art and i like what story is there and i will definitely be reading the perfect cog. and lucy loves dinosaurs just like me! also the character names are all top notch (hehe)! also also this is my first non-japanese manga! silly!
ty wally :] m
June 23, 2020
This one starts SO well. Little girl off to a boarding school takes a short cut through the woods and stumbles into a School for Mad Science, which it turns out she has a knack for. What a GREAT idea!
Top marks for the concept and I just love the design work here. I must have reread the first volume 10 times, and I couldn't wait to find out more about the world.
Unfortunately, it seems the author was in a rush to end the story. I have complained before about stories that didn't know how to end, but the opposite is true here. This was a 5 star world that I could have spent years exploring, but we only got 3 volumes.
Hollow Fields: The Complete Collection is a solid and entertaining series. I wish there was a lot more here.
3/5 for the Story being told.
5/5 for the Art Direction and World that was imagined.
Top marks for the concept and I just love the design work here. I must have reread the first volume 10 times, and I couldn't wait to find out more about the world.
Unfortunately, it seems the author was in a rush to end the story. I have complained before about stories that didn't know how to end, but the opposite is true here. This was a 5 star world that I could have spent years exploring, but we only got 3 volumes.
Hollow Fields: The Complete Collection is a solid and entertaining series. I wish there was a lot more here.
3/5 for the Story being told.
5/5 for the Art Direction and World that was imagined.
June 11, 2018
This is actually my second time reading this. My first time was in high school, back when I was first starting out with manga. I probably would have rated this four stars back then.
I feel that there are some cool ideas in here, with this nice steampunk/mad scientist aesthetic and just enough whimsy and creepy elements to make it feel like a Roald Dahl children's story (which is definitely a good thing).
Unfortunately, it feels more like the hour and a half premiere of a TV show than an actual complete story. In a longer series, some of the plot holes could have been addressed and/or explained better, and the character development could have been more natural.
Still, it was fun returning to Hollow Fields after all these years and I'll definitely be coming back.
I feel that there are some cool ideas in here, with this nice steampunk/mad scientist aesthetic and just enough whimsy and creepy elements to make it feel like a Roald Dahl children's story (which is definitely a good thing).
Unfortunately, it feels more like the hour and a half premiere of a TV show than an actual complete story. In a longer series, some of the plot holes could have been addressed and/or explained better, and the character development could have been more natural.
Still, it was fun returning to Hollow Fields after all these years and I'll definitely be coming back.
July 19, 2024
This was such a surprise. I found this book by simply browsing the shelves at the library. I haven't heard anyone talk about it on bookish social media or anything so I went in with no expectations and it was a very pleasant, fun read.
This book basically follows a girl named Lucy Snow who thought she was going to a normal boarding school for elementary students but she ends up at this kind of magical boarding school ran by evil scientists. The classes are extremely challenging because they are odd scientific classes like Cross-species Transplantation and each week they get assigned a project. Not completing homework or getting a bad grade is extremely dangerous because whoever is the worst-graded student of the class
gets sent to "the windmill" and none of the kids have ever come back alive.
It was honestly amazing and something I think anyone of any age can read and really enjoy.
This book basically follows a girl named Lucy Snow who thought she was going to a normal boarding school for elementary students but she ends up at this kind of magical boarding school ran by evil scientists. The classes are extremely challenging because they are odd scientific classes like Cross-species Transplantation and each week they get assigned a project. Not completing homework or getting a bad grade is extremely dangerous because whoever is the worst-graded student of the class
gets sent to "the windmill" and none of the kids have ever come back alive.
It was honestly amazing and something I think anyone of any age can read and really enjoy.
March 27, 2018
This is a cute story that I think is good for children around 10-13ish years old and those of us who enjoy stories meant for that age group. It is kinda creepy and if I was under 10, it would probably give me nightmares.
May 12, 2020
My first manga novel and I enjoyed reading it. It took some getting used to reading back to front! I struggled with some of the artwork, it seemed like alot was going on and at times and the characters looked similar. Its a shame it was in black and white aswell. However, all in all and good story.
June 25, 2020
The setting is interesting, and the visuals are stunning. The story does have a lot of plot holes, and it sits at an odd spot - it deals with unethical human experimentation, yet it is tailored towards children. It is cute and funny, and I know a young girl that would love this.
April 23, 2024
This was a fun ridiculous romp. She accidentally finds her way to a mad scientist school and accidentally connects with the two most powerful kids and accidentally finds the adult needed to take down the bad guy. I loved being along for the silly goofy ride.
July 31, 2025
I owned these as a kid and re-read them countless times. Genuinely, I still think about this manga over a decade later. It’s good!! Also just the right amount of creepy for an older kid/young teen. I’m a huge fan of the art style and character designs
August 22, 2019
Very entertaining and slightly horrifying. It’s starts off kind of slow but picks up during the last half. This is not a cute kids story. This is a pretty dark story.
November 8, 2019
Interesting and creepy. Cool graphics and intriguing story.
December 29, 2020
This was adorable if a little odd.
October 15, 2022
Very entertaining, but the ending seemed forced or not quite finished.
March 28, 2024
from reading this almost 2 decades ago (wow!), i recall it being very pleasent! definitely need to re-read it someday but ive since given it to my nephew.
May 6, 2016
Despite the cover saying "All Ages," this is not really a kids' story. We really should get past the idea of "if kids are in it, it's okay for kids to read/see it." That is not true. Hogfather used to be under the "Kids" section of Netflix, but that is definitely not a children's movie. Similarly, while this is definitely a much tamer manga story than others with like-aged characters, it's not really for "all ages," especially younger readers (perhaps 10+?). The basic idea is clever: what happens to the children of mad scientists? They go to Hollow Fields to learn how to be the next generation of mad scientists, of course! Clever idea, especially when coupled with the general technological setting (clockwork machines + steam-powered machines). I'm not a fan at all of "steampunk," (I don't consider FFVI "steampunk"), but this "clockwork vs. steam" technology undercurrent (so to speak) was a neat aspect - I wish it had more of that.
And that's the only real drawback to this series: it's set up like a 110-minute not-really-kids' movie (like The Witches). Too little, too fast. After the initial "rough start at a new school" beginning, we get the typical jump to "better acclimated at school" middle, but most of the tantalized details of school life are glossed over and suddenly we are in the slam-bang finale. But ... what happens to Simon? What happens to Francine? Claude's sister? Virtually nothing is wrapped up - in fact, it's like a 110-minute pilot movie, with the New Hollow Fields as the series. It comes to a resolution in a way, but so many characters and conflicts are just abandoned - this is certainly not fit for a children's book either, since they are usually pretty good at remembering details and threads abandoned by authors.
Still, it's a clever idea, with some of the character interactions (though, again, since it's such a short series, we get it sort of force-fed and rather predictable) and character revelations, and while there are definite moments that lend credence to the "this is a moral lesson for the kids" kind of series, the general optimism of our fish-out-of-water protagonist buoys it the rapid story along nicely.
And that's the only real drawback to this series: it's set up like a 110-minute not-really-kids' movie (like The Witches). Too little, too fast. After the initial "rough start at a new school" beginning, we get the typical jump to "better acclimated at school" middle, but most of the tantalized details of school life are glossed over and suddenly we are in the slam-bang finale. But ... what happens to Simon? What happens to Francine? Claude's sister? Virtually nothing is wrapped up - in fact, it's like a 110-minute pilot movie, with the New Hollow Fields as the series. It comes to a resolution in a way, but so many characters and conflicts are just abandoned - this is certainly not fit for a children's book either, since they are usually pretty good at remembering details and threads abandoned by authors.
Still, it's a clever idea, with some of the character interactions (though, again, since it's such a short series, we get it sort of force-fed and rather predictable) and character revelations, and while there are definite moments that lend credence to the "this is a moral lesson for the kids" kind of series, the general optimism of our fish-out-of-water protagonist buoys it the rapid story along nicely.
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June 1, 2015This is great! It's like Harry Potter meets Steampunk Frankenstein! Hollow Fields manages to be both cute and creepy at the same time. The artwork was beautiful, if a little carntoonish, and it was pretty short, all three volumes in one book. Lucy Snow, the main character is a very believable and relatable character. I liked how clumsy, gullible, immature and occasionally hot-headed she is, it makes her a much better protagonist than one that never makes any mistakes, yet she is also determined, loyal and kind, which brings her round to a great main character. The setting is original and eye-catching. The full-metal steampunk setting, with barely any greenery or living things that aren't grotesquely mutated or mutilated, really gives the feel of an alien landscape that is cut off from the safe and normal world - and it's safe and normal rules. The horror of the Windmill and the sinister experimentation of the Engineers, mixed with the everyday problems of being the new girl in school, bullying and making new friends, made for a really interesting set of conflicts for Lucy to overcome. I think the character that stuck with me the most was Simon - the one thing that left me dissatisfied about the story is that I wonder what ever happened to him after he helped Lucy and Claude escape the Windmill children. The battle amongst the engineers at the end was more comical than anything else, but got kind of old after a while - it might have been more entertaining if any of the combatants had been introduced earlier in the story. I really liked the fate of Principal Weaver, its a much more fitting punishment than merely dying - now she's the lab rat! All told, this was an excellent manga, I think anyone would enjoy it, so go find yourself a copy and enjoy!
April 7, 2011
The first day of school can be rough on a kid. The first day of school at an institute for future mad scientists can be downright hazardous to the health. That's what our heroine Lucy Snow discovers when she mistakenly enrolls at the wrong school and ends up locked into a life-sealing contract with the Dr. Frankenstein-esque headmistress. At this school it's scheme, or be schemed-against as the student with the lowest grades at the week's end is escorted to a detention no one ever returns from. Mystery and suspense looms large as Lucy can't be sure whom she should fear more: the decrepit re-engineered ghouls that pass for a faculty or her fellow students, all sons and daughters of schemers and villains themselves.
Rosca cites Lemony Snicket as an inspiration but there's also some similarities to some of Baum's Oz tales with the clockwork contraptions and a spunky, down-to-earth heroine lost in a world very different from her own. The Gothy-steampunk feel of the art will rate high with fans of Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas in particular). Rosca's child characters with their chibi-esque doll-like cuteness are a perfect complement to the macabre atmosphere (and the gruesome teachers).
Anyone who liked Catherine Jinks' Evil Genius might want to give this a try to see what a manga take on the story feels like.
Mature themes: Totally dependent on the scareability factor, but for kids who like a good creepy adventure tale, this is a pretty darn good one. There's a potential for wide-appeal for 10 year-olds as well as adults. No fan service--just a solid story and appealing art.
Rosca cites Lemony Snicket as an inspiration but there's also some similarities to some of Baum's Oz tales with the clockwork contraptions and a spunky, down-to-earth heroine lost in a world very different from her own. The Gothy-steampunk feel of the art will rate high with fans of Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas in particular). Rosca's child characters with their chibi-esque doll-like cuteness are a perfect complement to the macabre atmosphere (and the gruesome teachers).
Anyone who liked Catherine Jinks' Evil Genius might want to give this a try to see what a manga take on the story feels like.
Mature themes: Totally dependent on the scareability factor, but for kids who like a good creepy adventure tale, this is a pretty darn good one. There's a potential for wide-appeal for 10 year-olds as well as adults. No fan service--just a solid story and appealing art.
July 6, 2011
Hollowfields is such a cute story with so much action that it should please most readers. This is my 14 year old son's favorite story so far.
Nine year old Lucy Snow is going to boarding school for the first time in the middle of the year. She gets lost and finds herself at a school. It's been raining and she is so hungry that she signs the school's contract just to stay inside. It doesn't take long for her to discover she has just joined a school for future mad scientists.
Each Friday, a student with the lowest grades is sent to detention in the Windmill where they are never heard from again. Lucy wants to avoid the Windmill and sneaks out at night to find a dictionary in the library. What she finds is Dr Bleak, a speaking metal cube. Dr Bleak helps her with her assignments and help keeps her out of detention (but just barely because there are forces working against her).
Through the course of the story, Lucy matures (as much as a nine year old can) and finds herself plotting to save the children from the Windmill and free all the students from HollowFields.
There are some scenes that give you the history of the school and how it came to be. It's a rather predictable story but so engaging. Lucy is cute and animated but she's surrounded by all these gruesome experiments. She keeps a very Pollyanna attitude and becomes the hero at the end. There is some animated violence but it's done in such a way that it's not scary. There's a lot of humor and silly cartoon antics.
Nine year old Lucy Snow is going to boarding school for the first time in the middle of the year. She gets lost and finds herself at a school. It's been raining and she is so hungry that she signs the school's contract just to stay inside. It doesn't take long for her to discover she has just joined a school for future mad scientists.
Each Friday, a student with the lowest grades is sent to detention in the Windmill where they are never heard from again. Lucy wants to avoid the Windmill and sneaks out at night to find a dictionary in the library. What she finds is Dr Bleak, a speaking metal cube. Dr Bleak helps her with her assignments and help keeps her out of detention (but just barely because there are forces working against her).
Through the course of the story, Lucy matures (as much as a nine year old can) and finds herself plotting to save the children from the Windmill and free all the students from HollowFields.
There are some scenes that give you the history of the school and how it came to be. It's a rather predictable story but so engaging. Lucy is cute and animated but she's surrounded by all these gruesome experiments. She keeps a very Pollyanna attitude and becomes the hero at the end. There is some animated violence but it's done in such a way that it's not scary. There's a lot of humor and silly cartoon antics.
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