Restano validi i disegni, ma la storia langue.

C'è una mamma (che non è di Shiva) e c'è una nonna (che potrebbe essere di Shiva). ( )

This dude knows how to end a volume, that’s for sure ( )

El arte es una maravilla, pero la historia me resulta bastante indiferente en su mayoría. Una lástima, porque el primero me gustó bastante.. ( )

Teacher finds an Outsider in his home, touching Shiva, and attacks it (her? I vaguely recall feminine pronouns being used at one point, but I'm not sure and my notes are unclear) to defend Shiva. Shiva and Teacher go after the Outsider because it said it knew where Shiva's "mother" is. Teacher follows the dog-like Outsiders into a lake and learns a terrible thing about the curse, which Shiva will surely eventually show symptoms of. Meanwhile, the Insiders send Shiva's aunt out as bait to capture Shiva. Extras: a couple full-color pages and a few four-panel comics.

I'm intrigued by whatever it is Teacher learned. What is the nature of the curse and why do both Insiders and Outsiders want Shiva? Also, where did Teacher come from and why doesn't he remember?

Teacher leaving Shiva alone while he went into the lake with the Outsiders struck me as both risky and out-of-character. What if it was a trap? What if Insiders came across Shiva while was alone, with only a headless and untrustworthy Outsider for protection?

I hate to say this since I mostly love the character designs and artwork in this series, but the fight scene between Teacher and the Outsider was pretty bad. Very stiff and difficult to follow. The dark characters plus dark floorboards and grey walls didn't exactly help.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) ( )

Fantastic fairy tale-like story. Beautiful art style, engrossing plot and characters. Truly fantastic. All ages gothic vibes. ( )