There’s not a whole lot to say about Suee and the Shadow. Volume I and II are quick reads with a story that fits just right – neither stretched out ridiculously to pad the pages nor rushed through super quickly to get everything in. The book is just the right amount of creepiness for, say, an eleven year old to read. It’s intriguing — just exactly what is Suee’s shadow doing, talking to her and doing what it wants. There’s a brief moral message about being an ally to bullied kids (Don’t stand by and let it happen to others!) that isn’t too schmaltzy (although it comes close). Odd or bullied kids are called zeroes, which seems suitably both draconic and sad, and there’s a whole idea that most adults can’t see what the children do, which will appeal to anyone who was one of those kids who thought they knew everything while the adults knew zilch. The drawings are cute (귀여운!) and the panels are rarely overly busy. While the comic was translated from its original Korean, it shouldn’t feel overtly foreign or disorienting to a North American audience.
I’d say more, but really, it only took me about ten minutes to read each volumes, so I’ve run out of stuff to say. Of course, Volume II ends on a cliffhanger and Volume III isn’t out yet so I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Two free Volumes? Maybe I can somehow weasel out the third volume for free whenever it comes out.
Suee and the Shadow by Ginger Ly went on sale May 14, 2014.
I received a copy free in a librarything giveway in exchange for an honest review.