Hematite Vol. 1 Review

 

Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis: Hematite is a young adolescent vampire who is dealing with many things common in younglings her age such as high expectations from her illustrious parents and as well as a crush on the human boy Emile.

 

My Thoughts: Story/Pacing (4/5) – Admittedly, the plot description alone failed to pique my attention and seemed to reek of the hokey vampire romance fare. However, I decided to read it anyway due to the pretty cover which gave out an alluringly classical storybook vibe. Thankfully, my slightly doubtful expectations were dispelled because from the start, I was consistently swept away by it. While the title character’s crush is a driving force behind many of her risky capriccios and flowery love letters, it’s hardly the sole thought occupying her mind as she faces pressure for her other unconventional choices and preferences as a vampire.

Characters (5/5) – As I’ve said, I adored Hematite’s strong will which pushes her to defy the norms imposed on her while being a fragile personality whose impulse can give in to certain rash decisions which is what occurs at the end of this volume. I enjoyed the rest of the cast as well including Hematite’s familiar Viktor, who serves as an amusing foil to her actions, and Drunela, a sweet ghoul (or preferred term Draugr) who is Hematite’s best friend who tries being supportive and helping her other schoolmates get along.

Art (5/5) – This was easily my favorite quality as the Victorian-esque architecture, fashion, and décor perfectly complemented the story to the point I would consider them interdependent. The pages displayed impeccable light and darker shades using varied colors depending on the scene. Many of these sequences speak better for themselves than I can muster at the moment.

 

 

 

  

The expressive countenances stood out particularly in the case of Hematite who could change from looking like a huggable little doll to a terrifying entity you wouldn’t wish to be around on a bad day.

 

Final Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment and am thrilled to see more. I’d suggest giving it a try even if you aren’t into vampire tales due to the rich characters, setting, and artwork.

 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with my first advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.