Review by Frank Plowright

Yako Gureishi delivers an immediate sympathy for her primary characters by showing slavery exists in their world before introducing Somali, a young girl accompanied by her father. He’s covered from head to toe in clothing and mask, and is referred to as a golem. The daughter is referred to as a minotaur, but looks human among a world of strange looking people imaginatively conceived by Gureishi.

The effort Gureishi puts into her artwork is coupled with an astounding visual imagination combining Somali’s innocence with downright creepy scenes. When her father’s mask opens it’s to reveal a single large eye, while a cat with a downright creepy grin also makes an early appearance. These are usually the material of horror, yet Somali’s innocence and the loving detail of the countryside and nature contrasts these intrusions. It’s a confusing, yet appealing combination.

Gureishi’s plot is equally imaginative, largely a fantasy exploration of a new world in which wonder and creativity is constant. Danger is often from surprising sources as humans are hunted, yet this is largely a peaceful story in which Somali is constantly learning about function and possibilities while theoretically searching for her mother. You’ll wonder whether the golem really is Somali’s father, and that’s a question answered around halfway through.

This is an episodic series, Somali and her guardian encountering new people and situations with almost every chapter, readers learning about the world alongside them. The gorgeous art is going to be an instant attraction, but anyone appreciating some pastoral tranquillity in their comics is going to want to follow Somali’s journey into Vol. 2.