Review by Frank Plowright

There’s a gentle heart to Somali and the Forest Spirit, which deals with a young girl looking for her parents, accompanied by her distinctive looking guardian, clad completely in leather with no skin showing. He’s referred to by some as a golem, by others as a Forest Spirit and by Somali as “Father”. Over four volumes to date Yako Gureishi has produced a wonderfully individual fantasy series, and that doesn’t change here.

The Forest Spirit is a guardian of ancient woodland, and Gureishi opens the volume by laying out the tasks it achieves as a prelude to it first meeting Somali, trapped by slavers. What seems to be a brief interlude offering background information instead becomes its own fascinating story of the innocent Somali latching onto the Forest Spirit as a surrogate father despite it continually trying to push her away. Charming and unashamedly sentimental, this story of gradual and instinctual, if reluctant bonding occupies half the book, drawn by Gureishi in her massively appealing detailed style.

If the Forest Spirit itself wasn’t clue enough to Gureishi’s feelings, the art constantly celebrates nature’s beauty despite being devoid of colour. The love is there in the sample art displaying a magical sky over textured mountains and a tree lush with life and one without leaves. Even the trestle bridge echoes nature, being made from wood.

Although there have been moments of danger, they’ve been few and far between in a series more concerned with immersion in a world than a traditional narrative. However, danger duly manifests, due to the perhaps forgotten theme of humans being considered valuable. The supporting characters reintroduced in Vol. 4 are well used as reflections, and by the end Gureishi has changed the mood entirely, switching from comfort zone to dark fairy tale. It’s disturbing, but effective, and a fine prelude to Vol. 6.