I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that was as atmospheric as this. Hagio is a master of the medium. The fog. The flowers. The dark—all pop out of the page, propelled by an incredible story. Like Bram Stoker’s masterpiece, this manga is also epistolary, and the interwoven stories and narrators and timelines feel incredibly fresh and modern. Rachel Thorn’s translation slaps.

I usually read manga as an ebook on a big tablet but I’m very grateful I picked up the physical book. It is decadently luxurious.