Secrets of the Aweto Book 1: The Hunt Is On is a beautiful graphic novel with folktale elements that follow the adventure of two brothers who hunt for aweto, said to cure all ills and may even give immortality.

The art in this volume is absolutely beautiful. It looks like it was done in watercolour with parts of it reminiscent of traditional Chinese brushwork. The colours are vibrant and really captures the magic of the story. The character designs and backdrops were also really charming.

The storytelling style is very much in line with traditional folktales. I was not familiar with any of the specific elements such as the aweto and the chadolo which just piqued my interest more. At the beginning of the book, the author has a really sweet note in which he shares his hope that his work will inspire readers all over the world to find out more about his native land, specifically the culture in Qinghai, the Chinese province he was born in. I think he was certainly successful in that pursuit in this volume.

I was so invested in the story that I was very sad when the volume ended. I am so excited to find out what happens next.

2.5 stars.
It feels like this book is begging to be a Ghibli movie. While I've only seen Princess Mononoke personally, I saw a lot of comparisons between it and this story--the art is beautiful, the plot is focused on folklore and deities, and there's more focus on the world than on the characters. I had pretty similar feelings on this as well: I ended up confused and wishing there was more character moments or time to slow down.
The main selling point here is the art. It has ink brushstroke-like linework and watercolors accenting the line work, and it is gorgeous. The characters are pretty expressive and look distinct from each other. The page composition is good too. My only problem art-wise is that the art looked blurry a few times, but that might just be my digital edition.
The story follows a family of three seeking awetos, rare medicinal plants that sell for a high price, as well as the celestial aweto, an aweto that can grant immortality. The group consists of Xinyue, a hot-headed young boy who can control insects with his drum, Qiliu, his solemn insect-winged older brother, and Bu Ren Niang, their mom. They end up raiding the village of two girls named Ashmi and her friend Princess Huoxun to steal an aweto from its chadolo, an earth deity in which awetos can grow. As the plot goes on, they also meet a couple of other side characters. The book is pretty short, so there's not much else to say regarding the plot. I found the ending confusing, with a plot twist that seemed to come out of nowhere and gave me a lot of questions.
Character-wise, I didn't get attached to anyone. The main characters have defined (if basic) personalities, but you're thrown into the story with them without anything to make them endearing. I didn't care for Ashmi or Huoxun either. 
For the setting, there's some exposition awkwardly thrown into the dialogue, but the backgrounds and art go a long way into making it believable and interesting. It's an ancient version of China, but with the mentioned fantastical elements in it.

So, overall, worth looking into for the art and Ghibli-type appeal, but it didn't do anything for me personally. This is translated from what I'm guessing is Chinese, so I can't say if the problems I had were present in the original Chinese text or if some things just don't work in English. If the next book is better, I might check it out.

This had an cool premise with beautiful watercolor style illustration. The world it was set in seemed super interesting and the various characters were somewhat interesting. But it all just felt too fast. I didn't feel like there was enough for character development or world building to truly understand what was happening and why it was important to the characters.

The Hunt Is on, book one of four, in Nie Jun's new series is an action packed thrill ride which is bound to have teens wanting book two as soon as they turn the last page. [A few details toward the end of book one felt a little like they came out of no where for me as a reader, but I am hoping that we circle back, narratively speaking, to get the back story as to why those surprises occurred. (hide spoiler)] It will be fun to see where this series goes!

Plot line: Along the Silk Road, Xinyue and his family are seeking for deity like creature called aweto. Xinyue accidentally happens to own an aweto in one of their quests unaware of the fate that awaits for him. 
Review: The fantasy world of Aweto came alive with the dreamy watercolour illustrations. The story line was captivating. I can't wait to read the next book.
Thanks NetGalley and Learners Book for the ARC for review.

It was a very nice read and I was delighted by the style I discovered with this author. Like other reviewers mentioned previously it resembles a lot to Hayao Miyazaki's universe. 
The main protagonists are Xinyue, his brother Qiliu, and their mother. All three of them are seekers, hunting aweto―a rare, plantlike treasure. The aweto is usually found on earth deities which the seekers mut rob. Xinyue discovers the offspring of a deity - a celestial aweto - and from here the entire adventure begins. 
I liked a lot the fact that the action started on the Silk Road and that all was surrounded by magic and mythology. I felt that the first volume was too short and that the author cumulated a lot of info in the last pages, it was like a rush to the finish line and I was a little dissapointed by that. This is the only reason I have not given a 5 out of 5. 
For sure I would like to continue the series with the next volume.

An awesome book. The story is a fun Chinese fantasy adventure story. It’s about family, growing up, looking for treasure, and more.

The artwork is amazing. Beautiful watercolor artwork. Some of the pages have so much movement in them that it reminds me of a Vincent Van Gogh or Georges Seurat painting. The characters look beautiful too. The artwork really compliments the fantasy adventure story we are taken on.

The story is great too. It’s about two boys going on a treasure hunt. The youngest boy finds more than he bargained for.... Plus we learn more about the boys Mother.

The ending of the book is a bit abrupt. I didn’t want the book to end. I wanted more and to see what happens next.

I really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fantasy adventure story. It’s a beautiful story with amazing art. Similar to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, you just want more.

I look forward to a second book and after you read this story, you will too.

Stay awesome and keep reading.

This was really interesting.  The magic and the universe were well drawn and fun to learn about and the story was a nice setup to a larger epic.   I loved the art and I liked that our protagonists weren't heroes (and in fact were exploitive villains, driving whole villages into poverty).  Similar to other books from Chinese authors I have read, the structure and plot and characters seem mostly familiar but every once in a while there is a decision or plot point that is just jarring in its unexpectedness.  The last minute character revelations seemed a bit ham handed, but there is enough propulsion in the plot and world to have me looking forward to the next volume.

Loved this story! Such a change of pace from the other graphic novels I have been reading. The illustrations are beautiful and you get to know so many great characters. I cannot wait to continue this series!

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review. 

I requested this book due to the front cover. I love watercolour art and this reminded me of Okami and im a sucker for anything mythology. 

The art is really well done and is consistent throughout, its dream like which adds to the story. It was whimsical to read and I think its the art that carries and amplifies it. Its calming, peaceful which is at odds with the nature of the tale. However the art is the strongest asset. 

The story is based upon Chinese Folklore, however with many graphic novels/manga the story is a little confusing. The pacing is off and you can tell this is due to more volumes. The story felt rushed, i didn't really know the characters and I felt I could be invested more. 

Overall I liked it and I it does the job of making me want to read more

The Hunt is on completely blew me away and was way more than I expected. The watercolor art style is stunning and creates an airy dreamlike feel for the story Whimsical story with a cliffhanger at the end that will leave you wanting the second.installment right away!

This comic definitely has some of the most beautiful art I have seen around. The style is special, the drawings colourful and lively and truly unique. Sadly the story didn't really pull me in and the jumps in location without proper breaks were confusing at times. Overall I think it's still an enjoyable graphic novel, that will definitely be interesting to many people.

Beautifully illustrated and colorful, "Secrets of the Aweto" is a beautiful story about a young seeker of aweto, a magical plant said to cure illness that grows upon earth elementals. He travels with his mother and aggressive half human brother on a journey to find celestial aweto which grants immortality. On one of their raids he finds a baby earth elemental and takes it in as a friend. It is now up to him to look after the creature and keep it safe from both the greedy seekers of aweto and his brother.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next volume!

Artwork: 5/5
Story: 4/5

Thank you, NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the first book on the series of "Seekers of Aweto". Based on Asian culture, Nie Jun tells us about an imaginary world where exists these creatures called "Aweto". A family of two brothers and a mother, called the seekers of Aweto, traveled land by land stealing the aweto. The two brothers were from the streets and one is a mixture of human and fairy and the other one has the power to control bugs. They steal one aweto from a land but the warriors of that city fight back and want to get back his aweto. The story has action, mystery, and such a good plot. But, can we just talk about the art? It is absolutely incredible, the colors and the character design are amazing.

A beautifully illustrated culturally rich story about deities and family and duty.
The art is amazing and it's got the vibes of a Ghibli movie/anime in general.
Beautiful :)

This was a tough one for me.  Sometimes I loved the artwork and other times I was just bored.  The story mostly ran that gambit too.  Kudos for the concept, but it just wasn't memorable.  I would probably go out in the library.

Thank you NetGalley, I just reviewed The Hunt Is On by Nie Jun. #TheHuntIsOn #NetGalley

First off, I just want to say the art in this graphic novel is phenomenal. I absolutely loved it beyond words. It fit the style of the story so well and the colors were fantastic. The landscapes were so beautiful.
The story itself was a little bit confusing at first, but some things were explained along the way. The idea of it was very unique and interesting. I loved the baby aweto.
I do wish it was a little bit longer, but I want to see what happens next!

The art in this is so, so good. I mean, SO GOOD.

The small family of Xinyue, Qiliu, and their mother Ren Niang travel along the great Silk Road as aweto seekers. The aweto is a plant that has near-magical healing properties, and grows on slumbering earth deities called chadolos that bless the earth around them, allowing villages to farm and thrive. I was a little shocked to see that this meant this small family are viewed as people who terrorize these small villages, as essentially they ruin their land; it was all to easy to fall into step with enjoying seeing them mid-seeking, learning who they are and what they're doing. 

On one such aweto trip, Xinyue finds a baby chadolo that latches onto him and he ends up taking care of. Unfortunately, the best hunters of the village they just ruined are after them for their thievery and after the baby chadolo in hopes to let the baby earth deity restore their land.

While the story could be a little confusing at first, once I untangled it and got a grasp on the world and what was going on, it was magical. The story itself is a little lacking, but I think that some of the oomph is lost in translation. However, it's more than made up for by the art, which is in turns lush and dreamlike, and brings Miyazaki's work to mind. Watercolor art can often feel static for me, but I think Nie Jun gets around that by creating some very dynamic action sequences. 

This is very much a first volume setting up the greater story at large, and I'm invested. I hope there is more coming, and I hope it's translated soon. I'd love to continue this story when I can.

I LOVED the art, but I didn't like the story at all. The art itself though was worth reading this. Wataercolor and all, I really liked it!

I have read Nie Jun's another graphic novel of "Beijing". I like his art style. After reading this one, I can't wait to read  the next book and find out more of this story. This story takes place in Dun Huang, a good travel point for next trip.