Full review to be posted soonish. I'll update review with links to socials.
I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

With a loose mixture of Japanese folklore and yokai mythology, the story of Snow, the traveler and their daughter Lila unfolds. A story of broken promises, misplaced trust and finding your way through a blizzard of emotions.

One day when Lila’s father doesn’t return home she breaks free of the confines of the “home” he has forced her within. She goes looking for him. Her brave, strong spirit guiding her through the woods. Finding her strength, helpers and uncanny abilities along the way. She unlocks the secrets of her past and finds out who she is truly meant to be.

It’s a beautiful little story with magically whimsical illustrations. The pastel color pallet and forest setting lends itself to a wonderfully atmospheric and charming pictorial escape.

The illustrations are what really makes this a work of art but it took me awhile to really feel connected to the story. I feel like there were a few instances where something just felt lost in translation. Although overall, it was rather thought provoking and charming.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this graphic novel, all opinions herein are my own

This is a soft, sweet story of a little girl named Lila, who lives with her father on an island covered in snow. There is a demon that lives on the island too, who has cursed the island into an eternal winter, and bad things will happen if Lila leaves the house she and her father live in. He has tried to make it a wonderful place for her by filling it with all kinds of plants, and she has some companions - two talking frogs and a talking cat, but she longs to go out onto the sea with her father on one of his fishing trips. However, doing so would make the demon angry, causing terrible storms, so she must stay inside. But one day, her father doesn't come home when he normally does, and as more time passes, Lila decides she must go out and try to find him. She sees her world for the first time, and as she is discovering its secrets, her father returns, and finally tells her the story of what happened, and why they live the way they do. This, of course, changes everything....
The story is based on Japanese mythology, and while I don't know the exact tale or tales it's depicting, it definitely has the flavor of the source material. There's a strong Studio Ghibli vibe here, more of a quiet Totoro feel than a fierce Mononoke feel, so don't expect lots of action or a quick pace. Domergue's story is filled with gentle magic, and Canac's illustrations bring that magic beautifully to life with a dreamy, lush softness. The themes are good - parents wanting to protect a child, but going about it in the wrong way and overdoing it, the desire to see more of the world and learn new things, facing one's fears, being kind to others. Lila's concept of promises being potential lies is very interesting, and makes a good point about being careful what and how you promise things, and deserves a good ponder. Lila is a lovely character to root for; her parents are flawed, meaning well but a bit selfish too. The animal friends are fun, especially the frogs, Moshi and Mochi. Moshi is a rule-follower, and Mochi is a fearless rebel, very much like C-3PO and R2D2, and they're a hoot and a half! I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and would recommend it for when you want something soft and dreamy with a dose of fun.

#BetweenSnowandWolf #NetGalley

I like the art style, its what made me pick it up in the first place. Really nice colors.

The dialogue is pretty awkward and unnatural. I was going to chalk it up to mediocre translation, but then I couldn't find a translator and it all came up english so I thought maybe not. BUT both author and illustrator are french so I’m back on the translation boat (though no one is credited). Speaking of language, I really wish the haikus would have been kept. The characters even state that some dialogue is supposed to be haiku, but its not. I can only assume they are in the original text. And I wish more work would have been put in to keep that element. The description said the book reads as poetry and the author is known for her haiku collections, but I don't think the book read that way at all. Though I did like the poetry bits between scenes. Again, I’m thinking (hoping?) the discrepancy lies with a translation issue. Another example being, at one point they say the Jizo is soft like a pebble. Pebbles/rocks (which they also call it) aren’t soft. Maybe “pebble” is the literal word but the essence is different, which I think might be more important in translation. Not to belabor that any longer.

The island keeping her “hostage,” so to speak, was an interesting aspect!

The frog calling her a coward took me aback. It felt extreme between what are supposed to be friends. It felt forced in order to give Lila the final push to go out.

Why were her legs bare?

I understand some of her fascination at seeing the outside world, but they had windows… she could see snow and trees and wind. Her reaction as if seeing these elements for the first time felt more naive than necessary (versus an expected, “its so much bigger than I thought” or something).

I liked the frogs as the devil and angel on her shoulder.

They’ve never heard her laugh before? Yeah, right. She’s like 8, and besides a desire to go outside does not seem depressed at all. Then she gains “her first color.” This didn’t make sense on multiple levels. I understand the idea of her dreaming white for the snow, but that doesn’t make her colorless. She’s expressed numerous emotions, lives in a garden with lots of colors, and she paints. So, it feels like the ideas are working against one another.

How’d dad get out of the storm? Loose end, Not resolved. It would have been easy enough to show the storm abruptly stopping once Lila leaves the house, since the idea is to get her to find the temple.

Similar to the colors, the “demon” concept seems to work against itself. First they think the wolf is the demon? Then it turns out she knows what a wolf is, so they think the demon has het father. Overall, the concept of the demon, even if it was just in her imagination, is confusing and too abstract.

Speaking of, what about her mother making snow means she’s a demon? The dad calls her that, despite his having come to take their daughter away. Any mother would be angry, and snow isn’t inherently dangerous. There’s no evidence the mother has ever previously done anything
To harm Lila. So really what I learned is her dad sucks, broke multiple problems, and then gets excused. It’s okay for books to have bad characters, but he was let off the hook and that didn’t sit right with me. Not did I feel that conflict was truly resolved.

All that sounds harsher than I really feel. It wasn’t a bad book. I think it just needed A. Another draft or two and B. A better translator.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

It might just be that I love wolves and the snow, but I loved this book from start to finish. Charming, really beautiful, and just a story to warm your heart!

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

Between Snow and Wolf by Agnes Domergue was a beautiful middle grade graphic novel about a little girl and her animal friends on an adventure to find her destiny! I loved the art, but the story felt a bit rushed and underexplained to me, or maybe it was just more abstract than I'm used to. Overall though, I liked it.

In a Nutshell: An interesting graphic novel (perhaps, “bande dessinée” would be more accurate as it was originally written in French) with a brave young protagonist facing her fears and determined to find out the truth.

Story:
Little Lila has always lived with her father on a snowy island. She’s afraid of the snow, and she’s afraid of a demon who is supposed to be dwelling in the heart of the island. To keep her protected, her father doesn’t allow her to venture out of the house. Lila spends her time pursuing her hobbies and chatting with her talking animal companions – the frogs Mochi and Moshi, and the cat Bamboo. When her dad doesn’t return home after a fishing expedition, she confronts her fears and ventures into the forest to look for him. Thus she discovers more about the forest, what with guardian spirits and a giant white wolf and many hidden secrets that reveal more about her, her parents, and the island itself.

This is a story supposedly inspired by classic Japanese fairy tales. But as my knowledge of Japanese fairy tales is zero, I have no idea of the original story. This, however, didn’t take away from my enjoyment. The book begins slowly and there are many panels with just illustrations and no speech. But once the action begins, the momentum really picks up and the story starts to become appealing. Lila’s thoughts on promises including a risk of lying are nicely woven into the storyline.

I had mixed feelings about the characters in the story. Lila is a brave young girl and her character shows resolve and courage very well. She is also caring and respectful. Unfortunately, neither of her parents behaves like a good role model and I found it tough to connect with either of them. Both just come out as selfish and short-sighted. The animals bring in the required touch of humour and light relief. The frogs especially are a hoot, with Moshi being the obedient rule-follower and Mochi, the rebel who questions everything. There are also some interesting guardian spirits who speak in poems or haikus. As the author Agnes Domergue is a professional musician well known for her published volumes of haiku, this shouldn’t come as a surprise and works very well in adding to the lyrical quality of the story.

The best part of this bande dessinée is its artwork. While the story is good, the illustrations truly steal the show. The blizzard, the animals, the spring time, the characters… every single part of the panel is drawn with such beauty that you can help focus more on the drawings than on simply surging ahead with the tale. The font was a mix of plain sans-serif (for most panels) and cursive/running font, which wasn’t quite so legible.

Overall, this is a riveting graphic novel with a fair mix of fun and drama, and with enthralling artwork. Studio Ghibli fans will certainly enjoy it. But I’d recommend it to all who want to give a try to a Japanese fairy tale full of magic and kawaii-style cuteness.

3.75 stars.

My thanks to Diamond Book Distributors, Magnetic Press, and NetGalley for the ARC of “Between Snow and Wolf”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The Review

This was such an inspiring and heartfelt read. The Japanese mythology and artwork that was infused into this narrative were so amazing to read, as was the character growth and their interactions with one another. The characterization of each animal and the main characters was absolutely perfect, and I loved how even nature and the environment around us came alive and become their own characters, highlighting the importance of nature in our world.

What stood out to me was the theme of this narrative, as well as the stunning artwork. The vibrancy of the colors in this art, showcasing the stark contrast between the cold of winter and the warmth of spring, was so beautifully felt here. The theme of children eventually moving on into the world on their own, facing their fears, and discovering who they are and their place in the world was so creatively explored and melded the graphic novel and children’s book genres together so seamlessly.

The Verdict

A stunning, engaging, and breathtaking read, author Agnes Domergue’s “Between Snow and Wolf” is an absolutely incredible and must-read graphic novel and children’s story. A wonderful balance of iconic Japanese folklore, original character growth, and emotional storytelling make this the perfect winter read leading into the new year.

This was really interesting and had a great ending. The dynamic between the characters was really powerful. I appreciated the apology the father gave at the end and the result.

Who knew that graphic novels could be slow burns? I had multiple false starts and couldn't really connect with the story until about 50% through. But wow... consider me impressed.

The artwork is seriously stunning throughout. I also love how the colour palette changes from a grim winter to vibrant and bright spring tones as the story progresses. It's so clever!

Stick with this one even if you aren't feeling it at first. What awaits you is a beautiful and meaningful tale.

A magical little girl is unable to leave a mysterious island where it is always winter. Together with some animal pals, she sets out to find her missing father, but discovers far more than her wayward papa. The illustrations are stunningly beautiful, and the real star of the show here.

I was really looking forward to this sweet-sounding graphic novel and when I first started it, I was amazed at the absolutely gorgeous illustrations. They are top-notch and the colors and beauty of them lull you into not initially seeing all the problems that are within the story. There are lies told [with little consequences] and most of the adult behavior is not only NOT okay, it isn't really addressed or dealt with. Even with the gorgeous illustrations, this ended up being a huge disappointment and I cannot really recommend it to anyone that might want to buy it for their children or for children that they know. I wanted to rate this higher simply because the illustrations are so amazing, but the problems with the story [along with pacing and some confusion as to what is really happening], I had to keep the low rating.

Thank you to NetGalley, Agnes Domergue, Helene Canac [Illustrator], and Diamond Book Distributors/Magnetic Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**A side note: If you request and receive an ARC from these publishers, be prepared for a TON of [in my case, unwanted] emails. It was really obnoxious how many were sent and I still have not found the place where I can unsubscribe. SO annoying.

*I received an electronic ARC of this book from Diamond Book Distributors through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

An adorable and beautifully illustrated fairy tale. Lila lives with her father on a snowy island with her animal friends, but she feels like she is missing out because she is not allowed to go outside. Soon enough we will find out why when her father goes missing and she decides to go look for him. I particularly liked the colors of the illustrations, the way they seem to capture the light and there is so much texture to them. There is also a lot of beautiful sentiments in the writing, poetic even. But I should honestly say the book could benefit from further editing, which will probably happen before being published. I feel there are some minor gaps here and there that could be clarified by deleting some instances that don’t advance the plot as much. That minor flaw aside, the story invites us to look at nature and marvel, as Lila does. I think this was written with its public in mind, it has approachable vocabulary, funny characters, and even simple life lessons to be learned; it is the perfect book for middle graders, but also enjoyable for people of any age. I really loved this book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a visually stunning read.

I received an eARC copy from Diamond Books Distributors and Magnetic Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lila, the sweet little girl afraid of snow, sets on an adventure of finding her dad after he does not return home from fishing at the open sea. She gathers her strength and courage and ventures outside, facing the ever-lasting blizzard and cold. On her path, she faces many difficulties and obstacles that help her learn more about the mysterious island she lives on and the truth about herself.

The air of mystery wafting from loose connections to Japanese mythology, presented by the lovely illustrations, is so loveable and captivating. Restoring the natural balance between ordinary people and mythical creatures has been beautifully woven in this Studio-Ghibli-type of a fairytale.

And the artwork... oh, The. Artwork! I could not help but fall in love with this artwork style, the characters' "kawaii" cuteness, the pastel colour palette, the soft lines, Lila herself, and how it perfectly matched the magical story and its pace.

Absolutely gorgeous read!

I received an electronic ARC from Diamond Book Distributors through NetGalley.
Set on an island blanketed with winter. Readers meet some of the animals along with a young girl and her father. The story follows a path known to readers but adds some interesting interactions along the way. Lila wants to explore the world but is kept in a protected area by her loving father. Her mother is gone and mentioned very little as the story begins. Then her dad does not come home from a short trip and Lila sets off on a quest to find him and conquer her fear of the snow. Readers travel around the island with her and her animal friends. Lovely illustrations capture the character emotions and the lush landscape. The fantasy elements are all here for readers to appreciate.

This is a really hard book for me to review. The art is phenomenal. The art alone deserves 5 stars. The story has some issues.

Lila loves on an island that is trapped in eternal winter. Her dad claims to protect her from a demon and a curse. One day he is gone longer than he should be, so Lila ventures out of her home in search of him.

This is advertised as being influenced by Studio Ghibli, and for most of the story I would say that that is a fitting description. The story is loosely based on Japanese mythology and I enjoyed it up until the end.

I have issues with the father and the actions he took. I also don’t think the negative actions where adequately addressed. I was going to buy a copy to read to my daughter, but decided against it.

Do not read any further unless you are okay with spoilers.

The dad broke his promise to the mom and tried to leave the island with Lila. He so traumatized Lila’s mother, the winter demon, she became trapped in eternal winter until Lila breaks the curse. The dad is horrible in my eyes. He caused all the pain to the island, the mom, and daughter. Yet, he gets away with it. There is some girl power elements, but I feel as though he should have faced some repercussions. I don’t want to teach my daughter that men can break promises and do what they want and not any personal consequences. He want punished, nor even vilified. What he did was wrong. The story makes a point of saying how important it is not to break a promise, yet, he just skips away. It just felt off. There are a lot of crimes against women that barley get punished and it’s the women who face the trauma and I don’t want a children’s story reinforcing that trend. Some people may think I’m being too harsh. But, am I really? Aren’t we all shaped by the stories we learn?

This was a slow moving fairy tale. Very lovely, but if you don't want to have a lot of beautiful pictures and want the story to hurry up, this is not the book for you.

Based loosely on Japanese mythology, this is the story of a man who marries a mysterious woman who does not want him to leave her island, but he tries to, and so makes the snow remain year round and disappears. That is the world that Lila lives in, but she doesn't understand. And so, when her father is late, from fishing, she goes off in search of him, exploring the island more than she ever has, and finding things that he has never told her about.

Lovely to look at, but a bit too slow moving for my tastes.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book avialable for an honest review.</em>

Lila has lived with her father in the centre of a snow storm for as long as she can remember. She fears the blizzard outside but forces herself into it when her father fails to return home. She is determined to save him, despite her fears, but finds much more to love and appreciate than there is to hide from, as she venture outdoors.

This is a graphic novel for Studio Ghibli fans. I fell head-over-heels in love with the gorgeous art-style, the pastel colour palette, the natural setting, and the magical storyline.

Lila was a gentle angel who must be protected at all costs. She was fearless and feisty when she needed to be, yet also had a kind heart, cared for all the creatures surrounding her, and remained forever in awe of the natural world. Basically, she is the perfect heroine for this cottagecore-style storyline to feature.

The art in Between Snow and Wolf is absolutely beautiful. The story is very cute. It is about a girl, Lila, who is afraid of snow. When her father does not return from a fishing trip so braves the outside world and learns about the magical forest around her.