Hmm... So basically it should be said right up front that the manga - which is also really cool - contains a lot of historical facts about the time of the Soviet Union. For example, the end of the Romanovs. We follow the stories of the two protagonists, Bielka and Shchenok, who have a strong interest in being able to stay in a certain Dacha. Why, who exactly they are and to what extent they are connected only becomes clear as the story progresses. That was also incredibly well done! However, I found that at times there were too many timeskips and information at once - so it shouldn't be seen as a quick and easy read, because you really have to be receptive here.
I just have to admit that I didn't like the plot with Victor and the fact that Bielka was abused by him - and that's it in my opinion. Especially since she later forms a bond with him, it just has an extremely bad taste to it. He's just significantly older than her, she's in a precarious situation, has no other choice and yet it's somehow portrayed far too positively. Of course he has his good points and ultimately wants to help them both, but that doesn't make up for his sins.
I actually found the (platonic) relationship between the two protagonists and how they found each other much better.
Honestly, I'm unsure how to feel about the manga. It had its good side, but I think ultimately I didn't have a lot of fun reading it. This is solely due to the fact that I couldn't stand the relationship of Victor and Bielka and how almost casually SA was portrayed.

Immerse yourself in the harsh political climate of 1930s Russia. The story follows Bielka, a beautiful young woman in a wheelchair, and Shchenok, her quiet companion.

In a world of secrets, hidden identities, and personal missions, their lives unfold in a drama steeped in intrigue and danger.

• Overall thoughts:

Fair warning: this one lands better if you’re already familiar with the political landscape and history of the setting. The premise is fascinating, and it could have been one of the most gripping historical dramas I’ve read.

Unfortunately, with this being a oneshot, there’s not enough room for the story to breathe. Dense infodumps, a crowded cast, and a rushed ending all fight for attention. By the time you start piecing the story together and enjoying the journey… it’s over.

But such is the curse of oneshots.

While I was invested in Bielka’s and Shchenok’s stories and the absolute nightmare they to live in, I wasn’t invested in them as characters. Their situation is dire, the stakes are high, but the emotional connection wasn’t there. They’re surviving at an enormous cost, surviving regardless of what happens, but without the development, it’s hard to connect with them.

Here’s where my biggest conflict with this story lies: the SA scenes. They’re not overly frequent or graphic (thankfully), but they involve an unwilling underage character and felt disconnected from the plot. Especially when, just chapters later, that same character is embracing their abuser—it’s jarring and undermines the gravity of what happened.

Yes, in historical context such horrors were tragically real, and the bleak landscape could desensitize anyone. But in fiction, scenes like this need to shape the characters or push the narrative forward. Here, traumatic events pass with barely a flicker of acknowledgment before the story moves on, making the suffering feel gratuitous rather than purposeful.

I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. The mangaka’s afterword added a lot of valuable insight that deepened my appreciation to the story—although it wasn’t for me, I see the vision. It gave some great context into their mindset, why they wrote the story, and what inspired them to study Russian history and conspiracies enough to write this piece.

That said, the art is stunning. It’s detailed and crisp, and it really highlights the lonesome, cold landscape of a post-war world when people know nothing but terror day in and out. Although the story itself is occasionally hard to follow, and its handling of sensitive content could’ve been better, it had some solid ideas. If you’re ever lost reading, the last pages have some very handy character profiles!

• Who is Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze for?

I’d only recommend this manga to readers who adore historical dramas and can handle heavy, uncomfortable material. It’s heavily researched, has some hints of familial bonds, and a gorgeous yet moody atmospheric setting.

Content warnings, this is NOT erotic fiction: multiple scenes involving coercion, non-consensual acts (including an underage character), and torture.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!!! I really enjoyed this because I love historical manga and Russian history. Plus, the art was gorgeous. I thought that there were definitely moments where l'd got boring or dragged, but I still really enjoyed it. I hope to find a physical copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hiroaki Samura, and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I haven't felt so conflicted about a title in a long time. I had a hard time following the story because I was unfamiliar with the important themes incorporated into the plot, so I think this work is perfect for those already familiar with the history of the Soviet Union. That said, I loved the art and the characters were interesting, but they were not as developed as I would have liked. Although the main focus of the story is the search for an object by the main characters, the story deviates so far from that purpose that it loses relevance and even the reader's interest.

I would also like to point out that some bed scenes were especially tricky to read. While I understand that these types of interactions were presented as common or even expected in the era the story takes place, it is nonetheless troubling to depict a situation in which a man takes advantage of a woman. I think a trigger warning is necessary, as not all readers will likely enjoy reading or seeing illustrations related to this type of content.

Launching straight into action, the mysterious Bielka and her companion Shchenok have their eyes on a specific house where they want to reside. As they obtain residence of the house, and maintain their presence there through often horrifying means, Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze presents a mystery to readers which is compelling and thought provoking throughout.

Set during the Russian revolution, the manga doesn’t give a lot of exposition and expects the readers to come with at least some basic knowledge of this time period else they may be lost throughout. When I say basic knowledge, I mean basic knowledge; I’m not suggesting learning all of the political ins and outs, simply knowing some key names will help throughout. In fact, there is a glossary of names at the beginning of the manga which comes in very handy – of course handier still not to have to flip to this page every panel.

Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze features a host of characters which can be difficult to keep up with. At points it does feel like this volume is a sequel, as a lot of history between characters feels like it is something the reader should have prior knowledge of. It’s important to note therefore that this is a standalone manga, there is no predecessor. A lot of the background characters feel often indistinguishable from each other and so so scenes can be confusing to keep up with those involved.

This manga did set me off on a Wikipedia rabbit hole, wanting to learn more about the period of history and the characters involved. Figuring how much of the story was fiction and how much was based on real life events was very eye-opening, as Russian history isn’t something I’ve previously read too much about.

Whilst the story itself was interesting, and there’s no denying the art was very well executed, I wouldn’t be able to say that I’d recommend it to others with any degree of certainty. There are obviously very heavy topics throughout due the nature of the setting, but also some potentially very triggering scenes. Certainly for anyone interested in this period of history, or history in general it’s a much read, but without knowing if someone has these particular areas of interest, I wouldn’t be able to give a firm recommendation.

With the above being said, I did enjoy Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze as a person with an interest in history and someone who enjoys researching different topics. The manga provides a brief look into an area of history that I was otherwise unaware of, giving the right amount of drama and intrigue to a harrowing story.

An excerpt from my short recommendation/review in our weekly manga recommendation colum Beat’s Bizarre Adventure, available to read on The Beat:

“Hence, Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze by Hiroaki Samura (Blade of the Immortal) is a researched, informed piece where each character has a complicated relationship with the October Revolution and the Stalinist regime that followed Lenin’s death. Compared to that backdrop, though, Bielka and Shchenok’s journey is a deeply personal one. Your enjoyment of this single-volume work will depend on what you expect from such a story.”

4.5 stars

How do you rate a book when you became more interested in Russia's history because of the author's afterword than the panels you read for a hundred or so pages?

There's a certain intrigue to the story that kept me reading, but I couldn't really connect with the characters nor the plot to give it much of a thought. The afterword, though, gave a sort of a behind-the-scenes to the author's thought process in how this story came out, and it was fun to read about it.


Thank you to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for letting me read this manga. I really wasn't sure what awaited me in this story. Although it is dark and tragic it was very interesting.

First off, I really want to give credit to the artwork and the concept of the main characters — they were genuinely interesting. But honestly, I had a tough time keeping up with the storyline, so I couldn’t fully connect with it or understand its deeper message. Because of that, it didn’t leave much of an impact on me. I do think people who are more familiar with Russian history might get more out of it, though.

As for the mature scene, I just didn’t get why it was there. It honestly left me feeling frustrated, especially when the female lead ended up forgiving the man who assaulted her. What made it worse was that the male lead, who said he’d protect her, didn’t do anything during the three years she was being abused. That part really didn’t sit right with me and made the ending feel pretty disappointing.

This is going to be really short and sweet, because while I can not justify giving it less than four stars I am not a big fan of Romanov conspiracy theories.

In terms of art, the story line, and characters this was a wonderfully executed addition to a very long line of stories that surround the Romanovs. Unfortunately, there are so many conspiracies surrounding them that I just don't think anyone can ever truly come up with a new one, so regardless of how beautiful the art is it still felt like a story that I've read before.

That being said, if you haven't read a ton on this topic like me, than this manga is a really good starting point if only because it is a manga. The art truly is gorgeous and given the format Samura is able to build the world up surrounding this incident without going to far into the weeds. So for those two things alone I'd recommend this.

As always thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the eArc!

Puh, ganz ehrlich?? Ich hab den Manga leider kaum verstanden 🙈 die russischen Namen waren schon eine ziemliche Herausforderung, der Geschichte zu folgen aber auch. Teilweise sehr viel Text. Eigentlich find ich historische Stories ganz spannend und interessant, aber es war für mich teilweise echt sehr schwer zu folgen. Es ist meiner Meinung nach definitiv ein Nischentitel und nicht für jeden etwas. Das Artwork fand ich aber sehr markant. Sehr detailliert und realistisch gehalten, was aber perfekt zum Setting passt. Das Pacing war für mich in Ordnung, teils aber nicht so ganz ersichtlich. Die Charaktere waren nicht so richtig greifbar, obwohl sie einen reizvollen Hintergrund besitzen. Die Message zum Schluss kann ich schon verstehen und greifen, aber der Weg dorthin war für mich etwas beschwerlich. Allerdings wurde alles sehr realistisch umgesetzt. Wer sich also für historische Plots interessiert, die etwas Fiktion enthalten, der kann sicherlich zugreifen. Wen das allerdings eher weniger interessiert, der sollte es lieber lassen.

definitely a compelling narrative, chock full of soviet history. i actually quite appreciated the roughness of the art style, as it complemented the grittiness of the story, but there were moments were things felt rushed.

I found this graphic novel/manga difficult to digest, in terms of subject matter, complex names, and characters not being fleshed out enough. This story takes place in Soviet Russia, with characters with dark pasts. However, the story and characters felt underdeveloped.

I’m not someone who has strong feelings about trigger warnings but this book should definitely come with them. This was an uncomfortable (in a bad way) read and the relationship between the characters were not handled well, especially in terms of handling rape.

Special thanks to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest, independent review.

it’s heartbreaking to st this but this was not for me, it was absolutely not what i expected it to be. I tried really hard but i struggled the complete story with not really getting into it. The art is beautiful and the reason why i give it one more star.

I really tried to get into this one because I like some political intrigue but I was having a hard time getting into this. I dnf'd at 45%, I think this one just wasn't for me. Ican see others enjoying this with the heavy politics, espionage, and darker themes. Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha for the digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Posted to Goodreads: 7/16/2025

People who like Russian history, and fictional what-ifs about Russian political figures are among the top people who I think will enjoy this book. The artwork in the book is well done, and the story has quite a bit of intrigue that keeps the reading hooked and wondering what is next. The story line follows Bielka, a woman without legs who is confined to a wheelchair, and Shchenok, a stoic man with a mysterious past. They work to keep their identities a secret while they complete a mission in the 1930s Soviet Union. The only warning I would give is that people may want to check trigger warnings before reading the book. There is definitely some mature content that I didn't really understand the importance of, so that part of the book was a bit controversial. I was given the opportunity to read this book through NetGalley and hope other readers enjoy it!

It doesn't take long for an attuned reader to guess where Hiroaki Samura's Soviet historical drama is headed: anyone familiar with the story of Rasputin will immediately know that something's up. This dark but hopeful tale, however, still holds onto some mystery till the very end. Like many other young Russians of their generation, Bielka and Schenok are dealing with the fallout of the Revolution that turned Russian society upside down. This unusual pair seems to have more than a desire to survive, though - Bielka, a young disabled woman who uses a wheelchair, and Schenok, her companion, travel across the new Soviet state in search of a lost treasure. The story does not shy away from dark themes, from Bielka's sexual servitude to the gulags of Soviet Russia. Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze is about more than the horrors of authoritarianism, though - it's about the fierce devotion between two young people and their resolve to free themselves of the burdens placed on them by their forebears. While this story is not for the faint of heart, it artfully reimagines a chapter of the Russian Revolution that has been told time and again through yet another new lens.

I’ll start with the good, gorgeous art and a unique premiss. Truly this was gorgeous to read, it also has some cool history attached to it. However that leads to the bad. Perhaps because I’m not the most versed on the Soviet history this was confusing at times(although I would lie to think I’m probably more knowledgeable than the average American). Additionally, this has multiple scenes of rape and our FMC loses her virginity to said rapist then she ends up hugging and thanking him. Gross.

The overall plot is one that I appreciate. This time period of Russia is one that I have always been interested in, and it delves into an infamous mystery. There is a lot of creative room for a historical fantasy set in 1930s Russia, so I applaud the setting and the story at the core.

In addition, the artwork really lends itself to convey certain genetic connections. It helps with both foreshadowing and understanding who might be related to who. This is an important fact to those who find Russian names long and complicated.

Imagine, if you will, a stereotypical fantasy book with long and unusual names. Some folks will never remember those names so they make up their own. This is an issue Russian words/names have for those from the Western Hemisphere. I'm sure folks might be wondering why I'm bringing this up, but it's supremely important to the story as there are many Russian names. Normally I'm wonderful at faking my way through a pronunciation, thus remembering their names. Unfortunately, there were too many. Too many foreign names, foreign places, foreign concepts... There wasn't enough time to digest any of them before moving on to the next place with new names of characters, and new concepts.

Soviet Russia, especially in its transitionary stage, was a confusing place. I'm sure it was confusing to the residents, so one can only imagine how confusing it is to those on the outside... years after its dissolution. I would have loved to linger in the dacha or labor camp, in particular, for longer - if for no other reason than to have more time to digest the names, acronyms or significance of the individuals involved.

I found myself grasping at straws at times trying to understand the significance of certain people being brought up. It seemed the characters had reactions before we had the information relayed to us. This resulted in a delay for me to feel the same "Aha" moment as the character. If somebody is a history buff of important/popular figures in the time of the Bolsheviks, then you might have an easier go with the pacing. I know I had an easier time once I understood who the main characters were and what they were looking for. (Because I knew what they were looking for as soon as I knew who they were.)

With that said, there were several info dumps. In some ways, the info dumps were helpful but in other ways they convoluted the story. I think certain things should have been in a glossary for reference. Many books delving in fantasy or in other cultures do provide such glossaries so that we may easily understand terms when we need to consume the information. Instead, I felt I was being purposely kept away from important information as it "wasn't the right time" to have an info dump. Really, it would have been smoother to have that glossary, and then to have certain historical figures identify themselves through action instead of random snapshot explanations. (Some historical figures are explained through action, but not enough of them.)

And then there's The Issue I have with this story. The main gal is forced to have sex with the man put in charge of the dacha. She then winds up brushing the whole incident aside and hugs the man in greeting when they eventually see each other again. While it sort of seems like she had some sort of character development around his role in their lives, none of that is really relayed to us. And honestly, I just don't get it. He didn't have to have sex with her... His hand was not forced at all. He voluntarily chose to put her in that position. That is irredeemable. In fact, there was no purpose to the violent act at all. Once her initial reaction faded, the only proof of the violence was in a scene where the blood appeared to not have washed all away. And she simply commented on the fact - nothing more. The man's wife was a decent person, so I could understand some kindness put her way; however, even she made no comment on the forced relations. She had NO COMMENT. She never brought it up. It was like the sex and the character development were in two separate rooms.

Never should this be considered erotica. There was no enjoyment from her side of things. The back of the book should NOT include the word "erotic." There was no desire felt in this book, other than that of a political nature. (Thankfully, it is not why I wanted to read it. It's a claim that I discovered after I had finished.) In fact, the only two people who I could understand having some sort of romantic connection seem to be related. So there goes that!

All in all, there was a lot of promise and a lot of missed opportunity. I feel like this should have been broken up into two parts. One that focuses on their first time in the dacha, beginning their search and dealing with the current occupants. The second part could have dealt with the labor camp and the eventual return to the dacha. It would have given more time to flesh out the character development and all of the Soviet Russian words/people. Sadly, at the end of it all, this wound up feeling rushed and confusing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the e-book copy!

Before this one-shot, I had gave this author's previous works a try and did not really enjoy them. However, I thought this story was a slightly better reading experience. Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze is a historical fiction story of two people bound together due to circumstances while trying to survive in 1930 Soviet Union. I found this story to be interesting from beginning to end as things continue to unfold leaving you guessing. I did wish this was two volumes as i felt the story needed room to breathe. Despite that, its still a solid story and recommend checking it out if you are a new or old fan of Hiroaki Samura.