The artstyle of this manga is so unique and charming I really loved it! I'm a big fan of historical series and this is a period of history I know little about and it was nice learning more. Sitara is a great mc and I can't wait to follow her journey. The only critic was that it was a little more simplistic than I would prefer but I can easily overlook that as it makes it more accessible to read for everyone.

A wonderfully drawn comic about the life of a young witch in mongol. The artwork was reminiscent of the Buddha series by Osamu Tezuka.

I enjoyed reading the book; it gave an ancient tale a modern take (with the characters and the dialogue) making it attractive to young readers. excited to read the sequel.

The story follows a young Persian girl later named Fatima and her life as a slave in the Khwarazmian city of Tus: before her village got attacked and she was taken by the Mongols, she was able to learn science thanks to her masters.

I unfortunately can't give much of an opinion on the story, since I've only read the first volume, but the plot is laid out well and (personally) make me want to seek out more.
The art-style is the key selling factor here, it's very pretty. I really loved how the characters looked, and the panelling was nicely done and laid out.

Honestly I don't have much to say about this manga expect that it was really, really nice! I'll be looking forward to read the rest of the story.

Final vote: 4/5

This is a wonderful historical fiction, Volume 1 gives us an interesting look into the time period of Mongolian conquest in the time of Khan rule. The art is simple and very stylized. This manga gives a lot of Red River vibes, in terms of how historically accurate it does try to be! I can't wait to see more volumes and learn more!

This historical manga follows a Persian slave girl purchased by a scholar family during the Mongol invasion of Iran. It provides a compelling context to the Mongol invasions, succession practices, language, and culture. This would be a great addition to libraries with historical manga readers!

I absolutely thoroughly loved seeing the culture of Iranian through this little comic, and I adored the art style. I adored following the narrative which I just couldn't put down and it covered topics that are sensitive in a very articulate but natural way. It also wasn't over or understated and it allowed for a more immersive experience. I appreciate the moral and theme of the story being consistent and it is a good message though the story elements get quite serious.

Well that was a very interesting read many ways. I love the historical content of that era and area's advanced understanding of sciences and mathematics which Fatima truly exhibits and in addition the art style is unique. It's iconic, stylized yet still embedded with the cultural feels of the different tribes.

Thank you Yen Press and NetGalley for the electronic review copy of this book. This is a first volume in what seems to be a historical manga series that starts with the Mongol invasion of Iran. We are following Sitara/Fatima, a young slave girl who is trying to survive and later rise to power in the Mongol court, based on a real person. A unique art style along with historical context based on real events makes this an interesting read. I’m looking forward to the next volume and would recommend it to any historical fiction lover.

Interesting first volume of A Witch's Life in Mongol, which follows the experiences of a Persian slave girl who is first given to a house of scholars, where her intellectual interests are encouraged, before being captured by Mongolian raiders and her new life among them. This volume focuses on the MC's early education, her (very tame) romance with the family's scholarly son, the raiding of her hometown and enslavement by the Mongols. and her journey to the steppes of Mongolia where her education causes her to find favor with the wife of the Khan in waiting.

Fatima, previously a slave in Tus known as Sitara, is taken by the Mongols to serve Töregene, the sixth wife of Ögedei. She harbors resentment towards them and secretly plans to undermine her captors.

I really enjoyed both the story and the art style of this manga. There is a pleasant mix of fictional storytelling within a historical background. I am looking forward to reading the next volume.

Thank you NetGalley and Yen Press for the e-book copy!

Rarely do I leave a manga volume in utter awe of what I've read. This manga seems like a straightforward story of a girl whose life was torn apart when The Mongols invaded her country. The author not only set up this story to be epic but to also give readers a chance to reflect on what they have read and possibly whats to come. I am excited to see where this series goes and I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't already.

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

A Witch’s Life in Mongol, Volume 1 by Tomato Soup is a manga following a young slave girl in 13th-century Iran during the tyranny of Genghis Khan. She is very smart under the circumstances, as her owners raised her with a love of studying. This first volume mostly felt like set-up for the story to come as much of the page time was spent traveling to a new location after her city gets raided. The art style is very different from other manga I have read, looking a lot like manga from its earliest days, which helps fuel the historically driven story. However, I didn't really connect with the characters or the story as much as I'd hoped, and I would recommend reading the "A Bride's Story" series by Kaoru Mori for something similar, but in my mind, a lot better. It was just an okay read for me.

Firstly, this manga was very different from what I expected it to be. The plot blurb for the manga describes the main character as an adult woman. She's not, for this entire volume, she's either a child or a teenager. I was also expecting more of a political thriller with hints of fantasy. I admit that I got tripped up on the Witch part of the title, and didn't realize they meant as in"Educated woman", not "Woman with magic powers". This manga is mostly telling historical facts and feels like I was reading one of those comics meant to be used in a history class instead of a textbook. The plot is a little all over, there are multiple time skips. I think this first volume is trying to do a LOT of setup and explaining the world for people who don't know Islamic or Mongolian history in a very short amount of time. It doesn't quite work and just makes the story feel crammed. Also, the art style is very kiddish. It's pretty jarring to have such a simplistic and cutesy smile you expect to see in comedies but use in a story that's supposed to be a historical political drama that covers some horrific events. It makes you think it's a children's story when you look at the art style. And yes, I know that style =/= story, but still, my point still stands.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

The first volume of A Witch's Life in Mongol presents the impact of war in all its pain. Sitara starts out life as a slave in the city of Tus. It's a peaceful existence, spent learning vast knowledge in her owner's library.

However, her peace ends when the Mongols attack. The horror of war may not be entirely shown, but the stark contrast between the bustling areas of Tus and the remaining rubble says enough. Sitara loses all hope as her loved ones are either slain or die of harsh conditions. When she's told of the possibility of rising beyond her status as a slave within the Mongol ranks, Sitara decides to utilize her wits to bring about revenge. I'm eager to see how Sitara will enact her plans!

A Witch’s Life in Mongol, Vol. 1 is an in-depth exploration of power dynamics in the context of Mongolian culture.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this advanced reader's copy.

Really excited for this author to become licensed in English! I think she is a very unique voice in Japanese manga. The first volume sets up the story, making the reader anticipate what will become of Sitara/Fatima. I loved the unique art style, details of medieval Islamic culture and Mongol culture, and the political drama of the story. Excited to read the next volume when it comes out!

Thank you to netGalley and Yen press for the eARC!

A Witch's Life in Mongol was a fantastic historical manga filled following Sitara, who later becomes Fatima. The style is cute and the introduction to the world at large by our main character as she grows up creates a seamless narrative. This makes me think of a Bride's Story, but with what seems like a more direct line on historical events.

I'm excited to see where this story goes, and can't wait for more volumes!

A Witch’s Life in Mongol reminded me a lot of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis. The story is set in the 13th century in Yeke Mongol Ulus, the greatest empire ever. The main character is Sitara or later known as Fatima. She was a slave, but an educated one until she ended up with the Mongols. This first book tells her story thus far and how she despises Töregene, the sixth wife of Ögedei, the second Great Khan. The Arabic culture from long ago is utterly interesting and Fatima is Persian. I especially enjoyed that our main characters are women. Fatima has an actual persona and it will be interesting to see how grand she will become thanks to her hunger for knowledge. Historical josei is surely something else and I wish more was made.

The art is very Western in a sense and fits this very well. The story moves quite fast even, perhaps I wished we would've seen the world and cultures more. I love to learn about the world through comics. A Witch’s Life in Mongol is a different kind of manga, more political than Kaoru Mori's A Bride's Story. Refreshing, I'd say.

A beautifully illustrated and well written historical graphic novel. I enjoyed reading this, and I found myself drawn to the art most of all.

A very cool historical manga set in 13th century Mongol Empire and centered around a young slave girl taken in and taught by a family of scholars in Persia, who is then captured and taken to the Mongol court.

Sitara (Fatima) is a clever, quick-witted, charming and determined protagonist. I am really curious to see what she does and whether her plans/intentions/feelings regarding her new situation change with time.

The historical details are great - the sun dial tents, the geometrical calculations, etc - I really enjoyed all of them. And I especially loved how knowledge and the pursuit of it are at the center of the story - knowledge is power, curiosity about the world is the driver of progress and we need to remember it.

The almost chibi-style art is fun, and perhaps extra effective in really dramatic panels - the contrast between the cuteness of the characters and the dark events that unfold is quite jarring, but in an effective way (it was for me, at least).

Overall, a hugely enjoyable historical manga.

P.S. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.