Immersive and atmospheric. This was such a fun read. The art was superb, and the story was excellent.

on every front, this is GORGEOUS.

a graphic novel steeped in greek folklore with such a bewilderingly beautiful story and bewilderingly beautiful art… what more could you ask for?

the religious motifs and horror facets are very cleverly crafted. this was darker than i thought (good!) but that isn’t without being so extraordinarily detailed in its darkness and abundant with its atmosphere that you’re immediately invited into such an infuriatingly immersive read. i was left on the last page with the best of problems: i want more, please!

like… 1,000 pages more.

(thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the arc!)

My main opinion on this boom is that it's fine. I certainly wouldn't call it bad, it doesn't fail to do anything that it's trying to do, but I wouldn't say it does well either. While the story is easy to follow and Daphne is easy to care about, I just never felt invested in the story. The art is well done, and the gore serves it's purpose for a horror story, but I feel it could have been better.

A girl who yearns for freedom, a priest who is steeped in corruption, and the devil that haunts the town. A girl who's brother has just died and is shunned by the village because she's never been to church yearns to be freed from her home. Yet when she is unable to pay for her brother's burial her father sends her to beg for money where she meets a stranger and finds a bag gilled with gold... but then the Devil visits her and she must uncover the truth. A unique folktale with gorgeous artwork. It was a unique read and the story was interesting to read. I was invested in the story with all its twist and turns.

Release Date: September 23, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Dead Sky Publishing for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was a LOT darker than I expected, partly because it is yes a graphic novel. It has some intensely dark themes and has very thick broad strokes of religious topics if the title didn't give that away. However, while the story is very good and very rewarding if graphic is not for you then be wary of picking up this story. Beautiful illustrations and very satisfying read, especially the ending.

Thank you to Net Galley for my arc copy of The Girl, The Priest and The Devil. My overall rating of this graphic novel is 3.75.
This was a super quick and easy read. This had some dark elements to it. This graphic novel was giving The Witch vibes to me with its religious references. I really enjoyed this and wished there was more. I would highly recommend this to anyone that likes dark religion realism. That unfortunately the church essentially in history did not have a kind heart.
The illustrations were very beautiful and very well done. I hope to pick up more from this author.

First and foremost, I loved how the story portrays the harsh reality of being a woman in a small, closed-off society where accusations of witchcraft came easily – and almost always fell on young girls. Through the character of Daphne, we get a chilling glimpse into a world ruled by fear, ignorance, and superstition.

I won’t go into too much detail about the plot to avoid spoilers, but I will say that the pacing, the suspense, and the overall unfolding of the story completely captivated me. There’s an ever-present sense of unease, and the blend of historical setting with dark folklore creates a hauntingly immersive experience. It feels like stepping into an old tale – the kind whispered only in hushed tones.

The illustrations deserve special praise. The artwork is stunning – rich in detail, full of emotion, and packed with symbolic imagery. Every panel feels intentional and alive. The characters’ expressions, the scenery, and the overall visual storytelling are all top-tier. You don’t just read the emotions – you see and feel them in every frame.

The Girl, The Priest, and The Devil is a powerful, dark, and deeply atmospheric work that blends history, myth, and horror into something unforgettable. This book has both heart and depth. It’s definitely something I want on my shelf – and something I’ll be returning to again.

Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys eerie folktale-inspired stories, strong female protagonists, and graphic novels that stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

The Girl, The Priest, and the Devil is lushly illustrated- I would recommend it based on the art alone! The story itself is exactly what I expected- a dark folk story centering around a small village controlled by a priest and the girl being crushed by contempt from everyone in that village. Though the writing was serviceable, it lacked some amount of bite or voice. Overall, stunning visuals paired with good enough writing make this a graphic novel for those who are looking for gorgeous, dark art and are less fussy about layered writing!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dead Sky Publishing for this ARC!

Growing up alongside a Greek family I've always gotten excited when I've seen Greek media and I was overjoyed when I saw this was being released.

The artwork in this book is beautifully done. It's stylistic which I love to see in a graphic novel, but also still very clear. It is able to flow with the story well and so many pages had scenes I wish I could frame on my wall.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. I wasn't familiar with the original story at all so this was all new to me and I loved it. I'll be looking forward to adding this to my physical collection once it's released.

An amazing short story, the drawing style is so good and eye pleasing, I was captivated by every single scene drawn out. This is very close to me story wise, because my folklore is so close to the Greek one. We, the Bulgarians, were also under the Ottoman oppression and that made a great impact on our nation as a whole. We had similar dressing style, household and traditions as displayed here and it’s always humbling to know that there are other nations that share something similar with mine.
I loved how the story progressed, I loved the joke the goat tells, this made me laugh so hard. Overall, amazing drawing style and good story building. Super short, you can read it in about 20 min. There are pretty horrific scenes depictured here, so be aware. It is a horror after all and it doesn’t disappoint on that front.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for providing me with the ARC.

Thank you to Dead Sky Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I'm including my honest thoughts below.

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This book follows Daphne, as she is ridiculed by the town's people over rumors that she is a product of the devil. What no one realizes is that there are dark forces at play that no one can see coming. It all starts when a former childhood friend of her brother's comes back to town.

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I'm not sure what I was expecting since I went into this book completely blind. This is not something I'd normally be into but I promised to keep an open mind and I'm soooooo glad I did. I love a good bit of violence on occasion and this book delivered.

I felt so bad for our FMC because she was mistreated by literally everyone around her. Her father and the priest were the absolute WORST. I would have left a long time ago if I were in her position and I have a feeling she only stayed for her brother. I don't blame her for that either.

I was wondering where Theo was taking the plot and I'm glad we got the ending we did. I was hoping for more, obviously, but I'm getting the feeling that he left it open for a sequel with the way the book ended. I'm hoping that's the case.

I'm so glad the priest got what was coming to him but I feel equally sympathetic toward his ward since he didn't deserve the treatment he received from the priest. The priest had everyone fooled and that's unfortunate.

Daphne's dad is just as bad as the priest since I do agree with Daphne's brother that their father is holding their mother's death over Daphne's head. I feel like that isn't fair and it's central to his treatment of her. That's truly unfortunate.

I'd recommend this book to anyone, especially if anime/manga is your thing. I can never keep up with which one is which, which is on me. lol I needed something new/different so I'm grateful that I was approved for this e-ARC. Thank you for the opportunity!

The artwork was beautiful — full of atmosphere, emotion, and detail. I really appreciated having the chance to read something by a Greek creator, and I’m always glad to see Greek artists making an effort to publish their work internationally. That kind of outward-looking creativity is something we often lack, so I deeply value it.

One thing that threw me off a bit was that I already knew the story from another graphic novel by a different Greek author. Still, I understand that this tale is rooted in folk traditions rather than being an original invention, so it’s not about copying or lacking creativity — it’s simply a new interpretation of a shared cultural motif. And that, in itself, has value, especially when it’s presented through a different artistic and narrative lens.

Overall, the graphic novel left me with a very positive impression, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of this creator’s work.