mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: Yes

pretty art style that goes well with its intriguing premise and woodsy vibe; interested to see where it goes

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious relaxing slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

cozy and cute,, mysterious and a bit spooky on the side

interested in what happens next :0

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I loved how balanced this book felt, as there were good amounts of both heartwarming fluff and a darker plot whose undercurrent ran throughout the whole book. Super gorgeous art style and just overall a really beautiful atmosphere created.

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funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Loveable characters: Yes

So far: I love the art style. The relationship between Shiva and Teacher is adorable.

Edit - Thoughts on the whole series after finishing it:

The best thing about this series is the art and characters. The story and world building are not great imo. There are a lot of cute moments between Teacher and Shiva in the first half of the series, then the messy plot-hole heavy world building takes over, things get depressing, and the ending was very unsatisfying for me. A lot of other reviewers seemed to share my feelings about it. A spoiler-free hint at why the ending was unsatisfying: it’s a bit sad and very vague / abstract. If you like that type of ending, then maybe you won’t mind.

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

a bit of a slow start to this one! if you don't mind or enjoy domesticity in your supernatural books i'd recommend it. i will say, for this volume at least, is primarily concerned with establishing the dynamic between the creature "teacher" and shiva, their day to day routine, banter, and their general ways of interacting. for the beginning and middle sections of the book, the supernatural fantasy element is largely implemented in undertones and implications, or small scenes peppered throughout. towards the late middle of the book, the fantasy portion ratchets up in comparison to the earlier parts. this is where some darker elements that were hinted at in the beginning really begin to come out in full force.

one thing i really loved was the world building, it is very reminiscent of folktales (as an aside, if you read and enjoyed this element you might also like oksi by mari ahokoivu) and i especially appreciate the delivery of the lore, in the form a children's tale read to shiva. it simultaneously managed to deliver the world building in a clear and concise way, as well as enrich the dynamics between the characters. 

overall this was a really cute manga, and the ending was absolutely perfect in setting up intrigue for the next volume. i will definitely be continuing with the series. 

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Peculiar art style that's usually too dark and sketchy to figure out what's going on in certain panels. Intriguing premise and endearing characters but not enough for me to invest in the series.

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

really interesting world, beautiful art style, dark story but still so sweet <3 im hooked!

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dark mysterious sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Good start to a series! Sets up an interested universe and leaves you wanting to read the rest of the series. 

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dark mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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