I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Anzu and her family have just moved into a new town during the celebration of Obon. While her classmates call her Anne instead and make fun of her lunch food, Anzu has lost her energy to celebrate the holidays. Then, after following a dog by accident, Anzu trips into the Yomi underworld of demons, creatures, and things that go bump in the night. Yet, Anzu eats something of that world, and so it's a race against time to get back to the human world before it's too late.
With a brush of bright colors, such as midnight purples and silvery hues, this graphic novel tells the tale of one young girl trying to find her way in a harsh world. The creative designs of the underworld and its inhabitants are fascinating as Anzu travels to find the answers she needs. With the dog-like gatekeeper trying to find himself against ridicule from others, both he and Anzu fight to make their way back home. A delightful read!

I absolutely loved this story, it was so good and reminded me a lot of Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Anzu has a lot of complicated feelings and seeing he work them out for herself while finding her courage was inspiring. The art was also beautiful and the colors were sublime. I will always read anything Mai Nguyen writes, and have had this on my list as soon as I knew it existed, and I'm glad I was able to get a digital ARC of this lovely graphic novel!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. My opinions are my own.

#AnzuandtheRealmofDarkness #NetGalley