Absolutely captivated by this manga, I was entranced by its stunning artwork and immediately drawn into the compelling storyline. Blue, the protagonist, resonated with me on a personal level, as I found a small reflection of myself in her character. The depth of the narrative, coupled with the gorgeous art style, kept me hooked from the very beginning.

The manga shares thematic similarities with other masterpieces like Witch Hat Atelier and Children of the Whales, featuring a young protagonist burdened with unforeseen responsibilities in a fantastical world with unique rules and magic. What truly stood out were the characters with single wings and the powerful portrayal of a character with prosthetics in positions of authority, addressing the challenges that disabled individuals often face.

One aspect that I truly appreciated was the glimpse into Blue's normal life before chaos ensued. It provided a clear understanding of her character and added depth to the anticipation of her journey.

Special thanks to Kodansha for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Finally, a work that lives up to the comparisons mentioned in the description. The manga exudes vibes reminiscent of Witch Hat Atelier, particularly in its art style. While I cannot directly compare it to Puella Magi Madoka Magica or Made in Abyss, the dark undertones are certainly present.

The tale unfolds with a young orphan, Blue, aspiring to become an Angel and protect the Quartz Kingdom from demons. However, her unique black wings lead to ostracization and bullying. The narrative takes a dark turn when a demon attack claims the lives of her friends, revealing a hidden power within Blue. The question of whether she can fulfill her dream of becoming an Angel becomes a compelling focal point. I am eagerly looking forward to the next chapters to see the development of this intriguing story.

3.5 stars
First of all the art of gorgeous! And I’m really interested in the world and in Blue. There’s a lot I’m waiting to know more of, although it was slightly confusing at times with some jumps, I think there’s potential in this. Also, it kind of reminds me of Witch Hat Atelier

Thank you so much for letting me read this manga. Blue is such a darling character. I love seeing her story and can`t wait for the contiuation. The art is very lovely.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the advance digital copy!

I was blown away by this first volume. “A Kingdom of Quartz” promises to be a new favorite series. A mix of angelic and dark fantasy, with beautiful visuals and intriguing storytelling. Initially I expected a fairly sweet story about a little girl, Blue, achieving her dreams despite prejudice against her black wings. Much like the main character, I was surprised by the sudden horrors that befell her and the dark powers that were hidden inside her. “A Kingdom of Quartz” vol. 1 was a great start for the story, and leaves you interested to discover more about Blue’s mysterious powers and her magical angelic world. If you are a fan of “Witch Hat Atelier” I think you will find a similar spirit in this book.

An adorable and dark comic of a mysterious, possibly corrupted little girl. I’m weak for stories inspired by Christian myths and delicate line art, so I was entranced from the start. I finished this volume ravenously… but don’t feel satiated. The world building is spread very thinly and the pacing jerks you from setting to setting. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved with the next couple volumes to gain some consistency. For me, it’s a solid 5 stars for looks, but 2-3 stars for writing quality.

Review to come March 14th on my blog and other places.

I received this book from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I had NOT expected this one to go so dark. I could have guessed given the manga the blurb references, but still... In this one we meet a girl named Blue, an angel with big big plans but one problem.. her black wings. She is shunned by people, ridiculed by others, and I just wanted to slap some people for acting this way towards her. Blue is such a sweet girl and I love that she has these big dreams. That she looks forward to the day she can become an Arch Angel. To help out people, kick demon butt.

But things go wrong first, the blurb already spoils it, but things go dark. I am so glad I only read the first bit of the blurb and not the rest because now I was shocked and surprised by what happens and at how really dark things got. I would also recommend you just read the first sentences (aka the references) and then just go into this book. Believe me, it is worth it.

I won't say much more but dang, I am very curious about Blue. About her powers and what those dark wings of hers really mean. I hope that she is able to gain control over them, though as she herself says she has no clue how they work, so I hope she gets help in that regard first. I mean, that is the first step to controlling and not having them explode out, learning what it is.

I loved how the manga ended with it being a few years later and Blue going for that school. I hated quite a few of the characters she met on the way though, so I am a bit worried about later volumes. The ending was another OHHHHHH. So despite the unlikeable characters we may meet, I am still into going for the next volume.

Cassian was such a wonderful character and I loved how sweet and strong he was. I would love to get to know him better. Find out more about him.

Oh, and the art, guys, the art. HOLY WOW it is so pretty. I absolutely LOVED every bit of the art and I just wish it was all in colour because HOT DANG that cover.

All in all, a very dark manga but one with also some hope and while I am not looking forward to several characters popping up next time, I am going to read on. I need to know more about Angels, about Blue, about Cassian. And I want more of that GORGEOUS art.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Bomhat for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

This manga is set in a world split into two: light and dark, angels and demons. Blue, an orphaned girl, dreams of joining the ranks of the Angels. She wants to be able to save others. Folk make negative comments, saying she is cursed, because she had black wings. When she meets the angel prince, she is gifted a badge, and those around her are reprimanded for their negativity.

When her citadel is attacked and many perish, she takes her chance to slay a demon and become the saver of lives that she truly wants to be. When an unknown power giver her a sinister quality, she may need to rely on the prince to figure out the best way to be the angel she wants to be, as fate may have other plans for her.

The art style has moments of glory and times where it feels more childish. This form seems intentional, as the art reflects more seriously around the other angels and demons, while the are is more child-like around Blue, who is a child herself. The story is so-so, giving a feeling of having read it before, yet having not, of familiarity, but it's different. Overall, a good read for teens and fantasy-lovers.

This fantasy series starts fairly strongly! The art balances both the soft and sinister sides of the plot. There is more going on than meets the eye, and I dig it. Our MC is a plucky outcast of winged society and I have a feeling this world is going to throw a few curve balls at her regarding why her wings are like that. If this flavor of fantasy is your jam, you'll like this one!

Blue is a Celes with a secret. She has black wings. She is ridiculed by everyone and called a demon. But when she befriends the prince, the archangel encourages her to pursue her dream of becoming an angel. He even takes a special interest in her training. But will it be enough?

I'm not rushing out to get this volume and I'm not bursting at the seams to get the next one. However, the art was lovely and the story is promising. I'm curious and perhaps if I sit with this long enough, I will start to crave more. We shall see. But a solid first volume.

"A Kingdom of Quartz" was such a surprise 5-star read for me! I have read a great deal of fantasy manga at this point, that it really takes something uniquely its own to grab my attention the way this read did from Chapter 1. The Kingdom of Quartz world that we're dropped into is layered in such a way that I wanted to be wrapped up in it. We first meet our main character, Blue, enacting a hero scene with a charming wooden sword in hand in the orphanage she lives at. From the onset, you already start to fall in love with this imaginative, altruistic little girl. And on top of already liking her personality, the mangaka reveals that Blue has something about her that sets her apart from everyone else that endears you to her character further. I'll let you read that to find out more, but Blue is such a sweet, loveable character who was giving me serious flash backs to another fantastical orphan girl from another of my favorite manga series: Emma from "The Promised Neverland". Similar to The Promised Neverland, this story has some darker tones that will probably surprise you, but overall a fantastic plot and stunning art to keep you wanting to read on. I'm personally very excited to read more!

<spoiler> Also I so loved the little office AU side story at the end of the book! It was just the perfect, light-hearted note I needed after a little bit of the heaviness of the story. Very cute! </spoiler>

For fans of "The Promised Neverland" and "Shadows House"!

Thank you to Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this first installment to a manga series. The story takes inspiration from legends of angels, archangels, demons etc. It feels a little inspired by the kids nursey story of the black swan - Blue is outcast from a young age due to her black wings, but I see the trajectory that she will become a powerful angel and everyone will need her.

The artwork is lovely with really cool character design. Character and world building is still ongoing, as this is a first installment, but I see great potential.

Thank you NetGalley.

I loved this. Everything about it. The artwork was great. Blue was adorable and spunky, and I have a personal love for the black wings. I liked what I saw of Prince Cassian. I like the setup for angel training. School settings are my thing!

I hope to see more development of that power that Blue has. It was very interesting to see.

Also, why do the demons look like eyeballs? Is there a reason? Regardless, I loved this and absolutely want to read more volumes.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. A Kingdom of Quartz was a great start to a new manga series. It follows Blue who is a Celes with black wings and a hidden well of power. Blue dreams of becoming and a chance meeting with the Prince of the Quartz Kingdom has her wanting to become an archangel. A tragic event leads Blue to reveal her immense powers and the Prince to want her to join his archangels when she is old enough. Until then she must hide her wings and her power.

A Kingdom of Quartz was a very original and interesting twist on an angels and demons themed story. The illustrations were really beautiful and detailed. I loved all of the detail given on the backgrounds and the characters. Blue has a single minded focus on becoming an angel and helping people. She puts others before herself multiple times throughout the story and is such a pure character with that underlying darkness. I am really interested to see where this story goes next.

This was a very cute story about a girl who is different from everyone else. Who has a dream to join the angels, and one day shows her power and attracts the attention of the prince. The characters and story are amazing and the Art is very pretty and well drawn. Will definitely be reading the rest of this series.

In the kingdom of Quartz, everyone is winged, but only special ones can become angels who protect the realm against demons. Blue is an orphan who wants to be an angel, but since her wings are black and not white, people think she’s a demon. With the help of Archangel Cassian, she strives to achieve her dream. The first volume ends in the middle of the trials for getting into angel training.

This was nice, but a bit hasty. It was a bit difficult to get the hang of the world and characters. There’s a battle and the aftermath starts, but then there’s a time jump and things are left unexplained. Drawings were nice, but the story wasn’t compelling enough for me to continue.

I liked the story and the art style as well. I feel like it didn't cover a lot and it was really short, but I would really like to see how Blue's story evolves.
I think a TW should be used, since people die and they are shown after that, so it can be triggering for some, so be warned, it's not your cute, easy and fun story

A Kingdom of Quartz, Vol. 1" earns a well-deserved five-star rating for its enthralling narrative, rich world-building, and compelling characters. The story of Blue, an orphan with pitch-black wings amidst a world of angelic protectors and demonic threats, is both gripping and emotionally resonant. The author masterfully weaves together themes of identity, power, and sacrifice, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. With its seamless blend of fantasy and adventure, this volume is a must-read for fans of the genre.

This was such a beautiful manga - the artwork was gorgeous and the storyline hooked me from the beginning. In my own well I felt Blue is one of those characters I just hit it off with and see a tiny part of myself reflected back. I am definitely looking forward to reading more about Blue and this world.

Blue is an orphaned girl who lives in a world where angels protect the kingdom from demons. Blue has black wings; because of this, she is treated as an outcast and becomes the target of bullying by the villagers because they think she’s a demon. Despite being mocked for her wings, Blue hoped to become an archangel. After seeing Blue’s unique and strange power, Prince Cassian took her under his wing.

The artwork is beautiful and detailed, especially Blue’s eyes when she uses her power. The story is good. I loved the world-building. There are explanations about angels and the Quartz Kingdom, which I liked.

I’m looking forward to reading the next volume.

A Kingdom of Quartz volume one is an amazing start to a story. This manga follows Blue, an orphan with black wings that wants to become an angel. She's an outcast and harassed because of her wings. This volume takes a dark turn when Blue finds demons have appeared and finds courage to fight against them until something tragic happens and a dark power is awakened in her. She doesn't remember and still continues on her dream to be an angel, later standing up for someone else being bullied and helping them even when it hurts her own chances of getting what she wants. I look forward to reading the next installments and I'm definitely excited to collect and recommend this series.