Godchild by Kaori Yuki

Written and drawn by Kaori Yuki, the creator of Angel Sanctuary and The Cain Saga, Godchild has a dark and mysterious atmosphere that keeps readers dying to get their hands on the next book. As a manga fan and a young art critic, I consider Godchild to be one of the best books I’ve ever read.

In London, England, during the late nineteenth century, a 17-year-old nobleman named Cain becomes the head of the Hargreaves family after the untimely death of his father. He is very quiet and seems to always be the odd one out, so he thinks of himself as a black sheep. As a hobby, Cain collects dangerous toxins, giving him the reputation as the “Earl of Poisons.” His only loving company is his 10-year-old half-sister, Mary Weather, and his butler.

Each chapter revolves around a different plot that holds mystery, murder, suspense, and dark horror that always seems to find Cain in the “Capital of the Fog.” In most of the chapters, characters whom we least expect are killers or completely psycho, which makes this all the better. Though many die in the end, it keeps the story interesting and the chapters are each strange in their own way.

Godchild is a manga strictly for fans of gothic-style comics, the occult, and scary situations that might not ever happen to anyone, unless that person is completely crazed. However, as a book published by Shojo Beat, Godchild is unusual, as the magazine more often publishes teenage girl romance manga. Godchild may cause the reader to develop a deep fear of ax murderers in rabbit masks who attend mad tea parties, young women with friendship problems and an obsession over dolls, suits of armor with pointed objects, and doctors who claim they can make you beautiful. Yuki has a way of drawing gore that would scare children.

The perfect plot has many unexpected twists and turns that keep you anticipating what will happen next. As Cain solves mysteries, bits of the past are revealed in inconspicuous ways so you gain an understanding of the characters.

The characters are completely developed, with realistic qualities that make them seem human. Being quite enigmatic, none gives their own life story, but their histories are revealed in their behavior and their physical appearance, such as the scars on Cain’s back being a result of his father’s nightly abuse.

As to be expected from Yuki, the artwork is virtually flawless. Every character looks unique with a fitting background. Yuki adds so much detail that you have no choice but to continue reading.

Usually, if someone were to hand me a horrifying book with an eerie-looking main character, I would turn it down, but with Godchild, it’s impossible. I recommend this manga to fans of the occult and gothic-style atmosphere with cliff-hanging resolutions. On a scale of one to 10, Godchild is a definite 10.