The Promised Neverland: Volume 2 manga review

Manga
The Promised Neverland: Volume 2 manga review
By Leroy Douresseaux
March 29, 2018 - 07:08

Viz Media
Writer(s): Kaiu Shirai, Satsuki Yamashita
Artist(s): Posuka Demizu
Letterer(s): Mark McMurray
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9713-3
$9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K., 192pp, B&W, paperback
Rating: T+ (Teen Plus)

The Promised Neverland Graphic Novel Volume 2 cover image

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

At the Grace Field House orphanage, life is good, especially for the orphanage's three brightest children: Emma, Norman, and Ray, who are all 11-years-old. While there is daily studying and exams, there is also delicious food and plenty of playtime. However, the children's loving, but stern caretaker, “Mom,” hides the fact that everything is not what it seems.

The Promised Neverland, Vol. 2 (entitled Control; Chapters 8 to 16) finds Emma, Norman, and Ray still working on their plot to escape the orphanage. Meanwhile, Mom's new assistant, Sister Krone, continues to try to catch the children doing or plotting something... anything to justify her being assigned to the orphanage and also her suspicions. Meanwhile, Norman has come to believe that there is a traitor among the children.

THE LOWDOWN: It may come across as a children's comic because of it title. Readers will be surprised to discover that The Promised Neverland is dark fantasy mixed with dystopian science fiction, topped of with a taboo subject or two.

The Promised Neverland Graphic Novel Volume 2, however, seems like a heist film or prison break drama. From beginning to end, this second volume is an a quiet, edge-of-your-seat thriller. The creative team of writer Kaiu Shirai and artist Posuka Demizu continues to develop the character and personality of the young cast. Shirai and Demizu have also made “Mom” a sinister force of nature, and they have done so without giving her much dialogue, an impressive feat.

The Promised Neverland is one of VIZ Media's best recent debuts. It is also one of the best comic books available today.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Readers of dark fantasy comics, manga, and graphic novels will find a terrifying story home in Shonen Jump's The Promised Neverland.

A
9 out of 10

Rating: 9/10