Books › The girl from the other side
The girl from the other side
180 pages
A quiet, shadowy fairytale about a tender bond blooming in a cursed, dying world.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like stepping into a forgotten, shadowy fairytale. The pacing is deliberately leisurely, allowing you to sink into the quiet, domestic moments shared between a monstrous guardian and an innocent child. The striking, crosshatched artwork creates an atmosphere that is simultaneously cozy and dread-soaked, wrapping you in a world of stark contrasts. There is a profound melancholy woven through the pages, yet it is constantly softened by the tender, found-family warmth at the story's core. The dialogue is sparse and poetic, letting the heavy silences and expressive character designs carry the emotional weight. It is a perfect read for those who crave bittersweet, atmospheric folklore, where the deepest horrors of a cursed world are held at bay by the simple act of making tea and reading stories together.
- Mood
- haunting
- shadowy
- bittersweet
- ethereal
- cozy-yet-creepy
- Tone
- gentle
- melancholic
- tender
- ominous
- quiet
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- found family · innocence and corruption · isolation · fear of the unknown · unconditional love
- The writing
- Sparse and poetic, relying on heavy silences and striking, high-contrast artwork to convey profound emotion.
- The arc
- A quiet, tender bond deepens and provides warmth amidst a slowly encroaching, inevitable darkness.
- Who it's for
- Fans of dark, atmospheric fairytales and the heartwarming 'monster and small child' dynamic.
Content notes
- child abandonment
- plague and illness
- isolation
- body horror
About the book
In a world split between the Inside and the Outside, those living in both realms are told never to cross over to the other side, lest they be cursed. A young girl named Shiva lives on the other side, in a vacant village with a demonic guardian known only as "Teacher." Although the two are forbidden to touch, they seem to share a bond that transcends their disparate appearances. But when Shiva leaves Teacher's care to seek out her grandmother, the secret behind her mysterious living arrangement comes to light.
Description from Open Library.
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