Of Swamp & Sea Volume 1

Gr 7 Up–After Mercy’s father is gruesomely killed in the swamp, she hires Jonah, a monster hunter who uses an eye-patch, to catch the killer. In the swamp, Jonah battles a ghost wolf, but things go wrong and the spirit possesses Mercy. Jonah takes responsibility for Mercy’s predicament, and they set off on a journey to find Jonah’s friend, who can lift the curse. Along the way, they encounter more creatures from benign Branchers to malicious Rain Fairies. Mercy fights to keep the spirit wolf at bay, but when it overcomes her, Jonah removes his eye patch and a deathlike figure appears to help dispel the danger. Volume one ends on this cliff-hanger. The romantic pull between the two leads is palpable as Mercy crushes on Jonah and his interest in her increases along their travels. The tension between Mercy and the wolf spirit, and Mercy and Jonah is an intriguing dynamic, enhanced by supernatural elements. The brightly colored illustrations have an animation style, blending a mixture of panels and full-page drawings. Dark-haired, slender Mercy contrasts with Jonah’s blonde hair and jutting jaw; they are both portrayed as white. Mercy’s appearance becomes eerie when the wolf takes over. Jonah smokes occasionally and uses profanity.