The Dreaming Vol 1

 I seem to be on a horror manga kick. I've heard lots of great things about Queenie Chan's Dreaming series. I've seen it recommended on quite a few library recommendations for graphic novels and manga, which is always a good sign. I thought I would give it a shot. This series only contains three books and they are all available.

Description: Amber and Jeanie are identical twin sisters, who have just enrolled in an Australian boarding school. The school is isolated and surrounded by bushlands. Once they arrive, the girls learn of a hidden history of students who left the school and vanished without a trace. Amber and Jeanie just think it's an urban legend until one of their friend and roommate disappears. 

Review: The best word to describe the first volume of The Dreaming is creepy. Chan, originally from China but immigrated and raised in Australia, does a great job in building the eerie presence of the boarding school. The mystery surrounding the history of students gone missing held my interest throughout. The story begins quickly and we already know that something is just not right. Vague rumors of students disappearing, sealed rooms, tight-lipped teachers, and a collection of disturbing paintings have the girls unnerved. They twins even start experiencing the same nightmare, but have no idea what the dreams mean.
  The art is traditional manga though the book reads from left to right. The drawings and dialog are spread out evening but don't overwhelm the page and I found it very easy to read. While there are some disturbing images, they are not too overly graphic or deeply scary just very strange. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images. Rated T for Teens.

If you like this book try: Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Sandman series by Neil Gaiman, The Dreaming Vol 2 by Queenie Chan