This review contains spoilers for Soara and the House of Monsters, Vol. 1.
Soara and the House of Monsters, Vol. 1
Writer/Artist: Hidenori Yamaji
Translator: Ben Trethewey
Lettering: Mercedes McGarry
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Publication Date: 05/09/2023
Rating: Teen (13+)
Genre: Manga, Fantasy
REVIEW RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ever wonder what a house for a Slime might look like? What about Griffin? Soara and the House of Monsters tackles the homestead life of monsters through the eyes of those who build them and Soara, the directionless soldier who doesn’t have a home of his own.
Volume one of this fun little manga opens the same way many fun little manga do, with tragedy. Soara, our heroine, is an orphan. As a little girl, she was taken in by the King’s soldiers to be trained as a weapon that could be used against the monsters with whom the humans battled. However, just as she was about to finally take up arms against the enemy, the war was called off, and both humans and monsters went back to living separate lives.
Alleviated from her duties, but with nowhere to return to, Soara finds herself coming into contact with a band of Dwarves who make it their mission to build homes for wayward monsters, showering kindness on all those who request their services. Throughout the book we get a stark contrast between how these “monsters” treat Soara now and how she was treated as a vessel for violence by humans while growing up—and creating a great sense of tension regarding who the monsters might just really be.
HGTV meets D&D
Although I’ve painted a picture of a more somber book, the actual substance couldn’t be further from the truth. Once the Dwarven Architects – Kirik, Niko, and Gansho – enter the picture, the story takes on a far more whimsical tone as these fun little dudes go around knockin’ out houses as quick as they come—from the Goblins to the Griffins to the Slimes to the loveshack dedicated to a forbidden romance. The Architects of the Monster World, as they prefer to be called, take into consideration their client’s needs and wants, what already works for them, and how best to adapt that to an updated environment, often using local materials or items that remind those monsters of their home (editor’s note after an HGTV binge: how eco forward, plus think of the tax benefits!).
To see a Goblin light up in joyful rapture under a tree of glowing leaves brings a smile to my face. It’s moments like this, and the moments between Soara and the Architects as they try to understand one another, that really made this book “soara” (not sorry) above and beyond my expectations. Adding to that enjoyment, Yamaji gives a detailed breakdown of the home both before and after it’s complete renovation with gorgeous illustrations that show what does and doesn’t work, giving the reader a peek into the decision making behind the changes.
Hidenori Yamaji’s art is divine
Yamaji’s art is simply divine. It’s filled with incredibly dynamic and fun energy, with action moments that are accessibly kinetic and easy to follow. In contrast, the emotional moments are downplayed just enough to really hit hard, especially the moments when Yamaji draws a close-up of Soara’s facial features as she remembers the past—those panels really sell what she’s feeling in the moment with no dialogue needed to convey it.
I really liked volume one of Soara and the House of Monsters and plan to continue reading it. If you’re a fan of works like Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui, you’ll really enjoy this. It’s a great time.
Soara and the House of Monsters volumes one and two are currently available for purchase, both physically and digitally. Volume three is expected to release July 9, 2024.
Did you read volume one of Soara and the House of Monsters? Did you like it? Let us know in the comments below!
