Summary:

Blue may be an orphan girl with unusually black wings, but she has big dreams. She wants to become an angel someday. It’s a dream that most people would mock. Yet a chance encounter with a prince proves her dreams have potential.

Until her world is rocked by death and destruction. What follows will change Blue’s life forever as the secrets buried beneath her skin come to life. Only time will tell where these secrets will lead her.

Review:

Angels and demons, what isn’t to love? But really, it’s the artwork that drew me into A Kingdom of Quartz Vol. 1. The promise just kept me invested. Having read the first volume, I can see why people are comparing it to Witch Hat Atelier (another favorite series of mine).

The story is both dark (at times) and compelling, with our main character, Blue, having the biggest dream of all - becoming an angel. Her backstory is tragic, and it doesn’t take long for readers to realize that her journey is far from over.

This first volume did a great job of introducing the necessary cast to us, Blue’s dream, and even some of the politics of this world. It also sets the stakes with one very dangerous event taking place. It’s a great start to what will undoubtedly be a fantastic series. I can’t wait for more!

Highlights:
Angels & Demons
Seinen
A Girl with big dreams

Trigger Warnings:
Judgement & Exclusionary Behaviors

Will I continue the series? Yes

A Kingdom of Quartz follows Blue, an angel with black wings, something unknown to most (if not all) of angelkind. An orphan and mocked because of her wing color, Blue aspires to train and become a ranked angel so that no one would ever make fun of her again. She later realizes she has a special power that no one understands, but the interactions she has gives her motivation to work as hard as ever.

I really enjoyed this manga as we are given a protagonist we can't help but support and I am looking forward to seeing how this underdog story plays out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read and review this manga
This is an actually intriguing story that has the feels of Angelfall by Susan Ee but also Little Witch Academia. It has a lot of religious feels but also some slice of life intrigue as well. I think though, I wish there was some more set up when it comes to continuing the series. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars

In a world where angels protect the people against demons, a young orphan with pitch-black wings may hold the key to the kingdom's fate. An exquisitely drawn, dark fantasy manga for fans of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Made in Abyss , and Witch Hat Atelier.

I don't read a ton of manga but when I do, this is the kind of manga I'm looking for. I loved it and look forward to reading more!

"A Kingdom of Quartz 1" is a captivating fantasy novel that transports readers to a realm filled with intrigue, magic, and adventure. The author weaves a rich tapestry of characters and settings, immersing the reader in a world where kingdoms rise and fall on the whims of destiny.

At the heart of the story is a young protagonist whose journey from obscurity to heroism unfolds with every turn of the page. As they navigate through political machinations, ancient prophecies, and supernatural threats, readers are taken on an exhilarating ride filled with unexpected twists and turns.

What sets "A Kingdom of Quartz 1" apart is its meticulous world-building and imaginative storytelling. From the sprawling landscapes to the intricacies of courtly life, every detail feels meticulously crafted, drawing readers deeper into the narrative.

While the first installment lays the foundation for an epic saga, it also stands on its own as a thrilling adventure. With its compelling characters, intricate plot, and vivid prose, "A Kingdom of Quartz 1" is sure to enchant fantasy enthusiasts and leave them eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

I LOVE I LOVE I LOVE I LOVED IT. I don’t think I can say it enough how much I enjoy it! Can’t wait to see where it goes

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend and I can’t wait to buy a copy for myself 🙂

Rating 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was unfortunately a DNF for me. While I can see the interesting basis for the story and that it does have potential, some of the writing rubbed me the wrong way, for personal reasons. The art was pretty decent, as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this stunning arc!

5/5 stars

This story is so imaginative, whimsical, and absolutely beautifully illustrated!! I read this so quickly I was shocked when I got to the end 😅 I don't know what took me so long to pick this up, I love it!! And that bonus chapter?! TOO CUTE!!! I can't wait for volume 2!

stunning art
really intrigued by the story and plan to pick up some physical copies of this as it releases.

I definitely was immediately drawn in by the cover.

Magic, angels, battles and demons. This is a manga about the ancient struggles between good and evil. A young orphan with black wings aspires to be an Angel even if people don’t like her but there is more to her than wings because she holds power herself.

This is book 1 in the series so there is much of the story to come but it is a great start.



Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I love when I find a story that leaves me eager, hungry to find the next installment so I can learn more about the story and the characters. A Kingdom of Quartz is another story just like that for me.

Blue is a character that can grip your attention right off the back. Her upbeat, eager personality is adorable, but then finding out she is different and seeing that everyone thinks she's a demon really makes things interesting.

This first volume does a great job of introducing everything while also raising questions that one can hope are answered as the story continues.

The art style did so good at showing the situations where everything is more light-hearted verse when it's not. The darker moments really give the feeling that this could morph more into horror down the road.

Once I really got to know here and see where her journey might go, I couldn't put this down. I had to continue and learn more about these characters and the world. If you like a good fantasy that has some horror elements, pick this up. It feels promising.

Background

A Kingdom of Quartz started serialization in Kodansha's Afternoon Magazine December 23th, 2022.


Kodansha USA announced on May 23rd, 2023 that A Kingdom of Quartz will be getting a physical release February 27th, 2024.



Review

In this world, war and strife are the primary forces in action. In order to bring peace, the goddess in this tale split the world into two beings: winged beings named Celes, who carried out the will of this goddess, and those who are classified as demons. While demons were banished to a realm referred to as The Darkness, Celes were given a domain to rule to carry out the goddess's will. Those celes are named Quartz, Lovecraft, Alrune, and Lucia. These four families worked together to create a domain named the Quartz Kingdom for future Celes to live in peace.


Which brings us up to our main character: Meet Blue, an orphaned girl who's always dreamed of joining the ranks of the Angels. But unlike the other kids who have white wings, blue has pigmented wings, about which little is known. However, that detail doesn't stop Blue from being the brightest in the room and helping those around her. This title does a really good job making you feel for Blue, as her can-do attitude made me feel in awe.


For example, in the beginning chapters, we see Blue stand up to a few bullies picking on one of her friends named Noah. Albiet doesn't succeed in her attempt and falls into the arms of one of the highest-ranking members of the Quarts Kingdom, Prince Cassian.


As she regains her balance, she immediately introduces herself to him and proudly exclaims how she wants to become an angel just like him. However, instead of fanfare, we're treated to silence as onlookers look in disgust at Blue's pigmented wings and cluelessness. As she gets belittled by the townsfolk, even going so far as to call them demons, one of them raises a tomato to throw at her before a giant white wing protects her. Prince Cassian reassures Blue of her passion to become an angel and hands her the archangel badge. Another member of Cassian's group steps forward to explain that no matter who you are, as long as you carry the badge, you'll be seen as an angel. This heartwarming moment gets interrupted as one of the caretakers finds blue and rushes away back to the orphanage.


We cut back to our main protagonist wanting to do late-night reading before she notices that the quartz that shines bright in the night suddenly turns dark, and as she enters the bedroom, she encounters a disturbing sight along with the one thing that hasn't entered the kingdom since it's founding: a demon. Without diving too much into spoiler territory, we're shown a sequence of events that really showcases the "darkness" in this fantasy tale, which enables our main character Blue to awaken mysterious powers inside her, which sets the reader up for this Quartz Kingdom.


This title's artwork is something that needs its own section. It's absolutely incredible; the character designs, the aesthetic of Quartz Kingdom, and the angels and archangels really hold your attention. Especially when the story takes a dark turn and shows scenes of brutality that bestow on our cast of characters. I'm probably thinking too deeply, but it's almost refreshing to see a story such as this one give an equal amount of attention to detail to its darker tones as it's lighthearted ones. This panel here with Blue and Prince Cassian is one of many examples throughout this volume that execute this duality perfectly.


This leads into another strong suite of this title, it's power system and it's world-building. As the volume wraps up, we see a time-skip where Blue is on her way to take an entrance exam to fulfill her dream of becoming an angel. Here we're introduced to other Celes from the four different districts, each with their own distinct look to differentiate from one another. Here we meet another Cele named Killian, who, similar to Blue, is different from the others in the fact that he only has a single wing instead of two. Which brings us to this world's power system. In the Quartz Kingdom,, its power comes in the form of Solus: a source of energy that is the life force of these Celes. However, it's explained that Celes can produce this energy to fly or cast magic, though not all Celes are able to use solus easily.


These nuggets of information that's presented have me asking myself questions to the point where I pre-ordered Volume 2 immediately after reading this one because, while we saw a few hints of discrimination while Blue was on the train, is there something more deeply rooted between each of the different districts? Is there a correlation between someone's district and their ability to produce solus? Is there something like producing too much? or too little? So many questions honestly made me super excited to want to know more.


Final Thoughts


A Kingdom of Quartz is a really good dark fantasy story that excels in its art, storytelling, world-building, and most importantly, its main character, Blue. It isn't afraid to showcase how dark it'll go while providing an engaging story that makes you want to know more, learn more, and see what else will be in store for our main character, Blue. This is definitely a must-buy to add to your collection, and I'm glad Kodansha USA picked this one up for an English release and kept the localization true to the author's original intent.


I usually don't do this with reviews, but I want to ask you guys something: on the last page of this volume, we see a door. Will she open the door in the darkness? I wonder if our main character would open this one like another certain chainsawed character who has a locked door within them.


Addendum: It's "An Average Day at Quartz Co. Bonus Chapter had me laughing pretty bad and was such a delight to read I can't wait enough for more!


Verdict: Buy it

I have added a copy of this to my wishlist.
I like the cover of this book also.
The artwork of this is great also.

I will definitely be recommending this to my manga lovers. Beautifully drawn, great story, beautiful cover!

The stunning cover of this manga was what initially had caught my eye and the art remained gorgeous throughout! The celestial and demonic imagery were awe inspiring and haunting respectively. Each page was so intricate and eye catching. The story and the world also intrigued me and our main character Blue is very endearing. I wish more volumes were out already!! Fans of Witch Hat Atelier (including me) would definitely love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this eARC in exchange of an honest review.

The art in this manga is absolutely beautiful, Blue is an extremely lovable protagonist with the quest of becoming an Angel (the equivalence of a knight in this story). They are direct similarities to Black Clover:

- A kid raised in an orphanage who wants to become a knight
-This kid is different from everyone else (Asta being powerless, Blue having black wings)
-Will soon discover that the kid has powers related to demons
-Kingdom separated in districts
- There was a big war in the past against the demons

The first volume was okay and I will read volume 2 to see how the story develops.

5/5

A Kingdom of Quartz is about Blue, a young Celes citizen that has been born with black wings, and thus been called names and shunned by others. When tragedy strikes, Blue becomes something dark, something dangerous. But luckily the Archangel Cassian helps Blue and sets her on the path to becoming an Archangel herself.

This? This manga right here? I want to read everything right now. I want to devour this. I need this. It is everything I personally love in a manga. A fun but stubborn/strong female lead. Phenomenal art style. Excellent world-building. I couldn’t put this book down when I started reading.

I honestly can’t get over the art. It’s so beautiful. I love the eyes of basically every character. The hair too is to die for. It’s a manga that I would read for the art alone, but it just so happens the story is interesting too. Also the first few pages are in colour as a treat.

I am so extremely looking forward to continue reading this series. And if it ever became an anime? I would simply perish.

5/5

This little hidden gem gets a beautiful full score!
I will find the way to continue this series because this was hands down the best read I have had on the netgalley manga section so far.

I went through this one completely blind and I couldn't have done a better choice.
The drawings are absolutely eye candy, they are so full and busy, in a good way! They are so detailed, even the brackgrounds.

The story was absolutely a favorite since page one. Clear but not simple, with a touch of darkness and mystery.

A beautiful fantasy I will recommend to anyone.

This was very good and I am try to expand my anime section. I like having some complete series and some newer ones to keep people coming back