For a first volume, this a good intro to our pair of couple. Its interesting so far and I'm intrigued how they gonna solve the mystery. Although, i think they falling in love is too abrupt just because they are living together. I want to see them yearn, learning about each other more before falling in love. The insta love is what pulled me a bit away from their story but other than this, they are quite cute together. I love her fiancee, he was so understanding and also clever. He doesnt let his feelings get in his way and was objective in achieving what he wants rather than being possessive but let the couple be.

Snow & Ink is set in a sort of pseudo Victorian-ish other world (they can make phone calls but there doesn't seem to be cars, that sort of thing) that follows a man accused of murder, on the brink of execution, bought by a young woman who's the disgrace of her town due to apparently running the economy into the ground (this is never really explained or expanded upon, at least in volume 1). It's a romance, and while the title is explained as "snow and ink are said to be two opposite things' after the first part of the story there's no real opposites here-- but they do like each other, and are traveling to perhaps? Find out the mystery of what happened to the man's village? Either way, the girl's ex-fiance is taking them there to investigate.

This was okay - the art was pretty standard and the story was a little fast (what do you mean suddenly they're in a relationship) with a lot of unanswered questions. I'm not sure if I'll continue on, but I might pick it up if I see a further volume out in the wild.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the eARC in exchange for review!

This was very interesting. A young woman is outcast because she has ruined her family business and cost employees their jobs. She is now the black sheep of the family and she decides to leave.

On her way to the train station she comes across an execution that is about to happen, she rescues the man who is to be executed and they travel together.

He is a man who killed his family, she is a woman who killed her families business. As they travel together their story becomes a quest to find out what happened to his village.

Great story which unfolds gradually , accompanied by great artwork.

Snow and Ink follows Neneo and Freya, two people who are hated by society and met each other through unorthodox means. We learn a bit about their backstories as they, especially Neneo, are different from what they're perceived to be by society. I found it cute how they fell for each other fast (although I wonder if it was too fast). Things seem to start picking up in the next volume so I am excited to read that.

I really liked this story with really pretty art and complicated, layered characters.
Neneo is a murder sentenced to death who is bought by a heiress for some reason. Freya brings him with her to live in exile in the cold north.
The story felt a little rushed and the relationship between the characters developed faster then I expected. But I am curious to see where this story goes.
Thank you to Kodansha and Netgalley for my review copy.

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for the e-ARC for review. All opinions are honest and my own.

I love reading manga and watching anime, but do not often review it so this felt like a treat!. The story was refreshing, because we start off with a heiress assisting a convicted criminal, and then we simultaneously see her get shunned. Everything felt abrupt, and we were slowly being fed some, but not all, obviously, as this is volume 1, of the information of their pasts. I appreciated that while there was attraction this didn't feel like insta-love and that Neneo didn't complete change his character because there was a budding attraction.. He stays pretty rigid and harsh throughout, and I hope their character development develops over time in an authentic manner. Both Neneo and Freya are layered, flawed, and compelling characters and this volume truly packed a bunch.

The only thing I did not love was the art style, do not get me wrong there was nothing wrong with it. However, for me, when reading manga I value the story and the art as they work in tandem, as the art is a huge part of the experience. While I do think the art style did a good job relying the tone of the story, it just was not to my personal taste. This didn't detract from my enjoyment and I didn't knock a star because of it, but wanted to make note. Overall, I left feeling intrigued and frustrated that I did not have five (or more) volumes available for me to binge. I can definitely see why this is popular in Japan and I look forward to reading more. If you're sensitive to violence, mature themes, and gory depictions this maya not be the manga for you.

An angry, stoic, and misunderstood murderer, and the misfit daughter of an influential family meet for an unforgettable romance. Snow and Ink volume 1 is beautifully drawn with a storyline that tugs in the heart and the mind in equal measure. A must read for anyone who loves characters with deeply troubled pasts and gentle romance.

This story got going immediately, and almost never stopped. I fell in love with the art style and am looking forward to seeing how Freya and Neneo's relationship and story continues to develop, and the plot thickens. I hope that in future volumes, the pacing slows down a bit and allows for us to see more intimate moments between our MC’s.

Thank you to Kodansha and NetGalley for an advanced review of this manga in exchange for an honest review

This manga has potential. I feel like we were thrust into the story without a lot of explanation. I'm hopeful that with more installments it will be further explained. This did also suddenly get romantic, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I did not mind the romance, but it felt very sudden.

Thank you for Netgalley and Kodansha for the eARC in exchange for a review.

It is very rare for me to mark a manga as 1 star but this just didn't do it for me. I think it's because there was not enough time in the pages to develop things which I would have liked and felt kind of rushed.

Never thought I would root for a romance as hard as this. I love when characters who are deemed as evil have a heartbreaking backstory. Great layered characters!

I liked this book. A story of people who are hated for different reasons come together and form a bond. It's rather sad but you can see a light. This is only the first volume so I'm interested in seeing where this goes.

I love manga but is not a hard core manga reader. This was not really easy enough for me to read. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the free eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Freya, disgraced daughter of a businessman, takes charge of Neneo, a man sentenced to death for mass murder. As they journey away from civilization and begin to endure the trials of a harsh winter, the two begin to open up to one another about their pasts, eventually forming a burning romance.

And then Freya’s fiancé comes to call.

I feel like this is a near-fantasy series. There’s an underlying mystery about Neneo’s village, and said village does become a focal point of the book’s second-half. I’m intrigued to find out what went on, so I wll be keeping an eye out for volume 2, which releases in February.

Overall, it’s got a good start. I don’t know how interested I’ll stay if this is just a mundane world story, but it has the potential to go far with even just a few minor non-magical fantasy elements.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

This one didn't quite deliver. I think diehard manga fans will be pleased, but for the casual reader, this will be more difficult to enjoy. Once the story is a little more developed, this could be more enjoyable, but I was left unsatisfied.

❄️ Snow-like misfits. The story follows a pair of misfits, Freya, a highborn lady who fell from grace, and a young man, Neneo, who murdered his entire village. As the story progresses, they are joined by Halvard, a scientist of sorts, and her former fiance. There's also angst and backstabbing that's thrown into the mix, along with the judgemental eye of society.

❄️ Enemies become lovers. The author has a nice note at the beginning of the volume explaining how the title and storyline was chosen. It's a phrase that showcases complete opposites. I liked the imagery and the added context, not to mention the way the story progressed, from ice cold looks to warm gazes, from wintery interactions to loving embraces.

❄️ Tiny gestures and fluttering hearts. Even though the protagonists start off the wrong foot, they slowly warm up to each other and the little gestures they do for each other are beautifully portrayed by the artist. The gazes, the hands that are held, and the small action scenes are nicely drawn.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed the start of this manga series. It took me about a quarter of the volume in to really get hooked but once you learn more about the main characters backstories, you really will start to fall in love with them and their romance! I'm super excited to dive into the second volume and see where the story takes us as there is quite a dark backstory that we just barely touched the surface of in this beginning volume.

If you like a darker themed romance, high stakes but also a soft, cute romance all swished together with intrigue and mystery and enemies on the horizon? Give this manga series a shot!

4/5✨

I loved the art style! I thought it was just stunning! The story was just as good! I cannot wait for a sequel! I want more!

This volume ended too quickly! Totally in love with everything. I love Neneo and Freya, and how the spark was born in them. Super cute!
Can't wait to continue their adventures and their love born in a special way.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the trust and the opportunity.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc!

2/5 stars

This was pretty meh. I was excited to read it from the description, but it fell quite short of my expectations sadly. I thought Freya would be far more angry and trying to get back at the people who upset her, but she's kind of a doormat. Neneo was fine lol. I won't be continuing this series