I can see why this was a highly rated Shojou series in a recent poll a while back. These first two volumes made a good showing of the series charms! While the title only really refers to the first chapter, what follows is a fun take on the Greek gods, as Colette decides to help a sunburned Hades and gets a new look on her hectic healer life. Sometimes these stories revolve around the gods, other times about the shades of the dead in Hades care. This series is a lot of things, and so far all of them have been handled well.

In spite of its dire title, Colette Decides to Die is actually one of the sweetest offerings on the November manga slate. Penned by Alto Yukimura, who provided the art for the Sugar Apple Fairy Tale manga adaptation, this series taps into Greek mythology for its cute slow-burn romance. Colette does indeed start the manga by deciding to die, thanks to being a burned-out apothecary. But when she dives into a well, she finds herself alive and well in the underworld. There she meets Hades, who is resting off a lingering sun allergy.

Even after Colette treats Hades, she keeps returning to her godly charge. She rediscovers her love for caring for others, but she also learns about the nature of the afterlife. And, bit by bit, she becomes embroiled in the business of the gods. This is a surprisingly adorable story that fans of shoujo manga and fantasy romance will love. It’s engaging from the first chapter and only gets better by the end of the first book.

Colette, a young, hard working apothecary, meets Hades after accidently falling down a well one day. He too is also a workaholic and is in need of assistance with a mysterious rash. She manages to treat him and thus begins her friendship with the god of the Underworld.

It's a cute story with equally adorable characters. I personally don't feel too particularly attached to the story or the characters, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

This is a sweet manga about a young apothecary and her unlikely friendship with the lord of the underworld. Colette is so honest and sweet, and her drive to help people is definitely part of her charm. Hades, while being a stoic and sometimes severe person also has that drive to help others that is part of what makes the relationship between the two of them so wholesome. I really liked reading this book, although the way the author plays fast and loose with Greek/Roman mythology is sometimes distracting to someone who has knowledge of Greek and Roman myths. For all that I kept saying to myself, "Demeter wouldn't say that," "That's not what Hercules' story was about at all," "Zeus would not act like that," I found this entire story engaging and it left me with a smile on my face.

I loved everything about this book. It was a cute story, I like Colette, and I will take everything underworld please. This book did not disappoint. If it were only a stand-alone, I would probably love it forever. I worry about continuing the series, however, because Persephone is nowhere in sight. We even meet Demeter at one point. Please don't disappoint me adorable series!

This was nostalgic in the best of ways. When I saw Colette Decides to Die was getting an English publication, I was excited to get to read something that has been on my tbr for a while. Colette is an overworked healer who decides to escape her work load by jumping down the well in her backyard. She lands in the underworld where she finds the God Hades suffering from an allergic reactions. Thus Colette becomes the Apothecary to the Underworld.

For fans of series like Yona of the Dawn, Snow White with the Red Hair, and a little of Absolute Boyfriend. Colette Decides to Die is a little dated, but it holds up well. The art is cute, the boys are handsome, and the story is interesting. This arc happened to be an omnibus. Both the main line stories were great, but the middle extra story was lackluster. Looking forward to the next volume.