Everything will come out fine … as long as you are Ellen.
Creative Staff:
Original Story: Fummy
Illustrations By: Yuna Kagesaki
Translation: Caleb Cook
Lettering: Rochelle Gancio
What They Say:
“To be loved – that was my wish. But what is love, truly?”
Whether led by fate or by dark forces, a young girl named Viola finds herself at the witch Ellen’s door. This chance encounter bursts open the gates of tragedy as Viola, drawn to the mysterious Ellen, becomes entangled in their friendship – and in Ellen’s web of lies. In this final volume of The Witch’s House: The Diary of Ellen, what new bloody beginnings will unfold from Ellen’s house of horrors?
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Years have passed since Ellen started living in the Witch’s House, she has seen many rulers rise and fall plus the curiosity of several villagers have come to investigate her home but none have ever returned. However over the course of so much time the demons have yet to find a cure for her disease and the black cat when asked never gives a straight answer. As she wanders the ever expanding halls of her home, which has now become the size of a enormous mansion, there are numerous spectres which roam the rooms seemingly caught up in their own meaningless conversations and amusements, which now after so much time no longer make any sense. Even on the rare occasion when a bold adventurer manages to navigate through the forest and seemingly destroy the despised girl, as long as her feline companion brings her back inside the house, she cannot die. Although when Ellen suddenly asks if witches can truly be killed, all the black cat will say is that can, but only if she gives into despair which does not seem possible when he abruptly announces she will be granted the magic to cure herself.
Viola is a cheerful thirteen year old girl with beautiful braided blond hair who lives in the village nearby, she adores wandering in the forest but as with all children from this hamlet they are warned not go too far into the woods. But like most her age she does not understand why the adults can go into the woodlands but she cannot, frustrated by the assumption they are treating her like a little kid since they know she can’t take care of herself. Therefore Viola denies her parent and enjoys daily walks in the woods, exploring the lush surroundings and picking flowers as she forgets the resentment of being allowed this natural pleasure, until she sees a black cat coming out from the undergrowth. Surprised in seeing such a friendly feline approaching Viola tries to pet it before he turns around takes off, only to meow to her before it returns to where it came, almost as if it wants her to follow. Not wanting to be left behind the blonde girl unquestioningly pursues the ebony temptation until they arrive at a large house secluded in the woods, with the black cat fearlessly walking inside. As they walk through lifeless corridors and seemingly abandoned rooms the feline escort finally stops at a closed door, beckoning his charge to open it and walk inside where she can barely see within bedchamber cloaked in shadows. It is only then do Viola’s eyes adjust and she sees a sickly girl asleep in the bed, her face scarcely visible under several layers of bandages and as she bends down to examine the body, listless eyes open and stare at her visitor. Startled by this new development Viola is taken aback but quickly presents herself to the poor girl by which the patient asks if she is not scared since she is diseased, only to be answered by a warm smile and a positive response; the bedridden girl is surprised to see someone within her lonely home since she cannot get up, weakly grinning and introduces herself as Ellen … then timidly asks if Viola will be her friend.
In Summary:
During the first volume of this short series one cannot but sympathize with Fummy-sensei’s tragic story of suffering and fleeting desire for salvation, but this hopeful chance quickly grows grim with this closing book. While readers knew Ellen would never be the same as she profited from the suffering of others to feed the demons and thus gain her medicine, there was always the slightest of inklings she could find a way out of this vicious cycle of dependence. And yet as we begin this new story, it appears she has gruesomely accepted what seems to be her only prospect of being saved, all while struggling with the moral implications of sacrificing others so she may live. Although we may never know how long she watched the same drama unfold over the years, decades or centuries, there is no doubt Ellen has grown numb to possibility of ever finding a cure and foolishly accepted this as her only path to survive. Of course we would want to see this devilish deal broken and an innocent girl returned to a normal life, but with each death that chance seemed less likely and the witch looses more of the childlike quality which we adored from the beginning – an opportunity to be loved and cherished, no matter how she appeared and free of disease. However all as this was happening the black cat always teased there was a solution and Ellen never questioned her savior, believing her wish would be granted all as more corpse piled up in the bowels of the mansion.
From the beginning Ellen was never given a chance, the black cat demon persuasively tempting his new charge with hope but always keeping it just out of reach and this ugliness of the story is remarkably reflected within mangaka Kagesaki-sensei’s expressive imagery so brilliantly expressed via such a limited medium of black ink upon white pages. While there is still hope expressed via a few comical moments plus Ellen and Viola’s charming exchanges, the grimness of the truth always echoes in the background, never allowing the reader to forget demons lurk within every shadow. Although this second book is not as bleak as the first, with the lighthearted friendship blossoming between the two girls, this talented artist does not allow us to forget the finality of what is to come, with a black cat never too far to remind us who is controlling the outcome of the story. To watch the same illustrative techniques communicate childhood delights and then warp into smothering hopelessness is what makes this title so satisfying to read but at the same time reflects the harshness of humanity’s desire to survive at any cost – it becomes a double edge sword of excellence.
The Witch’s House: The Diary of Ellen may have begun as a hopeful story of wanting to be loved, but as the story progressed it quickly devolved into the ugliness of needing to survive at any cost. To watch the innocence of a young girl being perverted by a demon is disgusting, but at the same time to see Ellen having to cope with these complex emotional and moral struggles is strangely satisfying even if it may not end as we wished. The need to warp innocence may be the desire of demons but we can always hope humanity can be above those temptations and yet as we witnessed this haunting tale one cannot forget the two forces are opposing sides of the same coin – one can become the other if the wrong choices are made at the right time.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: A+
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Series Grade: A
Age Rating: Older Teen
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: June 18, 2019
MSRP: $13.00
