Yona of the Dawn: Vol. 1

Gr 8 Up-In the very first image of Princess Yona, a beautiful illustration depicting her cloaked and standing powerfully against a dawn-lit sky, readers immediately get a sense of who she is. This is a confident, courageous, and capable young woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders. But she wasn't always like this. She used to be carefree, a princess of a peaceful kingdom, doted on by her family. But a betrayal and a coup force Yona to flee, along with her childhood friend, the brash yet kind General Hak. This first volume spends its time well, establishing the characters through differing perspectives, interactions, and flashbacks, as well as the overall feel of the series. In particular, moments of remembered sweetness and even levity temper the tragic tone. The art is strong, with Kusanagi tweaking the shoujo style as needed and delivering on the emotional notes. To help readers equate the setting with the place of inspiration—ancient Korea—she puts a fair amount of care into the period details of buildings and clothing.