Posted to Goodreads: 7/16/2025

People who like Russian history, and fictional what-ifs about Russian political figures are among the top people who I think will enjoy this book. The artwork in the book is well done, and the story has quite a bit of intrigue that keeps the reading hooked and wondering what is next. The story line follows Bielka, a woman without legs who is confined to a wheelchair, and Shchenok, a stoic man with a mysterious past. They work to keep their identities a secret while they complete a mission in the 1930s Soviet Union. The only warning I would give is that people may want to check trigger warnings before reading the book. There is definitely some mature content that I didn't really understand the importance of, so that part of the book was a bit controversial. I was given the opportunity to read this book through NetGalley and hope other readers enjoy it!

It doesn't take long for an attuned reader to guess where Hiroaki Samura's Soviet historical drama is headed: anyone familiar with the story of Rasputin will immediately know that something's up. This dark but hopeful tale, however, still holds onto some mystery till the very end. Like many other young Russians of their generation, Bielka and Schenok are dealing with the fallout of the Revolution that turned Russian society upside down. This unusual pair seems to have more than a desire to survive, though - Bielka, a young disabled woman who uses a wheelchair, and Schenok, her companion, travel across the new Soviet state in search of a lost treasure. The story does not shy away from dark themes, from Bielka's sexual servitude to the gulags of Soviet Russia. Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze is about more than the horrors of authoritarianism, though - it's about the fierce devotion between two young people and their resolve to free themselves of the burdens placed on them by their forebears. While this story is not for the faint of heart, it artfully reimagines a chapter of the Russian Revolution that has been told time and again through yet another new lens.

I’ll start with the good, gorgeous art and a unique premiss. Truly this was gorgeous to read, it also has some cool history attached to it. However that leads to the bad. Perhaps because I’m not the most versed on the Soviet history this was confusing at times(although I would lie to think I’m probably more knowledgeable than the average American). Additionally, this has multiple scenes of rape and our FMC loses her virginity to said rapist then she ends up hugging and thanking him. Gross.

The overall plot is one that I appreciate. This time period of Russia is one that I have always been interested in, and it delves into an infamous mystery. There is a lot of creative room for a historical fantasy set in 1930s Russia, so I applaud the setting and the story at the core.

In addition, the artwork really lends itself to convey certain genetic connections. It helps with both foreshadowing and understanding who might be related to who. This is an important fact to those who find Russian names long and complicated.

Imagine, if you will, a stereotypical fantasy book with long and unusual names. Some folks will never remember those names so they make up their own. This is an issue Russian words/names have for those from the Western Hemisphere. I'm sure folks might be wondering why I'm bringing this up, but it's supremely important to the story as there are many Russian names. Normally I'm wonderful at faking my way through a pronunciation, thus remembering their names. Unfortunately, there were too many. Too many foreign names, foreign places, foreign concepts... There wasn't enough time to digest any of them before moving on to the next place with new names of characters, and new concepts.

Soviet Russia, especially in its transitionary stage, was a confusing place. I'm sure it was confusing to the residents, so one can only imagine how confusing it is to those on the outside... years after its dissolution. I would have loved to linger in the dacha or labor camp, in particular, for longer - if for no other reason than to have more time to digest the names, acronyms or significance of the individuals involved.

I found myself grasping at straws at times trying to understand the significance of certain people being brought up. It seemed the characters had reactions before we had the information relayed to us. This resulted in a delay for me to feel the same "Aha" moment as the character. If somebody is a history buff of important/popular figures in the time of the Bolsheviks, then you might have an easier go with the pacing. I know I had an easier time once I understood who the main characters were and what they were looking for. (Because I knew what they were looking for as soon as I knew who they were.)

With that said, there were several info dumps. In some ways, the info dumps were helpful but in other ways they convoluted the story. I think certain things should have been in a glossary for reference. Many books delving in fantasy or in other cultures do provide such glossaries so that we may easily understand terms when we need to consume the information. Instead, I felt I was being purposely kept away from important information as it "wasn't the right time" to have an info dump. Really, it would have been smoother to have that glossary, and then to have certain historical figures identify themselves through action instead of random snapshot explanations. (Some historical figures are explained through action, but not enough of them.)

And then there's The Issue I have with this story. The main gal is forced to have sex with the man put in charge of the dacha. She then winds up brushing the whole incident aside and hugs the man in greeting when they eventually see each other again. While it sort of seems like she had some sort of character development around his role in their lives, none of that is really relayed to us. And honestly, I just don't get it. He didn't have to have sex with her... His hand was not forced at all. He voluntarily chose to put her in that position. That is irredeemable. In fact, there was no purpose to the violent act at all. Once her initial reaction faded, the only proof of the violence was in a scene where the blood appeared to not have washed all away. And she simply commented on the fact - nothing more. The man's wife was a decent person, so I could understand some kindness put her way; however, even she made no comment on the forced relations. She had NO COMMENT. She never brought it up. It was like the sex and the character development were in two separate rooms.

Never should this be considered erotica. There was no enjoyment from her side of things. The back of the book should NOT include the word "erotic." There was no desire felt in this book, other than that of a political nature. (Thankfully, it is not why I wanted to read it. It's a claim that I discovered after I had finished.) In fact, the only two people who I could understand having some sort of romantic connection seem to be related. So there goes that!

All in all, there was a lot of promise and a lot of missed opportunity. I feel like this should have been broken up into two parts. One that focuses on their first time in the dacha, beginning their search and dealing with the current occupants. The second part could have dealt with the labor camp and the eventual return to the dacha. It would have given more time to flesh out the character development and all of the Soviet Russian words/people. Sadly, at the end of it all, this wound up feeling rushed and confusing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the e-book copy!

Before this one-shot, I had gave this author's previous works a try and did not really enjoy them. However, I thought this story was a slightly better reading experience. Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze is a historical fiction story of two people bound together due to circumstances while trying to survive in 1930 Soviet Union. I found this story to be interesting from beginning to end as things continue to unfold leaving you guessing. I did wish this was two volumes as i felt the story needed room to breathe. Despite that, its still a solid story and recommend checking it out if you are a new or old fan of Hiroaki Samura.

While I found the art absolutely breath-taking and the story quite interesting for the most part, there's a couple of things that left me (more than) disappointed, enough to make me give this manga only two stars.

First of all, the most relevant to the average reader I guess: there just isn't enough information about the historical and political landscape. Yes, perhaps I should have thought twice before picking an historical drama set on a place and time period I know nothing about, but I still would expect a bit more information (infodump if you want) about it, to sort of "catch up" with it. As it is, the story is interesting and you can sort of follow what happens and the "characters" but it gets a bit tiring because of russian naming conventions and titles.

Second: While probably accurate to how royalty behave, the reveal at the end of the manga was frankly disappointing, boring, it just fell flat and made me think "they had to suffer all of that just for this reason?" It just wasn't very satisfying on a narrative plane.

Lastly, and my biggest complain: What's up with calling this an erotic manga when the only "erotic" content is compromised of multiple rape scenes of a character that is a minor for the most part??? That's just fucked up in so many ways I can't even process what went through the mind of the author and the publishing house for them to greenlight this as erotic?? And then they had the gall to go and make the girl that was raped forgive her rapist?? (And it was even sort of implied that she liked him?? Insane)

I say grab this manga only if you have previous knowledge about the historical and political landscape and are okay with rape apologist narratives because this one sure reek of it.

Somehow I feel like this one is a weird one to rate. I really enjoyed Blade of the Immortal, so I wanted to read Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze (especially after seeing it had won the Excellence Award in Manga a while back)-- I like Hiroaki Samura's sketchy style, especially the way he draws women's faces, and going in it was clear he'd done a BOATLOAD of research on Bolshevik Russia even confined as it was to mainly the one house and the things that went on around it. It also had some of the same horrors you'd see in Blade of the Immortal only no one's immortal here, including several instances of coerced sexual situations.

But the development of the story was interesting, especially the twist on the Romanovs being a little left of center than the usual way those sorts of stories go.

I did laugh at the afterward that was basically, "I set out to make a story about a 95% tsundere character but actually it ended up a middle aged bald man."

Thank you to Kodansha/Vertical Comics and NetGalley for the eARC!

The starkness of this black and white graphic novel masterfully conveys the desolate reality of 1930s Soviet Union providing a historical view of a time fading evermore into the past without sacrificing the intrigue of the story. As the narrative unfolds, it hints at the identity of the protagonists in a way that keeps readers engaged albeit at a slow pace. Although fantasy is my primary genre, I found Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze, engrossing, keeping me flipping pages until the end. Note: I would caution parents that this graphic novel has themes and scenes appropriate only for mature readers.

I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I requested this manga after being captivated by its compelling description and striking cover art—and I’m truly delighted that I did.

First and foremost, the artwork is exquisite. Not only are the chapter covers visually stunning, but each panel is meticulously crafted, enhancing the reading experience with its aesthetic appeal. The artistry alone is enough to draw readers in, compelling them to continue just to appreciate the next beautifully rendered scene.

Beyond the visuals, the narrative is deeply engaging. The well-developed characters, their intricate backstories, and their dynamic interactions create a story that is nearly impossible to set aside. In particular, the evolving relationship between Bielka and Shchenok stands out—their nuanced dynamic, especially as they navigate the challenges of living together, adds a compelling layer to the plot.

I eagerly anticipate the release of future chapters and look forward to seeing how the story unfolds.

Published by Kodansha and available June 24, 2015, Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze combines my love of manga with my fascination with Russian history (though my name is Russian I'm not actually Russian myself, but I've long been something of a slavophile). This standalone volume by the creator of Blade of the Immortal follows two mysterious Russians who go by Bielka (squirrel) and Shchenok (puppy). Bielka is in a wheelchair, having lost both legs, and Schenok has an eyepatch and is in constant need of medicine. Both have even more mysterious connections to the major players of the Bolshevik Revolution, which occurred nearly twenty years before. The art is gorgeous and almost makes you forget you're reading a manga. My main issue with Snegurochka is that some of it is hard to follow. Scenes sometimes change from page to page, and there's nothing that clearly delineates the passage of time. The result is a beautifully drawn but disjointedly written and paced story. Another issue is with some of the content-- it depicts sexual assault of a disabled person, and the person who commits it becomes a sympathetic character later on without anyone addressing what he did. This will probably not sit right with a lot of readers. Overall, I did enjoy this manga, especially towards the end when the writing and pacing comes together better. I'd recommend it to fans of Russian literature, especially works like Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago, and fans of the mangaka's series Blade of the Immortal.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha/Vertical Comics for the opportunity to read and review this manga. This was not what I was expecting, but for someone who appreciates Russian history on occasion and more plot than in something like Veil, for instance, this was still an intriguing story. There is, though, some rape, torture, and violence that occur, so if that does not interest you, do not read this. Because of these points, I have to give this 4 out of 5 stars

Spring Breeze is a fascinating tale of Stalinist era tragedy and intrigue, featuring compelling real-life characters. It is also quite a beautiful and sophisticated story of unconventional love and devotion. Full review here: https://www.jbspins.com/2025/06/snergurochka-of-spring-breeze-manga.html

This was such an interesting one shot manga that focuses on 1930s Russia. I will be honest I wasn’t sure I would like this one but I absolutely loved it. It had a mixture of intrigue, alternative history and espionage. This mixture was created in a wonderful read that I couldn’t put down. At times dark and with moments of light as well I really enjoyed this one and think any history manga fan will enjoy it too.
As always thank you to Kodansha Comics for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.
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This one shot manga explores the very distinct time period of 1930s Soviet Union and deals with certain historical events in that period. It was an interesting read as you try to understand the backstories and motivations of the two leads- Squirrel and Puppy. This is a great book for fans of dark historical fiction, or of Samura's other works, like "Blade of the Immortal"

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha for this ARC. I would love say this is wonderful manga, the art is superb, and the references spark curiousity. But the implied rape makes me think a lot why the guy in the end didn't get punished a lot or the girl could be super rude to him instead of acting like he's her father.

The plot twist in the end regarding the pair tho. I was like wow. Nice read but well there's that thing i can't accept

Two seemingly lost young Russians at the beginning of the Bolshevik era find themselves more or less indentured as servants at a large home, though one must utilize a wheelchair and the other has a serious medical condition. Both are each other’s lifeline, and they stay close to the home despite the hardships it brings them because they are looking for something very valuable from before the fall of Tsar Nicolas II. They endure terrible treatment, endentured servitude masquerading as work for The Party, and much more to achieve their goals.

Though it’s nice to focus on a Romanov story outside of Princess Anastasia, the pacing of this story marred the overall delivery. There beginning was methodical and set a slower development of scene and relationship between the two leads, but the second half became a sprint of information overload and reveals that hardly lets the absorption of information happen before another important fact is cresting and threatening to overwhelm. There's a three-year time jump that sets off a deluge of information and action. If that transition were a bit smoother, this story would have been better overall.

There is nudity and repeated sexual assault, so this title would be better for adult audiences if there is a need for more historical fiction stories.

Sara's Rating: 6/10
Suitability Level: Adult

Samura's art is lovely as always, I'm a big fan of the way he draws expressions. This story was very engaging and I love the historical setting. I eagerly look forward to the next volume of this series.

Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze is a poignant historical manga set in post-World War II Soviet Russia. Through restrained dialogue and atmospheric artwork, it explores the psychological aftermath of war, loneliness, and unlikely companionship. The narrative follows a former sniper and a mysterious young girl, unfolding slowly but powerfully against a stark, wintry backdrop.

The manga excels in subtle storytelling, emotional nuance, and a distinctive visual tone that mirrors its themes of isolation and memory. Though minimalistic in structure, it leaves a lasting emotional impact.

Thank you to Kodansha for the e-arc of this manga. Wow, this manga blew me away! Set in 1930s Russia, it follows two individuals, Bielka and Shchenok, who are bound together by a tight bond. They travel on a mission in Russia (but what mission, we aren’t aware of), encountering potential allies and foes. This was a very dark story, but a compelling read. Rich with historical background and a detailed art style, I felt transported to a Russian winter of the 20th century. I had no idea who to trust and was surprised by the slow reveals. I would recommend this to dark historical fiction lovers. Please check trigger warnings!
4.25 🌟

I vaguely understand the storyline, however you need to be knowledgeable about the setting of the story beforehand to understand when jumping in. I'm unsure if this was originally written in english or translated, but it felt a bit choppy at the beginning. It was an interesting read, but not one I felt too strongly about. Personally, I'd give it a 4/10