It turns out to be a very troubling legacy; a magical house. The townspeople of Malrenard have tricked her, as the last living relative (they think) of the wizard Ornun Zol, to take responsibility for the house and the magical destruction it is producing. Not to mention the treasure rumored to be hidden inside, which has caused an increasingly violent series of clashes between soldiers, rebels, and magical creatures who have entered the house.
Henrietta is reluctant to get involved in this dangerous and confusing adventure; she's still battling the fears of her childhood and grieving for her parents and she's not even sure Ornun Zol was a relative! The soldiers have decided she's part of the rebel group, the house itself is actively putting her in danger, and the "treasure" appears to actually be a dangerous magical power that may or may not exist. In the end, as the story opener ends on a cliffhanger, Henrietta must make a decision to take responsibility for the house and its deadly treasure or flee back to life at the orphanage.
Most characters present as white and the setting appears to be a kind of Victorian/Medieval alternate universe. There are bombs and guns, but also swords and magic. The art is digital and slick with most expressions being exaggerated and lots of action and gloomy shadows, but little actual signs of blood or visible death.
The publisher and the one review call this teen, but it looks to me perfectly acceptable for middle grade, similar to Kibuishi's Amulet series. However, this is a series opener and is clearly meant to introduce the characters and give a brief set-up of the events and history to prepare for future volumes.
Verdict: I liked this enough to wonder what will happen next and although it's a bit intense in spots it seems perfectly acceptable for a middle grade audience. Purchase if you have fans of fantasy-adventure graphic novels but be prepared to move this to teen if it does become more graphic in later volumes.
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