Kieli Vol 1 - Harvey, what does he know about the world? Kieli is a good girl.

Kieli is a light novel written by Yukako Kabei and illustrated by Shunsuke Tagami. It began publication in 2003 after winning the grand prize at the 9th Dengeki Novel Prize. This is one of the older series I decided to read through, thanks to the Bookwalker subscription I recently obtained.

The story is set on a desolate planet ravaged by a major war between multiple factions that used advanced technology. After the war destroyed the world order, society fell under the control of a powerful Church that seeks to bind people through strict religious doctrine and blind faith.

The narrative revolves around two concepts unique to this world. The first is the existence of the "Fushijin," a race of undying people created with now-lost technology that utilized the corpses of fallen soldiers. Once the war ended and they were no longer needed, the Church launched a smear campaign depicting them as monsters and began a hunt to rid the world of them using specialized weapons.

The art is reminiscent of that time period, but it doesn't change that Kieli looks quite good.

It has that a bit mysterious look in many of the non-protagonist characters appearing in front of Kieli.

The second concept is the presence of ghosts throughout the world, even though the Church denies their existence. Kieli is a 14-year-old girl living at a religious boarding school. She possesses the rare ability to see these ghosts, which causes her to feel alienated from the Church's teachings as she searches for a different path for her life.

Her life was boring and uneventful while living at the boarding school with a ghost friend named Becca, until she met Harvey, a Fushijin who can also see ghosts. This encounter sets in motion a series of events that compel her to leave her town and begin a journey across this dying world.

I wonder how does it feel to have to live with a ghost the entire day. I mean sure Becca is cute, but...

Difference in size is quite obvious between Harvey and Kieli, but considering the age...

For Kieli, the journey is about learning more about her powers and escaping a place she found oppressive and claustrophobic. She wants to learn about the war, the ghosts, Harvey and the world at large while finding a place where she feels she truly belongs.

By the end of the first volume, there are three main characters who form a group that travels from place to place, meeting new ghosts and exploring their stories while fleeing from pursuers. This group includes Kieli, the titular protagonist; Harvey, the love interest and former soldier attempting to escape the hunt; and Corporal, a radio possessed by the ghost of a soldier that acts as the glue for the group.

It does feel like a travelogue at times with the themes and slow paced scenes.

One ghost less, time to go and find some other to exorcise back to back. I feel that's where the story want to go.

I say this because both Kieli and Harvey are not very talkative, making it difficult for them to feel like a cohesive unit without Corporal speaking through the radio. I am curious to see if they will grow during their journey, especially since Kieli is still a young child who has not experienced much of the world.

I plan to keep reading the series in the coming weeks and will post updates volume by volume to discuss the latest developments. It might take some time to finish the entire 10-volume series, but I hope it will be a rewarding journey to explore this little gem.