The Promised Neverland Vol 2 by Kaiu Shirai

Illustrated by Posuka Demizu

Emma, Norman, and Ray continue to gather supplies and plot for everyone to escape Grace Field House, but they've hit a few snags.  Mom Isabelle brings in Sister Krone, another adult who aspires to be a Mom someday and in charge of her own farm.  Plus, Emma and Norman find out Ray is playing double agent! If they convince Ray to be truly loyal to them, can they trust him to lead Mom in the way they want? Emma also finds a clue in the library that could be helpful once they're outside - many of the books in their library were owned by William Minerva.  Hey may still be alive out there and leaving clues in the books!

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The nagging amount of questions subsides a bit in this volume, but the mangaka may have somewhat oversold just how smart these 12-year-olds are.  They sound and act more like adults, except for Emma, who still has a naive emotional spectrum.  This book reads like the most intricate game of chess ever played where the stakes are high on all sides.  We get a little more information on Isabella and the "moms" system that helps us to understand why she would be willing to help raise children for demons, although I'm sure we will see even more from her perspective later.  Aside from the demons, which we know nearly nothing about, the mangaka is beginning to delve into stories connected with other characters, and truly showing a depth to many of them. The cartoony and childish nature of the art belies the seriousness of what is happening around these children, but Demizu's illustrations somehow perfectly match the story.

VIZ's rating is still Teen Plus.  There are a few scenes of the demons that could be scary for younger audiences.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 10-12

Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: February 6, 2018​
ISBN: 9781421597133 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Dystopian, Horror, Demons, VIZ Media ​