Flynn and Trace, Official Cover Art, Nevermore, Webtoon.
Nevermore – Information
Author of Story: Kate Flynn and Kit Trace
Chapter Count: 162+
Status: Ongoing
Content Warnings
These content warnings do not reflect the contents of the review below; only the literary work itself.
- Blood, explicit violence
- Death, dying
- Depictions of SH, SI
- Loss of loved ones
- Trauma
- Pain, injury, torture
- Creepy / scary / disturbing topics or imagery
- Phobias
- Use of medication
- Depictions of religion / religious trauma
- Fire
- Racial slurs
Spoiler Disclaimer
This recommendation post may contain small plot spoilers for review purposes. Any major spoilers are hidden by default and are able to be revealed via click or tap.
Nevermore – Plot Summary
The Nevermore webtoon is a mysterious and well written gothic tale—a perfect read for October or for spooky story enthusiasts! It has lots of inspiration from the works of Edgar Allan Poe, so those familiar with his works may especially enjoy this story (no worries if you aren’t a fan of poetry, though—you’ll still enjoy the story plenty).
This story has a dreary tone, a Sapphic romance between two who aren’t meant to be, and overall a very engaging plot full of drama, the supernatural, and suspense.
The story begins with one of the main characters, Lenore, who wakes up on the shores of an unknown, mysterious location. With no memories or any idea of where she is or how she got there, she begins to look for help.
She runs into a woman named Annabel Lee, and before they can even really get acquainted, they find themselves running away from strange growls and floating orbs.
They end up finding a school called Nevermore Academy not too far away. Confused and afraid, Lenore and Annabel promise to support each other regardless of what happens when they enter!
As they enter, they meet the academy’s two twin deans, who tell Lenore and Annabel that they are actually dead, and currently in an in-between realm of sorts that gives them a chance to win another go at life.
Lenore wants nothing but answers about this strange place and the people within, and is determined to find out the reason behind her sudden unexplained presence at the academy. Even as Lenore demands answers from the staff, the two young ladies seem to have no choice but to stay at the academy and abide by their rules…for the most part.
Things quickly become more mysterious, strange, and dangerous as Lenore and Annabel are flung into the antics of this strange school, thus beginning the engaging plot of the Nevermore webtoon.
Flynn and Trace, Promotional Art, Nevermore, Webtoon.
Why I Enjoyed Nevermore
Plot:
The Nevermore webtoon is one of the most unique series I have read on the platform. It tells an incredibly engaging and suspenseful story that only gives you bits and pieces of the mystery along the way.
As you meet new characters and experience the plot, the story will surely fill you a range of emotions… excitement, suspense, anger, and even terror. There is never a dull moment in Nevermore—the authors have done a superb job at creating such an engaging plot.
The best part of this story is the slow unraveling of practically every question you have when you start the series. What happened to Annabel and Lenore (and every other character) in their past lives? What is the true purpose of the creepy academy? Will they truly be able to have a second chance at life?
Nevermore keeps you on the edge of your seat by only revealing a small piece of the puzzle a bit at a time, while throwing you into all sorts of chaos along the way.
The story keeps you interested in both the current events and character’s pasts by revealing a bit of both through a back-and-forth sort of manner. Flashbacks, dreams, backstories, and more are slowly revealed to you, allowing you to put together pieces of the story and make sense of all the drama.
It isn’t just the plot itself that is a joy to experience, but just the masterful way the story is actually told and formatted so uniquely. There’s drama at every turn for a multitude of characters, so you’ll never be bored.
Characters:
If you would like a story that has a creepier, darker tone filled with very expressive and perhaps unconventional characters, this comic is a great choice.
Nevermore is not so simple as to have “good” and “bad” characters necessarily—even if they may seem like one or the other at first glance. It does an amazing job as capturing the nuance of these characters’ personalities, experiences, and feelings… especially in a situation where they are all competing to, well, live.
It is such a fun experience to read and witness all of the unique characters in this series, many of which will take supernatural forms, too.
Many of these supernatural forms are recognizable folklore spirits—for example: a banshee, woman in white, cryptid, and more. I personally really enjoy folklore creatures and supernatural things, so I really liked this aspect of the series.
Additionally, if you are a fan of the poet Edgar Allan Poe, you may especially love this series, as so many of the characters are modeled after his works. I’m not super well-versed in poetry, but I think that the creation of this webtoon using well-known poetry is extremely cool and very creative.
If you are like me and don’t mind taking some time to delve into outside research on Edgar Allan Poe’s works, you may find that the characters really suit the original works they are modeled after.
Obviously you may recognize the names Annabel Lee and Lenore from Poe’s more well-known works, but many of the supporting characters in this series have origins from his works, too. See if you can spot any as you read! But I will admit, the relationship between Lenore and Annabel plays the largest role of any relationship in this entire story…
In fact, there is so much more to Annabel and Lenore than you get to see at first glance. We slowly learn more about these two and their past, their personalities, their relationship, and the workings of their minds.
There are clearly romantic feelings present, but it also feels like there’s something else underneath. These two have an interesting dynamic, and a relationship full of tension, uncertainty, confusion, and an unexplained passion for each other.
Art:
The art style for the Nevermore webtoon is incredibly gorgeous and unlike anything else on the platform. The rectangular speech bubbles, dark backgrounds, creative usage of colors, the style of clothing the characters wear, and the characters themselves are all so stunning and unique.
I really enjoyed the diverse cast not just in terms of visual design, but also their personalities too, which feel very well thought-out. Each character is so individualistic and expressive! It is very fun to try and figure out their past lives and current goals as you read.
The style throughout this comic really captures the creepy, bleak mood that you’d expect from a gothic romance. It starts out looking very good, but I think the art gets even better as you progress through the story.
The details and effort that go into these characters and especially the close-up moments of them together are just astounding. I’ll admit that art styles on Webtoon can get a bit repetitive, so something as lovely and different as the Nevermore webtoon was such a welcome surprise.
Flynn and Trace, Promotional Art, Nevermore, Webtoon.
Any Cons?
Although I enjoyed the story thoroughly, some readers may not like the particular type of romance or content in this story. I’ll warn again, this is a gothic style story inspired by a writer and poet who is known for writing about some rather macabre topics.
While this story does have romance, it is a dramatic and not-so-fluffy sort of love. The characters often engage in some unromantic activities and may even have a more villainous feel to them. If that isn’t something you can look past in terms of romance, perhaps try a different recommendation!
More In-Depth Review (Warning: Spoilers!)
The Nevermore webtoon has such a complex and mysterious feel that is just so expertly executed. Let’s take a closer look at the main duo, their romance, and their individual character experiences!
First things first, Lenore is definitely more of the story’s heroine. She has that righteousness and charisma that makes it easy to root for her.
However, as she gains more and more of her memories of how she and Annabel met in life (from the very beginning), her affection for Annabel grows stronger. She is even unable to even get a single restful night’s sleep, as she continuously dreams of their memories together.
She isn’t the heroine for just those reasons—she seems to have a unique presence in this in-between world. Only she has strange visions or omens of sorts that others don’t seem to have when in the same circumstances. Even the orbs from the very first chapter try to warn her not to go into Nevermore Academy…
Annabel Lee, on the other hand, sees everything from a different point of view. She remembers her history with Lenore backwards, from the more recent memory first. Due to this, she seems to have a stronger passion and affection (an obsession, even) for Lenore from the start.
However, Annabel is much more cunning and sometimes even a bit conniving. She will do whatever it takes to escape with Lenore, even if it means using and abusing others. She often sees things as a “game” that she simply needs to win—and Lenore is the only prize she cares for.
Due to their differing memories and innately different attitude towards the others at the academy, Lenore and Annabel often clash. They don’t entirely understand each other’s perspectives, but can’t seem to deny the feelings they have for one another. Their past history is just that strong! Let me recap their past that we know up to this point:
We start with the time that Lenore is to begin meeting suitors. She can’t accept this change in her life, and runs away into a storm. Her brother Theo follows to save and calm her, but tragically dies to a tree falling in said storm. This same tree also leaves Lenore injured.
Lenore’s family hides the true reason Theo died from those outside of the family, and Lenore is now treated as a hysterical madwoman. She is “treated” with medication and isolation in the attic.
Some time later, Annabel Lee shows up. She agrees to spend time with the “madwoman” Lenore (as a good influence) in exchange for friendship between their families. During this time, the two become undeniably close.
Unfortunately, after creating this bond that frees Lenore a bit from her unfair treatment, Annabel Lee enters her social season too, where she must continue looking for a suitor to marry—something Annabel also dreads. She abandons Lenore, who is once again treated as a madwoman for not acting “as a lady should.”
One day, they receive word that the cottage Lenore stays at caught fire. Annabel becomes hysterical, thinking her beloved Lenore had died. However, her father quickly puts a stop to that, and Annabel collects herself, putting on the usual mask of perfection expected from her. Not too soon after, she receives a visit from a “man” named Leo.
Lenore, having cut her hair and prepared herself for a new life, comes to propose to Annabel as “Leo.” Together they could elope, freeing both of them from the fates they don’t want or deserve… but also putting them in danger in the case they are caught.
Annabel refuses at first, but as we know, comes around to it.
However, for reasons still not completely explained, Lenore and Annabel are killed during their wedding, which was always heavily foreshadowed with Annabel’s spectre being Lady in White.
We do get a confirmation that Annabel had betrayed Lenore in some way, which caused their deaths. However, we don’t see exactly how. It’s fun to theorize how this may be.
For example, it’s apparent from these backstories that they are in a time period where women do not have many rights, and are easily accused of hysteria at the simplest show of emotion. Lenore was never good at hiding hers or being obedient, and so she quickly gained the title of “madwoman.”
However, we see repeatedly in the story as Annabel drops her “proper” mask, hallucinates, and has panic attacks. Is Lenore truly the “mad” one here, or is Annabel being driven to that point as a result of her actions (being the cause of their deaths)?
Annabel is especially afraid of being considered mad, but is able to collect herself or steel herself quite well. However, she begins to have hallucinations of a creepy version of Lenore, who points out Annabel’s “mask,” and even asks if she “surprised herself by pulling the trigger,” which again suggests Annabel is at fault for their deaths, even if metaphorically.
Maybe she actually went mad in their past life? What other reason would she have to kill someone she is so passionately obsessed with?
Or perhaps the hallucinations she sees of Lenore are the manifestations of the guilt she feels for killing them in their past life, and will be what causes her to go mad in their deaths?
Regardless, it makes sense for Annabel to be the one who caused their end, especially if the writers are trying to stay true to the poems that mold these characters.
“Annabel Lee,” as written by Poe, seems to describe someone mourning the loss of their lover (Annabel Lee), a woman who only wanted to love and be loved (seems fitting for her obsession with Lenore). The poem describes her love as being something so strong that it could even last after her death, which it certainly has in this story.
The poem “Lenore,” however, speaks of a young woman who died too early (suggesting she died in some unexpected way). It has two speakers, who seem to debate the better way to send off the dead: traditionally through mourning, or the less traditional route of celebration (for they are going to a better place).
I especially like how this ties into the recent revelation that Lenore’s spectre is Lady in Red. This folklore ghost is known for having unresolved emotions of passion or revenge. If she died too early (which she did, given their failed goal to run away) this would make a lot of sense.
Lastly, “The Raven” may also tie into this story. It speaks of a person who is overcome with grief and regret over the loss of their beloved Lenore.
The entire poem is brooding—the subject of the poem struggles to face and accept these feelings of sadness and emptiness. This may allude to Lenore being a victim, and Annabel going mad over the loss of her loved one due to her strong feelings of love and perhaps guilt?
This is all just my own speculation though, and I’m definitely no expert in poetry. However, Nevermore has been such a fun experience to witness. I’ve really enjoyed trying to guess what will happen next, and I can’t wait to see how it finishes!
Final Thoughts
The Nevermore webtoon is an amazing read for anyone who enjoys the supernatural, creepy topics, drama, and unique characters. The plot does an incredible job at creating an engaging, thrilling, and suspenseful story that has lots of inspiration from the gothic literature created by Edgar Allan Poe.
It is so full of emotion and gorgeous art, and simply leaves you wanting more and more. I really think Nevermore is just a masterpiece of a webtoon—I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer: Any images used for this blog are for illustrative purposes only, are not owned by me, and are under ownership of the artist or publisher.
Images Credit: Kate Flynn and Kit Trace, Nevermore, Webtoon, 2022.
