Umineko When They Cry Episode 2: Turn of the Golden Witch

Umineko: When They Cry Episode 2: Turn of the Golden Witch follows a romance that is quietly dangerous. Shannon, a servant on the Ushiromiya estate, has begun a romance with the eldest grandson, and her bargain with a witch has given her a sense of humanity she never had. Her brother Kanon is uneasy about the bargain, and the premise is a tense mix of love, status and supernatural debt.The series is most compelling in its gothic atmosphere. The estate setting feels claustrophobic, and each revelation adds weight to the characters' choices. The mystery is built to reward careful reading, and the uneasy tone builds steadily.The weakness is density. The structure is intricate and fragmentary, which can frustrate newcomers, and the supernatural rules are not always easy to pin down. Readers who enjoy puzzle-driven horror with a literary edge will find much to admire. Those wanting a straightforward plot may find it confusing, though the atmosphere is strong.