Snow White with the Red Hair Volumes 14 and 15 Review

It doesn’t feel like that long ago we were celebrating the fact Snow White with the Red Hair had made it to 10 volumes in English, but now we’ve reached another milestone as we hit Volume 15! Today I’m here to take a look at both Volumes 14 and 15 to see what’s in store for Shirayuki and co. 

Back in Volume 13, Shirayuki and Ryu were transferred from the castle to work in Lilias. Now the two have begun to settle into their new life and are busy researching how to make Orimmallys glow without carrying the poison that caused a widespread illness in Volume 9. Shirayuki and the team have discovered that pairing the seeds with Wunderocks helps generate the heat necessary to give them the beautiful glow our group desire. 

But, inevitably, nothing is that simple and although the group now have an idea of what they need to do, they’re still struggling to produce the results they need. The Wunderocks they’re using just aren’t putting out heat for long enough to develop the Orimmally seeds enough. Faced with this challenge, Shirayuki looks for an expert in the stones who may be able to help them. 

While Volume 14 is focused on the research our protagonist is doing, it also sees the return of Obi who was sent by Zen to Lilias as Shirayuki’s bodyguard. Obi, of course, is overjoyed to be back by Shirayuki’s side and vows to do whatever he can to help her and Ryu with their work. And given our protagonist is not only on the research team but also managing her day job as a herbalist, any help is certainly welcome!

Meanwhile, Volume 15 of the series sees Shirayuki and Obi return to the palace briefly to attend a royal soirée. Shirayuki is overjoyed to be reunited with Zen, but she also has a mission to accomplish here. In attendance at the soirée is Rata Forzeno, a Wunderock scholar who may hold the answers Shirayuki needs to advance the Orimmally research. However, Rata has already given Obi the slip once back in Lilias, so getting his help may prove difficult! 

What I appreciate the most about these two instalments of Snow White with the Red Hair is the fact they not only build on the storyline from Volume 9 but also force Shirayuki to consider her future. We know that she eventually wants to be by Zen’s side, but when it comes to her work, things have become somewhat aimless. Thankfully, the change of pace in Lilias eventually leads her to decide on a goal of her own for the first time in a while. 

It’s also refreshing to see her and Ryu put out of their comfort zones with more difficult work. We see Shirayuki struggle to mix new medicine which leads to a few sleepless nights for her and Obi as she desperately tries to master it. Life in Lilias is hectic but being in such a different situation is leading to plenty of growth for our cast. 

I also like that author Sorata Akiduki has made the Orimmally such a big part of the plot. In one of the sidebar notes, Akiduki talks about how she wasn’t expecting this arc to go on so long but as a reader, I welcome the worldbuilding. It’s fascinating learning about these plants and how they can change,  depending on what they’re exposed to. It’s the kind of nitty-gritty detail that makes Snow White with the Red Hair stand out from the competition since rarely do fantasy shojo series in the English market have such interesting settings that get fleshed out and explored (Yona of the Dawn is perhaps the only one that comes to mind).

Snow White with the Red Hair Volumes 14 and 15 come to the West thanks to VIZ Media and continue to be translated by Caleb Cook. The translations read well with no issues to note. Volume 14’s release includes a one-shot titled 00 Days of Summer Vacation, which is a sweet story about a high school girl confessing to her crush just before the summer break. It makes me want to see a modern-day romance from the author sometime in the future. 

Overall, Snow White with the Red Hair Volumes 14 and 15 embark on an interesting new arc that ties into the storyline of previous entries well. While romance might be on the backburner while we dive into some heavy-duty worldbuilding, the books remain a satisfying read.