Synopsis
Margaret’s life is cut short when she gets into a fatal accident at her workplace, except instead of the afterlife, she finds herself in another world! She’s rescued from the brink of death by an elderly retired noblewoman who lets Margaret live at her mansion. What awaits her there is a stark contrast to her previous life: relaxed and laid-back countryside living! Sure, there’s the whole fact that she was summoned to this world as a special being known as a Spirit Caller, but she couldn’t care less as long as she gets to eat delicious food! She’s going to get a fresh start taking life slow in this new world filled with magic and spirits! (Source: Cross Infinite World)
A Spirit Caller’s New Family!
Written by Kosuzu Kobato and illustrated by Yuichi Murakami, Cross Infinite Worlds’ Making Jam in the Woods is a strong entry into the slice-of-life sub-genre.
The story follows the newly isekai’d adventures of Margaret—a former overworked sales employee—as she finds herself living in the countryside of a fantasy world. Brought under the protection of a retired noblewoman, her new life offers the chance of a lifetime to live a slow life pursuing her passion for making jam, finding family, and even finding love.
For the most part, this series has been designed for a light, comfortable read. It ticks all the boxes for fans of the sub-genre (like myself), who enjoy their series filled with copious amounts of sugary goodness. From fairies to petting animals and even gushing over sweet desserts, the series always offers something to keep the fans engaged.
While these moments are all well and good, what makes this series stand out is its central theme of family. From early on, the story makes it clear that Margaret has been transferred to the fantasy world as a spirit caller. They’re explained to be beings who often influence the fantasy world in a variety of different ways, and Margaret’s role revolves around Adeline and the Dustin family’s drama.
The Dustin family’s troubles play a key role in the volume’s main source of conflict. Revolving around the fractured relationship between Adeline and her son, it’s Margaret’s innocent nature and experience with loss that eventually bring the two together to repair the bonds they both thought were broken beyond repair.
Far from being overdramatised, the author treats these moments with the necessary maturity that they deserve. Throughout these situations, Margaret uses her words to influence a peaceful resolution. As a result, the conflict is allowed to come to its natural conclusion, which provides the series with a grounded storyline despite the fantasy setting.
This level of maturity also extends to the characters. With the main and side cast all being older than what you’d see in a standard light novel, the author has done a good job of conveying that these characters have lived a life before the story begins. As a result, the characters have a level of depth and complexity unique to the genre.
Overall, Making Jam in the Wood’s first instalment makes for a great introduction to the series. While its promises of sweet, sugary moments draw you in, it’s the series’ mature handling of drama and complex characters that’ll leave you wanting more.
I Give Making Jam in the Woods Volume 1: 8.5/10
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You can read the first volume of this series digitally through the list of distributors mentioned on the Cross Infinite World website.
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