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mehsi's review
5.0
I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
In this book we meet the delightful Serine. A girl who is a countess, though her parents have little left that really shows they are of that rank/those riches. I immediately liked Serine. I loved her attitude. Loved how, even when things go bad with her dad or how her family has little money, she keeps up her head, makes a fun tune, and tries to get along with life. Nothing gets her down.
And that is definitely wants she needs in this book when she decides to go to the palace to become a lady-in-waiting. A job that is very coveted… and that is filled with girls eager to push each other down in sneaky (or not so sneaky ways). Serine quickly becomes the favourite of the queen… but we see that life isn’t easy for her. The other girls are rich, bundled in gorgeous clothes, and sometimes weird wigs. They are elegant and stuffy. Serine is totally different. Has one dress. Likes to talk to the people lower in the castle and befriend them. Isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Is charming and sweet and kind. And see that not everyone is happy with her. Especially a girl named Crisante who is vying to become the best lady-in-waiting and will truly do all she can to get Serine out of the way. Or that one guy close to the queen who is just a piece of poop. When he tries to cosy up with Serine she rejects him and he is not accepting that.
I loved the parts where she was wandering through the castle at night after the other girls tricked her and something happened (of course Serine got the blame). I loved the stories she found, the stories she invented.
Leon was such a treasure and I loved how he helped her out at times. With words. With stories. Or just being there.
But while I loved how resilient she was, I was also sad for her. She just wants to be part of the palace and everyone is making it hard for her. Well, OK, not the people in the lower parts, but people in the higher parts? Everyone is just making it hard. And add to that a queen who isn’t taking any bull and just doesn’t believe her… it is hard.
So I was delighted when even at her lowest point she didn’t give up. Instead she turned into what we saw on the cover and I love how she was there for the king. How she made him laugh. Advised him.
Of course, chaos still ensues as Serine is taking her role very serious.
And then there is a murder plot! Oh yes!
The last part was both unexpected and wonderful and oh so chaotic and also SO SO SWEET! Perfectly fitting for the book!
I really enjoyed the art in this book. It was whimsical, fun, playful, colourful, and oodles of fun! I want more of this artist!
All in all, sorry for the long review but DANG this was a good read and I had so much fun. I was just cheering for Serine in all her roles, loved the palace, loved the murder plot, and loved all the other things around it! Recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
In this book we meet the delightful Serine. A girl who is a countess, though her parents have little left that really shows they are of that rank/those riches. I immediately liked Serine. I loved her attitude. Loved how, even when things go bad with her dad or how her family has little money, she keeps up her head, makes a fun tune, and tries to get along with life. Nothing gets her down.
And that is definitely wants she needs in this book when she decides to go to the palace to become a lady-in-waiting. A job that is very coveted… and that is filled with girls eager to push each other down in sneaky (or not so sneaky ways). Serine quickly becomes the favourite of the queen… but we see that life isn’t easy for her. The other girls are rich, bundled in gorgeous clothes, and sometimes weird wigs. They are elegant and stuffy. Serine is totally different. Has one dress. Likes to talk to the people lower in the castle and befriend them. Isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Is charming and sweet and kind. And see that not everyone is happy with her. Especially a girl named Crisante who is vying to become the best lady-in-waiting and will truly do all she can to get Serine out of the way. Or that one guy close to the queen who is just a piece of poop. When he tries to cosy up with Serine she rejects him and he is not accepting that.
I loved the parts where she was wandering through the castle at night after the other girls tricked her and something happened (of course Serine got the blame). I loved the stories she found, the stories she invented.
Leon was such a treasure and I loved how he helped her out at times. With words. With stories. Or just being there.
But while I loved how resilient she was, I was also sad for her. She just wants to be part of the palace and everyone is making it hard for her. Well, OK, not the people in the lower parts, but people in the higher parts? Everyone is just making it hard. And add to that a queen who isn’t taking any bull and just doesn’t believe her… it is hard.
So I was delighted when even at her lowest point she didn’t give up. Instead she turned into what we saw on the cover and I love how she was there for the king. How she made him laugh. Advised him.
Of course, chaos still ensues as Serine is taking her role very serious.
And then there is a murder plot! Oh yes!
The last part was both unexpected and wonderful and oh so chaotic and also SO SO SWEET! Perfectly fitting for the book!
I really enjoyed the art in this book. It was whimsical, fun, playful, colourful, and oodles of fun! I want more of this artist!
All in all, sorry for the long review but DANG this was a good read and I had so much fun. I was just cheering for Serine in all her roles, loved the palace, loved the murder plot, and loved all the other things around it! Recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
francisdee's review
4.0
Read via NetGalley
When life gives you lemons, become a jester! Or, as my boyfriend said, become the lemonade!
Young Countess Serine is determined to become a lady-in-waiting at court to help provide for her family. But she soon finds herself at the mercy of a thoughtless queen and scheming lords and ladies.
I found the art style lovely and the story very entertaining and gripping. The more it went on the clearer it became that Serine is an extraordinary lady, resourceful and inventive, with a totally justified mean and vindictive streak. I really felt for her when faced with awful nobles and loved how sweet and kind she was towards the palace workers!
Also, Leon the torturer's apprentice is very cute and funny!
Highly recommend this if you want a fun read!
When life gives you lemons, become a jester! Or, as my boyfriend said, become the lemonade!
Young Countess Serine is determined to become a lady-in-waiting at court to help provide for her family. But she soon finds herself at the mercy of a thoughtless queen and scheming lords and ladies.
I found the art style lovely and the story very entertaining and gripping. The more it went on the clearer it became that Serine is an extraordinary lady, resourceful and inventive, with a totally justified mean and vindictive streak. I really felt for her when faced with awful nobles and loved how sweet and kind she was towards the palace workers!
Also, Leon the torturer's apprentice is very cute and funny!
Highly recommend this if you want a fun read!
braincell4rent's review
3.0
*To our Lord NetGalley I praise and thank for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
You know? I´m a bit taken aback with this one. I absolutely loved the art. The protagonist is quite lovely as well, but the plot... The plot I just can´t take it seriously (and maybe that´s fine, because that might be very well the intention of the author) since it has that kind of humor and solution for plots that´s so common in children´s books.
For example, Serine just invents a word out of nothing and suddenly everyone is praising her even though they don´t know what it means (?)
Idk, that´s the kind of thing that put me off. It´s not a bad comic, just not for me.
You know? I´m a bit taken aback with this one. I absolutely loved the art. The protagonist is quite lovely as well, but the plot... The plot I just can´t take it seriously (and maybe that´s fine, because that might be very well the intention of the author) since it has that kind of humor and solution for plots that´s so common in children´s books.
For example, Serine just invents a word out of nothing and suddenly everyone is praising her even though they don´t know what it means (?)
Idk, that´s the kind of thing that put me off. It´s not a bad comic, just not for me.
a_reads_books's review
3.0
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I will start with the art style of the book which consists of a pretty watercolor style of illustrations in neat layouts. While the book has simple illustrations for the characters, it is also rich in detail capturing palace life in its essence.
The story is a fun ride in the life of Serine a vibrant girl who decides to become lady-in-waiting to a queen to support her family. From then on, it's a chaotic unravel of the many plots and schemes going on inside the palace and how Serine through her shenanigans makes a place for herself in the palace. I found the plot engaging and easy to keep up with. It's a lighthearted book full of jokes, wordplays and rhymes. The book would be mostly suited to young adults and above.
I will start with the art style of the book which consists of a pretty watercolor style of illustrations in neat layouts. While the book has simple illustrations for the characters, it is also rich in detail capturing palace life in its essence.
The story is a fun ride in the life of Serine a vibrant girl who decides to become lady-in-waiting to a queen to support her family. From then on, it's a chaotic unravel of the many plots and schemes going on inside the palace and how Serine through her shenanigans makes a place for herself in the palace. I found the plot engaging and easy to keep up with. It's a lighthearted book full of jokes, wordplays and rhymes. The book would be mostly suited to young adults and above.
paragraphsandpages's review
5.0
I would like to thank the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the ARC of this book. I read an advanced copy of this book, so the final edition of the book might be slightly different. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.
This was such a fun, quick read! I always love standalone comics to read in between longer novels, and this fits that role perfectly. It was also surprisingly witty, and I really loved some of the wordplay and banter.
I think my favorite part of this comic has to be the art style, and I loved how well it fit the characters and story. I especially loved how Serine was drawn, and how you could visually see the difference in manner/attitude when she switched between her various roles. It really brought the writing to life! There was also a nice amount of fluidity and movement to the art, which was especially important for certain scenes and characters. The color throughout the story was also such a pleasant addition, and often mimicked the tone of the current scene very well, and brought different moods to various moments. It was honestly just wonderfully done!
The story itself was also extremely fun while still having some depth to it, and I loved how clever certain moments and characters were. While the twists aren't super unpredictable, it was still done in such a way where you picked up small pieces along the way, and knowing the twist didn't actually ruin the reveal at all for me. There was also a good balance of frustration/Serine being treated horribly by royals and satisfaction at seeing those same royals suffer, without saving all the 'revenge' for the final scene. It gave some relief throughout the story, being able to laugh at the misfortune of some of the crueler characters!
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I can see myself picking up more by the artist/writers!
This was such a fun, quick read! I always love standalone comics to read in between longer novels, and this fits that role perfectly. It was also surprisingly witty, and I really loved some of the wordplay and banter.
I think my favorite part of this comic has to be the art style, and I loved how well it fit the characters and story. I especially loved how Serine was drawn, and how you could visually see the difference in manner/attitude when she switched between her various roles. It really brought the writing to life! There was also a nice amount of fluidity and movement to the art, which was especially important for certain scenes and characters. The color throughout the story was also such a pleasant addition, and often mimicked the tone of the current scene very well, and brought different moods to various moments. It was honestly just wonderfully done!
The story itself was also extremely fun while still having some depth to it, and I loved how clever certain moments and characters were. While the twists aren't super unpredictable, it was still done in such a way where you picked up small pieces along the way, and knowing the twist didn't actually ruin the reveal at all for me. There was also a good balance of frustration/Serine being treated horribly by royals and satisfaction at seeing those same royals suffer, without saving all the 'revenge' for the final scene. It gave some relief throughout the story, being able to laugh at the misfortune of some of the crueler characters!
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I can see myself picking up more by the artist/writers!
casey_h's review
4.0
This was a cute, funny, and fast graphic novel! I really loved the watercolour art style, and the storyline was not quite what I was expecting, it was better! The small romance unfolding in the background was cute to see, too. I really enjoyed this!
Thanks NetGalley and Europe Comics for the beautiful arc!
Thanks NetGalley and Europe Comics for the beautiful arc!
tasharobinson's review
4.0
This one (read on the free library app Hoopla) is a real find — a lively, nervy, often silly story about a young woman who enters a French court hoping to escape an arranged marriage and become a handmaiden to the queen, and winds up confidently navigating a lot of court intrigue. There are a lot of players here, but the action's still pretty straightforward: the queen is vain, bored, and hungry for novelty; the king is old, distracted, and out of touch; everyone around them is scheming or sheltering from the court nonsense. What struck me most about this book is that the protagonist really is clever and funny as she takes on the court — both of those things being easy to say, but harder to write, especially as she has to keep switching characters and approaches to manage the court's constantly shifting dynamics. It's a pretty kid-safe book — the art reminded me a lot of Quentin Blake — but it's fun for adults, too.
flogcm's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
4.5
C'est une histoire très comique, qui a des personnages drôles et attachants. Les jeux de mots sont bien trouvés, c'est original.
literaryrevisited's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75