The Prince and the Dressmaker

I just picked it up yesterday at the the store Bookstore as a total fluke. The moment I picked it up I could not even imagine putting it down. It deals with identity in a way I’ve never seen so perfectly done. As a queer teen this book really speaks to me. 100/10

(Also the artwork is amazing!)

This graphic novel is heart-warming and creative. It tells a classic fairy-tale inspired story of two characters who are looking to discover themselves in between the expectations that the world puts on them. Jen Wang presents this story in beautiful illustrations that are just as endearing as they are fashionable. The historical-inspired fashion really drew me in, and the way Wang illustrates facial expressions also really helped to characterize this story. The pacing of this graphic novel is top-notch-- sometimes stand-alone graphic novels can be rushed because of publication technicalities, but I am so glad that Wang had the space to let this story develop organically. The atmosphere was strengthened by quiet, atmospheric moments and some still panels of our main characters deep in thought. this attention to detail makes this not only a fantastic story, but a very well-made art piece.

The Prince and the Dressmaker has a permanent spot on my bookshelf. It is one that I will be re-reading in the future.

This story is a whimsical and refreshing tale. Its a fun, easy, and a quick read. Prince Sebastian is hiding a secret life and Frances the dressmaker helps him to live his dreams. This is an interesting tale of friendship and family. Fashion is at the front of the story with many beautiful pages of color. This book plays with gender norms in an amazing way. I want more progressive stories like this. I give this book a 5/5 and highly recommend it.

This is a sweet tale in C19th Paris about a talented dressmaker who creates her masterpieces for a boy who becomes her best friend, a prince who wears dresses. It’s all about being yourself in the face of expectations and unreasonable responsibilities, and this is the theme for both characters. I loved how the ending evoked the true spirit of late C19th Paris. I won’t spoil it, but it really was spot-on. A fun and beautiful work that’s been great fun to dip back into.

Couldn't put it down!

With beautiful artwork and sensitive, sweet prose, Jen Wang weaves a tale of being true to oneself and finding people who support you. I read it in one sitting because I was entranced by the artwork but also by the sweetness of the relationship between the main characters. The ending is especially delightful. Highly recommended!

The Prince and the Dressmaker is another graphic novel with an important message. Through the course of the story, Prince Sebastian learns that serving his people doesn't mean he has to deny who he is inside. I'm so glad graphic novel writers have begun to focus more on self-acceptance, as there is no way to force acceptance from the world.

I loved how this story was equally about the Prince and the Dressmaker - they both had their own goals, heartaches, and satisfying character arcs. One was never sacrificed for the other. I loved how they both found a way to be true to themselves. The artwork in the book is amazing, beautifully detailed and richly colored. Not gonna lie, I would love to get my hands on some of those dresses.

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age: Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart. (via Goodreads)

I received an eARC through Rich in Variety Tours in exchange for an honest review.

There is an unwilling outing,transmisogyny, trans hatred, self loathing around gender, and shaming for gender nonconformity, so please be careful with your mental health while you read, friends.

I follow Jen Wang on twitter, and when I heard she was writing a graphic novel, I was over the moon! I love her art and her writing is just really great. I particularly loved the colors that Wang wove into every piece of fabric and character.

I also loved the ending, which I shan't spoil for you, because it is delightful.

I loved that Sebastian was genderfluid/genderqueer/nonbinary and wanted to be nonconforming - the words are never used on the page. I loved that he got to be accepted for being himself finally, because who he is is beautiful.

You can read Corey's, a trans reviewer's, thoughts on the rep here.

I also love that Frances got to live her dream as well. I'd love to see the future for these two. You can pick up a copy on the store or Indiebound! I highly recommend it.

There really aren't words that can fully express how beautiful and important this book is. We live in a world that constantly wants to police gender expression, and Wang explores this in subtle yet deep ways, with gorgeous art, and with constant heart. Read it!

I'd been following Jen Wang's progress of this story on her Twitter for over two years now, and I knew from the sketches she posted that this book was full of love. I finally got it and it exceeded my expectations! The artwork and characters are so charming and unique. I showed this book to my media arts professors and they used it as a good example to the class of panel layout, character design, and great storytelling. I brought it with me when I tutored kids over spring break; they said it was magical and I couldn't agree more! I keep it in my backpack and use it as inspiration when I'm drawing or just when I want to smile!

This story is one of the best things I have read in a while. The character's flaws and strengths make them come to life the page, and the storyline is one that makes me think the world might be okay if stories like these continue to be told.

I love this book! The characters are amazing, the fashion sense is to die for, and the story is wholly charming. It’s family and friendship and sense of self, packaged in a fantastic artistic style. Frances and Sebastian are goals, frankly. An incredible addition to any library, especially where graphic novels are popular.

Completely wonderful! In this life, being yourself can be the greatest challenge of all and the two main characters in this book help each other to live their dreams in this beautifully illustrated story. More like this please!

Every bit as charming as the whole world is saying. I loved Frances, Sebastian/Crystallia, and the whole ensemble. Jen Wang's art is wonderfully emotive and her script is artful in its efficiency and grace. Sebastian/Crystallia's journey to acceptance from themself and others, and Frances's unwavering ambition and discovery of kindness, are equally satisfying to read.

This is an extraordinary book! It's a sweet story I'd recommend it to anybody. I love that Frances is both hard-working and kind. She's an introspective, strong-willed, admirable protagonist, which shines through even though she'd reserved and calm! I did not see some of the twists coming at the climax, but they were playful and perfect.

When I saw this stunning cover, I simply knew I had to have this book. Though I don't usually read a lot of graphic novels, I was so excited about this one. Because that cover is stunning. And the summary is so amazing too. I'm thrilled to say that I liked this book a whole lot. It's adorable yet heartbreaking too.

I'm giving it four stars, as I had a few smaller issues with some things, but for the most part I loved this book. I only wish it had been even longer. Needed more. And especially need to know what happens after the ending. Hmph. Fingers crossed there might be a sequel coming one day. I would love that so much.

I adored the writing in this book. It's gorgeous and written so well. And oh gosh, all that stunning artwork. I can't. It's beyond beautiful. The characters all look so cute. And I loved all the details in the drawings as well. And it's full color. I loved that the most. Cannot wait to see the finished version of it as well. This is a book I know I'll read again and again. Because it's adorable. The Prince and the Dressmaker was an incredible story. It was fun to read, and I loved all the characters. It's also a bit heartbreaking, and it made me cry. How rude. But I loved it. I loved it a whole bunch. It's also a really fast read, which I loved, but also hated, because I really wanted this one to be longer. I loved reading about Sebastian and Frances and I wanted more of them both. Oh, how I hope there will be a second book. But if not, this one was amazing even so.

This book tells the story of Sebastian and Frances. And it's such an adorable story. Sebastian is a prince. Whom likes dressing up as a girl. Frances is a young dressmaker whom Sebastian has just hired to make dresses for him. And oh, these two young people were so cute to read about. I loved learning more about Sebastian and his life as a prince. His parents seemed alright, maybe. And I loved that he wanted to wear dresses. It suited him very well. I really liked seeing all the artwork of him dressed as a girl and a prince.

And Frances was amazing to read about too. I loved how sweet and kind she was. Since this is a graphic novel, I didn't get to know either of them as well as I wanted, sniffs, but I still got to know them very well. And I simply adored Frances. I loved how she wanted to get known for her dresses, and how amazing she was at making them. I loved the things she made for Sebastian. And their growing friendship was the cutest to read about. I loved them both so much. Just wish I knew them even more. They were amazing.

I'm not going to say too much about this book, as it is really short, but I do wish to mention some things. It is a secret that Sebastian dresses as a girl, and goes out as Lady Crystallia. But of course, every secret comes out one day. And I have to say that the way this secret became public, oh. It was heartbreaking. And I still feel sad about it. So rude. Yet written so well too. But yes. It was very sad. Sniffs. I just loved Sebastian so so much. And Frances too. And oh, I simply wish this book had been much longer. Hmph.

The reason for why I'm giving this a four star is because of a few issues with a part where the characters are separated for a little while. It broke my heart. And made me a little bit angry too, because they should not have let that happen. Hmph. But it was written well, and it didn't last long, so I didn't mind too much. But yeah, it was a bit sad. Also a bit sad that this stunning thing wasn't even longer. How rude. I wanted more of them all so much. But besides that, I loved the rest of this book a lot. Plot was exciting and good.

I'm so glad that I gave this book a try. The artwork was beyond stunning. And the writing gorgeous too. And I fell in love with the characters. Didn't know that a graphic novel could make me cry, but this one did. It's a quick and easy book to read. It's full of amazing characters, stunning clothes and a great friendship too. Wish there had been more focus on the growing romance, though. Aw. But there is a tiny bit of it, and I loved it lots, because I very much shipped these lovely characters. Adored reading about them so much.

Huge thank you to First Second for approving me via Netgalley to read this book early. Though my review isn't posted until now, I wrote it on July 30th, when I read this book. I simply can't wait to get the finished copies of it in the mail soonish. Eee. It's going to look so gorgeous. If you haven't read this book yet, then you most definitely need to order it right away. It's such a stunning story and you really shouldn't miss it. The Prince and the Dressmaker is so so special. Full of heart, beautiful dresses and amazing characters.

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I read this book on July 30th. My review can be found on my blog, Carina's Books.

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, though once it came out I bought my own copy because it's that good!

The art is so beautiful, pastel and fun and a little childish, which fits perfectly. I love the character designs, like all the scruffy hair and how Sebastian got to have a long, pointy nose and still be considered beautiful!

I love the cute little romance and all the dress designs — all the GORGEOUS dresses. And I love that we're getting this kind of positive representation in books suitable for kids… it's wonderful. I was just smiling giddily to myself the entire time. It’s the kind of aesthetically pretty historical fiction I would have loved as a kid and never would have found with these kinds of characters back then. Frances and Sebastian are funny and adorable and I can't wait to reread this.

This graphic novel is heart-warming and creative. It tells a classic fairy-tale inspired story of two characters who are looking to discover themselves in between the expectations that the world puts on them. Jen Wang presents this story in beautiful illustrations that are just as endearing as they are fashionable. The historical-inspired fashion really drew me in, and the way Wang illustrates facial expressions also really helped to characterize this story. The pacing of this graphic novel is top-notch-- sometimes stand-alone graphic novels can be rushed because of publication technicalities, but I am so glad that Wang had the space to let this story develop organically. The atmosphere was strengthened by quiet, atmospheric moments and some still panels of our main characters deep in thought. this attention to detail makes this not only a fantastic story, but a very well-made art piece.

The Prince and the Dressmaker has a permanent spot on my bookshelf. It is one that I will be re-reading in the future.

This is a sweet tale in C19th Paris about a talented dressmaker who creates her masterpieces for a boy who becomes her best friend, a prince who wears dresses. It’s all about being yourself in the face of expectations and unreasonable responsibilities, and this is the theme for both characters. I loved how the ending evoked the true spirit of late C19th Paris. I won’t spoil it, but it really was spot-on. A fun and beautiful work that’s been great fun to dip back into.

I love this book! The characters are amazing, the fashion sense is to die for, and the story is wholly charming. It’s family and friendship and sense of self, packaged in a fantastic artistic style. Frances and Sebastian are goals, frankly. An incredible addition to any library, especially where graphic novels are popular.

Every bit as charming as the whole world is saying. I loved Frances, Sebastian/Crystallia, and the whole ensemble. Jen Wang's art is wonderfully emotive and her script is artful in its efficiency and grace. Sebastian/Crystallia's journey to acceptance from themself and others, and Frances's unwavering ambition and discovery of kindness, are equally satisfying to read.

This book is an excellent choice for all ages. The author takes the old tropes of "boy meets girl" and "royalty in love with commoner" and adds an interesting new twist to the mix.

My only complaint is how short it is. I would have happily read the entire thing in one sitting even if it were ten times as long!

When crossdressing shows up in a piece of media, it's almost always played for humor -- "ha ha, the guy's wearing a dress, how goofy" and such -- or for horror -- how many crime shows have made a big deal about the killer liking to wear women's clothing? Rarely is the subject approached in a sensitive manner, and so it was a treat to read "The Prince and the Dressmaker" and find that it played the subject for neither humor nor horror. Instead it gives us likable characters and a story about accepting oneself and one's interests, coupled with a delightful art style and lavish dress design.

The titular prince and dressmaker are Sebastian, a shy and awkward prince whose royal parents are determined to see him married off, and Frances, a seamstress who has fallen into notoriety after creating a scandalous dress for a high-society party. Sebastian, however, sees not a scandal in Frances, but a potential ally... for he has a secret love for wearing beautiful dresses, and moonlighting as up-and-coming fashion icon Lady Crystallia. Sebastian hires Frances as his personal seamstress, and the two take Paris' fashion world by storm... but will Sebastian's desire for secrecy keep Frances from realizing her dreams? And what repercussions will their secret have when it finally comes to light?

I've read one other graphic novel illustrated by Jenny Wan, "In Real Life," and I daresay that the art in "The Prince and the Dressmaker" is even better than "In Real Life" -- though the artwork in "IRL" was still nothing to sneeze at. The art here is more polished and colorful, and feels like the artist has finally settled into her style. The story layout is easy to follow, and the dress designs are fantastic and creative.

The story itself is oddly adorable, yet treats its subject matter sensitively. I loved both Frances, a shy girl with big dreams, and Sebastian, an equally shy prince trying to come to terms with who he is and how it conflicts with his royal responsibilities. Sebastian's parents could easily have been painted as villains, but are surprisingly human and sympathetic as well. Other characters are fairly one-note, but serve their roles in the story well, and their interactions with the main characters felt believable and well-done.

A heartwarming read about self-acceptance and identity, "The Prince and the Dressmaker" is one of the few books I've read that treats the subject of crossdressing with respect instead of treating it as silly or creepy. It's a great read for helping young people learn to respect and accept themselves, and a sweet story with great art in the bargain. It also comes with a few extras at the end -- character sketches and designs, the author/artist walking the reader through their art process, and a sneak peek at an early draft of the story.

Love the book and message it gives of how it challenges gender roles in society.
Great book to get for your kids/teens who enjoys graphic novels! The book was both emotional, funny, and engaging. Can't wait to see what the author/artist makes next in the future.

There really aren't words that can fully express how beautiful and important this book is. We live in a world that constantly wants to police gender expression, and Wang explores this in subtle yet deep ways, with gorgeous art, and with constant heart. Read it!