In The Prince and the Dressmaker, Prince Sebastian has a secret life as Lady Crystallia, where he dresses in daring dresses made by his seamstress Frances and takes Paris by storm. Both he and Frances have their personal dreams, but also responsibilities that make keeping this secret difficult.
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I was very pleasantly surprised about this comic for many reasons. First, I love the inclusivity and the messaging of the comic. I am very pro let people be and do what they want and feel like, such as let a boy wear dresses if that is what he wants and makes him happy. So having this very positive representation of that without shying away from the fear of coming out narrative is worth applauding. The story feels believable with its outcome and overall message, which makes it that much stronger.
The story overall is very well-written. One of my wary spots with comics is the pacing because they can feel very rushed. But this comic is very smooth and the progression of events makes sense. Because of the messaging, there is a lot of emotion in this story and it is done so naturally.
I really enjoy Frances and Sebastian’s friendship and how it is portrayed. I loved their interactions, how supportive they are for each other, and simply wanted more of them. They brought out the best in each other, which is especially important in a story like this. Not everything is sunshine and sequins of course, and those parts of their relationship are done so naturally as well.
Overall, I found The Prince and the Dressmaker to be quite lovely, wholesome, and special. It is a very pleasant read with a great story and positive messaging. This is a great book for kids to read to introduce them to the topics of gender and inclusivity. And I recommend it for adults as well.
Have you read anything wholesome lately? Share it with a comment below!
I’ve always heard such great things about this comic! Definitely have to pick it up.
We discovered this graphic novel a couple of years ago and adored it! I don’t want to say too much for potential spoilers for future readers. It shares an author/illustrator with the graphic novel “In Real Life,” which is how we discovered it. Have you read that one too?
I haven’t yet but I do know it exists! Its on the TBR