Keiko Ishihara

Chile, what is going on!?! The storytelling is a hot mess (Freya still out here winging how she thinks the prince would act. Why is no one telling her??? Julius still slips into creep mode here and there, a random whodunit, court politics, the real prince can communicate with Freya, or is that her imagining what he’d tell her??? etc), but it’s still entertaining. There are some beautifully-drawn scenes in here, particularly when Freya and Alek spar.

Now, the pacing is very fast, and show more things keep happening quickly. The mangaka could’ve spaced out the Vassal’s betrayal a bit more.

Another thing, the way Freya slips into her confident, prince act can seem a bit jarring, but I like that she’s capable and smart. She’s still herself, so when things get overwhelming, she takes it hard. There are also real stakes in this story. Sometimes, people get got and there are no fairytale do-overs. show less

Great start to a new medieval adventure. When war threatens, Freya's life in a reclusive village is turned upside down. Thrust into the role of Prince Edvard, Freya must learn to be the hero her country needs - to protect the kingdom and the ones she loves. While Freya struggles to become a prince she hardly knew, her brother Alec grapples with their eldest brother's legacy, and the prince's knights figure out their role with this changed prince. And of course there's the burning question: show more why does Freya look so much like the prince?

The first chapter is a roller-coaster of emotion, and I found myself very attached these characters I'd just met. All of the prince's knights, the conniving nobles, the bandit attacks, I love it all so much, and I'm so ready for more.

Strongly recommend to fans of The Legend of Arslan or Yona of the Dawn.

**Big thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC** show less

Beautiful artwork, just lovely. The female MC is a bit, uh, bland but determined. She has a pretty cheerful disposition too, which is always endearing to serious male shoujo leads, and it works here. Isara, dragon-dude, is very protective and caring despite himself, but wary of Hibana seeking an alliance with the dragons/dragon scale. I also like the comic relief, Shata.

This reminds me why I like shoujo. There are some moments that are just so cute, hilarious, or heartwarming. Isara has show more tried to build a brick wall around himself but Hibana (and Shata to an extent) just melt his grumpy exterior like flamethrowers. show less

This is the first work I've read from Keiko Ishihara, and it won't be the last.

Freya grows up in a small village and has two adoptive brothers, who she hasn't seen in awhile since they are both great warriors for the kingdom. When they finally come home for a visit, everything's wonderful until a treacherous plot to take over the kingdom destroys her happiness. As the prince of the kingdom is murder...an event which can only bring more chaos and harm...her uncanny similarities to him lead to show more the request that she take his place (unknown to but a few). But it's not simply learning to be a royal and a prince, which makes things difficult. She needs to save the kingdom.

The plot has some familiar attributes but mixes it a couple original ideas, which is why I grabbed this one up. Along with the lovely cover, it seemed to be an interesting read, and it is. Freya is laid out nicely, her relationship to her brothers presented clear and in an intriguing way. The brothers themselves are lacking a little personality, but I'm assuming this will be caught up on in the rest of the series. Right now, this comes across as a ground laying installment, and that's what it does.

The emotions and moments come across nicely in the graphics, and Freya gives off a sympathetic atmosphere. The world is presented with just the right amount of needed visual details to draw in, and the text flows in great balance.

I found the tale engaging and was excited to learn more as the moments unfolded. There is quite a bit of tension and intrigue as well as a dab of romance. There were moments which things sped along a bit too quickly, leaving a few holes. Which was too bad. But it was definitely a fun read, and I can't wait to see what adventures await Freya and how she'll handle them.

I received an ARC through Netgalley and enjoyed diving into the pages quite a bit. So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts. show less