Princess Princess Ever After

I love a book that takes normal story tropes and spins them on their head. This juvenile graphic novel does just that. We have two princesses, one stuck in a tower, and one alone adventuring on a unicorn. Amira wanted to be more than a cook and clean and rule by her husband’s side princess. She wanted action, she wanted adventure, and she wanted a life of importance. Sadie is trapped in her tower. Her trap is one not just of location, but one of words. With a vile sister that constantly reminders he she could never rule because she is fat and ugly, Sadie lacks confidence in herself. Amira helps Sadie find that confidence, and together they help out a laddie in distress, learn to be themselves, and rule with a kind and loving heart. show more They show that love is love, and that is all that matters. This book was amazing. It was a bit short and simple, but the heart screams loud and proud. These princesses are destined to live happily ever after. show less

Princess Princess Ever After is a sweet little charming fairy tale about two princesses who discover together the kind of people they are and who they want to be. I first read PP when it was online, was captivated, and have been following Katie's work ever since. Upon finding out Princess Princess was going to be published irl, I swiftly pre-ordered it and read it the second it arrived. This book contains the original comic with updated art as well as a bonus epilogue. I was so in love the first time I read it, and this time I just about died from sweetness overload. Everything about it appeals to my little queer heart, and it is so great to read a children's book that is so unapologetically sweet and cute when depicting a subject that show more people assume is fundamentally adult. when I'm a librarian, I will definitely include this book in the children's section, because I think it is so important and needs to be read by everyone. show less

This took about ten minutes to read. As an adult, I'm charmed. And my inner child wants to have read this forty years ago - a story about princesses choosing their own stories, about two women marrying, about older bullying siblings not winning, about being okay with being yourself.

The drawing style is clear, and it is easy to track what is going on - often my complaint with graphic stories is that things are unclear or dark, and this is so not a problem there.

I AM IN SUCH LOVE.

This was adorable and entertaining and sweet and guys Amira has a unicorn and a kick butt hair style and oh I just want more adventures of the two.

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This is a fun, engaging story about Princess Amira (who didn't want to be stuck in the typical Princess role, so when her brother was like "well what else are you going to do?" she runs off with her Unicorn to be heroic) and Princess Sadie (who's trapped in a tower, somewhat reluctantly, and suffers from low self-esteem and body conscious issues). After Amira saves Sadie (and they agree it was a good thing Amira did), they decide to go off and do heroic things. Their first heroic act? Saving a Prince who really didn't want to be a stereotypical damsel-saving Prince show more anyhow.

There's a lot to recommend this book - the artwork is bright and cheerful, with a little bit of creepy for the villain, but overall nothing scarier then what you'd see in kid shows today. Amira has a kick-butt hairstyle and looks like the dashing hero she wants to be. Sadie is fluffy and adorable, only somewhat mollified throughout the story that Amira sees her for her, not for what she looks like. The two gradually fall in love through their combined adventures, with Amira understanding that being a fluffy Princess doesn't mean you have to be weak and Sadie understanding that strength isn't always in how well you wield a sword.

The ending, in the fight against the villain who trapped Sadie in the Tower to begin with, broke my heart a little..before making me laugh because sometimes you really should be careful what you say.

The total lack of judgement in this graphic novel - which is easily for 8 I'd say - is so refreshing. The only person who makes judgements is the villain and well its a villain, what do you expect? The Prince doesn't comment on Amira or Sadie after he realizes they won't comment on his choices in life, Amira doesn't think less of Sadie for wanting to be safe and secure (even if it meant hiding in a tower), Sadie doesn't comment on the fact Amira didn't want to wear dresses or get married for political strength. They even run across a giant who is rampaging and Sadie diffuses the situation without doing anything other then being herself.

More graphic novels need to be available for kids - they need to see that everyone has something to contribute and being yourself doesn't always mean being labeled. show less

When Princess Amira stops to save Princess Sadie from the tall tower she’s been imprisoned in, Sadie almost turns her away. So many others have tried to save her, but all have failed. However, Amira is enthusiastic, determined, and in possession of both a grappling hook and an incredibly strong cookie-loving unicorn.

That’s just the beginning of Amira and Sadie’s adventures. Along the way, they make some new friends, Amira learns more about being a hero, and Sadie finds the courage to face her sister and rule her kingdom.

I bought this because I heard it was a sweet f/f graphic novel. It was super cute, although a bit too short for my tastes. I wanted more pages devoted to Amira and Sadie getting to know each other - Sadie’s “I show more trust you” happened very early on and was a bit jarring. When the villain appeared and disappeared in the space of about a page, I started worrying that the pacing of this graphic novel just wasn’t going to work for me.

Thankfully, the story smoothed out after that. I really enjoyed Amira and Sadie’s encounters with the prince and the ogre, as well as the flashbacks to Amira and Sadie’s pasts. Amira and Sadie were cute together (complete with blushing, rose petals, and background roses!).

One thing I hadn’t realized until I started working on this review was that Princess Princess Ever After was originally published as a webcomic called Princess Princess, which is still available on Katie O’Neill’s website. I’ve clicked through it and there are some artwork changes between it and Princess Princess Ever After, some of which I liked and some of which I didn’t.

One thing I liked was that Sadie’s sister’s magic was changed from purple to black - it looks creepier in the print version. One thing I didn’t like was that the print version’s colors were slightly less bright than in the original web comic. Not only is this the sort of story that’s practically made for bright colors, some of the panels just weren’t as clear in the print version. Considering that this graphic novel had several black characters, a bit more attention should have been paid to whether they’d still show up okay in panels with darker backgrounds. The panels featuring Prince Taji were really dark - his skin color seemed to almost be the same shade as the wall behind him, resulting in him blending into the background too much. In the webcomic he was perfectly visible, and I could see that he actually had some shading.

The print version includes a 3-page epilogue that isn’t present in the original webcomic. I’m really glad that O’Neill added it. It doesn’t just serve as extra content for folks who’ve read the webcomic, it also makes it clear that, yes, Amira and Sadie are not only a couple, they also get a nice little happily ever after just like any other fairy tale couple.

This was a fluffy and sweet graphic novel about two different princesses becoming more capable in their own ways and falling in love in the process. I wish it were maybe twice as long and that the print version’s colors were a little brighter, but overall this was a good read.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) show less

(4.5)

This book is so precious!! If I got it as a child, I think it would have shaped my life so differently ... at least ... I would have realized I was a lesbian much earlier and saved myself SO much drama/sadness/inner turmoil/etc..

In summary: this book is SO needed right now for children, and yet is so gentle and heartwarming, not just on LGBT fronts (weight issues, confidence, lashing out at others due to self confidence, etc.).

Book content warnings:
abuse (bullying)

The Knight Amira stands foot at Princess Sadie's tower, ready to rescue her.
But nothing is really as it seems. None of the other princes have been able to rescue Sadie before; why is that? And why is Amira so heck-bent on being a knight?

The story (and art) is very cute, show more very fitting for this kind of story, and I just find myself wanting more and more from this author. I'll also look up more from this publisher. I'm in love with it! show less

Epically perfect. For such a short graphic novel, it deals with so many things, and all accessible to a younger age group without being cheesy or fake. SO GOOD. It's cute, it's funny, it's quirky, it's serious, it's heartwarming. It's about found friendships and love, defying expected gender roles to be true to yourself, dealing with fat shaming/bullying, healthy relationships, following your dreams, nonviolent conflict resolution, bravery (different types of bravery, no less), protecting the ones you love...I could go on. Just go read it yourself.