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Princeless (Collected Editions) #1
Princeless, Vol. 1: Save Yourself
Princeless is the story of Princess Adrienne, one princess who's tired of waiting to be rescued. Join Adrienne, her guardian dragon, Sparky, and their plucky friend Bedelia as they begin their own quest in this one of a kind, action packed, all-ages adventure!
Graphic Novel. Collects issues 1-4 of Princeless.
Graphic Novel. Collects issues 1-4 of Princeless.
140 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2012
About the author
Jeremy Whitley
428 books318 followersJeremy Whitley is the son of two teachers and the husband of a third.
Born in La Mesa, CA, Jeremy went to high school in Lenoir, NC and college at The University of North Carolina. He graduated with a Bachelors in English, and a minor in Creative Writing.
Jeremy lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Alicia and his two daughters Zuri and Amara.
Jeremy is the writer/creator of the comic series Princeless, Raven the Pirate Princess, School for Extraterrestrial Girls, and The Dog Knight. He is also the writer of the acclaimed Marvel series "The Unstoppable Wasp". His other works include extensive work for Marvel, the "Sea of Thieves" comics, and over sixty issues of My Little Pony comics.
Awards and Nominations:
3 time Glyph Winner
5 time Glyph Nominee
2 time Eisner Nominee
2 time Cyblis Nominee
2 time Bloomer Nominee
1 time Most Likely to Succeed Winner
Born in La Mesa, CA, Jeremy went to high school in Lenoir, NC and college at The University of North Carolina. He graduated with a Bachelors in English, and a minor in Creative Writing.
Jeremy lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Alicia and his two daughters Zuri and Amara.
Jeremy is the writer/creator of the comic series Princeless, Raven the Pirate Princess, School for Extraterrestrial Girls, and The Dog Knight. He is also the writer of the acclaimed Marvel series "The Unstoppable Wasp". His other works include extensive work for Marvel, the "Sea of Thieves" comics, and over sixty issues of My Little Pony comics.
Awards and Nominations:
3 time Glyph Winner
5 time Glyph Nominee
2 time Eisner Nominee
2 time Cyblis Nominee
2 time Bloomer Nominee
1 time Most Likely to Succeed Winner
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 841 reviews
April 1, 2015
So guess what? This tale begins with a soon-to-be Goodreader.
As you can see, it even gives pointers on how to have a discussion, though it's kind of a snotty discussion, but not as bad as the whole "Ur stoopid!" "No, good madam, it is you who are stupid" stuff we all enjoy so well.
Ok, not really. Little Princess Adrienne is merely questioning the message in bedtime fairy tales. She didn't get the Grimm version, she got the Disney version and she didn't like it one bit. (I would have liked a whole first volume on Little Princess Adrienne. She is delightful) Unfortunately, her dad is an ass and he Fairy Tales her right up by locking her away in a tower when she's 16 so that a prince can save her and maybe inherit the kingdom. King Dad's already done the same with all his older daughters and will do so with the youngest when her turn comes.
It sucks to be a princess.
However, it does NOT suck so much to be a princeLESS!
I'm super excited about this series, though, for me, it had rough start. In this first volume, the writing is heavy-handed and clumsy. It's incredibly accessible to the 6-10-year-old crowd but good readers (not Goodreaders, but kids who have a proclivity for reading comprehension) in the middle grades will notice the forced feeling of the writing, the not-quite-believable characters and the severe lack of depth. The story still comes across, it's just a bumpy ride. I am fairly sure that's going to change in coming volumes as the characters begin to come into their own and the writer learns lessons on how to better convey the emotions and thoughts of girls who are breaking stereotypes.
The art borders on good but there's something just off about it. It sometimes misses the mark on matching up with the story and it seems almost rushed, especially after the halfway point. Does that make sense? Probably not. But I have already seen Princeless Book Two: Get Over Yourself and know it has a different illustrator and that the art seems to become more appropriate to to the story. Not that this art was inappropriate, it was just lackluster for a kickass princess with her dragon BFF tale.
Still, it's cute and fun while it plants seeds of activism. It obviously encourages females to do stuff for themselves instead of waiting for a guy to come along and take care of everything. It tackles race right off the bat ("Fair" maiden does NOT mean "full of justice" It means white, dumbass! Yeah, that was awesome) It mocks female armor (pretty much just like this https://youtu.be/OTGh0EMmMC8 and, tip of the hat to geeks, the armor designs are named Sonya, Diana, and The Warrior Princess and are all quite recognizable. I laughed) There's a lot of gentle mockery toward silly social norms and outdated attitudes. It's not subtle so even the most hard-headed will get it.
With some work, this is going to be a fantastic series and I have high hopes for where it will go.
December 29, 2020
White, blonde princesses awaiting their white, blonde prince charmings begone! Princess Adrienne is here and she's going to kick some serious derriere. And to hilariously kill some tropes hilariously (if deadly) dead, too. And to Make Feminism Great Again (MFGA™). Not bad for a despicably young MC, huh? So yum and stuff, I say.
Oh, and by the way, the art here is slightly very cool, too.
There's stuff like this:
And like this:
And also like this:
And also also like this:
And also also also like this:
And also also also like this:
I restin my case and stuff.
Oh, and by the way, the art here is slightly very cool, too.
There's stuff like this:
And like this:
And also like this:
And also also like this:
And also also also like this:
And also also also like this:
I rest
April 8, 2015
Let's talk the positives that I'm not going to argue against.
Cool to have a likable, funny female protagonist. Who is also black. Points awarded. I think the character is heroic and also a screw-up. She doesn't have to be perfect, which is nice.
Okay. Let's talk about a couple other things.
There are ways in which the story is cool. A princess in a tower who escapes and heads off to rescue her similarly-trapped sisters. I'm into that.
Buuuut can we get to rescuing the sisters? Can we have some action?
The story kind of meanders around, and I think it's because we have to make sure and get the point across: Women in stories are treated like shit. We bumble through a battle with two dum-dum guard types, and we burn down a blacksmith store, but that's most of the action right there.
I wanna see this lady fight a Minotaur! Or a cyclops or some shit!
And I don't really need dialog that goes:
Young Armor Maker: "So, what you're saying is, just because a warrior is a woman doesn't mean they have to wear a chain mail bikini? Like, they could wear...real armor?"
or
Boy: "Couldn't a woman rule?"
King Jerk: "It is not a woman's place to rule, but to be ruled."
Speaking of this instance, a note:
The boy in question is the male twin of our protagonist. He cries, likes poetry and sucks at swordfighting. While I like the female empowerment of the book, I think the straight-up swapping of typical male/female roles between twin male and female characters is kinda...well, lazy. Just the way I like a female character who is a blend of traditional and non-traditional ideas of feminism (she can kick ass AND enjoy, I don't know, scrapbooking) I wouldn't mind seeing a more nuanced understanding of masculinity. A dude who cries doesn't necessarily suck at swordfighting, right? It feels like we just did a genitalia swap and called it a day, and that doesn't strike me as being terribly progressive. We just imprint a lady with dude stuff and a dude with lady stuff, and that to me just kind of reinforces the idea of what's male and what's female. A more blended approach would read as better to me.
Anyway, the message-y portion of the book is pretty ham-fisted, and ham is my least favorite of meats. I could go for getting this stuff a little more piecemeal while we're also DOING stuff.
That's the thing. Sometimes I'm disappointed by female-led comic books, and almost always that disappointment comes in that I feel like the actual stuff that's happening just doesn't amount to much. When we talk about a lady doing everything a dude can do but backwards and in heels, the hero, the person of interest, is the person dancing that dance, not the person who points out the difficulty of said backwards, inappropriately-shod dance. There's a place for this book, but my dream book is a book where the princess rescues herself and goes and rescues her sisters and STUFF HAPPENS.
I'm glad that comics go out of their way to make the point about female empowerment and how shittily female characters have been treated. And I'm so super ready for some female characters to start throwing punches and swinging swords already, for them to wear normal shit, and for them to act and let the larger, outside world of comicdom talk about what a breath of fresh air that is.
Let me say it a lot more concisely. This book asks the question, Why can't a princess save herself and other princesses instead of waiting for a man? I'm reading more comics where women question the status quo, and that I like. It's an awesome premise and a great question.
But what I really want is the answer to that question. The part where we do the stuff.
My heroes, male and female, aren't the ones that question the status quo. They're the ones who make apparent and undeniable how stupid it is to say "This or that person can't possibly kick ass" because THEY KICK SO MUCH ASS!!!!!!
You know, the first volume of a comic gets somewhat of a pass. It's like the pilot episode. They have to set shit up, and I get that. But my simple hope for this comic is that someone starts doing things pretty damn soon.
Oh, one other thing on a totally different topic...
Does everything in the realm of fantasy have to include:
+Medieval setting
+Swords
+Dragons
+Dwarves
+Kings
?
I went to my old high school pal, Cliff's Notes, for an answer on what fantasy is:
"Fantasy fiction is a genre of writing in which the plot could not happen in real life (as we know it, at least)."
Sooo that doesn't really prescribe, well, anything.
It's not entirely this book's fault. In fact, I think it's mostly the movie industry's fault. Every movie in the realm of fantasy seems to be guys with swords and boots running at each other across a field.
The stronger points of this book are the points in which the book kind of mocks the typical fantasy tropes. But that makes the occasional reliance on them all more prominent. Gentle dragon, plucky dwarf with mystical strength, swords out the ass.
I mean, are we getting orcs soon? How is it that people are just cool using orcs? Who invented orcs and why isn't that person more litigious? Where are the War Mummies and the enormous Battle Snails?
I'm just saying, it's a little disheartening that so many fantasy books use the same things when the entire world of possibility is wide the hell open.
Not really a slam on this book, but a question that needs to be asked and considered for the health and relevance of the fantasy genre.
Cool to have a likable, funny female protagonist. Who is also black. Points awarded. I think the character is heroic and also a screw-up. She doesn't have to be perfect, which is nice.
Okay. Let's talk about a couple other things.
There are ways in which the story is cool. A princess in a tower who escapes and heads off to rescue her similarly-trapped sisters. I'm into that.
Buuuut can we get to rescuing the sisters? Can we have some action?
The story kind of meanders around, and I think it's because we have to make sure and get the point across: Women in stories are treated like shit. We bumble through a battle with two dum-dum guard types, and we burn down a blacksmith store, but that's most of the action right there.
I wanna see this lady fight a Minotaur! Or a cyclops or some shit!
And I don't really need dialog that goes:
Young Armor Maker: "So, what you're saying is, just because a warrior is a woman doesn't mean they have to wear a chain mail bikini? Like, they could wear...real armor?"
or
Boy: "Couldn't a woman rule?"
King Jerk: "It is not a woman's place to rule, but to be ruled."
Speaking of this instance, a note:
The boy in question is the male twin of our protagonist. He cries, likes poetry and sucks at swordfighting. While I like the female empowerment of the book, I think the straight-up swapping of typical male/female roles between twin male and female characters is kinda...well, lazy. Just the way I like a female character who is a blend of traditional and non-traditional ideas of feminism (she can kick ass AND enjoy, I don't know, scrapbooking) I wouldn't mind seeing a more nuanced understanding of masculinity. A dude who cries doesn't necessarily suck at swordfighting, right? It feels like we just did a genitalia swap and called it a day, and that doesn't strike me as being terribly progressive. We just imprint a lady with dude stuff and a dude with lady stuff, and that to me just kind of reinforces the idea of what's male and what's female. A more blended approach would read as better to me.
Anyway, the message-y portion of the book is pretty ham-fisted, and ham is my least favorite of meats. I could go for getting this stuff a little more piecemeal while we're also DOING stuff.
That's the thing. Sometimes I'm disappointed by female-led comic books, and almost always that disappointment comes in that I feel like the actual stuff that's happening just doesn't amount to much. When we talk about a lady doing everything a dude can do but backwards and in heels, the hero, the person of interest, is the person dancing that dance, not the person who points out the difficulty of said backwards, inappropriately-shod dance. There's a place for this book, but my dream book is a book where the princess rescues herself and goes and rescues her sisters and STUFF HAPPENS.
I'm glad that comics go out of their way to make the point about female empowerment and how shittily female characters have been treated. And I'm so super ready for some female characters to start throwing punches and swinging swords already, for them to wear normal shit, and for them to act and let the larger, outside world of comicdom talk about what a breath of fresh air that is.
Let me say it a lot more concisely. This book asks the question, Why can't a princess save herself and other princesses instead of waiting for a man? I'm reading more comics where women question the status quo, and that I like. It's an awesome premise and a great question.
But what I really want is the answer to that question. The part where we do the stuff.
My heroes, male and female, aren't the ones that question the status quo. They're the ones who make apparent and undeniable how stupid it is to say "This or that person can't possibly kick ass" because THEY KICK SO MUCH ASS!!!!!!
You know, the first volume of a comic gets somewhat of a pass. It's like the pilot episode. They have to set shit up, and I get that. But my simple hope for this comic is that someone starts doing things pretty damn soon.
Oh, one other thing on a totally different topic...
Does everything in the realm of fantasy have to include:
+Medieval setting
+Swords
+Dragons
+Dwarves
+Kings
?
I went to my old high school pal, Cliff's Notes, for an answer on what fantasy is:
"Fantasy fiction is a genre of writing in which the plot could not happen in real life (as we know it, at least)."
Sooo that doesn't really prescribe, well, anything.
It's not entirely this book's fault. In fact, I think it's mostly the movie industry's fault. Every movie in the realm of fantasy seems to be guys with swords and boots running at each other across a field.
The stronger points of this book are the points in which the book kind of mocks the typical fantasy tropes. But that makes the occasional reliance on them all more prominent. Gentle dragon, plucky dwarf with mystical strength, swords out the ass.
I mean, are we getting orcs soon? How is it that people are just cool using orcs? Who invented orcs and why isn't that person more litigious? Where are the War Mummies and the enormous Battle Snails?
I'm just saying, it's a little disheartening that so many fantasy books use the same things when the entire world of possibility is wide the hell open.
Not really a slam on this book, but a question that needs to be asked and considered for the health and relevance of the fantasy genre.
March 13, 2015
I had high hopes for this book. I mean, look at that cover! The art is good, and Adrienne looks like a protagonist I'd love to read about. And the synopsis, taking apart the idea of a princess trapped in a tower. It sounded like it was made for me. And I was not disappointed.
Whitley put a lot of thought into this world. He starts with the idea of a princess imprisoned in a tower, with dragon, and set up a culture around the concept. Obviously, the kingdom has to be ruled by a strong king (and obviously not a queen). Imprisoning the princess, with dragon, keeps her out of the way and makes sure that she'll only be wedded to a strong man. This is a widespread thing. Adrienne has sisters who are all in individual towers of their own. There's a dragon training business, which also supplies dragon slaying equipment. It all works together.
It's when Adrienne decides that she's had enough that it gets really good. She's fun from the beginning, but when she gets the chance she's also brave and determined. But still learning, and she has a long way to go. Likewise her sidekick, wannabe blacksmith Bedelia. Adrienne's mission to save her sisters from towers is a noble one, and I look forward to seeing her work towards it.
This is actually a fairly light-hearted book. There's a lot of humor, including a painfully funny sequence about women warrior armor. The interior art looks much like the cover art, which is a very good thing. I'm definitely going to be reading the rest of this series.
Whitley put a lot of thought into this world. He starts with the idea of a princess imprisoned in a tower, with dragon, and set up a culture around the concept. Obviously, the kingdom has to be ruled by a strong king (and obviously not a queen). Imprisoning the princess, with dragon, keeps her out of the way and makes sure that she'll only be wedded to a strong man. This is a widespread thing. Adrienne has sisters who are all in individual towers of their own. There's a dragon training business, which also supplies dragon slaying equipment. It all works together.
It's when Adrienne decides that she's had enough that it gets really good. She's fun from the beginning, but when she gets the chance she's also brave and determined. But still learning, and she has a long way to go. Likewise her sidekick, wannabe blacksmith Bedelia. Adrienne's mission to save her sisters from towers is a noble one, and I look forward to seeing her work towards it.
This is actually a fairly light-hearted book. There's a lot of humor, including a painfully funny sequence about women warrior armor. The interior art looks much like the cover art, which is a very good thing. I'm definitely going to be reading the rest of this series.
January 12, 2018
Princess Adrienne thinks the fairy tale of the princess trapped in a tower waiting to be rescued by her Prince Charming is BS. Then one day she wakes up in a tower guarded by a dragon thanks to her misogynistic, a-hole father. After getting fed up with the parade of idiot princes come to save her, she slaps on their leftover singed armor and heads off with the dragon to rescue her sisters.
Adrienne is an empowered young woman in a feudal society that completely devalues women. I love how all of your classic tropes are turned on their ear. The book is worth it just for the blacksmith scene alone. She goes there to get some better fitting armor and is presented with the warrior woman collection of the Diana, Xena, and the Sonya. Whitley goes into great detail on the ridiculousness of each armor. It's hilarious. This is a great all-ages book readers, young and old will enjoy.
Adrienne is an empowered young woman in a feudal society that completely devalues women. I love how all of your classic tropes are turned on their ear. The book is worth it just for the blacksmith scene alone. She goes there to get some better fitting armor and is presented with the warrior woman collection of the Diana, Xena, and the Sonya. Whitley goes into great detail on the ridiculousness of each armor. It's hilarious. This is a great all-ages book readers, young and old will enjoy.
November 24, 2014
Oh man! What a fun adventure! Princeless was a refreshing read as she could be a cousin of Cimorene from Patricia Wrede's Dealing with Dragons. The girls are similar in their banter when the princes approach to rescue them. This book's main theme discusses all the familiar tropes that are presented in fairy-tale retelling: the laughable highlight being fighting in women's armor. Don't get me wrong---I love a good sexed up version of "HOW CAN THEY WEAR THAT AND KILL ALL THE THINGS?!" It's nice to see the message of----if you don't want to "all hang out" there should DEFINITELY be options---at least correct body proportions. ;)
Other themes/discussions included: what do you do when you are the failed firstborn son, prince charming has a charm school, and other women & men's archetype portrayal in literature----and featuring the leading lady as a POC.
I also like the non-romantic element that is included. Shounen manga and anime do a great job in erasing the relationships aspect (not saying it's not implied)to focus on the action-adventure and friendship story-telling element.This is what makes Princeless much needed for all audiences---and has cross over appeal for BOTH genders. All you have to ask is:
As an adult, I'm appreciating more adventure-quest books. This book has that likeable quality that whether you are a tween or older teen it is appealing in the adventure. I'm telling you those monsters look TERRIFYING. That Minotaur at the end.
Definitely had me going:
This is what children and teen literature needs to be infused with. It does not have to be a coming out story, and specific "let's understand this culture and their history" [I'm not saying it's not important...I'm saying that its nice as an american in a country that's consider [worldview] as a 'melting pot.' of sorts] to be able to find a book on the shelf that portrays universal situations: fantasy, magical realism, etc. with POC.
Looking back on my elementary through tween/teenage self, I was an avid comic book hero reader. The only reason why I LOVED the X-men was the cast diversity. I love how this book centers of the normal aspects (that could be used) to inform a myriad of cultures: SUCH AS HAIR.
Hair is soooo important. If I could only tell you how many discussion, blog posts, daily facebook groups are created on everyone's opinion of hair. It's exhausting. As a person who went through a hair ritual every night (outside of it being a coincidence that princesses would get their hair brushed in fantasy every night). HAIR IS IMPORTANT.
WHY?! Before the internet (and AOL dial up was not helpful after 7pm) I had no idea in a decade or so I could feel less alone in the world by using the hashtag: blackhair. It was just a couple books in the library or my family and extended family who shared their hair triumps and glories. It was through UPN's shows like Sister, Sister---that I could go, Oh! That's my hair. It was media related----and very few literature works.
MY MOM USE TO DO THIS EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I WENT TO BED (just like maybe every little girl) BUT YES, I did have naps. Sometimes, I did have to wear a scarf with rollers, etc. It's so satisfying to see that portrayed in literature. as a completely normal thing. I didn't go to a school were that was a normal thing---and girls of my own race were harsh in church with their criticisms of my "good hair." I always liked to escape into books, and my younger self is SUPER HAPPY this out there for some other little girl to escape into.
EXPOSURE IS KEY! It doesn't necessarily have to be a Tumblr blog post entitled, "stop asking stupid questions about my hair or try to touch it----" which they may or may not see later in life. In order to co-exist peacefully whether in the future workplace, college, relationship etc----Literature ESPECIALLY VISUALS---could help so much in a)knowing if you are (said POC) in a homogenous environment and you can identify (and feel empowered) with another little girl that perchance lives in a fantasy world with hair JUST LIKE YOU b) which may in turn help you out in school as you could share this book with your friend to help explain the situation better than asking your mom what do you tell your best friend? c) YOU COULD COSPLAY AS A COOL POC CHARACTER!!!! I could only DREAM about that---as a child! I mean it was like Storm---and a vast array of alien characters---but you get my point. ;)
In the end, all I could do was giggle with delight as I would love to go on some quests with my two favorite librarans: J&K
IS THIS NOT US?!
Other themes/discussions included: what do you do when you are the failed firstborn son, prince charming has a charm school, and other women & men's archetype portrayal in literature----and featuring the leading lady as a POC.
I also like the non-romantic element that is included. Shounen manga and anime do a great job in erasing the relationships aspect (not saying it's not implied)to focus on the action-adventure and friendship story-telling element.This is what makes Princeless much needed for all audiences---and has cross over appeal for BOTH genders. All you have to ask is:
As an adult, I'm appreciating more adventure-quest books. This book has that likeable quality that whether you are a tween or older teen it is appealing in the adventure. I'm telling you those monsters look TERRIFYING. That Minotaur at the end.
Definitely had me going:
This is what children and teen literature needs to be infused with. It does not have to be a coming out story, and specific "let's understand this culture and their history" [I'm not saying it's not important...I'm saying that its nice as an american in a country that's consider [worldview] as a 'melting pot.' of sorts] to be able to find a book on the shelf that portrays universal situations: fantasy, magical realism, etc. with POC.
Looking back on my elementary through tween/teenage self, I was an avid comic book hero reader. The only reason why I LOVED the X-men was the cast diversity. I love how this book centers of the normal aspects (that could be used) to inform a myriad of cultures: SUCH AS HAIR.
Hair is soooo important. If I could only tell you how many discussion, blog posts, daily facebook groups are created on everyone's opinion of hair. It's exhausting. As a person who went through a hair ritual every night (outside of it being a coincidence that princesses would get their hair brushed in fantasy every night). HAIR IS IMPORTANT.
WHY?! Before the internet (and AOL dial up was not helpful after 7pm) I had no idea in a decade or so I could feel less alone in the world by using the hashtag: blackhair. It was just a couple books in the library or my family and extended family who shared their hair triumps and glories. It was through UPN's shows like Sister, Sister---that I could go, Oh! That's my hair. It was media related----and very few literature works.
MY MOM USE TO DO THIS EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I WENT TO BED (just like maybe every little girl) BUT YES, I did have naps. Sometimes, I did have to wear a scarf with rollers, etc. It's so satisfying to see that portrayed in literature. as a completely normal thing. I didn't go to a school were that was a normal thing---and girls of my own race were harsh in church with their criticisms of my "good hair." I always liked to escape into books, and my younger self is SUPER HAPPY this out there for some other little girl to escape into.
EXPOSURE IS KEY! It doesn't necessarily have to be a Tumblr blog post entitled, "stop asking stupid questions about my hair or try to touch it----" which they may or may not see later in life. In order to co-exist peacefully whether in the future workplace, college, relationship etc----Literature ESPECIALLY VISUALS---could help so much in a)knowing if you are (said POC) in a homogenous environment and you can identify (and feel empowered) with another little girl that perchance lives in a fantasy world with hair JUST LIKE YOU b) which may in turn help you out in school as you could share this book with your friend to help explain the situation better than asking your mom what do you tell your best friend? c) YOU COULD COSPLAY AS A COOL POC CHARACTER!!!! I could only DREAM about that---as a child! I mean it was like Storm---and a vast array of alien characters---but you get my point. ;)
In the end, all I could do was giggle with delight as I would love to go on some quests with my two favorite librarans: J&K
IS THIS NOT US?!
April 4, 2013
I read this with my girls (7 & 4) and they called it "the best comic book ever." They absolutely adored it and are reading it again themselves. I loved the way it presented all the themes and problems with princess stories and comics books - and in a way that we could easily discuss. Book 2 on order!
April 7, 2019
Just what I was looking for from this! A fun, feminist send up of misogynistic fairy tale and superhero tropes. Although the plots/styles are different, it gave me the same delight I get from Lumberjanes.
July 2, 2015
Princeless follows the quest of Princess Adrienne to free herself and her sisters from their fate of waiting for a prince to save them from their towers. From the beginning Adrienne has rebelled against the idea of princesses being passively saved by princes, asking her mother, "Who has the kind of grudge against this beautiful princess that they would lock her in a tower?"
Adrienne decides, after finding a sword after another failed rescue attempt by a prince (one who didn't even know the definition of fair, at that), that she is going to save herself. She doesn't need a prince to save her--no princess does. She decides that not only will she save herself, but her sisters as well.
This is a cute story, for sure, but it's so much more than that. Adrienne questions a world where women are expected to be second class citizen. They're not expected to rule or hold jobs that traditionally are for men (such as Bedelia secretly smithing in her father's place). They're expected to wait for their prince and depend on men to take care of them. A very touching moment came at the end when Adrienne's mother confides in the prince that she's treated her own daughter like currency rather than the child she loved. She's been groomed to behave this way.
But this story doesn't just point out the pressures that females are expected to adhere to. The male perspective is shown through the prince, Wilcome, who tried to save Adrienne. There's a brief look at how he went to Prince Charming school when he really just wanted be a kid. He was ripped away from that to become a Prince Charming and shown how prince's act--only to find out that being a prince was harder than it was made out to be, especially when he still felt like a kid. He says no one comes to save a prince when he's locked up.
Adrienne's brother Devin presents another view. His father pretty much says that Devin isn't fit to rule his kingdom because he's soft. He expects one of his daughters to marry a strong prince who will take over. He laughs away any talk of one of his daughters ruling because that isn't their place. Devin isn't good at sword fighting, preferring poetry to fighting. And he's never allowed to forget how much of an heir he's not by his father. And I appreciate this balance being added to the story.
Yes, this is a story about gender binary, but it's not preachy. It's a cute story whose moral simply is girls can be strong and boys don't always have to tough, that boys and girls aren't boxed in by their gender. This is exactly the kind of story I want to read to my daughter. I love comics, but it's often hard to find something age appropriate. And if it is age appropriate, it's very hard to find one where the lead is a character of color.
I posted a couple of the panels on Tumblr where I had a brief exchange with the author who expressed excitement that I was reading this with a friend and because I wanted to share it with my daughter. I mentioned that she was one-part princess and one-part tomboy, and I see my daughter in this story. I did a Google search on him after that and read an interview where he said he wrote this comic for the exact same reasons that I expressed in my post (he wrote it for his daughter when she gets older). I can't wait to read more of this story.
Adrienne decides, after finding a sword after another failed rescue attempt by a prince (one who didn't even know the definition of fair, at that), that she is going to save herself. She doesn't need a prince to save her--no princess does. She decides that not only will she save herself, but her sisters as well.
This is a cute story, for sure, but it's so much more than that. Adrienne questions a world where women are expected to be second class citizen. They're not expected to rule or hold jobs that traditionally are for men (such as Bedelia secretly smithing in her father's place). They're expected to wait for their prince and depend on men to take care of them. A very touching moment came at the end when Adrienne's mother confides in the prince that she's treated her own daughter like currency rather than the child she loved. She's been groomed to behave this way.
But this story doesn't just point out the pressures that females are expected to adhere to. The male perspective is shown through the prince, Wilcome, who tried to save Adrienne. There's a brief look at how he went to Prince Charming school when he really just wanted be a kid. He was ripped away from that to become a Prince Charming and shown how prince's act--only to find out that being a prince was harder than it was made out to be, especially when he still felt like a kid. He says no one comes to save a prince when he's locked up.
Adrienne's brother Devin presents another view. His father pretty much says that Devin isn't fit to rule his kingdom because he's soft. He expects one of his daughters to marry a strong prince who will take over. He laughs away any talk of one of his daughters ruling because that isn't their place. Devin isn't good at sword fighting, preferring poetry to fighting. And he's never allowed to forget how much of an heir he's not by his father. And I appreciate this balance being added to the story.
Yes, this is a story about gender binary, but it's not preachy. It's a cute story whose moral simply is girls can be strong and boys don't always have to tough, that boys and girls aren't boxed in by their gender. This is exactly the kind of story I want to read to my daughter. I love comics, but it's often hard to find something age appropriate. And if it is age appropriate, it's very hard to find one where the lead is a character of color.
I posted a couple of the panels on Tumblr where I had a brief exchange with the author who expressed excitement that I was reading this with a friend and because I wanted to share it with my daughter. I mentioned that she was one-part princess and one-part tomboy, and I see my daughter in this story. I did a Google search on him after that and read an interview where he said he wrote this comic for the exact same reasons that I expressed in my post (he wrote it for his daughter when she gets older). I can't wait to read more of this story.
May 9, 2015
I really should read more comics! They are so fun, but of course I have no idea how to review them. And there might be a spoiler or two in here.
Adrienne was so cool! Already on the first page she showed of her snark when she told her mother that the Rapunzel story had plotholes. Not to mention asked why all the princesses are fair and blonde...
Anyway, sorry Adrienne, your parents still put you in a stupid tower with a dragon to guard you. But she is one cool woman and she breaks free. And she questions why women has to be saved, they can save themselves just as well. Not to mention why can only men rule? And as we see later, why can only men be blacksmiths when his daughter is the one doing the actual work?
First, I must mention a sidestory that showed up. One of the princes who was sent to rescue her. I liked his insight. He was drilled to be charming, but poor guy, he needed someone to save him too. But no one saves a prince ;)
All in all. Great pics, drawn well, I do not how to say it. Smashing illustrations guys! Fun story, snarky and good. I'd totally read more.
Adrienne was so cool! Already on the first page she showed of her snark when she told her mother that the Rapunzel story had plotholes. Not to mention asked why all the princesses are fair and blonde...
Anyway, sorry Adrienne, your parents still put you in a stupid tower with a dragon to guard you. But she is one cool woman and she breaks free. And she questions why women has to be saved, they can save themselves just as well. Not to mention why can only men rule? And as we see later, why can only men be blacksmiths when his daughter is the one doing the actual work?
First, I must mention a sidestory that showed up. One of the princes who was sent to rescue her. I liked his insight. He was drilled to be charming, but poor guy, he needed someone to save him too. But no one saves a prince ;)
All in all. Great pics, drawn well, I do not how to say it. Smashing illustrations guys! Fun story, snarky and good. I'd totally read more.
July 16, 2019
SO!! FRICKING!! CUTE!!
Everything about it is great! The dragon! The female ' armour'! The humour! And so much more!
Also, it gets many points across about patriarchy without sounding preachy.
Everything about it is great! The dragon! The female ' armour'! The humour! And so much more!
Also, it gets many points across about patriarchy without sounding preachy.
__________________________
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July 13, 2017
This was an incredibly fun, fast and feminist read.
June 15, 2016
Utterly delightful! I suppose this book can be viewed as part of the growing trend toward having comics with young, strong, female protagonists (i.e. Lumberjanes, Ms. Marvel, etc.) That's not a bad thing, as this trend has been needed for far too long. In any case, Princeless takes the traditional tale of the princess locked in the tower, and stands it on its head. Adrienne's parents, the king and queen, only want what's best for their children (seven princesses, one prince.) The girls are to be individually locked up and guarded by vicious monsters until a suitably brave and worthy prince is able to rescue them. Adrienne is having none of it, and decides to first rescue herself, and then her other sisters. With the help of her dragon (formerly guarding her tower) and Bedelia, a half-dwarven armorer, she sets forth on her quest. There are potshots taken at Disney princess culture as well as various fantasy tropes. The scene that totally won me over as a fan had Adrienne contemplating various suits of armor for princesses ("Behold, the Women Warriors Collection!") which pretty obviously belng to Wonder Woman, Xena, and Red Sonja ("The chain mail bra has a super industrial clasp to make sure your bosoms stay secure in the heat of battle. We call it 'The Sonya'." "Wouldn't THAT give you a wedgie?" "The short answer? Yes. The long answer is also yes, but that's the least painful thing it does.") This book is smart and funny and just generally hits all of the right buttons for me. Fans of Lumberjanes and/or Amelia Rules and/or the new Ms. Marvel (or Leave It to Chance if you're more old school) should definitely check this book out.
June 17, 2020
Wow! I read that really quickly :)
I really liked this! Seemed to be written for a younger audience, but it was entertaining enough for me, as well. It's a story about a young princess saving herself, instead of just waiting in her tower for some prince to rescue her. There's a lot of blatant stuff in here about men underestimating women, gender roles, heteronormative ideals, presumed ideas about masculinity. It's a little on the nose at times, but I still enjoyed it.
The bit about the ridiculous differences between male armor and female armor was pretty good. Why would a woman wear an armored bikini when she could get stabbed in her stomach, thighs, shoulders, calves, etc. Why wouldn't she also want proper armor? It veered close to slut shaming with the comment "just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I have to show everyone". If that was referring to her status as a female warrior not needing to be proven with different armor - A+. If it was a comment denigrating women that choose to wear more revealing clothing - D. It was a bit clouded as a meaning. Especially since the blacksmith's daughter seemed to like making the clothes - so she might've also liked wearing them.
Anyway, I'm excited to read the next part.
I really liked this! Seemed to be written for a younger audience, but it was entertaining enough for me, as well. It's a story about a young princess saving herself, instead of just waiting in her tower for some prince to rescue her. There's a lot of blatant stuff in here about men underestimating women, gender roles, heteronormative ideals, presumed ideas about masculinity. It's a little on the nose at times, but I still enjoyed it.
The bit about the ridiculous differences between male armor and female armor was pretty good. Why would a woman wear an armored bikini when she could get stabbed in her stomach, thighs, shoulders, calves, etc. Why wouldn't she also want proper armor? It veered close to slut shaming with the comment "just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I have to show everyone". If that was referring to her status as a female warrior not needing to be proven with different armor - A+. If it was a comment denigrating women that choose to wear more revealing clothing - D. It was a bit clouded as a meaning. Especially since the blacksmith's daughter seemed to like making the clothes - so she might've also liked wearing them.
Anyway, I'm excited to read the next part.
March 23, 2017
!!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS !!!!
I love Adrienne and I love Sparky and I love Bedelia and the entire thing is just so cute. Also I love the bit about the ~women warrior~ armor, I'd actually seen those panels on tumblr before but I just assumed it was a webcomic and not an entire series! Can't wait to read more of this. Looking ahead I see I have pirate princesses to look forward to as well!
I love Adrienne and I love Sparky and I love Bedelia and the entire thing is just so cute. Also I love the bit about the ~women warrior~ armor, I'd actually seen those panels on tumblr before but I just assumed it was a webcomic and not an entire series! Can't wait to read more of this. Looking ahead I see I have pirate princesses to look forward to as well!
June 19, 2018
Tired of Patriarchy? Well grab a cup of your favorite beverage and settle in for this fun romp through a feminist fairy tale where princesses must save themselves and they are strong enough to do so. This book is full of color and humor, fighting and insults, dragons and overbearing fathers.
I enjoyed this fun book. It made me happy. I will be reading on in this.
I enjoyed this fun book. It made me happy. I will be reading on in this.
April 6, 2020
This was so much fun! I loved how it poked fun at existing fairytale and female warrior tropes. Definitely continuing this series, and I can't wait to meet Raven, our lesbian pirate queen, in future volumes.
September 11, 2015
Just great. Princess Adrienne, like her sisters when they turned 16, is locked in a tiresome tower in order to lure the perfect determined suitor for her father to turn into the next king. The king already has a son--but judges him too effeminate to be worthy of the throne.
Adrienne's great. The book opens with her mother reading a younger Adrienne a saccharine princess tale, which Adrienne meets with "That story is complete hogwash...first of all, it's full of plot holes..."
In the tower, hearing "I seek fair maiden Adrienne!", Adrienne mutters "Oh, brother." Talking with him (as she shouts down from the tower) goes like this:
A: "Do you understand the words coming out of your mouth? Do you know what 'fair' means?"
Knight: "Uh...beautiful?"
A: "IT MEANS WHITE! As in, fair skinned, as fair as the new fallen snow, as fair as the moon, or as fair as a lily. I ask you, then [pointing to self]...does this look FAIR to you? [Adrienne is brown-skinned] You're so anxious to take a wife! Why don't you take a book first? Work your way up. Don't let the dragon hit you on the way out."
Once she works her way out of the tower (as it turns out, her loyal brother had left a sword under her bed before she was locked up), she explains to the dragon guarding her that he was hired to be slain...that eventually a prince will slay him and she'll have to marry that guy. "In order to stop this cycle, you and I have to work together against our mutual oppressors."
It was just fun to read. The graphic novels I usually give 5 stars to are world-changers like El Deafo, Tomboy, MAUS--but there's no doubt that I was "amazed" at this book (Goodreads's translation of 5 stars = "It was amazing"). I'll definitely check out Volume 2.
Adrienne's great. The book opens with her mother reading a younger Adrienne a saccharine princess tale, which Adrienne meets with "That story is complete hogwash...first of all, it's full of plot holes..."
In the tower, hearing "I seek fair maiden Adrienne!", Adrienne mutters "Oh, brother." Talking with him (as she shouts down from the tower) goes like this:
A: "Do you understand the words coming out of your mouth? Do you know what 'fair' means?"
Knight: "Uh...beautiful?"
A: "IT MEANS WHITE! As in, fair skinned, as fair as the new fallen snow, as fair as the moon, or as fair as a lily. I ask you, then [pointing to self]...does this look FAIR to you? [Adrienne is brown-skinned] You're so anxious to take a wife! Why don't you take a book first? Work your way up. Don't let the dragon hit you on the way out."
Once she works her way out of the tower (as it turns out, her loyal brother had left a sword under her bed before she was locked up), she explains to the dragon guarding her that he was hired to be slain...that eventually a prince will slay him and she'll have to marry that guy. "In order to stop this cycle, you and I have to work together against our mutual oppressors."
It was just fun to read. The graphic novels I usually give 5 stars to are world-changers like El Deafo, Tomboy, MAUS--but there's no doubt that I was "amazed" at this book (Goodreads's translation of 5 stars = "It was amazing"). I'll definitely check out Volume 2.
June 1, 2012
This is one princess book that I want to give out to everyone I know. Adrienne is locked in a tower guarded by a dragon when she turns 16. She has been protesting this her whole life and makes fun of the princes who attempt her rescue. Making friends with her dragon, she decides to be her own hero and sets off on a quest to take on the world and gender stereotypes (no, she doesn't say that specifically, this is editorial commentary). She is sassy, commenting on the skimpy costumes of other women warriors, and fun (she rides a dragon that she named Sparky).
This book would have won me over even without the references to Xena, Wonder Woman, and Skyrim. However, I think my favorite part is the main character of Adrienne. I love, love, love that I now have a strong, black, heroine, comic book princess in my life. I will also be badgering my library into getting it because this is one indie comic that needs to be mainstream ASAP. Really fantastic writing and artwork and suitable for all ages.
This book would have won me over even without the references to Xena, Wonder Woman, and Skyrim. However, I think my favorite part is the main character of Adrienne. I love, love, love that I now have a strong, black, heroine, comic book princess in my life. I will also be badgering my library into getting it because this is one indie comic that needs to be mainstream ASAP. Really fantastic writing and artwork and suitable for all ages.
February 7, 2015
So delightful! A really funny sendup of princess tropes that also has a lot of heart. I especially love moments like when a suitor calls up to Princess Adrienne in her tower, "Fair Princess!" She points out that "fair" means "white," which she isn't, and maybe he should read a book before attempting to rescue any more princesses. The scene where she attempts to buy some armor for herself cracked me up too--she's presented with Red Sonya, Wonder Woman, and Xena options and rejects all of them for being impractically revealing.
It's a great readalike for Rapunzel's Revenge, and also just a really fun story for all the young princes and princesses out there! Some humor might fly over the heads of younger readers, but there's nothing really inappropriate, content-wise. (At least, nothing that's not in regular fairytales--there are references to some princes getting eaten by dragons.)
It's a great readalike for Rapunzel's Revenge, and also just a really fun story for all the young princes and princesses out there! Some humor might fly over the heads of younger readers, but there's nothing really inappropriate, content-wise. (At least, nothing that's not in regular fairytales--there are references to some princes getting eaten by dragons.)
January 3, 2015
I absolutely love the idea of this book but the execution is pretty clunky. I'm hoping it'll get better as it finds its groove but right now it's very obvious in its intentions as it distinctly spells it out for you at every convention it attempts to circumvent. This greatly stilts the dialogue which feels written and preachy. I'm not loving the artwork either which is fairly pedestrian. That being said, the idea of the princess saving herself and running off with the dragon to go on adventures is awesome. I just wish it was done in a smoother way with less banging over my head with what it's trying to do. It would be more effective to me if it was subtler and more organic in the way it broke out of the classic fairy tale form.
February 26, 2015
I really enjoyed the subversion of fairytale princess tropes in this, as well as the flipping of gender expectations. (I loved that Adrienne's brother was terrible at fighting and had a soft heart for his sisters)
Initially I thought some of the message was as subtle as a 2x4 but my wife reminded me of the intended audience for this story, and that younger children would be better served by non-subtle messages.
I definitely liked the book and look forward to picking up and reading the rest and discussing them with the kids.
Initially I thought some of the message was as subtle as a 2x4 but my wife reminded me of the intended audience for this story, and that younger children would be better served by non-subtle messages.
I definitely liked the book and look forward to picking up and reading the rest and discussing them with the kids.
August 23, 2015
So everyone I know of who's read Princeless has LOVED it. Now, I'm right there with them! Princeless vol 1 lives up to the hype. It's smart, funny, sarcastic, and makes obvious how ridiculous and harmful things like sexism and stereotypical gendered behaviour can be. More people have been writing twists on fairy tales recently, but Princeless's presentation is flawless. It's accessible to younger audiences while offering even more amusement to adults.
Brilliantly written and playfully illustrated, this is a must-read. No hesitation on the five star rating.
Brilliantly written and playfully illustrated, this is a must-read. No hesitation on the five star rating.
September 29, 2014
Excellent all-ages book. The eleven-year-old and I loved pretty much everything about it: the dragon* and tower setup, hair issues, diverse cast, kick-assery, and the extensive discussion of armor. I am ready to read the entire series and will probably give it as a Christmas gift to everyone I can think of. Probably just the thing for Zita fans who want to branch into fantasy.
* Looks like a luck dragon to me.
Library copy
* Looks like a luck dragon to me.
Library copy
January 3, 2017
I like dis.
I like dis a lot.
This is not one of my more eloquent reviews, and I don't care.
I like dis a lot.
This is not one of my more eloquent reviews, and I don't care.
October 2, 2018
Princeless Series Ratings:
Princeless, Vol. 1: ★★★★★
Princeless, Vol. 2: Get Over Yourself: ★★★★★
Princeless, Vol. 3: The Pirate Princess: TBR
Princeless, Vol. 4: Be Yourself: TBR
Princeless, Vol. 5: Make Yourself: TBR
Princeless, Vol. 6: Make Yourself Part 2: TBR
—
This year I am doing Graphic Novel December.
My plan is it to read one GN for each day of the month. So 31 in total!
I'll keep a running total in the review of each GN as I read them to help me keep track and for anyone following to see where I am at as well!
GN #1: Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Lies ★★★★
GN #2: Wonder Woman, Volume 2: Year One ★★★★
GN #3: Wonder Woman, Volume 3: The Truth ★★★
GN #4: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal ★★★★
GN #5: Suicide Squad, Volume 1: The Black Vault ★
GN #6: Suicide Squad, Volume 2: Going Sane ★★★
GN #7: Generation Zero, Volume 1: We Are the Future ★★★★★
GN #8: Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends ★★★★
GN #9: SLAM! Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #10: Alex + Ada, Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #11: Beautiful Darkness ★★★★
GN #12: Through the Woods ★★★★
GN #13: Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening ★★
GN #14: Friends With Boys ★★★
GN #15: Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery ★★★★★
GN #16: Rat Queens, Vol. 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth ★★★★★
GN #17: Giant Days, Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #18: Paper Girls, Vol. 1 ★★
GN #19: Morning Glories, Vol. 1: For a Better Future ★★★★
GN #20: Morning Glories, Vol. 2: All Will Be Free ★★★★★
GN #21: Archie, Vol. 1: The New Riverdale ★★★★
GN #22: Nimona ★★★★★
GN #23: Giant Days, Vol. 2 ★★★★★
GN #24: Alex + Ada, Vol. 2 ★★★★★
GN #25: Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy ★★★★★
GN #26: Harley Quinn, Volume 2: Joker Loves Harley ★★
GN #27: Alex + Ada, Vol. 3 ★★★★★
GN #28: Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft ★★★★★
GN #29: I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After ★★★★
GN #30: Saga, Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #31: Princeless, Vol. 1: Save Yourself ★★★★★
I loved this so much, if I ever have a niece (so far it's three nephews), this would be something I would happily read to her every night!
Princeless was such a great graphic novel to end this Graphic Novel December on! I did it! I read 31 GN this month, I was hoping to get a couple of extras in but alas, it is 7:46pm here on December 31st and I still have 30% of Renegades to read and several bottles of wine calling my name! I do have loads of extra graphic novels still waiting to be read that I borrowed just in case I got any shit ones and didn't want to waste my time finishing, so I'll try and get through them later in January.
Happy New Year Everyone! For those of you reading the new year in like me, I hope your book is magical and for those braving the real world partying it up, good luck ahah.
___
│Blog│Instagram│Twitter│Tumblr│
Princeless, Vol. 1: ★★★★★
Princeless, Vol. 2: Get Over Yourself: ★★★★★
Princeless, Vol. 3: The Pirate Princess: TBR
Princeless, Vol. 4: Be Yourself: TBR
Princeless, Vol. 5: Make Yourself: TBR
Princeless, Vol. 6: Make Yourself Part 2: TBR
—
This year I am doing Graphic Novel December.
My plan is it to read one GN for each day of the month. So 31 in total!
I'll keep a running total in the review of each GN as I read them to help me keep track and for anyone following to see where I am at as well!
GN #1: Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Lies ★★★★
GN #2: Wonder Woman, Volume 2: Year One ★★★★
GN #3: Wonder Woman, Volume 3: The Truth ★★★
GN #4: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal ★★★★
GN #5: Suicide Squad, Volume 1: The Black Vault ★
GN #6: Suicide Squad, Volume 2: Going Sane ★★★
GN #7: Generation Zero, Volume 1: We Are the Future ★★★★★
GN #8: Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends ★★★★
GN #9: SLAM! Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #10: Alex + Ada, Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #11: Beautiful Darkness ★★★★
GN #12: Through the Woods ★★★★
GN #13: Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening ★★
GN #14: Friends With Boys ★★★
GN #15: Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery ★★★★★
GN #16: Rat Queens, Vol. 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth ★★★★★
GN #17: Giant Days, Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #18: Paper Girls, Vol. 1 ★★
GN #19: Morning Glories, Vol. 1: For a Better Future ★★★★
GN #20: Morning Glories, Vol. 2: All Will Be Free ★★★★★
GN #21: Archie, Vol. 1: The New Riverdale ★★★★
GN #22: Nimona ★★★★★
GN #23: Giant Days, Vol. 2 ★★★★★
GN #24: Alex + Ada, Vol. 2 ★★★★★
GN #25: Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy ★★★★★
GN #26: Harley Quinn, Volume 2: Joker Loves Harley ★★
GN #27: Alex + Ada, Vol. 3 ★★★★★
GN #28: Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft ★★★★★
GN #29: I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After ★★★★
GN #30: Saga, Vol. 1 ★★★★
GN #31: Princeless, Vol. 1: Save Yourself ★★★★★
I loved this so much, if I ever have a niece (so far it's three nephews), this would be something I would happily read to her every night!
Princeless was such a great graphic novel to end this Graphic Novel December on! I did it! I read 31 GN this month, I was hoping to get a couple of extras in but alas, it is 7:46pm here on December 31st and I still have 30% of Renegades to read and several bottles of wine calling my name! I do have loads of extra graphic novels still waiting to be read that I borrowed just in case I got any shit ones and didn't want to waste my time finishing, so I'll try and get through them later in January.
Happy New Year Everyone! For those of you reading the new year in like me, I hope your book is magical and for those braving the real world partying it up, good luck ahah.
___
│Blog│Instagram│Twitter│Tumblr│
September 4, 2020
First published in 2011 and 2012, "Princeless" is an American all-ages comic book series by Jeremy Whitley. This series was nominated for two Eisner Awards, and has won many other awards.
"Book One: Save Yourself" introduces readers to main character Princess Adrienne, an opinionated black princess who isn't a fan of her kingdom's policies or her own fate as a princess. With her dragon friend, Sparky, she sets out to kick some ass and change the world.
If you love the work of Noelle Stevenson (whose most recent project, "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power," just finished its last season on Netflix in May 2020) and are a fan of works like the animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender," I would highly recommend you check out "Princeless." The storytelling, artwork, and humor is appropriate for middle grade, YA, and adult readers.
There are nine books so far in the series. Book Nine was published in November 2019. In July 2017, it was announced Columbia Pictures and Anonymous Content will produce a movie based on the "Princeless" comics series.
"Princeless: Book One: Save Yourself" is funny, silly, and full of good messaging. Five stars.
"Book One: Save Yourself" introduces readers to main character Princess Adrienne, an opinionated black princess who isn't a fan of her kingdom's policies or her own fate as a princess. With her dragon friend, Sparky, she sets out to kick some ass and change the world.
If you love the work of Noelle Stevenson (whose most recent project, "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power," just finished its last season on Netflix in May 2020) and are a fan of works like the animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender," I would highly recommend you check out "Princeless." The storytelling, artwork, and humor is appropriate for middle grade, YA, and adult readers.
There are nine books so far in the series. Book Nine was published in November 2019. In July 2017, it was announced Columbia Pictures and Anonymous Content will produce a movie based on the "Princeless" comics series.
"Princeless: Book One: Save Yourself" is funny, silly, and full of good messaging. Five stars.
September 10, 2016
Rating: 4 1/2
Adrienne Ashe is a far cry from your typical princess. For one, she doesn't want to be a princess or even carry out a princess's duties for that matter. She has a strong mind and will of her own that is not easy to break. For this reason, when her parents tell her that she is going to be locked in her very own tower at the age of sixteen because it is the princess tradition, she quickly tells them that this is never going to happen. They reluctantly agree with her, saying that she can follow her own path, but this is all a lie. Adrienne is drugged and then placed in the very same tower she desperately wanted to avoid and is now under the watch of a dragon, and here waits the princess for the dashing knight to slay her dragon, set her free, and whisk her away. Obviously, this is just not going to work for her.
Bored out of her mind, she decides that she doesn't need a prince to rescue her, she has a mind of her own after all. Adrienne wants to be her own hero. This is made easier for her when she finds a sword mysteriously hidden under her bed. Taking the dragon as her companion, Adrienne sets off to rescue her older sisters who are still stuck in their own towers and her little sister who has yet to be placed in one. As the story progresses, we find out that this is not going to be as easy as she expected. Her overbearing, violent, and "macho" father has a plan of his own.
To start off, I would like to point out that this book had lots of great humor. For an example, the following is an excerpt of when a knight comes to rescue Adrienne from her tower but miserably fails. As you can see from the cover, Adrienne, is of darker color.
"I seek a fair maiden Adrienne!"(The Knight yells up to her tower.)
"Oh, brother."-Adrienne
"Fair Maiden! Be YOU Adrienne?"-the Knight
"Be you a MORON?"-Adrienne
"Um...what sayest thou?"-Knight
"I sayest...'Be you a MORON?' Be you of LOWER than normal princely intelligence? Do you UNDERSTAND the words coming out of your own mouth? Do you know what FAIR means?"-Adrienne
"Um...beautiful?," says the knight a little shaky and confused.
"WRONG-O, Prince Chuckles. It means WHITE. As in, FAIR SKINNED, as FAIR as the new fallen SNOW. As FAIR as the MOON, or as FAIR as a LILY. I ASK you then...does this look FAIR to YOU?"-Adrienne
Whitley addresses countless princess stereotypes that we have seen over the years in a new and innovative way, full of humor and independence. I loved princesses when I was younger and all of their fairy tales. That being said, I don't want to say that this graphic novel bashes them, but shows a different story of what we see in today's independent girls. It's a fairy tale that proudly stands on its own while demonstrating the strength, intellect, drive, and courage that females have. It also bravely depicts that girls don't need a Prince Charming to make them happy or to save them from despair. They can also be their own person and find their own way.
There are so many great elements in this story. There is one female character that is a blacksmith but is too afraid to tell people because then the men won't buy her items. She also feminizes her armor for girls so that they show what guys want to see. However, she discovers that girls don't have to wear that stuff and can wear armor that will properly protect them for their own sake.
What's the greatest part of Whitley's book is that this story is not just for girls, but it's also for guys. Adrienne's brother is the only son in the family, meaning that he is to take over the thrown when he is older. However, his father says that he is not manly enough, strong enough, or the "kingly" type. He likes to read poetry and be intellectual, which is what the father views as what a king should not be. They need to be able to fight. So, not only do we get to see how it's okay for girls to be independent, but we also get to witness how boys don't have to be macho men to make it in this world. The main point is, you can be who you are as long as you are yourself and shine your true colors. Break away from the stereotypes of society and make yourself happy and stand up for what you believe in. I would have loved to have had my parents read this to me before bed every night and would have definitely eaten it up. Princeless is a great book for all ages and genders, and for this reason, it is definitely getting a high rating from me!
You can check out reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/.
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Adrienne Ashe is a far cry from your typical princess. For one, she doesn't want to be a princess or even carry out a princess's duties for that matter. She has a strong mind and will of her own that is not easy to break. For this reason, when her parents tell her that she is going to be locked in her very own tower at the age of sixteen because it is the princess tradition, she quickly tells them that this is never going to happen. They reluctantly agree with her, saying that she can follow her own path, but this is all a lie. Adrienne is drugged and then placed in the very same tower she desperately wanted to avoid and is now under the watch of a dragon, and here waits the princess for the dashing knight to slay her dragon, set her free, and whisk her away. Obviously, this is just not going to work for her.
Bored out of her mind, she decides that she doesn't need a prince to rescue her, she has a mind of her own after all. Adrienne wants to be her own hero. This is made easier for her when she finds a sword mysteriously hidden under her bed. Taking the dragon as her companion, Adrienne sets off to rescue her older sisters who are still stuck in their own towers and her little sister who has yet to be placed in one. As the story progresses, we find out that this is not going to be as easy as she expected. Her overbearing, violent, and "macho" father has a plan of his own.
To start off, I would like to point out that this book had lots of great humor. For an example, the following is an excerpt of when a knight comes to rescue Adrienne from her tower but miserably fails. As you can see from the cover, Adrienne, is of darker color.
"I seek a fair maiden Adrienne!"(The Knight yells up to her tower.)
"Oh, brother."-Adrienne
"Fair Maiden! Be YOU Adrienne?"-the Knight
"Be you a MORON?"-Adrienne
"Um...what sayest thou?"-Knight
"I sayest...'Be you a MORON?' Be you of LOWER than normal princely intelligence? Do you UNDERSTAND the words coming out of your own mouth? Do you know what FAIR means?"-Adrienne
"Um...beautiful?," says the knight a little shaky and confused.
"WRONG-O, Prince Chuckles. It means WHITE. As in, FAIR SKINNED, as FAIR as the new fallen SNOW. As FAIR as the MOON, or as FAIR as a LILY. I ASK you then...does this look FAIR to YOU?"-Adrienne
Whitley addresses countless princess stereotypes that we have seen over the years in a new and innovative way, full of humor and independence. I loved princesses when I was younger and all of their fairy tales. That being said, I don't want to say that this graphic novel bashes them, but shows a different story of what we see in today's independent girls. It's a fairy tale that proudly stands on its own while demonstrating the strength, intellect, drive, and courage that females have. It also bravely depicts that girls don't need a Prince Charming to make them happy or to save them from despair. They can also be their own person and find their own way.
There are so many great elements in this story. There is one female character that is a blacksmith but is too afraid to tell people because then the men won't buy her items. She also feminizes her armor for girls so that they show what guys want to see. However, she discovers that girls don't have to wear that stuff and can wear armor that will properly protect them for their own sake.
What's the greatest part of Whitley's book is that this story is not just for girls, but it's also for guys. Adrienne's brother is the only son in the family, meaning that he is to take over the thrown when he is older. However, his father says that he is not manly enough, strong enough, or the "kingly" type. He likes to read poetry and be intellectual, which is what the father views as what a king should not be. They need to be able to fight. So, not only do we get to see how it's okay for girls to be independent, but we also get to witness how boys don't have to be macho men to make it in this world. The main point is, you can be who you are as long as you are yourself and shine your true colors. Break away from the stereotypes of society and make yourself happy and stand up for what you believe in. I would have loved to have had my parents read this to me before bed every night and would have definitely eaten it up. Princeless is a great book for all ages and genders, and for this reason, it is definitely getting a high rating from me!
You can check out reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/.
(http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.c...)
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May 31, 2014This is pretty fantastic. It's just what every little brown girl deserves: a totally usual fairy tale setting, just with a brown girl instead of a white girl. Clearly it's inspired by the Paper Bag Princess and similar heroines, and it also reminded me a lot of the absurdity of Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Every single cliche and trope is here--on purpose. It's totally sillypants and very obvious with its pointed critique of traditional hero/heroine tales and fairy tales, but it's done in the way that's SO OBVIOUS and yet not annoying, really. I don't know how exactly that was managed, but it was. Pointing out how women action heroines in comics wear ridiculous clothes? Check. Misogynist king? Check. Lazy father who gets all the credit for doing stuff when it's actually his child doing the work and him at the pub all day? Check. Goofy dragon? Also check. All kinds of stuff went on, and yet it was really fun. Also, points for it being a brown girl who just exists and is brown, because it's fantasyland - there was no sassy black girl (she was sassy, but it was very Princess Elizabeth), no big butt, no AAVE...just kicking ass.
To be fair, some criticisms: it was clearly put together in about five minutes; there were all kinds of misspelled words and missing punctuation marks. And the beginning little frame device is rather heavy handed. And I wish she hadn't had to get rid of the curls as she aged, because that makes her look more civilized and mature or something - stop hating on the natural hair, everyone! But all in all, I liked. Totally fun. Would love to read more.
To be fair, some criticisms: it was clearly put together in about five minutes; there were all kinds of misspelled words and missing punctuation marks. And the beginning little frame device is rather heavy handed. And I wish she hadn't had to get rid of the curls as she aged, because that makes her look more civilized and mature or something - stop hating on the natural hair, everyone! But all in all, I liked. Totally fun. Would love to read more.
August 30, 2015
Princeless is a series that fans of fairy tales and strong female characters will love. Adrienne is a princess in a tower and she's done with watching princes try to rescue her. So, she decides she's going to save herself and then sets off to save all of her sisters in turn. There is only one prince in her family and he is not living up to his father's expectations. I'm hoping they expand a bit on this part of the story in other volumes. It's nice to see both genders breaking free of their usual typecasts.
The humor started from the start but I really cracked up when we are introduced to Bedelia, the blacksmith's daughter who gets bored and creates armor of her own. Armor for women! But... sadly they aren't very... practical, which Adrienne points out right away. She is looking for armor that fits but that will also protect her body from harm - and a chainmail bikini will not do the trick.
I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot, loving the illustrations and the plot. It's nice to see females shown as strong and independent. I also thought it was appropriate enough for younger readers, not sure if it will stay that way, but I'm hopeful to share this one with some of my 5th graders.
Verdict:
A graphic novel that brings forth gender barriers and mixes it in with fairy tales. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume.
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