I wish there were more stars to give as I enjoyed myself immensely when reading this marvel. This graphic novel is so beautiful in every way. The art is rich and colorful, sometimes cute and sometimes very dignified. Nearly every character is so lovable and different. I fell in love with all of them. The story is funny, suspenseful, and so important in its message. At some point I cried tears of joy. This book will not only have a place on my shelf (as soon as it is out, thank you for providing the e-galley) but also in my heart.

set in turn of the twentieth century paris, the prince and the dressmaker follows prince sebastian and his best friend and dressmaker frances. sebastian likes wearing dresses and decides to pursue his dreams by hiring frances as his designer after seeing an extremely excellent dress she creates for another girl at a ball ("listen frances. this ball is toss and i'm not happy about going. design me something that makes me look like the devil' CHALLENGE ACCEPTED AND DEFEATED). with her help he becomes lady crystallia, french fashionplate EXTRAORDINAIRE

i'm amazed this isn't coming out for another half year because it is SO polished, jen wang could easily publish it today. the art is great; very expressive and the dresses actually look as impressive as they're described as -- which is hard to pull off!

more importantly -- to me, anyways, character reader that i am -- sebastian and frances are LOVELY. they're so sweet and supportive of each other and i read each development in their relationship with delight. frances is the kind of friend you want in your corner! sebastian is a precious kindhearted jewel! they deal with conflict SO WELL ahhhh!!!

everybody buy this when it comes out, if you like friendship or fashion or stories about kids growing up and pursuing their dreams in the face of social barriers then it will be your JAM

4 stars

This graphic novel is beautifully done! The art is fantastic, the characters are lovable, and the story is charming! I was with a warm, fuzzy feeling upon finishing the book. I also enjoy the fact that that it covers a topic that isn't typically seen in a lot of books. (It covers gender non-conforming themes in a serious, but light way- not as a means to humor.)

I can't wait to purchase a hard copy!

What can I say other than I loved this book and will definitely be purchasing it for our collection.

I chose this book from my interest in YA novels, but nowhere in the NetGalley description did it say that it was a graphic novel... I don't do graphic novels - I have a hard time following the sequence, for some reason. While I will say that the drawings are gorgeous and the storyline isn't bad, it also isn't believable for the setting, and the modern language didn't fit the time period well.

I couldn't help the wide smile that spread across my face as I read this delightful story. Not only is the art adorable, but the content in itself is insightful, endearing, and a nice spin on Prince Charming.

This book was just 100% great! The illustrations were beautiful, and the friendship/romance between the main characters was so emotional and wonderful. I couldn't put this down--We need more books like this, and I can't wait to booktalk this to our local schools.

This book was absolutely delightful. I first heard about it a couple of years ago, on Tumblr, advertising the author's kickstarter for the project, and have been eagerly awaiting it ever since. I was extremely excited to see it on netgalley. It's a cute, original story, that deals with modern issues in a sweet fantasy setting. it has amazing art and wonderful writing, and I would strongly recommend this to anyone.

This is not your typical prince and princess fairy tale. Jen Wang has crafted a unique story that will resonate with readers of various ages and provide many ideas for discussion. Social class, identity, and gender roles are all addressed in the gentle, beautiful art and words of Jen Wang. A definite purchase for your library.

The colors in this graphic novel are just gorgeous. (All the pastels reminded me of a Wes Anderson film!) The dresses were beautiful too, even if the artwork in general isn’t my style. Don’t take that as a criticism, though, it’s simply personal taste.

The story was awful cute, but what I think really dragged down my enjoyment was the dialogue. I didn’t think the dialogue matched the charm and the love of the artwork—instead, it was clumsy, clunky, and forced. How phenomenal this graphic novel could have been if there were no words at all! With a little re-working, I think Wang could have pulled it off. Also worth mentioning: the cast of characters is overwhelmingly white. This was possibly my biggest disappointment.

Still, Wang has created an adorable comic here that will resonate with many readers of all ages.

Amazing art and SUCH a fun story! Highly recommend this one!

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 recommed it.

The story of a young dressmaker who dreams of success and a Prince who knows who he is, but is afraid what the world will think when they meet the real him.

I want to be completely honest I didn't think I'd like this book at all. But I wanted something new to read and this seemed lots of fun... Full Review to Come soon

This was such an adorable and beautiful graphic novel with an amazing story to go with it. Both the main characters were compelling and complex and the story was such a delight to read. To be able to see a character who is gender fluid portrayed for children fills me with hope as this is something that most kids don't get to see.

The illustrations complimented the story perfectly and I found my self feeling tons of emotions in such a short period of time. It did seems as though everything worked out a little too perfectly in the end, but as a children's story I understand it.

I LOVED this book. I loved the light historicism. I loved the fashion. I loved the independent women. I loved the Miyazaki-esque art. I loved the glamour. But most of all, I loved the wonderful portrayal of a gender-fluid character and Sebastian's very real struggle with identity, family, and leadership. Everything about this is great. I read it in one sitting.

Lively, beautiful, warm art to bring to life a story about deciding who you are and how you want to live your life.

This was a really adorable graphic novel and I'm so glad that it exists. The art was very colourful and cute. It was slightly pixelated since it was sent to me as a PDF so if you're reading I'd definitely recommend buying a paperback or hardback. I can imagine the art looks a letter better in printed format!

The Prince and the Dressmaker is visually charming and makes a fun treat for all ages. The story glances at the possibility of a bad outcome, but nothing truly awful comes to pass. This keeps the story light and adorable, though given its historical setting rings a little false. I do think it may have served credulity a bit to set the story, or at least Sebastian and family, in a fictive kingdom. However, this may only be an issue with cynical or older readers.

The art is pleasing to look at and provides an additional layer of detail to the story - the two protagonists love clothes and believe in their transformative power. We can see this ourselves in Wang's vibrant brush work. If the reader isn't a regular reader of graphic novels, the flow of TPATD is smooth and simple.

Plot wise, TPATD has the potential to begin a discussion of gender identity for younger readers. It's never explicitly stated how Sebastian identifies, he almost seems closer to a modern drag queen - finding power through an alternate and fearless persona - rather than someone experiencing dysphoria. This opens Sebastian up as a character people from many backgrounds can identify with.

I really have only nit pick-y complaints about this book, and certainly not ones that would impact my recommending it freely and often. I wish there was a bit more humor - there is a general positivity that does the work of humor, but I always feel a few genuinely surprising and well placed jokes elevate anything. I also wished for a little more depth, or maybe even length. The journey from the beginning to the end flows very easily and even the bumps in the road are quickly smoothed. Again, I think for this book that's not strictly to its detriment - just a personal feeling. I think a few details not specifically related to the plot but that serve the purpose of fleshing out the world or the characters would have taken a solid 10 to an 11.

I'd recommend anyone with a even a passing interest in graphic novels, history, gender identity, drawing, fashion, or any combination of the above to check out this book! It's a truly pleasant experience.

This is an adorable graphic novel about the blossoming friendship between a seamstress and a prince who wants to wear dresses.

Through Prince Sebastian and his alternate identity (Lady Crystallia), the story explores themes of self acceptance and identity exploration. The friendship between Sebastian and Frances shows the importance of supporting your friends in their choices, their passions, and in being exactly who they are. They also show the relationship between Prince Sebastian and his father and what the bonds of family are when put to the test. And there is a immensely satisfying climax.