I picked up Ladies of the Night mainly because of its absolutely stunning cover. It was basically calling out to me from afar “take me, read me” and I’m so glad that Oni Press gave it to me in exchange for an honest review.

When it comes to graphic novels, I usually focus more on the artwork, because that’s what draws me in and keeps me engaged even more than the story itself. But in this case, both the art and the story were equally beautiful.

The story follows a knight whose wife insists she take on a squire to help with her daily responsibilities like cleaning her armor, taking care of her horse, and assisting her during tournaments. Our main character, Serafina, is reluctant at first, but eventually gives in because she loves her wife.

That’s how George enters their lives. She’s not exactly the most skilled or talented at the beginning, but we gradually see her grow and improve. At the same time, her relationship with Serafina develops in a really satisfying way, especially since Serafina isn’t too fond of her at first.

Overall, this is a really lovely book. If you enjoyed Fiona’s art style, I would definitely recommend checking out her Disney retelling graphic novel, Fairest of All. This one is perfect for fans of LGBTQ+ stories, featuring strong representation and an almost entirely female cast. It’s empowering in a way you don’t often see, especially since it gives women the spotlight in traditionally male-dominated spaces like jousts and knight tournaments.

The only disappointing thing about Ladies of the Knight by Fiona Marchbank is that I have to wait until JULY to purchase a physical copy! I have really wanted to start reading books about knights recently, but felt kind of overwhelmed and did not know where to start. I think this is a great starting point for readers who are looking to do the same because the storylines and game systems within the knight tournaments are easy to follow, and the characters are all so charming in their own ways.

I know things can move kind of quickly in graphic novels at times, but this felt both fast- and slow-paced at the same time. I mean this in the most positive way because, despite the chaos of the tournaments, training, and overall competitiveness, there was genuine character growth that never once felt rushed or forced. I love that because the relationships seemed sweeter, and the family dynamics between George, Lady Serafina, their family, and friends had so much warmth and tenderness that left me smiling page after page after page.

I also really loved the sapphic and non-binary representation in Marchbank’s work, especially because it was done in a way where each character was allowed to be who they authentically were without hate or judgment. If it was not obvious, I ADORE this sweet story so much and cannot recommend it enough, especially if you are someone who enjoys cozy fantasy, a cast of strong female characters, complex characters, LGBTQIA+ representation, and beautiful (and I mean BEAUTIFUL) illustrations!

Thank you to NetGalley, Fiona Marchbank, and the wonderful people working at Oni Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ⚔️🛡️🏹💚

This was so cute. The story is sweet and develops well, and the art is gorgeous. I really enjoyed it.

This was so fun and beautiful!!! I love the lady knights!! I love that the story was focused on mainly women but did not put men down. I hope we more more content in the future! Thank you for the e arc!

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for this arc!

5/5 stars

This was an absolute delight to read! Serafina is a lady knight, and competing in tournaments across their country. Unbeknownst to her, her wife has hired her a much needed squire! Enter George, who instantly won over Serafina's horse and has dreams of being a lady knight herself one day! This was so fun and easy to read. Serafina's cool overconfidence was annoying at times, but it was fun watching George chip away at that cool exterior and help Serafina be a more relaxed person. The artwork is really well done, I loved the costumes and the character designs. I hope we get another installment of these characters one day, I want to see more of these characters, and see George finish knight school to be a lady knight herself!

10/10 i love lady knights. Really nice to see this getting a traditional publication. Everything about this is so fun I love the art style so much, especially with the mixes of different time periods the outfits are truly a stand out. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy to pour over the designs some more.
The story itself isn’t exactly a new one, unassuming stubborn but passionate child meets grumpy somehow even more stubborn knight and eventually wears them down and they both help each other improve in different ways. Though the way Fiona Marchbank tells this story was such a joy to read, I had a fantastic time.

Thank you Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a lot of fun! The artwork was beautiful and really captured the emotion of each character. For such a short story, the character arcs were really well done. I really enjoyed this story and found it very similar to the world and humor of Ella Enchanted which is right up my alley!

I think this is my favourite comic of some time. The artwork is given space, and prominence. It’s simple, yet the characters are brought animatedly to life. The text adds to the presentation, but is concise, and therefore doesn’t fill the area nor the readers initial attention.

The story is full of so much fun, a joy to read. Quarrelling, fickle, seasoned knights pleasing their audience. And wannabe squires full of energy and naivety, if not necessarily skill.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the comic ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oni Press for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
“"PERSEVERE UNTIL THE END."
4.5/5
This was an amazing graphic novel, I loved the info on how Marchbank took inspiration from different times in the back to create this fantasy world. George and Fina were so fun to read. The art was absolutely incredible and the use of color to show different atmospheres was used so well. The relationship between the knight and squire was so entertaining. I really how the pacing was really fast and the story had me wanting more when it ended.

“Ladies of the Knight” by Fiona Marchbank was such a fun and sweet knightly coming of age tale! I had a lovely time reading, and I enjoyed all the characters. Serafina the grouchy tournament knight pairs well comedically with the overly-enthusiastic George, her new squire. Not only does George come into her own as an under-dog squire, but Serafina also grows as a person. George helps Serafina to find joy in the game, more than just winning, and inspires her to collaborate with her fellow knights instead of remaining individualistic. The periphery romance between Serafina and her wife and sponsor Minerva was also cute! The art was beautiful and detailed, and flowed through the pages. I will definitely be recommending this book to my graphic novel readers at my library.

Thank you Netgalley and Oni Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The cover and title of this immediately drew me in! I loved to see another Lady Knight book debut this year, and the LGBTQ+ rep done so beautifully. I thought the entire story was an absolute DELIGHT - both thematically and visually. One of my favorite tropes is the grumpy, hardened adult that’s somehow saddled with a kid they didn’t ask for, and this delivered on that! The artwork is wonderful, and the *clothing* designs are to DIE for! I kept having to pause to take in every detail of what they were all wearing. When I got the notification I’d been approved for this ARC, I immediately downloaded it and read it in one sitting. This was a wonderful, heart warming story with gorgeous character growth I loved to watch bloom! I will absolutely be looking out for future books from this illustrator/author.

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC!

I loved this graphic novel full of knights, friendship and adventure. Serafina is a grumpy, reluctant mentor with a secret heart of gold. George is her chaotic squire who has wanted to be a knight for years, is great with horses but isn't on board with the knights' petty rivalries. The art and colours are beautiful and I also really appreciated how long the book is; there is plenty of time for lots of different friendships and storylines to be explored and developed. I also enjoyed that the main romantic storyline was between a couple- Serafina and her wife- who have been together for years and still love each other. The book is sure to appeal to all ages.

This was such a Queer normative world, and I loved every minute of it.

This was such a cute comic about a girl who isn’t the best at being a knight, but she tries her best 🥹🤍
No high stakes or Intense storyline, but just good wholesome vibes and meaningful lessons.

George is just a cutie. I love her upbeat attitude, and she’s obviously the breath of fresh air everyone needed in that knighthood. I can’t wait to see what other things she gets up to 🏹

And she was such a good friend to Floriant. I loved that they didn’t let their mentor’s beef get in the way of their friendship 🫶🏽
But instead bring everyone closer together, and hone their talents. Aethelburg was also such a good friend. I just feel like things got misunderstood. Especially w/ her just wanting Fina to get sponsors, and to play into the competition more.
She was a good sport, and I’d love to see them represent for their kingdom in a tournament again in that 5 v.s 5 w/ the squires, of course lol!!

Serafina and Lady Minerva 🫶🏽 They just compliment each other so well. Minerva is so patient, and the voice of reason, obviously lmfao. Serafina is so broody, but she also has an understanding side to her that Minerva and George bring out so well.

Frances was probably my fave 😭🤍 She was such a mood. The way she put up w/ Fina’s bs lmfao, that’s a real friend right there. And I’m so glad George was able to bring a different side of her out.

Overall, this was a cute comic. I enjoyed the story, and the art was fab.

This was delightful! I not only love the play on the phrase "ladies of the night" for a title, but to make all the women fiercely strong and taking on all of the "manly" tasks in this gender bend world were amazing. The art style was gorgeous and made the story so much fun. George is who I wanted to be when I was little, it was so much fun to see her be the person she wanted to be after so many people telling her she couldn't do it. All little girls need that inspiration.

Reading "Ladies of the Knight" for the first time will be the experience I will be comparing other books to. This was so fanfic/Webtoon coded, and you know I consider that a stamp of the highest quality.

I think we can all agree that the best knightcore is sapphic, and this is one of the best examples of the trope. Fiona grounded the world in the medieval setting, knightly ideals and aesthetic, that endured in the collective imagination, which revealed, if not huge amounts of research, huge amounts of interest in the subject and that was obvious in how detailed this world was. This is a story about the hard work necessary to follow your dreams, playing to your strengths, working on your shortcomings and being a good friend, spouse and person.

At the same time, she brought a uniquely original spin to her world, making it queer normcore, diverse, playing with gender expression and making the cast overwhelmingly female. And there are lesbians!!!

The romance is not central to the story, but Serafina and Minerva's marriage is one of the most beautiful I've seen. I loved that they were a couple that had been together for a long time. There are a few flashbacks where we see them being young, newly married and broke, in contrast with the wealthy merchant and successful tournament knight we meet.

One of my favourite details in their dynamic is that Minerva goes from a small merchant on the brink of financial ruin to a successful one, which allows her to, among other things, fully support her wife's career as a tournament knight. Serafina never has to deal with pleasing sponsors or anyone else around her and gets to be singularly focused on being the best knight she can be.

I loved their dynamic, how devoted they were to each other, but still fought and disagreed over small and big things, in the way that people who have been together for a long time do. I don't think I have the words to explain how magical their relationship was to me. It's so important to see older LGBTQ folks being happy, and we rarely get to see it, so I treasured every scene they were in.

Another of the strong points in this graphic novel was the art and colouring that were so unique and left me hungering for more. The fashion in particular was amazing, and I loved the author's explanation at the end, giving us insight into the story and characters, taking us through her creative process and why she drew them the way she did.

I need more of this. Please, Fiona, give us more!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this DRC.

A graphic novel about lady knights set in a queernormative world? Couldn't request this book fast enough!!!
We follow Knight Serafina as she begrudingly trains her new squire Georgiana, hired by Serafina's wife Minerva. Serafina is the cold and stoic type while Georgie is a rainbow in human form. A grumpy/sunshine story, friendship flavored! Serafina is one of the most talented knights in The League, a sports-like organiztaion where the knights of the realm compete for GLORY! But what's this? George, while sweet and ready to learn, is rather weak in most knight skills. Can Serafina train her up, or is she a lost cause?
I requested this graphic novel for three reasons. 1) Lady Knights. 2) The cover was gorgeous. And 3)...did I mention LADY KNIGHTS?!?!?! I loved the queernormative world, the art is just stunning and the clothing...uuuuuuugh so good!!! The story is low stakes while still being interesting and relying on characters to drive the story. The cast is excellent. I only wish we knew the lore behind the beef between Serafina and Æthelburg.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC of this stunning graphic novel!!!

There just isn’t anything I don’t love about this comic, it is is the most fun. Its queer, its fun, its knights, its a sports anime basically this is my JAM--and recognizing that much of knighthood was just sporting events if awesome. The colors are so wonderful, the art is so expressive. I really love the angularity of it to match with the armor.

A very cozy story about love, life, and responsibility. I genuinely enjoyed the art and how gorgeous all the details were. The story was so sweet but also had some really great moral-style points regarding life and how to navigate it when you're passionate or single-focused on a goal. All-in-all a great read.

A different sort of knight's tale for the world weary - a land where glamorous knights compete in showy tournaments for fame and fortune, a legend loafs around, an underdog sees her big chance, and everyone has a chance to see their better selves through! Plucky George has known all her life that she wants to be a knight - and despite her small size, she knows she has what it takes. That's why she wants Serafina - the best knight around, no questions asked - to be her mentor. But Serafina would rather be left to her own devices - she's a stellar knight, but her personality and lack of flash in the face of her rivals leave her stuck. When her wife insists she take on a mentee, George's happy-go-luck attitude and Serafina's prickly pear personality may just clash harder than knights in a jousting tournament. If they can work together, though, they may just take the league of knights by storm.

I know Lady Knight Summer was in 2025, but we need to bring it back specifically for this graphic novel! This was SUCH a fest for the eyes and the heart, full of medieval tournament vibes; determination and pluck in the face of staggering odds; the cheerful indomitable will of those who believe in themselves; lady knights and lady loves; a riot of colors and costumes; sassy animals; collectivity > being a stubborn individualist; and mending more than just tears in your jousting outfit. I loved the story, could sit and stare at the gorgeous illustrations all day, and hope this book finds its way into the hands of everyone who needs a pick-me-up as well as the hands of an animation studio - give me the screen adaptation!!!

This was such a sweet book!

I really loved the story and premise! I thought that the characters were very well fleshed out, and felt very real! The relationships were great, I loved Serafina's rivalry with Æthelburg and how that did not translate to George and Floriant! I do think it would have been cute if there was a romance storyline with George and Floriant, sort of a supposed-to-be-rivals to lovers, but I loved their friendship!

I really loved Minerva and Serafina's relationship too, the old married couple vibe came across very well and very strongly in a way I really loved!

I thought the side characters were really great too, and all of the friendships felt very realistic!

I absolutely adored the art! It was so cute and felt very different and unique!

I think this is a must read for anyone who loves knights!

I can’t tell you how charming <I>Ladies of the Knight</I> is; you really just have to experience it for yourself! If you’re at all a fan of knights (particularly lady knights, which do seem to be trendy right now), tourneys, underdogs, rivalries, comics, and especially comics that thoughtfully and joyfully explore the the expressiveness of form and color—do yourself a favor and pick up this graphic novel.

Fiona Marchbank’s characters are a delight to get to know. Her art captures a nuance of expression and an eloquence of body language that, along with the dialogue and plot, create three dimensional characters bursting with determination, frustration, impatience, persistence, grumpiness, sunshine, and some seriously large egos. I could eat them all up (just like Jam Sandwich).

While you can read much of the <I>Ladies of the Knight</I> comic online, I recommend picking up the graphic novel from Oni Press so you can read the full story AND get access to the bonus content: Marchbank walks us through her thoughtful character design, original chapter covers, process, and more. (100% here for all the chapter title puns.)

My only disappointment with <I>Ladies of the Knight</I> is that there’s not more for me to read immediately, and I do hope Marchbank revisits this setting in the future! I’d love to see a squire for Frances and for George and Floriant to continue coming into their own.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC to review.

This graphic was so heartwarming! I loved everything about it! A grumpy accomplished knight with a sunshiney, well meaning squire? It was made for me.

I loved the character development of both Serafina and George. Serafina learned to take it easy and focus on what really mattered. Meanwhile George grew in their confidence and skills as a knight in training. Along with Serafina and George, I loved every side character. They were such a well-rounded group. I wanted to know more about each of them!

I highly recommend reading this graphic novel. It was an absolute delight! The art is also amazing. Reading it made my night!

Ladies of the Knight is queernorm A Knight’s Tale in the style of Mary Blair. We have knights of all genders, beautiful clothes and gorgeous action. There’s real emotional depth to the friendships and rivalries throughout, leaving the reader alternately gasping and cheering. It’s so much fun!

I have nothing to say other than that this graphic novel was excellent. The artwork is gorgeous ( and I loved the bonus content at the end to learn more about the drawing process!), the story is wonderful, the characters are unique, and the book is delightful.

I may be biased because I love lady knights, but when it’s sapphic lady knights?? Outstanding, 10/10, no notes !

Bonus points for the adorable ponies and very fashionable clothing !!

I cannot wait to get the physical version of this story in July, and I can’t recommend this book enough!!

A roller derby mash up with medieval fantasy. These ladies are here to FIGHT and WIN!! A funny and fascinating and brilliant story of a young squire who has everything to learn, but brimming with enthusiasm and optimism, and a champion knight whose is an old hand at all of it - and still has a lot to learn about teamwork.

A great cast of characters, showing how one can be a champion jouster - and do it with style.

This book had me smiling the whole time. The art is a 10. The story is a 10. NetGalley rating system....a five (rude). I loved it!. Great for High School collections.

"Ladies of the Knight" is a young adult graphic novel by Fiona Marchbank about a lady knight and her taking on a new squire. Serafina is one of the best knights in the kingdom, but her wife talks her into taking on a squire even though she'd rather not. George is a spunky and hard-working (but a bit inept in some ways) apprentice and occasionally clashes with Serafina's hard and more somber demeanor. But together they help each other grow in heart-warming and funny ways. A must-buy for YA graphic novel collections especially where knights/medieval settings are popular.

I loved this little book! I'm completely smitten with the drawing style and I loved the story. So easy to read and so joyful just seeing ladies doing their thing and being amazing at it. I devoured it in 2 sittings and just want to read more 🥰

This was absolutely lovely.

The story mainly follows two characters, Serafina, a bored but intense knight with a dogged rivalry, and George, a bright eyed squire determined to show all the knights who refused her service who she is. Fina is one of the best and used to working on her own, which has caused her to behave reckless and selfishly as she seeks a challenge. So when her wife hires George to give Fina a sense of direction, personalities clash and tensions rise. This is the story of how they find even ground and grow to support each other, and in turn, heal some of the relationships that Fina has neglected.

In an age of profusive use of therapy speech to convey growth or lessons, this was a breath of fresh air. Lessons are learned, growth happens, friends and loved ones hold each other accountable, but all in realistic messy human ways. Sometimes friendly jabs to call out a power imbalance, sometimes through sternness, sometimes with frustrated blow outs, but mending happens nevertheless.

I loved George; she's driven, gumptious, and so earnest. As a kid I rapidly consumed the Alanna of Tortall books (these two would totally be friends, btw) and this setting had me wishing Alanna could exist in this world where all walks of people could be knights. Serafina's story doesn't get neatly resolved in book one, which I really appreciate! I like that the focus was her relationships with her close circle and learning how to adjust to George, with a heavy insinuation the the next book will tackle the Aethelberg issue.

The art was also great and I really enjoyed the femme knight gear!

I absolutely adored this comic. A young, enthusiastic squire to a begrudging, set in their ways knight learning from each other? Sold.

George is such a sweetheart who just wants to live her life as a knight. She wants to learn from the best and ends up making one of the best a better knight, partner, friend, and person. She is the ultimate underdog and I just want to wrap her up in a hug.

Serafina (Fina) wants to fight and be left alone. She didn't want to have a squire, she doesn't want to have to get along with her archrival, but at least one of them happens. Her relationship with her partner is so sweet. And even though she complains about George, she most definitely has a soft spot for the girl. Plus her horse, an absolute legend.

The fact that this is a knight story and all but a few male presenting side characters are either women or nonbinary? I love it and want more.

The story is sweet, the character development is great, and the art is beautiful. I would happily live in this world for hundreds more chapters.

Go buy this comic! You won't regret it!

I want to shove this at everyone I know, I feel like this has such a wide audience and range of people who will love this. I love the concept of taking jousting and tournaments and knight training and looking at it as almost a sports series, as athletes who are training for competition or glory, rather than war or politics. It's so fun, but particularly allows the story to focus on the characters and all of their growth.

Because it really is about how George and Seraphina shape each other (and lbr, it's more George bringing joy and gumption to everyone, but Seraphina gives her confidence and purpose). I love the art style, I love the antics, I love the tournaments, I love THE SCRUNGLY OWL DEVICE AND I LOVE THE IN-UNIVERSE REASON FOR WHY IT'S SCRUNGLY. I love how everyone just gets to exist in their identity, I love that Aethelburg is the rival but also 100% a magical girl, I love all of the background art and all of the little chaos happening back there. The whole book is just so charming and heartwarming; you can't help but fall in love with all of the characters and root for them.

This was a really lovely graphic novel. The colours, the art style and the cosy, uplifting plot. The scenes with dresses over armour? I could not stop gazing at them, just so gorgeous. Speaking of gorgeous, Aethelberg was a complete scene stealer for me, and I loved the concept of having this highly feminine and proudly girly woman in a role typically reserved for men. Her design was perfect.
I also adored Serafina and her grumpy, weary personality.
There wasn't a romance plot but the tender relationship between Serafina and her wife Minerva melted my heart.
My favourite part was the addition of the bonus content, where the author explores the character design and development. Super interesting!

This novel is perfect for readers interested in:
Bending gender roles
Diverse cast
Queer normative world
Medieval vibes
Female dominant cast
Beautiful art
Fun, cosy, light plot with a focus on mentorship and friendship rather than romance

This was so freaking good - I loved every single panel of this graphic novel!

We follow George, who desperately wants to become a knight and begins her journey as a squire for Knight Serafina, known for being a bit mean and not very talkative. The story and its characters mean everything to me. The growth and relationships, whether it’s George and Serafina as mentee and mentor, Serafina and her wife, or George and Floriant as friends, were so beautiful to read. Watching the characters grow together and bring out the best in each other was truly heartwarming.

"Its not pathetic to work hard at something that doesn't come easily to you. - No. It's very brave."

And the ART STYLE!!! Don't get me started! So so beautiful. I fell in love with the first few pages and it stayed that way!

If you love Lady Knights, many great diverse characters, a lot of fun and whimsy - THAN THIS IS THE BOOK YOU NEED TO READ!!!

I'm so glad I requested this collection because it was amazing! The art is colorful, engaging, and does such a good job of conveying the story without words. The tone is so deftly supported by the art and it creates such a consistent emotional depth I was hooked. I couldn't put this one down and I loved how subtle the characters development and their relationships were. Highly recommend this comic collection to everyone who loves adventure, knights, and badass ladies!

Ladies of the Knight is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel exploring a world where women are knights, competing for glory.

I really loved the characters in this story. George has my whole heart. She is determined, optimistic, and personable. Everyone takes a liking to her. She is the complete opposite of Seraphina, a seasoned knight, who is rather prickly and headstrong. When Seraphina's wife, Minerva, hires George as her new squire, she is not happy. But Minerva sees George's potential and with time, Seraphina does too, taking a liking to the young girl whose heart is set on jousting.

The friendship and mentorship shine in this story. Relationships aren't always easy to build, and I love how its always evolving with foundations to strengthen with trust and belief. I loved the easy-going nature in George that challenges Seraphina to reflect a little more on herself, and slowly defrost from everyone, including her rival.

I also really loved how this world is queer normative, exploring the multifaceted identities of women. For example, we have Aethelberg who loves frill, loves the spotlight, and is also a killer knight with practically a win-win streak. She is a stark contrast to Seraphina, too, who loves darker color tones and only cares about winning bouts. But there is also a softness to Seraphina, one that is highlighted with scenes between her and Minerva.

Overall, this was a HIT. Will there be more? I dunno but count me on any future work from Fiona Marchbank.

Ladies of the Knight is a brilliant graphic novel featuring a grumpy knight and her tenacious squire. Serafina is an independent knight who isn't looking for a squire, but her wife forces one upon her. George has been turned down for other squire positions so this is her one chance. The two frequently butt heads as Serafina goes head-to-head with her rival Aethelberg. There are so many different interpersonal dynamics at play and it's a joy to see them play out. I love the more stylized art, and how some of the storylines were left without the traditional endings. Who doesn't love a good lady knight? Thanks to Oni Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The last graphic novel to have me fall in love with a world so quickly was the Tea Dragon Society. And I know that those are stunning shoes to fill but hear me out. The characters and art style, while a bit darker, are absolutely charming from page one and compliment each other utterly. Every page is rich in colour and story in every choice of style design - even the pages that have a few boxes filled with single colour backgrounds are still frilled or storytell in such a way that you don’t feel like you’re just staring at blocks with different character activities in them. It is enthralling to read and the only reason I didn’t read this in one sitting was because I had to get up and move somewhere so I could continue to read it undisturbed.
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George is a spindly little teenager who is desperate to become a squire and join the ranks of the tourney knights. Serafina is a renowned knight known for having little tolerance for nonsense and being impossible to defeat - except by her old knight school nemesis - Æthelburg. When Serafina’s wife forces her to select a squire, she picks the one her cranky warhorse likes best - George. I’m a sucker for a reluctant mentor that grows soft over time for their awkward ward and this gave me everything I wanted.
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I especially enjoyed how Marchbank used her art to display the various ways people can present themselves: Serafina has long braided, traditionally feminine hair, but presents masculine in her dress. Æthelburg enjoys jousting in big poofy outfits while still being the best Knight in the realm. And Floriant, a non-binary character, appears on page equally in masculine or feminine clothing. It was all refreshing to watch these different aspects reveal more about the characters themselves. Not to mention how the story itself touches on disability, burnout, and finding humility in curiosity.
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Ladies of the Knight is a charming and enchanting debut that will have me thinking about this world and these characters for a long while to come. I can’t wait to see what this author-illustrator does next!
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*I received an eARC from Oni Press & NetGalley. All opinions are my own*
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Hisses & Kisses 🐍

Ladies of the Knight is a stunning piece of graphic novel about badass ladies both in the tournaments and in other professions.

I adored George for her bravery and determination. I loved the established background sapphic romance and I had the best time following the ancient rivalry between Serafina and Aethelberg.

If you are a graphic novel type of person, I beg you to pick this up.

So happy to have read this!!!

I'm a new reader of graphic novels and I consider myself lucky to have come across this book.

The story was funny, cute, and even romantic. I liked how a young squire's ambitions led her to work for Serefina, a mentor who is too focused on winning. It was interesting to read of changes and character developments that happened.

Each and every character of this story was so well-written and likeable. There weren't any suspenseful moments. Instead, the story went on a smooth manner depicting George and Serefina's relationship.

It was also a well represented LGBTQIA+ book. Like I have to stress the importance of how the author was able to depict the characters and their sexual orientation without it overpowering the story.

This was a fun entertaining read for me.

Urg, this was so refreshing to read. First of all, hurray for married lesbians! This is something I’m craving more and more as I go, there’s something about the quiet comfort of lesbians married, that is just really calling to me lately. In the same vein, I absolutely loved that this was a queernormative world; which means I didn’t have to worry about neither misogyny or queerphobia, and cerise on the cake, it was also a world free of racism. Seeing people of all genders, races, and sexuality just living their true selves, was something that warmed my heart. We need more stories like this, where the conflict doesn’t come from stupid real-world issues that only exist to make us small, but rather from who we are as people, the messiness inside.

Of course, the main attraction was that this was a book FULL of Lady’s Knight, I mean… what can I ask more than that. The moment I received the arc, I immediately went and read it, even though it’s only coming out in July! I can’t wait to buy the paperback for this. Everyone looked SO good, with the scars, and the outfits. You could see the author had a lot of fun designing all the characters.

This book mainly follow the underdog trope, but I really liked that it was mostly because our girl was really small (lol), and not because she was: a woman, from a poor background, etc. I loved seeing her find herself as we advance throughout the story, and as she does, she also helps the people around her into becoming better version of themselves too! She also definitely struck a cord with the horse girl of it all, young me would have been delighted.

In the end, I had a wonderful time, and I will miss my little precious found family dearly. This is definitely the type of story I see myself rediscovering over the years, and being as delighted as the first time again and again. Thank you for the great read, I had a lot of fun!

I love this graphic novel!
Knights are always an interesting topic, and this graphic does not disappoint.
Female knights who have serious rivalry, beautiful horses, and hilarious dialog.

OMG the COLORS and the art!!! I loved it. The story set during the time of knights and jousting was pretty great too.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this. The art style was lovely and made it so much fun to read from beginning to end. I especially loved seeing the character grow throughout the story. This is a nice, quick read that’s absolutely worth your time

First off, I love that there's an established sapphic relationship that's healthy! It feels so natural the way they may disagree with each other or call each other out, but it doesn't threaten the stability of their relationship. I really appreciate the setting of boundaries, that disapproval can be made known, and that forgiveness is open as long as the person who made the mistake is willing to genuinely reflect and change/make amends for the hurt they caused.

It's especially nice that the knight and her wife are older, with greying hair, wrinkles, and scars from a life of experiences. We don't get enough representation of leading women who aren't in their twenties or younger. Serafina is at the peak of her career as a knight, nearly undefeated and efficient. Her wife, Minerva, owns a successful business and is Serafina's boss/manager.

I really like the art style. It's simple in a way that matches the medieval setting. The colours are earthy and less saturated. Every page has thoughtfully chosen palettes that look cohesive and make the whole book a pleasure to look at. Each facial expression conveys exactly the emotion it should, even when the face is just two dots for eyes!

The story is lovely. There's character development that feels natural and challenges the characters in a way people can relate to in regular life. Each person has a different personality, and they interact differently with each other. Over the course of the story, a community develops around Georgiana because she's so warm and doesn't draw lines between who she should and shouldn't talk to. In turn, she's able to learn from everyone around her to improve her own skills. She's a perfect contrast to Serafina, who starts off hard and isolated because she's solely focused on winning.

At the end of the book, there's a set of bonus content pages that go into the creator's process and decisions. I usually just skim these, but here I actually really enjoyed learning about it.

Ladies of the Knight is a true delight. The artwork strikes the perfect balance between pops of colour and earthiness to match the tone of the story. The characters are distinct and diverse, and their development feels natural and authentic. This is one of the freshest, most endearing comics I've read in a long time!

Lovely, lovely, lovely is all I can say for Ladies of the Knight by Fiona Marchbank. This story was such a pleasure to read, both in the art style and the overall story I mean who doesn't like lady knights and cute horses? Did I mention the horses? I loved the personalities they had so so so much. I am so excited to share this in store when its officially published.

This was such a fun book. Serafina is a Knight who has not had a Squire for awhile because she, and her horse, can be a little hard on them. So, when Serafina's primary sponsor (and Wife) gets her a Squire named Georgina (aka George) a short red head who no one thinks can be a proper Squire, well, it's an interesting experience. But, as the Knight season goes on with the jousting and sword fights, melee, and other events go on the Knight and Squire might be starting to figure out that maybe the other makes them a better competitor (and person). This reminded me (the theme of mentorship) so much of older comics where there would be the Superhero like The Flash or Green Arrow or Aquaman and they'd have a comic book story with their sidekick where not only did the hero teach the sidekick something, but, the sidekick taught the hero something right back. I mean, in most other ways it was entirely different than those comics, it was diverse, starred women primarily, and I could tell all the characters apart while reading (there have on occasion been Batman comics where I couldn't tell the difference between the characters of Bruce, Dick, Tim, or Jason). This was such a fun, fun read.

This was a really charming graphic novel! Set in a world of female knights, the story follows a young girl named George who begins as a squire for the famous Serafina and who longs to become a knight. Serafina is prickly but soon warms to George, especially at the gentle encouragement of her wife, Minerva. This is a female/nonbinary and queer-normative work that features amazing costumes and clothing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to review!

LESBIANS

KNIGHTS

QUEER FRIENDSHIPS

DID WE MENTION THE LESBIANS AND THE KNIGHTS

This graphic novel is for ALL the girlies who loved reading Tamora Pierce and Arthurian legends growing up and always dreamed of having a book where the knights are more diverse than just men! The art is LOVELY, with excellent colour use throughout, and the themes are not too heavy, making for a character-driven and frolicking little read. Frankly one of the best books I've read all year!!

Can't wait for it to be in print so I can immediately buy my own copy!!!

George really wants to be a knight, and in order to become one she'll have to convince a knight to make her their squire. Serafina is a knight who doesn't want a squire, but that doesn't stop her wife from finding her one. And a fun story begins.

I loved this graphic novel. The art is beautiful, the characters are great, and I especially enjoyed the relationships between them all - they felt real. The pacing could be a little better, but I was having too good a time to care. The vibes are Nimona meets Song of the Lioness - and it is excellent. A great coming of age graphic novel featuring sapphic lady knights, a grumpy horse, an overenthusiastic squire, and the wife with enough common sense to keep them functioning.

Many thanks to Oni Press for letting me read this early via Netgalley! I had a great time :)

A very fun historical adventure about a teenage squire named George who longs to be a knight, and the fierce fighter Serafina she apprentices for — their personalities could not be more different, but they share a drive to win. George shares a lot of enthusiasm and sparkle (and red hair) with Anne of Green Gables, and she brings her lively spirit to Serafina's life that was getting a bit stale after winning so many jousting matches. She needs a great deal of training to win, and fights hard to learn to be a knight. The illustrations are bright and full of life, with the rich outfits and scenery particularly standing out.. Serafina and her wife have a winning and supportive partnership, and flashbacks show their growing affection for one another when they were both young and starting out as knights and merchants. George has a start of a friendship and maybe something more with a competing squire, which challenges Serafina to rethink a long-term rivalry. An excellent graphic novel that will appeal to fantasy readers and those who loved A Knight's Tale.

Delightful! I really enjoyed all of the characters in this story; they all had great designs and interesting personalities! It reminded me a lot of Nimona.

I took my time with "Ladies of the Knight" because of how excited I was for it. It was fun, it was cute, and let me just say, I want to be as determined as George. Each character was lovable, and it was nice to dive into their back stories without taking away from the current plot. The art was also so whimsical and I adored the changes in wardrobe through the graphic novel.

Black Cat × Golden Retriever

this is not a love story though!This Graphic Novel is about Lady Serafina, an introvert, grumpy Knight, whose goal is to defeat her rival Lady Aethelburg. Serafina's Wife has other plans: she recruits a new Squire for her: Quirly, eager George who strains Lady Serafina's every nerve... Their relationship is super cute! The Drawing style is colorful & whimsical, and with a lot of details. Really enjoyed this!