Agatha is a smart, bookish young woman who helps her family make ends meet by being a tutor. She dreams of going off to school, but her family doesn't have the means to send her. When Agatha runs into a mysterious woman who offers her assistance, Agatha becomes entangled in a magical world beyond her understanding. Who is the mysterious woman, and what is the price for her help?

I loved everything about this story. The characters were magnetic and complex, the fairy tale and coming of age aspects twined together, and the art was gorgeous. I can't wait to read it again and to share it with other people.

This is another one of those books that I read at just the right time. (I’m not sure there could be a bad time to read a book by Ethan Aldridge, honestly.)

It’s been a hard week, so when I started this book, the first thing I appreciated was the soothing color palette. It’s got greens and yellows in softer tones. The woods have deep shadows, which makes them feel old and untouched, just like I’d imagine woods hiding magical creatures at the edge of a small town would be.

I loved Agatha’s character from the first page. She’s smart. Kind. Frustrated by the way her life has boxed her in, but still good to the people around her as much as she can be.

Heather, the girl who comes to stay with the family Agatha works for, also won me over. She constantly quotes authors and is pretty unapologetically nerdy, which is fabulous.

The Lady who makes a bargain with Agatha is also a fascinating character. I love the way her appearance changes depending on what’s happening and how Agatha reacts to her in certain scenes.

There were a couple of places where a chapter or scene ending felt a little abrupt, leaving me wanting a few more panels to really finish the scene. However, I’m now wondering if that was done on purpose to add to the eerie, slightly off-balance feeling the author created in those moments. Either way, it ultimately worked well.

Readers who’ve experienced Aldridge’s work before won’t need me to tell them this one is worth reading. It’s got the same powerful fantasy artwork and immersive storytelling that his fans have come to expect from his books.

Perfect for readers who enjoyed the soft illustration and magical realism of Manu by Kelly Fernandez and the gentle romance of the Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz, but are looking for a story that is a bit darker and more dangerous.

The Pale Queen allows the fairy tale rule "be careful what you wish for" to play out in the life choices of Agatha, a young woman who feels trapped in a rural farming community. While the characters are intriguing, some readers will wonder why Agatha (the local) doesn't know the folklore of her own community and what has happened in the past to explain Agatha's reactions to the other young people in the village. That said, the story moves quickly and the budding relationship between Agatha and Heather is the perfect foil for the way Agatha's relationship with the Lady of the Hills unfolds. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

*Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books for letting me read an ARC of this book through NetGalley!*

The Pale Queen
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.28/10 overall

Characters - 6
I enjoyed following Agatha's story and her character development, but since the story was so short we didn't get to see much growth in the other characters.

Atmosphere - 7
I really liked how the colors meshed with the different settings in the book. The scenes depicting the surroundings were especially beautiful and really helped to enhance my understanding of the town, woods, the manor, and Agatha's house.

Writing - 6
The writing was fine but nothing amazingly special. It didn't necessarily stand out to me, but it fit the time period/setting and nothing felt out of place or odd, so take that as you will. 🤷‍♂️

Plot - 7
The plot was interesting enough. I enjoyed the portrayal of the Pale Queen's magic the most; it felt unique and gave the most insight into how the world of this book works.

Intrigue - 6
I was mildly intrigued throughout the whole book. It was easy to root for Agatha and to want to see how she grew as a person during the course of the story, but I can't say the stakes felt entirely explained, which lead me to be less invested.

Logic - 6
This book had a fair amount of logic. However, I did start to wonder how there was so little talk in the town about the Pale Queen. You'd think with so many of the pinecone homes scattered around more people would've interacted with her.

Enjoyment - 6
I enjoyed some aspects of this book. I think the Pale Queen's character was really interesting and realistic villain reveal. The "oh, this isn't what you wanted? Too bad, it's what you asked for" idea built up in a way that showed how evil the Pale Queen was, while also delving into the quandaries of "Am I actually a bad person after all?" in Agatha's character.

The Pale Queen is a graphic novel with themes of dreams, obstacles, courage, and hope (which is a highlight for me). It also weaves an exciting fantasy storyline, where the boundaries between good and evil are explored. I like the storyline. There is an element of romance (girl-girl) but is kept very light. When romance is in middle grade I do feel that it is better to be kept as a subtheme and not delve too deeply into it. The romance comes later but has just as much of a climax and resolution as that of the primary storyline at the end of the book. Overall, I enjoyed the story, especially the supporting character, Hyacinth.

The provincial cautionary tale is in expert hands with Aldridge. With his iconic watercolor dominion and classic affect of storytelling, Aldridge breaths fresh air onto the worn down cobblestone roads of familiar fairy tales in this captivating tale about going for what we want.

This is not my first time reading Aldridge's works and I am sure it will not be the last. His beautiful art style lends itself so well to stories with an otherworldly bent. I love how he brings his characters and settings to life-I would be perfectly happy just flipping through a book of his art without story or words. Luckily enough, he is a wonderful storyteller as well. This story is heavily reminiscent of the old tales of fae, but with a twist I appreciate. The character is not, ultimately, punished for dreaming of something beyond what they are told they should accept. Often it seems that the best possible ending in such tales is for the character's return to a status quo of some sort, to go back home, or maybe net oneself a wealthy spouse, trading a smaller cage for a bigger one. I appreciate that is not what happens here. I am definitely planning on adding this to my library's collection when it comes out!

Thank you NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the advance copy of “The Pale Queen” by Ethan M. Aldridge! This graphic novel is enchanting, another great queer dark fantasy story for young readers from Aldridge! If you were a sapphic little girl who loved the movie “Labyrinth” growing up like I did, you will enjoy the mysterious Lady of the Hills and her companions. You will also recognize a similar climactic scene near the end of the story, I was totally in a tizzy over it. Haha. The illustrations were beautiful, I love the watercolor look and character designs. The side characters were enjoyable, and the main character Agatha is a relatable heroine. I would have liked to have had a little more development for the growing friendship between Agatha and the girl Heather, but it was still a sweet romance. The story concludes well but I would love to see a sequel book to “The Pale Queen”, like author’s other book “Estranged”. I would recommend this book to juvenile and young adult readers that enjoy dark fantasy and folklore.