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A review by lubleu
The Court Charade by Flore Vesco
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
The best protagonists are the ones that feel that they fit perfectly into the story. There isn't a world morphing to incorporate them, and events are happening to the other characters as well as them, giving a fuller plot with higher stakes. Thus, Serine.
She is a spritely young woman, much to her mother's chagrin, who only has plans for her daughter's betrothal for the betterment of the family. Serine adores her younger brothers but has her own plans for her life; she will become one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting. Everyone either doubts her or is irritated by her, but Serine has a knack for getting into places and trouble.
Put simply, this is a thoroughly fun story. There are great moments of wit and silliness balanced alongside true dangers and harsh realities. The book plays with the graphic format, including full page spreads and varying panel layouts that keep each page interesting.
For the most part, the art style is nice; it conveys the story well and is consistent with the character details so they are easily recognisable, even after major changes. Periodically, the style lacks finer detail, which for the most part doesn't impact the narrative, but occasionally it would have benefitted to see more of, or a clearer view, of a character's expression.
She is a spritely young woman, much to her mother's chagrin, who only has plans for her daughter's betrothal for the betterment of the family. Serine adores her younger brothers but has her own plans for her life; she will become one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting. Everyone either doubts her or is irritated by her, but Serine has a knack for getting into places and trouble.
Put simply, this is a thoroughly fun story. There are great moments of wit and silliness balanced alongside true dangers and harsh realities. The book plays with the graphic format, including full page spreads and varying panel layouts that keep each page interesting.
For the most part, the art style is nice; it conveys the story well and is consistent with the character details so they are easily recognisable, even after major changes. Periodically, the style lacks finer detail, which for the most part doesn't impact the narrative, but occasionally it would have benefitted to see more of, or a clearer view, of a character's expression.