Obviously this is going to be a divisive book, given its depiction of a gender fluid character. I liked that Wang doesn't define Sebastian, dismissed the binary in favor of the character as a person. A person who can wear dresses and wigs but occasionally be comfortable in trousers and suits. This is more than gender identity, though. It's a discussion of class systems, self worth, the fashion industry, and societal norms. It was fascinating to watch those varying issues intertwine. I'd have liked more on the relationship between the dressmaker, Sebastian, and the store owner as well as the dressmaker's internal conflict. Still, a lovely story beautifully presented.

This was a gorgeous book! I loved the story and the amazing illustrations by Jen Wang.

A charming, easy read that will keep you warm on a cold wintery evening.

This book was SO delightful and I cannot wait to get this into the hands of patrons at work.

The Prince and the Dressmaker is the fairytale I never knew I was waiting for! Perfection on each page.

My, what a cute story! I’ve heard great things and the rave reviews didn’t disappoint my excitement! I was so enveloped in this story, the graphics, everything!

This book was charmingly drawn and had a very true to life, well explored by the author. Intrinsic and performative gender are both demonstrated in a sweet teen love story of self exploration.

This was positively wonderful! A gorgeous and heartwarming tale that flipped gender norms in a most delightfully fashionable way. On a side note about a side plot, I appreciated that this broke away from the stereotype that if a male or female dresses in the clothes of what is considered for another gender, then that automatically means they are attracted to their own gender. Refreshing! Also, after reading this, and "In Real Life" by Cory Doctorow, I have officially become a super fan of Jen Wang. This book is gorgeous, it made me feel warm and fuzzy, and I will most definitely read it a thousand more times. Bravo!

THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER by Jen Wang is out TODAY and I couldn't be more excited! I read a really early copy last year and interviewed the author/illustrator back in September during Magic, Myth, & Mischief because I couldn't contain my excitement.

How can you be yourself in a world where expectations rest squarely on your shoulders? When you're Prince of the Realm, you don't get to live your own life. You must think about your kingdom and what they need as well as yourself. But tampering the magic that makes you you is also destructive. Prince Sebastian knows he'll be mocked and ridiculed if he gives in to his love of dresses and the way he feels himself in them, but he isn't daring enough to go out in public until he finds the answer to his conundrum in a talented dressmaker named Frances. Together, they take the kingdom by storm and create a new fashion icon, but they're in hiding and secrets always have a way of bubbling over...

The graphic novel has the feel of a fairy tale while being its own original story. It's about a prince who loves to wear dresses, even though he has to do secretly, and the dressmaker who keeps his secret. The two become fast friends, and the story has so many awesome feels, and I JUST CAN'T. Plus, spoilers!!!

It's actually really hard to talk about this one, especially since some of the bits that resonate most come at the end, but this is such a moving story.

I just re-read THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER this week and it still gave me as many feels this time around. I know this is a a short, not super-informative review, but again, THE SPOILERS!!! I highly recommend going into this one blind; you'll fall in love with the characters and be rooting for them to embrace their dreams and somehow make it work!

Posted to Goodreads: This was a wonderfully well done graphic novel about friendship and family that features a fully developed gender fluid character. The story is well told and the illustrations are beautiful. It is definitely a must read.

I received an eARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Prince and the Dressmaker is the story of a prince who is fascinated by fashion and women's clothes and the seamstress with dreams of designing clothes according to her own ideas and not others'. This book gives both of them room to grow, develop alternate identities, and eventually decide what's right for them. I'm not sure I completely bought the ending. but overall I found the story uplifting and true to the characters and world it's created. And, of course, the art and costume design is absolutely stunning.

The Prince and the Dressmaker is a charming graphic novel that focuses on self acceptance, identity, and fashion set in Paris, France. The story revolves around a lowly dressmaker named Frances who has a unique vision of fashion. After creating a scandalous dress as the devil's wench for a much delighted rebellious teenager, she catches the eye of a mysterious wealthy benefactor, for whom she is hired to work exclusively. Frances is stunned to find that her patron is the Prince Sebastian, who is secretly loves to wear gowns and crossdress at night. Frances encourages Sebastian to be himself, and together the two create Lady Crystallia, the most fabulous fashion icon Paris has ever seen.
Both Frances and Sebastian struggle to understand themselves and to embrace their identities. There's a hint of romance between Frances and Sebastian, but the emphasis is on their friendship. Unfortunately the book doesn't explore Sebastian's sexual or gender identity, which I had hoped but it does focus on the message of self-acceptance. The full-color artwork is gorgeous, featuring a variety of over-the-top dresses that highlight fashion trends and France's incredible creations. Though the ending is too romantic and idealized, it will warm reader's hearts. I look forward to reading more by Jen Wang.

The Prince and the Dressmaker is about a friendship built on compassion that turns into so much more. Frances is a dressmaker known for her unusual designs. Sebastian, a prince in town to find his future queen, only has eyes for Frances's unique creations. Sebastian commissions Frances to make dresses in secret for him to wear out on the town. Frances instantly accepts Sebastian for who he is and the two form a dynamic team. Sebastian flaunts Frances's beautiful creations all around the town while the two fear he may be discovered.

This is a story about acceptance and love. It's about seeing someone for who they really are. The characters learn and grow. They help each other and provide a safe space for each other. Jen Wang's beautiful artwork completely transports the reader to another time. The dresses are beautiful, the colors are perfect, and the expressions of Frances and Sebastian's face perfectly illuminate the fear, elation, and companionship they experience. Readers looking for stories of acceptance, breaking gender norms, and friendship without boundaries will love this graphic novel.

This is a great graphic novel and I would recommend it to people who liked Nimona by Noelle Stevenson or those who enjoyed Lumberjanes

Absolutely beautiful. I cried a few times during the course of reading this - Jen Wang creates characters that you care about and feel with. And the art was gorgeous! The dresses... oh the dresses! Every one was absolutely beautiful and fantastic to witness. And the character development over the course of the book is so fantastic - seeing the moments where they struggle with their feelings and thoughts, and then seeing their choices and how those are acted out - everything just came together so wonderfully. The Queer aspects to this book had me feeling everything so acutely, and really related to my own experience at times. I read a NetGalley copy of this book, but I think I would love to read a physical copy.

Highly recommend!

Jen Wang's graphic novel is absolutely adorable, wonderful, and KIND. I will be hand-selling this like mad once it's at the library.

This book was so utterly cute and pure perfection!

I adored the realationship dynamics of this book the most. Frances and Sebastian are of course our main stars and they were fabulous! Frances never questioned or judged Sebastian for how he lived and felt and it was so kind and refreshing!

Sebastian's relationship with his parents - while at times comical - was the main point of stress for Sebastian. He believed he could never tell them the truth and was resigned to never telling them. A life in hiding is not a life at all young prince.

Poor Frances however struggled as she was kept a secret from the world since her work for the prince could never be associated with her work with Lady Crystallia aka Sebastian.

This book was refreshing, inspired, compassionate, and adorable. I can't wait to see more books about characters like Sebastian in the future.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley. Thank you very much!

Ohhh, I really, really love this book. When beginning seamstress Frances makes a daring dress for a customer, Prince Sebastian promptly hires her to design for him -- both as Prince Sebastian and as his alter-ego, Lady Crystallia. What follows is an adorable love story with so much hope and acceptance and courage that it made me smile all day.

First of all, Frances and Sebastian are both such wonderful protagonists! I loved Frances’ quiet determination, and Sebastian is a darling dork. I liked how they were mutually supportive, with Sebastian encouraging Frances’ dreams and Frances always reminding Sebastian of his best self. I also love how Frances is clearly entranced by both Prince Sebastian and Lady Crystallia, blushing and staring at Sebastian in both guises. The secondary characters were fantastic, too, from the gutsy Lady Sophia to Sebastian’s loving, if confused, parents.

And the illustrations! Characters leap off the page, from the smirks of customers to Sebastian’s nervousness and Frances’ gorgeous dresses. The colors are bright and exuberant in happy scenes. But the pictures don’t shy away from the story’s sadder moments. I think I physically flinched whenever Sebastian’s eyes went hollow. I spent the story biting my lip over Frances’ tired eyes, empathizing entirely with the prince’s fears over being his true self, and rejoicing every time he swept onto the stage. Without any spoilers, I spent a solid portion of this book chanting, “No, no, no,” and the last pages choking back happy tears.

I’ve never seen a love story like this: a kid-friendly graphic novel that shows a prince in dresses, calls him perfect, and lets him fall in love. Both Frances and Sebastian are tempted to compromise who they are, and both of them have to summon the courage to be their true selves. This book is a lovely, charming dose of goodness, and I’m so glad I got to read it.

The graphic novel about a prince that hires a dressmaker to make him dresses to wear is SO DAMN CUTE. It was so uplifting and positive and really cute.

The Prince and the Dressmaker is bright and wonderful. It's a story about dreams and dresses and secrets, of courage and fear. Of finding the strength to be yourself out in public when you're afraid that the world won't accept the real you.

Frances is a dressmaker. She's incredibly talented and incredibly underappreciated, working in the back of a dressmaker's shop with so many other seamstresses. She dreams of being a well-known and wanted designing, of her designs being worn by so many at so many different events. When given the chance, Frances designs something bold and unexpected, drawing the interest of a rather secretive client. Sebastian is a prince who's happy enough being a prince. Except for the times when he hides himself away, more comfortable in an elegant ballgown than his princely uniform. Finding Frances, seeing her designs, gives him the chance to finally go out looking how he wants to in a dress. He's the happiest he's been in some time, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Frances is happy being his secret dressmaker. She wants to be known for her work, wants acknowledgement, and Sebastian's secrets keep her hidden away. And so they come to a crossroads.

I love Jen Wang's artwork, the style and shape of the characters and the lavish designs of all the dresses. The soft, curious, determined face of Francis paired with Sebastian's bright smile. And that big triangle of a nose that he has. The slim lines of Sebastian in contrast with the large barrel chest of his father's. The classic European architecture and clothing styles, the ballgowns with full skirts and bare necks and collarbones. The uniforms and the carriages, the buildings and the bathing costumes. All of it is just gorgeous. It all works so well with the story of Frances and Sebastian.

I love what this story is, what it's trying to show in the story of Sebastian and Frances. Here we have a young man who's looking for a way to fulfill his parents' dreams while hiding that sometimes he likes wearing dresses and a young woman who's looking to live her dream of being a famous designer and dressmaker instead of being forced into the backroom to slave away on something that someone else will get credit for. A young man who wants to hide and a young woman who wants to be seen. I love how this story says that there is no shame in being who you are at the very core of your soul, no shame in wearing what you want to wear or being who you want to be. That the world can be that kind and accepting, that it can value your decisions. That there is nothing wrong with a teenage boy who wants to wear dresses. This is a wondrously kind and gorgeous book that tells closeted or secreted away teens that they are not alone, than they can smash their way through outdated gender norms in order to finally be themselves and that there will be people ready and willing to support them and love them. A must-read for those looking for kind, honest stories about real people, for those who've always looked for a story about a prince and the dresses he wears.