The Prince and the Dressmaker
By Jen Wang
First Second Books
ISBN: 978- 1626723634
Age Range: 14-18
288 Pages
When Frances, one of the many seamstresses at a Paris dress shop is given a last-minute assignment to make a dress for a young woman who wants nothing at all to do with the upcoming royal ball, she heeds the young woman’s advice: “You know what, just make it ghastly,” the young woman tells Frances, “Make me look like the devil’s wench.” The result is something that would not be out of place at a VMA red carpet event or music video, causing a scandal, leaving Frances unemployed. Luckily for her, it catches the eye of Prince Sebastian, who engages Frances as his personal dressmaker.
In this fairytale-like graphic novel, Prince Sebastian needs a dressmaker to satisfy his secret desire to wear dresses – not just at home, but out on the town. Frances quickly becomes his confidant as Sebastian hits the streets of Paris as the mysterious Lady Crystallia, wearing Frances’ creative, fantastical, trendsetting designs. When everything comes to a head, it still ends on a surprisingly happy note.
What I love most about the book is that Sebastian never says anything either way regarding how he perceives his gender identity. It can best be summed up by Frances: “this is the way he is” and that’s that. Ultimately, his gender identity doesn’t matter, so much as his dress-wearing is considered abnormal behavior, and what he truly needs acceptance for.
This is the perfect read for lovers of fairytales, or readers who have ever felt like an outsider for what they love.
Deanna Schiffman 