Customer Reviews

The Courageous Princess

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This wonderful graphic novel was written AND illustrated by that excellent Philippine manga artist, Rod Espinosa. This is the story of Princess Mabelrose, an intelligent, though not ravishingly beautiful, princess. Captured by an evil dragon, Mabelrose realizes that there are no handsome princesses coming to her rescue, and as such she must rescue herself! Using her brains, courage and love, Mabelrose must evade the evil dragon and rescue the king of an anifolk (humanoid animals) kingdom from his scheming brother.

This if one of the best graphic novels that I have read in a long time, perhaps ever! The author does an excellent job of portraying a Western-style story (knights, Western dragons, magic, etc.) in a manga style that does credit to both! A clean and uplifting story, I had no compunction about turning the book over to my daughter - who also loved it.

So, if you want a fairy tale that includes the old standbys of knights, dragons and magic, and yet puts everything into a modern package, then this book is for you. Also, if you are just plain a fan of manga, then this book is also for you. My daughter and I both highly recommend this book to you!

The Courageous Princess is a compilation of three books which chronicles the adventures of Princess Mabelrose, a princess in a fairy tale setting who's experienced something near-realistic, which actually defines the uniqueness and the turning point at which this main character started to define her identity and even maturity for her age which was about very early teens. Imagine being abducted by a Dragon and waiting for a prince to save her (a very classic and predictable scenario) only to find that the knight in shining armor is not coming (at least not soon enough). So with wit and courage, Princess Mabelrose stepped up and did the saving herself! (a twist that is definitely not predictable).

The Courageous Princess has earned the creator/artist Rod Espinosa great reviews from readers and fans and a nomination to the prestigious Will Eisner Awards for the graphic arts.

It is good that it was presented in the illustrated form of a graphic novel in that it can connect to the readers on a graphical level. And Mr. Espinosa's penchant for fusing western flair with anime has made this work an absolute favorite.

Now released in colored form, The Courageous Princess is an endearing story for kids and even to the mainstream market (mid-teens and comic book afficionados).

To those who are parents, I highly recommend this book for your kids. To Rod Espinosa artwork fans, this is a definite must for collection. And to everyone, try this out. You won't be disappointed...

This book is enchanting. My children loved it. The princess is adorable and the story keeps the kids entertained. This is a must read! Something your children and you can enjoy reading together!

My eight-year-old daughter is crazy about this book, and rightly so. It's a princess story... an unlikely hero story... but it's so original, the voice and illustrations so unique that it's completely unexpected and marvelous.
The problem with this book? The paperback version printed by Dark Horse has a ridiculously bad binding. I ordered my daughter a new copy and it fell apart (as in the first 20 pages dropped out) the first day she had it. Lame!

The story is wonderful, but the binding falls apart. I purchased the book and read it and it fell apart. I replaced it, gave the new one to a friend and it fell apart on her too.

My little girl comes crashing around the corner, saying "save me momy there's a dragon!" I gave her a stick and said, fight the dragon yourself! If this is the kind of mom you are, than this is the comic for you. Mabelrose is not the prettiest in the land, so when she is taken for ransom by a fearsom dragon, she knows there will be no prince to save her. She sets out to save herself. This story is full of charm and wit. I love it! Waiting and wishing for a sequel... hint hint Rod Esponosa!

My boys, ages 8 and 10, love this graphic novel, as do I. Great story that appeals to all. I highly recommend it!

Although I haven't been much drawn to manga, I discovered this book in a local library's display of manga-related books. Once I took a peek, I had to read it! I couldn't put it down. And after I read it, I retraced the journey, savoring the details and nuances. The basic stereotype-busting story focuses on the life and adventures of Princess Mabelrose of the tiny kingdom of New Tinsley. After she is abducted by a greedy, power-hungry dragon, she comes to realize that no prince is going to rescue her, so she contrives to escape and make her way back to New Tinsley on her own. (Unbeknownst to her, her father, King Jeryk, is on his way to find her.) Along the way, while dodging the vengeful dragon and his minions, she makes friends and performs deeds of valor and kindness, even liberating a kingdom from the thrall of a tyrant-usurper.

The resourceful Mabelrose is shown as a virtuous, royal, but unspoiled character--there's a funny escapade involving her first ball, with a frog that creates mayhem among the haughty participants, and a hilarious bit surrounding the Boar's request that she favor him with a kiss. She believes that he's going to turn into a handsome prince, and is disappointed and embarrassed when the Boar obdurately remains a boar, and gives her the real reason for his request: "I just wanted to know how it feels to be kissed by a princess."

Rod Espinosa has fun with the traditional fairy-tale themes and figures--princesses, princes, knights, castles, dragons, talking animals, and magical objects. King Jeryk is a descendant of Aladdin (whom the slimy Baron Mavonlecent describes as a "lamp-rubbing thief"). Queen Helena, whose parents are the personable rulers of the kingdom of Charming, is evidently a descendant of Snow White. After the evil dragon abducts Mabelrose, Jeryk journeys to consult the Seer, whose wife appears to be none other than Rapunzel. Mabelrose's sojourn in the dragon's castle echoes "Beauty and the Beast," except that there is nothing lovable about the dragon. There's also a direct reference to the Lion of Oz.

One important theme is greed--greed for power and gold. Is it any coincidence that the two most evil characters--the dragon Shalathrumnostrium (Mabelrose's captor) and the tiger-man Irgerat, the cruel tyrant of Leptia, are both ravenously greedy, collecting and stockpiling gold? Mabelrose's attitude towards riches are that they're useful, but not all that important. She uses a large ruby to jam the trap open when freeing the Boar.

Other themes are friendship and loyalty. Mabelrose's relationship with Spiky the porcupine is occasionally prickly but rewarding. The bonds of love and kindness between Mabelrose, her parents, and the animals and people she meets, whom she aids and who aid her, are touchingly portrayed. Hospitality and gratitude abound, with kindness the link between the animal and human worlds. There's a spiritual dimension, too: Mabelrose prays for "strength and courage," and for her beloved parents, and dreams of being reunited with them. Evil is vanquished and kindness rewarded . . . but the story is incomplete.

As another reviewer has pointed out, when Mabelrose escapes the dragon's castle, she wisely takes the most valuable items from his hoard. In addition to some gold coins, the camouflage cloak, and the boots that magically erase her footprints, she takes a powerful ring (although she's unsure of what it can do), a boundless shoulder bag that can hold a roomful of items while remaining flat and light, and the most delightful enchanted rope one could ever meet! The rope, like Spiky, saves Mabelrose's life several times over, even if she does have difficulty believing that it's alive, as Spiky insists it is. Friends are beyond price.

The colorful artwork is lovely, with its darks, lights, indication of action, time lapses, and atmosphere. One doesn't have to be a young 'un to appreciate the story, either; it can be enjoyed by adults. I liked the emphasis on diversity, the multi-racial, multi-ethnic depictions, the message (also conveyed by Trina Schart Hyman, of blessed memory) that the world of fairy tales can and should be populated by people of all colors.

I thoroughly enjoyed this journey, and want to add this book to my collection of favorites. Can hardly wait for the sequel!

MY DAUGHTER READ IT AT THE LIBRARY AND SHE HAD TO OWN IT. IT NEVER GETS OLD. SHE LOVES IT.

All little girls love princess stories, but this is an anti-stereotypical princess story. This princess is not the most beautiful and she doesn't wait around to be rescued. This is is a story that actually highlights the values you want your daughter to embrace. We have given this as a gift several times and EVERY girl we've given it to has LOVED it.