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Princess Princess Ever After | May 24, 2017

by Katie O'Neill (Oni Press, September 2016)

Given the turbulent times we live in, I can’t fault those who look for art and entertainment that gives them a break from our “BREAKING NEWS” hellscape. I am a news junkie, admittedly, but recently, I’ve been in the mood for something sweet. Last weekend, I read Princess Princess Ever After and I’m still feeling the sugar rush. 

This book collects Katie O’Neill’s popular webcomic series of the same name into one slim, but satisfying volume. Princess Princess Ever After follows Sadie and Amira as they traverse across the kingdom to defeat an evil sorceress. In many ways, it’s your classic “opposites attract” story with a queer POV. Sadie is adorable but prone to emotional outbursts (I love her big Miyazaki tears!). Amira is tough and rocks s a very Revolutionary Girl Utena-esque outfit, complete with some to-die-for epaulettes.

The book blends fantasy and adventure with a narrative about the girls’ personal struggles with appearance, parental expectations, etc in a balanced, sensitive way. It targets younger readers, but should charm older ones as well. I really appreciate seeing queer romance in fairytales, a genre so hetero-centric, it implies queerness cannot be innocent or romantic or “age-appropriate.” Yet, Princess Princess is all of these things — these girls find their much-needed “happily ever after” within each other.

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