Not sure about the target-audience for this. The story is engaging, its tone sounds MG, but grown-ups may understand the social and political aspects better. There's some nudity that seems unnecessary and inappropriate for younger audiences.
It was still the best graphic novel I read in 2023.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Gorgeously illustrated graphic novel, I really enjoyed it!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

"The Court Charade" by Script by Kerascoët & Flore Vesco, art by Kerascoët, is a visual and narrative masterpiece that enchants readers from beginning to end. The collaboration between Kerascoët and Vesco is evident in every panel, creating a seamless blend of story and art. The book's intricate illustrations and captivating storyline transport readers to a world of enchantment and intrigue. The clever twists and turns in the plot, coupled with the expressive artwork, make this graphic novel a must-read for those seeking an immersive and delightful experience. "The Court Charade" is a mesmerizing journey that showcases the power of storytelling through both words and visuals.

This is a delightful comic with charming characters, historical setting and an engaging plot. The art in this little book is magnificent. Kerascoet's art is beautiful and I have become a huge fan. This is a light and funny comic with comical wordplay and adoring art. The characters are interesting especially the brave heroine who overcomes many challenges thrown at her. It was fun to read this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Most parts were hilarious but also thought provoking. I would recommend this one to everyone, not just comic lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for the ebook!!

This was such a fun, quick read! I always love standalone comics to read in between longer novels, and this fits that role perfectly. It was also surprisingly witty, and I really loved some of the wordplay and banter.

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for the ebook!!

I loved the art in tihs! The sotry definitely kept me invested, and Serine was the main reason for that. She was smart and found ways to get servants to help her that kept me reading. As I mentioned at the start, the art was really good aswell, I loved it, and it really fit the story and the time and location the story is set in.

The only thing I liked less is the ending, it was very abrupt and I hoped to see more of the reveal take place. The different twists in the story alomst made up for it though :)

THE COURT CHARADE is a fast-paced, romping read about a girl's time in the palace, the people she meets and how she winds up changing things through her witty, determined, go-getter attitude.

I don't care much for the story or the characters especially as the latter can be one-dimensional, but overall the book still manages to keep me invested because of Serine's hijinks and shenanigans. I do like how the palace staff got Serine's back though, which illustrates the value of kindness and its returns. The story ties up nicely in the end as well, all the hints and plot threads finally coming together to shed light on the big reveal, though I wish the ending was longer and wasn't so abrupt.

The art is very expressive and effective, with the characters, their physical dynamics, the settings and scenes illustrated nicely and very fittingly for the story. My one complaint about the art, however, is how the pages are often so crammed that it's difficult to discern either the text or the art in more detail; the comic would've benefited more from being longer so each page has more room to breathe and space to be utilized with more techniques, as the artist has illustrated they're capable of.

This is a good read for anyone looking for something lighthearted, quick, and not too hung up on story technicalities and plot plausibility.

Thanks to NetGalley and its writer for providing me with an advanced copy of this book--

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someone from the main court in Europe is to claim her crown but someone oppose her to be the next queen, thus she suffered by lot of hard situations which it contains much spoilers i do not want to specify.

i really enjoy reading the book my favorite part was when she got to abandon the castle because they thought she had killed the king.

4.5

This was a very fun, cute, and quirky read. The art style matches the story very well. I always enjoy reading a story with a strong female lead breaking stereotypes.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Europe Comics, for this wonderful ebook.

The Court Charade by French author Flore Vesco, is a quirky graphic novel illustrated by Kerascoët. Serine, a poor but happy young woman, becomes a lady-in-waiting for the Queen. Serine stumbles across a conspiracy in the French court and with the help of a few kind servants and a clever disguise Serine hopes to reveal the mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy of this book.

"The Court Charade" is a charming and delightful graphic novel that transports readers to a whimsical world of court intrigue and royal deception. Written by Kerascoët & Flore Vesco, with art by Kerascoët, the book follows the adventures of Isabelle, a young girl who masquerades as a boy in order to join the royal court and solve a mystery that threatens the kingdom.

One of the strengths of the book is its vibrant and enchanting illustrations. Kerascoët's art is richly detailed and wonderfully expressive, bringing to life the various characters and settings with an imaginative and playful flair. The colors are bold and bright, and the use of shading and texture adds depth and nuance to the artwork.

The story itself is also engaging and well-paced, with a satisfying blend of humor, suspense, and romance. Isabelle is a likable and resourceful protagonist, and the supporting characters are equally well-drawn and memorable. The mystery at the heart of the plot is intriguing, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end.

Overall, "The Court Charade" is a joyous and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of all ages. Kerascoët & Flore Vesco have crafted a delightful world full of intrigue, humor, and heart, and the art is simply breathtaking. Highly recommended.

This was such an easy read. I ended up really enjoying it, but I didn't have any strong feelings toward the story or the characters. I wasn't super invested, but I still enjoyed the story 😅 The plot was interesting, and I thought the art was really pretty. The font was easy to read on my kobo as well which was nice. I'd recommend this story for a light, quick read.

I found myself drifting from this book a lot. I felt there was too much going on at the same time. The graphics were good, but there was so much on one page that sometimes it was hard to figure out where was where.

Comic graphic novel about a girl who flukes her way into becoming one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting, thus introducing the glampersand (and some heinous Spoonerism) into court. A book about a girl who ignores all semblances of decorum, and shows up the falsity of big-wigs (and not just by inventing the 'glampersand') might not seem an essential purchase, but this was an entertaining read, and the way the story progresses with added jeopardy and plots of murder no less is yet more reason to appreciate these pages. Seemingly adapted from a kids' book of a few years back, this is a rum affair with its old-fashioned style and yet modern, girls-can-do-anything exuberance, but remains a sturdy bit of jollity. It's certainly the one fictional narrative I had the least expectations of reading for some good months – very few are the books taking this setting and approach.

This was a fun book. I am always thrilled to stumble upon a random interesting graphic novel like this one. The art suited the style of narration and the characters.
This is a fictional situation in a French court. We have a girl who is unhappy at home and forced to seek employment as a lady-in-waiting for the queen. She is not a typical female of her time, and this sets her apart in both the good ways and the bad. Serine is outrageous almost always. She makes enemies extremely easily but manages to survive with her life intact. She finds out that there might be a larger conspiracy afoot in the palace and is determined to be on the right side.
At her core, our leading lady has a good heart, and this leads her to take more risks than advisable. She also is proud of her wit and mind and therefore takes every affront as a challenge. Parts of the ending seemed obvious, but the art and the adventures that Serine endures make for a very satisfying ending and an entertaining read.
I would highly recommend this to people who enjoy or want to try a graphic novel.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and Europe Comics for advanced copy
This was a fun read with a great protagonist. I liked the illustration style
Although it was a bit difficult to read due to the size of the font but overall it was a good read.

The story and art were equally charming and complemented each other well! The main character, Serine, reminded me a bit of Amelia Bedelia in the ways that her quirky mannerisms and character traits worked out in her favor a surprisingly large amount of the time. It was also fun to read a book that was clearly targeted at a more mature/older audience but still maintained a level of fun and whimsy. I think a lot of avid readers and lovers of graphic novels will enjoy this book, and I hope to see more from this artist/author in the future!

Quality Rating: Three Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Two Stars

This is a fun little story of a very determined young woman getting into all sorts of trouble at French court. I found the plot slightly hard to keep up with as it went in a lot of different directions quite quickly, and the tone was slightly jumbled (not super sure who this is aimed at as it feels quite child-friendly and then the nudity is not so much). Feels like a book I would find in my gran’s house and read in a corner if I had nothing better to do and promptly forget it existed apart from a few peculiar images that would stick in my head forever.

"The Court Charade" is a historical fiction graphic novel set in France and follows our main character Serine as she goes from Lady-in-waiting to the Queen to court jester. This graphic novel had more twist and turns in it than I was ever expecting and it was surprisingly raunchy in some parts! Which was honestly so refreshing. The graphic novel is quirky and doesn't take itself seriously at all and I loved that about this book. I had fun reading this and I loved the ending of the book.