Serine decides to restore her family name by becoming a lady in waiting for the queen, but after being ridiculed and teased, she cleverly finds a new way to survive at court.
I liked how clever Serine was, using her wits to get through tasks and questions set to her. She seems to have much more fun after being fired by the queen. the friendships she makes on the way are so sweet and the way they support her is touching.
The artwork is lovely too, full of movement. I think it really showed the people's true characters.

This was such a fun short read. A little weird and wacky, with some darker folktale/fairy tale and mystery elements to it. I had a lot of fun. As always Kerascoët's illustrations are my favourite style.

This is my Goodreads review:

5 stars
Let me tell you how much I enjoyed it....
The drawing style is very refreshing and fine lined. The story itself is lovely, it made me laugh and at times predictable but let me tell you that even though I saw the love I did not see the heir coming It was a fun read. I enjoyed the coloring, the characters, the humor and riddles, the sudden backstory and the surprises. To be honest, I was very surprised that I liked it this much.
But it was my very first read on NetGalley and it was a very good start!

Ridiculously funny and funilly ridiculous.

A young girl goes to court but she does not fit in. Not at all - she's not sophisticated and prim and proper, and she knows how to defend herself in a court bent on sending her away and has a particular way with words. She ends up on all sorts of scrapes that, weirdly, she can always turn in her favour. And we get to see it all of it. What's more, see it in great and funny drawings, although I'd say some are not for kids.
This is an over the top, ridiculous book and I enjoyed it a lot for that.

I opened the book to see how long it was and, when I noticed, I had finished the whole thing!

I found this comic delightful. The art style was fun and I love the character design. Some of the royal designs may have been overdone but overall I liked them. I was a little surprised by some of the adult themes, since I had assumed because of the art style that this was for young readers. I didn’t have a problem with the nudity or adult humor but it was unexpected. The story became an unorganized towards the end for me, but I still enjoyed it. I would be interested to see what the original story is like.

This story was delightful. I really enjoyed the storyline and have fun reading it. The main character is a pretty good one with a strong personality that shows the importance of being true to yourself, work on your goals and adapt according to the circumstances without losing hope. And the humor is on point. 100% recommended to anyone that need a light but significant story.

So much fun! I love the art style and the storyline. The protagonist is very relatable but also quirky. A delightful read!

Serine is a sweet character who adored her brothers and wanted to be taught to read. But, her mother did not care and wanted her tutored into being a proper lady.

She was horribly harassed and mistreated as the queens possible lady in waiting. I felt it was far too much dialogue...I became impatient and focused on then illustrations instead. It was quite beautiful.

I’m not sure who the audience is for this book. Its simplistic storyline and predictable plot didn’t keep my interest. However, it’s not suitable for kids either, with its sometimes mature subject matter and illustrations. The illustrations were pretty, though, and I guess I didn’t hate the plot. It just didn’t click with me.

The Court Charade is a graphic novel about a young woman, Serine, who attempts to become one of the queen's lady-in-waiting. At court, she sets out to prove her worth to the other people and find her place amidst the chaos.

I loved the beautiful drawn illustrations, with their soft colors and lovely character designs. The story is sweet, short and humorous. Serine is quick-witted and perceptive. I enjoyed watching her navigate the court and the challenges she faced.

I recommend this graphic novel to people who enjoy humorous and charming graphic novels with a historical setting.

I received an advance readers copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Delightful graphic novel! A perfect mix of history, humor, and colorful artwork. I loved seeing how the French court worked and how Serine had to navigate courtly politics mixed with modern humor, a dash of romance, and Serine’s kindness and persistence. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it!

I'm glad I chose to review this book. It's a quick read and quite funny. I loved the art work throughout the book. I would definitely recommend reading this one.

What did I even just read? This was not good. The art was the best thing about this book, it was entertaining, but the story made absolutely zero sense.

I was utterly charmed by this quick read! Beautiful art and a really delightful heroine make this such a lovely way to spend one’s time. Highly recommend!

Out November 23, 2022.

4 stars

This was a super fun, quick read! Serine runs away to court after the threat of marriage. She quickly sees the intricacies and hijinks of court life and makes a name for herself.

I wasn’t expecting much from this read but actually found myself really enjoying it! Serine is so clever and I found her dialogue so witty and fun. Also really loved the gallows humour (literally).

Currently my blog is all full, so the review won't be up until March the 2nd.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

In this book we meet the delightful Serine. A girl who is a countess, though her parents have little left that really shows they are of that rank/those riches. I immediately liked Serine. I loved her attitude. Loved how, even when things go bad with her dad or how her family has little money, she keeps up her head, makes a fun tune, and tries to get along with life. Nothing gets her down.

And that is definitely wants she needs in this book when she decides to go to the palace to become a lady-in-waiting. A job that is very coveted... and that is filled with girls eager to push each other down in sneaky (or not so sneaky ways). Serine quickly becomes the favourite of the queen... but we see that life isn't easy for her. The other girls are rich, bundled in gorgeous clothes, and sometimes weird wigs. They are elegant and stuffy. Serine is totally different. Has one dress. Likes to talk to the people lower in the castle and befriend them. Isn't afraid to speak her mind. Is charming and sweet and kind. And see that not everyone is happy with her. Especially a girl named Crisante who is vying to become the best lady-in-waiting and will truly do all she can to get Serine out of the way. Or that one guy close to the queen who is just a piece of poop. When he tries to cosy up with Serine she rejects him and he is not accepting that.

I loved the parts where she was wandering through the castle at night after the other girls tricked her and something happened (of course Serine got the blame). I loved the stories she found, the stories she invented.

Leon was such a treasure and I loved how he helped her out at times. With words. With stories. Or just being there.

But while I loved how resilient she was, I was also sad for her. She just wants to be part of the palace and everyone is making it hard for her. Well, OK, not the people in the lower parts, but people in the higher parts? Everyone is just making it hard. And add to that a queen who isn't taking any bull and just doesn't believe her... it is hard.

So I was delighted when even at her lowest point she didn't give up. Instead she turned into what we saw on the cover and I love how she was there for the king. How she made him laugh. Advised him.

Of course, chaos still ensues as Serine is taking her role very serious.

And then there is a murder plot! Oh yes!

The last part was both unexpected and wonderful and oh so chaotic and also SO SO SWEET! Perfectly fitting for the book!

I really enjoyed the art in this book. It was whimsical, fun, playful, colourful, and oodles of fun! I want more of this artist!

All in all, sorry for the long review but DANG this was a good read and I had so much fun. I was just cheering for Serine in all her roles, loved the palace, loved the murder plot, and loved all the other things around it! Recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing me a copy of The Court Charade!

The Court Charade is about Countess Seraphine Marie-Geneviève Alexandrina de Notre-Dame Chancies du Jousselinier Senestre lez Castiche de l'Auberivière sié l'Ostel de la Colline and her time outwitting her current circumstances!

This graphic novel is full of wit and personality, wonderful illustrations, and a great character arc! The font and illustrations are not overwhelming, and the whole thing is quite easy to read. I can see this as a cartoon (in the Madeline animated series style). Overall, an easy read, perfect for those who enjoy light-hearted graphic novels.

thanks for the arc! i really liked this graphic novel: nice drawings and a funny story :) i liked that Serine found her place at court in her own way, not because her mother married her off to some duke.

This was cute and fun! I adored the artwork, it was really colorful and entertaining. Also, the concept of the story was endearing: a young woman wants to become a lady in waiting, so she heads off to the castle and discovers the chaos there.

But the thing is, I really didn't like the MC, Serine. She was... obnoxious? I can't put my finger on it. I think part of the problem comes from how easily she gets out of all these obstacles: she can talk her way out of anything, sometimes by simply inventing words. It's just a little bit hard to suspend one's disbelief when there's no rhyme or reason as to why she can talk her way out of one problem but not another. She's got plot armor. Everything gets resolved too easily, or just told rather than shown.

Maybe I was just the wrong audience for this book.

Thank you Europe Comics and NetGalley for the electronic review copy of this delightful book. I really enjoyed the storyline and the lovely art. Loved the historial reference to the French court. Overt, it’s a fun and enjoyable read that I definitely recommend. Can’t wait to read more from this publisher.