It’s essential we sympathise with almost everyone, as Wang departs from fairy tale tradition by not including a hate figure, although fairy tales thrive on misunderstandings and the application of protocol as here. Her people almost glide across the pages, and there’s a considerable charm to them. She also enjoys illustrating the pomp of the palace, the servants scuttling about, the refined pastimes and elegant locations, all presented with a light touch. Wang is patently someone who enjoys designing a dress or two herself, and these flow out from the pages, some proclaimed to the world over half a page, vivid and exotic creations, others kept as discreet as the Prince’s habits. At sixteen, their priority is that he finds himself a Princess and marries her, so strengthening the Belgian royal family. The unexpected consequence is that the dressmaker, Frances is hired by Prince Sebastian himself, who enjoys wearing a dress or two, something his family must never find out. The unconventional Lady Sophia is bored with balls and cares nothing for the Prince, so sabotages her compulsory attendance by commissioning the outfit seen in the left sample art, scandalising everyone attending. Jen Wang may set The Prince and the Dressmaker in the prime fairy tale era of the 18 th century, and even conforms to the idea of fairy tale transformation, but it’s fairy tale like no other you’ve ever read.
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