Review Detail

THE PRINCESS AND THE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH is a feel-good graphic novel about societal expectations and falling in love. Lady Camembert (Cam) does not wish to marry, even though her father tells her that this is the only way she can inherit. Luckily, her father has another, potentially dangerous idea - Lady Camembert can become Count Camembert, posing as the son her father never had. If she keeps her head down and stays out of the limelight, she might be able to live out her life in peace.

However, Count Camembert is a bit bored with staying at home all the time, so when she sees an ad for an upcoming ball the Princess is throwing, she cannot resist showing up to meet her celebrity crush. Cam makes quite the impression, and she soon finds herself not only in the papers, but also with a flood of invitations to social events. Even though her household staff, Feta, warns her to keep a low profile, Cam cannot seem to stay out of the limelight. As she gets to know Brie, the princess better, she finds her crush growing - and the feeling is mutual. However, the big secret that Cam is hiding could potentially ruin everything.

What I loved: This was quite an exuberant graphic novel with so many cheese-related puns and names that added to the amusement. While mistakes and flubs abound, the ultimate story of falling in love and wanting to find your happiness is one that will resonate with readers. In the end, Cam and Brie are both juggling societal expectations with their own desires, and this can lead to some tough decisions. In the end, they both learn to grasp at their happiness - and to make the path easier for those who follow, given that they are in positions of power and influence due to their titles.

The characters were super-fun, and I loved everyone's cheese-related names. Lady Gorgonzola (Zola) was a particularly thoughtful and compelling character. She had entered into a marriage arrangement whereby she could pursue her business passions, while always having to watch her husband get all the credit and recognition. When she is widowed, she is finally free to lead her life for herself and more openly, but it is still (lightly) tainted by her past. She also provides the voice of reason and passion in the story. Others, such as Feta and Ricotta, were also really sweet.

The illustrations are colorful and effusive with a somewhat anime-like style in places. The book does rely heavily on the images, which always works well for a graphic novel, allowing the images to tell the story more than the words. Dialogue was also clearly attributable and used as needed, without overwhelming any parts of the story.

The romance itself was sweet and built through shared time and passion - as well as a love for grilled cheese.

Final verdict: THE PRINCESS AND THE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH is a cute and enthusiastic graphic novel about falling in love, chasing your happiness, and the incredible nature of cheese.