Review: "All Princesses Die Before Dawn" by Quentin Zuttion

All Princesses Die Before Dawn by Quentin Zuttion
Translated by M.B. Valente
English release 30 November 2022 via Europe Comics
★★★★

Princess Diana has just died, and Lulu's mother has the radio on to catch the details. Lulu is more interested in the lives of other princesses—his dolls, and the princess he dreams of becoming. His sister is dating an older boy, his parents' marriage is crumbling, and he only knows how to express his own dreams of romance through games of imagination, through child's play. By the time 24 hours have passed in this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, each family member has seen his or her own small drama play out—for better and for worse.

One benefit of graphic novels is that a quick Google can give you a sense of whether or not an illustrator's style is to your taste, and I knew immediately that I'd like Zuttion's dreamy style. The use of water and light, in particular, are gorgeous. Most of this graphic novel is grounded in reality, but there's a wordless, full-page panel early on, where Lulu is rescuing his drowned dolls from the pool, that looks to me like a standalone print. Dappled sunlight, firelight, and the ripples and splashes of the pastel pool play throughout the piece, and I want to live in Lulu's imagination, with his princesses and dragons. (Some time later, the sun beats down on one side of the house while a tempest rages on the other side—it makes sense in context—and I laughed out loud.)

The book takes place over one day, and the slices of each character's story that we get are calibrated for that—the plot doesn't bite off more than it can chew. This is complete as it is, and doesn't need a sequel, but...I'd love to see/read a longer span of these characters' lives, see how they grow and change with a bit more time. Maybe someday a follow-up with a day in Lulu's life as a young adult...? I can hope.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free review copy through NetGalley.