…all is not as it seems in this captivating coming-of-age story…Meconis's drawings, full of heart and humor, beautifully evoke Margaret's many moods, and the rhythms and routines of life in an island convent…Margaret's wry descriptions of everything from hand signs used during the nuns' silent meals, to types of needles and stitiches used in their embroidery, to holy relics and even a recipe for really terrible gruel, fascinate…The best graphic novels suggest rather than decree. They allow readers to search for truth in what is shown and said, but to find it in the silence between the words, the space between the images. The beguiling Queen of the Sea stands solidly among them.
The New York Times Book Review - Jennifer Donnelly
★ 03/25/2019
Meconis offers an atmospheric alternate history inspired by the childhood and succession of Queen Elizabeth I in this quietly ambitious graphic novel. Margaret is the only child in a remote island convent, lonely until Lady Cameron and her son, William, exiles from the island of Albion, arrive and William and Margaret become constant companions. William’s departure years later leads Margaret to discover difficult truths about her island home and the sisters who inhabit it, just as another exile—Eleanor, the deposed Queen of Albion—arrives and embroils Margaret in intrigue that could impact the whole kingdom. Meconis constructs the plot with carefully paced revelations and story elements that echo, build, and amplify each other. Art in soft, earthy colors brings this singular story to life in styles ranging from simple line drawings to elaborately styled text illuminations. The island world is richly developed, both in its physical particulars and its close-knit community (fascinating digressions into topics such as convent time, hand gestures used at table, and chess and embroidery flesh out daily life), and Margaret proves herself an endearing heroine with a strong voice full of humor and wonder. Her perspective transforms a storm-wracked rock into a vibrant world of hidden treasures. Final art not seen by PW . Ages 10–14. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary . (June)
★ 04/01/2019
Gr 5–9— A young orphan named Margaret lives on an island convent, cared for by adoring nuns. The arrival of two strangers changes her life forever. The first is a young boy, who eventually is compelled to return to the land of Albion. Years later, Margaret finds herself in the company of the dethroned and exiled Queen Eleanor of Albion. And when one of Eleanor's former subjects arrives with news from Albion, Margaret finds herself at the center of a conflict that may change the fate of the kingdom. In this tale loosely based on the early years of Elizabeth I, Meconis skillfully balances imaginative twists with factual evidence. At several points, Margaret interrupts the narrative to offer historical context about Albion or information on the nuns' rituals, immersing readers in the drama in spite of the occasionally heavy backstory. The art, reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier's style, creates levity during perilous situations. The book is dense with dialogue, often feeling more like a work of prose than a graphic novel. As a result, this complex work will be more accessible to those familiar with graphic novels; some younger fans may struggle to follow along. VERDICT Certain to charm sophisticated graphic novel devotees.–Matisse Mozer, Los Angeles Public Library
★ 2019-04-10
Loosely based on the childhood of Elizabeth I, Meconis' rich historical fantasy centers on young Margaret, an orphan taken while a baby to live on a nearly forgotten island in the kingdom of Albion. Its only inhabitants are a small order of nuns dedicated to helping anyone "whose life or love is at the mercy of the sea," a hapless priest, a couple servants, some farm animals, and a cat. Margaret, who's been on the island for six years, thrives in the simplicity of her idyllic existence. Nevertheless, she eagerly anticipates the semiannual visits of the lone ship that docks on the island's shores and finds her prayers for companionship answered when a young boy and his mother are sent to the island for opposing the king. Margaret then slowly learns the true nature of the convent's existence and begins to question her own lineage when a mysterious visitor named Eleanor is banished to the island by her sister, the queen, and kept under constant watch. Meconis' humor and storytelling gifts here wed seamlessly with her evocative pen-and-ink and gouache illustrations, which are rendered in warm earth and sea tones and brim with movement, expressively capturing even Margaret's interior monologues.
With its compelling, complex characters and intrigue-laden plot, this will have readers hoping it's only the first of many adventures for Meconis' savvy heroine. (Graphic fantasy. 10-adult)
[A] captivating coming-of-age story… The best graphic novels suggest rather than decree. They allow readers to search for truth in what is shown and said, but to find it in the silence between the words, the space between the images. The beguiling ‘Queen of the Sea’ stands solidly among them.
