How's about a contemporary graphic novel with the most beautiful and adorable artwork, and contained within universal themes and fairy tale homages, for my 1200th review?
Be warned, though: It is not for children. It would have been all-ages if not for the swearing and teenage talk.
It also has nothing to do with Christmas, as I had initially thought. It is set around a snowy Valentine's Day, but it impacts the graphic novel very little, and it could have been any holiday.
But love is love all year round.
Different kinds of love, that is.
'Angelica and the Bear Prince' isn't just about romantic love between teenagers on the crowning cusp of adulthood, but love between a mother and her daughter, love between happily married parents, love between grandparents and their grandkids, love between friends, love between neighbours, love between an elderly queer married couple, and really - love, understanding, empathy, and listening are all around this graphic novel like flurrying snowflakes.
Angelica "Jelly" Hoang, a burned-out, former-overachieving teen girl, and Gable, a transmasc nonbinary childhood friend, who unbeknownst to Jelly has returned to town years later, and is playing Per the Bear Prince in the annual local theatre production of 'East of the Sun and West of the Moon', of which Jelly is interning - their relationship is barely at the center, with the other drama going on in their individual lives.
I don't wish to spoil much, but 'Angelica and the Bear Prince', as well as being about love and the theatre, is about grief, heartbreak, carrying around and repressing sorrow, and disappointment, and the different ways we deal with negative emotions and experiences. Definitely read Trung Le Nguyen's profound, personal and touching Author's Note at the end of the story. Sentimentality, feelings, empathy, human connection and putting yourself into your work are what storytelling is all about. It is about sharing the heaviness of your life experiences, and your passion, and not feeling isolated and alone again.
I love how 'Angelica and the Bear Prince' (seriously, I can't get enough of that title) describes burnout, at least from a therapist and counsellor's perspective. Like, 'You didn't pick a time to take a break, so your body did it for you.' (page 17); the sudden feeling of overwhelming, heavy pressure - a block, a wall - and without warning, your motivation has gone, snuffed out, and reaching your goals seems impossible, and everything you love feels far away from you. You're unable to move past the wall, and you're left numb and empty inside. Then there's the panic, the fear of disappointing people, letting people down, and of not being capable of anything if you can't do everything. Feeling the need for someone to count on you, even at the expense of your own health and happiness...the anxiety and depression...I relate so much to these, it hurts.
The play with the Bear Prince in it, 'East of the Sun and West of the Moon', based on the Norwegian fairy tale (which we don't get to see much of, sadly), is like 'Beauty and the Beast' with the aesthetic of 'The Nutcracker' (hence why I thought this was a Christmas book at first). Other things 'Angelica and the Bear Prince' reminds me of are 'Dash & Lily's Book of Dares' (Angelica doesn't know her beloved childhood icon and mascot, Per the Bear, is Gable in the costume, and Gable knows her from the start, and there is mystery DMing, writing, and treasure hunting going on), 'Night of Cake & Puppets' (ditto), and the Studio Ghibli film, 'Whisper of the Heart'.
I don't think I need to mention how gorgeous and sweet the art is. I love Angelica's hair! It is like Trung Le Nguyen's previous queer, immigration-themed and fairy tale-themed graphic novel, 'The Magic Fish', in full colour.
'Angelica and the Bear Prince' - what an emotional and complex modern fairy tale!
It's not as whimsical as I'd hoped, and there are a few inconsistencies in the art and characterisations and plot, and some story and character resolutions come too quickly, in the blink of an eye.
We also hardly see Angelica do anything for her dream internship at the local theatre (called the Log House Theater) for the production of 'East of the Sun and West of the Moon' - it's not really focused on. How odd, considering it is a huge part of the graphic novel, and is part of Jelly's personality, as a fan of Per the Bear Prince, and past as an overachiever, who desperately wants to get back on her feet. Wanting to try her best for herself, moving on from being a people pleaser, and finding love and a kindred spirit in Per/Gable - these are major elements of Angelica the protagonist's character arc and coming-of-age story, so show more of Per, the theatre, the play, and the behind-the-scenes!
Per the Bear, as it turns out, is kind of creepy, too, in and out of the children's play.
But apart from the niggling, tiny teddy bear-pawed flaws here and there, 'Angelica and the Bear Prince' is a wonderful storytelling treasure. So many carefully planned out and three dimensional characters you'll adore and root for!
Love the LBGTQ+, race, and body positivity rep, that goes without saying.
For a hopeful, fairy tale feel during the winter season - be it Xmas or Valentine's - snuggle up warm indoors and read Trung Le Nguyen's new magnum opus.
Happy holidays, and 1200th review for me!
Final Score: 4/5
EDIT: Is the Bear Prince's name actually Peri and not Per? Because it is Per in the copy I got, even though every blurb I've seen calls him Peri. A change? An edit in production? It's highly strange.
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