Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
'Queen of the Sea' is a superb blend of Tudor fan-fiction and YA coming-of-age graphic novels. Margaret lives in an isolated convent on an island near Albion, an alternate England. Raised by the kind nuns she expects she will become one herself someday. Things begin to change when an exiled noblewoman is brought to the island with her son, a boy close to Margaret's age. They become friends and a chain of events begins that leads to Margaret seeing the island, her community, her world, and herself in a new light.
The majority of the book deals with the arrival of another exile - the former Queen Eleanor - and with her more radical changes to her home. Margaret is caught up in the great events of her day, but a part of her wants things to be what they used to be. As she comes to terms with the changes in her life and new facts, Margaret has to make some important decisions.
This is a beautiful book. The illustrations are bright with color and full of period detail that enhances the story. There are asides in the text about embroidery and chess that are educational, sure, but thematically contribute to Margaret's story. Graphic novels are always a fast read, but these 400 pages went by far faster than they should have.
