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星降る王国のニナ [Hoshi Furu Ōkoku no Nina] #1
Nina the Starry Bride, Vol. 1
Nina had a rough start to life, stealing to survive—and eventually being sold into slavery by her own brother. But to her surprise, her captor, Prince Azure, ordained that she would live the life of a princess...specifically, that of the recently deceased princess-priestess, Alisha. But despite her changing fortune, Nina won't give up her old life without a fight...and Azure might just be the one to finally match her wits. But how much can she trust Azure? And can she stop the feelings budding in her heart, knowing she must eventually marry another...?
176 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2020
115 people are currently reading
1695 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews
March 17, 2022
Un manga Romantasy avec une jeune fille qui s’appelle Nina : 🥺🥺🥺 + un enemies to lovers et une héroïne trop cool ?! J’ai adoré !!!
April 26, 2021
I wanted to read this because of the lovely cover. I mean come on, talk about gorgeous!!!! But it didn’t take me long to really get into the story. Poor little Nina, hiding her pretty eyes so no one kidnap her into slavery!?!?!? Ahhhh!!!
I just can’t believe she’s fifteen and all this crazy stuff is going on. There’s so much drama and attitude being thrown around. It’s kind of like a soap opera, and I am sooo there for it all!!! It was such an interesting read. Nina is too adorbs and I really like Muhulum too.
I’m also totally in love with the art. The outfits they wear are soooo very beautiful. And Nina’s eyes along with Azure is such a cutie too. Those intense eyes of his. Love it!!
And I cannot wait to see what happens next!!! Why do I have to wait!?!? I want the next issue immediately!!! Will Nina be discovered??? Will the queen continue to be a huge pain in the...well, you know. Haha!!!
I recommend this one to those who adore graphic novels. Especially with lots of emotions and drama and of course, awesome art!!!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!!!
I just can’t believe she’s fifteen and all this crazy stuff is going on. There’s so much drama and attitude being thrown around. It’s kind of like a soap opera, and I am sooo there for it all!!! It was such an interesting read. Nina is too adorbs and I really like Muhulum too.
I’m also totally in love with the art. The outfits they wear are soooo very beautiful. And Nina’s eyes along with Azure is such a cutie too. Those intense eyes of his. Love it!!
And I cannot wait to see what happens next!!! Why do I have to wait!?!? I want the next issue immediately!!! Will Nina be discovered??? Will the queen continue to be a huge pain in the...well, you know. Haha!!!
I recommend this one to those who adore graphic novels. Especially with lots of emotions and drama and of course, awesome art!!!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!!!
November 3, 2025
Okay, I gotta say from Vol. 1 to 14 this manga seriously hooked me with its plotline (Chef’s kiss). Nina? She’s such a relatable lead. She’s not perfect (thank god), but that just makes her journey so much more satisfying. The way her character grows while dealing with all that palace drama? Ugh, it hits. And the dynamics with the prince? The tension, the sweetness, the ugh-so-frustrating moments... I was living for it. Also, can we talk about the twists? Some of them had me screaming “WHAT?!” like a crazy person.
But, okay, here's why I docked a star. Sometimes the pacing feels a little...iffy. Like, some parts drag with too much exposition, and other moments fly by so fast that I’m like, “Wait, wait, slow down! I wanted more of that scene!” And as much as I loved the emotional beats, a few of them felt a little recycled by the later volumes like I’ve seen Nina go through this type of angst already, y’know?
That said, it doesn’t take away from the fact that this series is an absolute gem. It’s not perfect, but man, it’s one heck of a ride. If you’re into royal drama with a sprinkle of magic and a whole lot of heart, Nina’s story is definitely worth it.
But, okay, here's why I docked a star. Sometimes the pacing feels a little...iffy. Like, some parts drag with too much exposition, and other moments fly by so fast that I’m like, “Wait, wait, slow down! I wanted more of that scene!” And as much as I loved the emotional beats, a few of them felt a little recycled by the later volumes like I’ve seen Nina go through this type of angst already, y’know?
That said, it doesn’t take away from the fact that this series is an absolute gem. It’s not perfect, but man, it’s one heck of a ride. If you’re into royal drama with a sprinkle of magic and a whole lot of heart, Nina’s story is definitely worth it.
May 19, 2021
I think I just found a new favourite manga! The characters, the art, the plot line, the world building, were all gorgeously curated. For the second time in my manga reading history, I have nothing to complain about, the characters are well rounded and though I felt there needed to be more goals/desires from these characters, I still absolutely adored this!
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a review copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a review copy. All opinions are my own.
June 18, 2024
Okay, but why is this so good! I'm a sucker for political intrigue and this series has that and more. Nina is such a likeable character and it's amazing to see how she impacts those around her. I'm definitely interested in seeing how the rest of the series develops.
March 16, 2023
Color me impressed!
I'm going to come out and say that while I've been curious about this series in the past, it was an "easy" pass for me because of what I've heard about the love triangle. Since I'm not fond of love triangles (SO MUCH ANGST!), I wasn't going to bother picking this up.
Yet with the physical announcement last year and seeing so many people excited about it, I slowly started relenting and being more curious about it. Then when Kodansha had the first volume free in their recent sale, I decided let's give it a try and see if I'll like it.
Overall, I really enjoyed it! In fact, this is probably closer to 4.5 stars for me than a solid 4 stars because I had such a great time reading it!
The first chapter was so gripping and instantly became attached to Nina and her story. I felt a range of emotions as we see this young woman and her turning into a new young woman with a very new identity. With her being in the palace, I found her fun and interesting and LOVE how loving and encouraging she is to a certain character. She really captured my heart even more with her actions.
Azure is an interesting male lead! I know we are going to meet another guy based off what I heard (and the covers), so I'm undecided if I want him to be the end game. Plus, his actions in the beginning were SUPER questionable! I get the reasons he GAVE, but are they the ACTUAL reasons? That is what I want to know and feel because of that (and how much I loved Nina as a character), I would like to get the physical series. Plus, I will confess that I DID like him! I just am uncertain about him being a serious love interest.
I came into this story with pretty low expectations and I am very impressed with how much I enjoyed it! There were plenty of characters who intrigued me with BEAUTIFUL art and overall just a compelling story. I was definitely feeling bummed when I came to the end because it was a fairly quick read that had me deeply engaged.
Looking forward to the physical release and continuing to follow Nina's story!
I'm going to come out and say that while I've been curious about this series in the past, it was an "easy" pass for me because of what I've heard about the love triangle. Since I'm not fond of love triangles (SO MUCH ANGST!), I wasn't going to bother picking this up.
Yet with the physical announcement last year and seeing so many people excited about it, I slowly started relenting and being more curious about it. Then when Kodansha had the first volume free in their recent sale, I decided let's give it a try and see if I'll like it.
Overall, I really enjoyed it! In fact, this is probably closer to 4.5 stars for me than a solid 4 stars because I had such a great time reading it!
The first chapter was so gripping and instantly became attached to Nina and her story. I felt a range of emotions as we see this young woman and her turning into a new young woman with a very new identity. With her being in the palace, I found her fun and interesting and LOVE how loving and encouraging she is to a certain character. She really captured my heart even more with her actions.
Azure is an interesting male lead! I know we are going to meet another guy based off what I heard (and the covers), so I'm undecided if I want him to be the end game. Plus, his actions in the beginning were SUPER questionable! I get the reasons he GAVE, but are they the ACTUAL reasons? That is what I want to know and feel because of that (and how much I loved Nina as a character), I would like to get the physical series. Plus, I will confess that I DID like him! I just am uncertain about him being a serious love interest.
I came into this story with pretty low expectations and I am very impressed with how much I enjoyed it! There were plenty of characters who intrigued me with BEAUTIFUL art and overall just a compelling story. I was definitely feeling bummed when I came to the end because it was a fairly quick read that had me deeply engaged.
Looking forward to the physical release and continuing to follow Nina's story!
May 2, 2021
I am really excited for this series. Though the politics are interesting on their own, Nina is an amazing character.
An orphan after the plague, Nina has eyes the color of Lapis Lazuli. After Prince Azure finds his half sister, Alisha, dead on her way to the palace, he seeks a replacement.
Nina is sold by a friend to the prince, and is now posing as Alisha. They seem to truly be growing fond of each other, but she is supposed to be going off to marry another prince in 3 months time.
I am so excited to see where this goes. The art is lovely, and I am excited!
An orphan after the plague, Nina has eyes the color of Lapis Lazuli. After Prince Azure finds his half sister, Alisha, dead on her way to the palace, he seeks a replacement.
Nina is sold by a friend to the prince, and is now posing as Alisha. They seem to truly be growing fond of each other, but she is supposed to be going off to marry another prince in 3 months time.
I am so excited to see where this goes. The art is lovely, and I am excited!
December 8, 2023
3.5 stars
I was hesitant at the beginning but it did pick up at the end!
My main issue was the slow beginning,and the lack of character development (we could of seen way more interactions between the two mcs, along with development of each other characters themselves). This was a cute read, with a LOT of potential to turn out into a great series,and I'd recommend for anyone looking for a fun, fast read.
Ill most likely continue the series!
I was hesitant at the beginning but it did pick up at the end!
My main issue was the slow beginning,and the lack of character development (we could of seen way more interactions between the two mcs, along with development of each other characters themselves). This was a cute read, with a LOT of potential to turn out into a great series,and I'd recommend for anyone looking for a fun, fast read.
Ill most likely continue the series!
May 16, 2021
I won't lie, I picked this book up because of the beauty of it's cover. Yeah, yeah, I've heard the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover" but sometimes you just have to read the pretty books. That's the law... well, in my mind.
Nina the Starry Bride is a beautiful story with drama and intrigue littered throughout. It's not a series I'll be continuing with, but I did really enjoy traversing through Nina's world. The illustrations alone are worth the read.
Our female lead is strong, kind and beautiful. The story was very predictable though. Some of the characters are down right annoying though...
Overall, a great manga read if you want to dive into a new manga story.
Two out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Nina the Starry Bride is a beautiful story with drama and intrigue littered throughout. It's not a series I'll be continuing with, but I did really enjoy traversing through Nina's world. The illustrations alone are worth the read.
Our female lead is strong, kind and beautiful. The story was very predictable though. Some of the characters are down right annoying though...
Overall, a great manga read if you want to dive into a new manga story.
Two out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
September 12, 2023
set in a historical place called fortna, a homeless kid goes by the name nina lives off her life stealing from the rich people together with the other orphaned siblings, saji and colin. when colin died of an illness, saji decided to sell nina to azure, the second prince of fortna, who plans for nina to be the replacement of the "missing" alisha, the country's priestess, and soon to be wed to the crown prince of galgada. in three months time, she would be trained befitting of being a priestess and a princess before the wedding.
the first volume does not disappoint! here we are introduced to the main characters and the setting of the story. so far, i like the chemistry between azure and nina. although they did not start off well, there seems to be a resemblance of their upbringing, and the tutor-student dynamic make them closer than ever. in terms of power dynamics within the royalties, there seems to be tension between the current queen and azure, but, as what azure said, he liked and would rather the queen be upfront about her hostility than stab him in the back. aside from that, the art is gorgeous! i keep on being drawn by azure's face lmao
the first volume does not disappoint! here we are introduced to the main characters and the setting of the story. so far, i like the chemistry between azure and nina. although they did not start off well, there seems to be a resemblance of their upbringing, and the tutor-student dynamic make them closer than ever. in terms of power dynamics within the royalties, there seems to be tension between the current queen and azure, but, as what azure said, he liked and would rather the queen be upfront about her hostility than stab him in the back. aside from that, the art is gorgeous! i keep on being drawn by azure's face lmao
April 22, 2021
Nina’s riff-raff, a street rat, but Prince Azure’s hoping the people buy that she’s the (secretly) recently deceased princess who’s to be married off to the prince of another land. As he tries to teach her the ins and outs of royal life, they grow close, but if this scheme falls apart the story might beheading in a whole other direction...
Well, this is a fun little book with a couple of caveats. After Nina’s screwed over by her “family” (that’s one brutal life lesson right there; this book’s got no qualms about offing people) we swerve into your typical person of low standing in a world of higher standing.
However, I appreciate that the reason this scheme works is because of Nina’s eyes, which are a rare colour, plus the fact that the princess had been sequestered in a small temple for years so nobody outside of it knows what she looks like. I don’t know that a fantasy story needs to be particularly plausible in that respect, but it’s a nice touch.
Anyhow, the relationship between Nina and Azure goes about how you’d expect, although I like that she’s got a strong rebellious streak. What I don’t like is that he is constantly getting the upper hand, which puts them on less equal footing than I would like - she should be able to get herself out of SOME trouble.
Nina does, however, have more insight than Azure on certain things, so she at least gets some time to shine when she handles the bratty heir to the throne, who is a lot more nuanced than his scenery chewing mother (though Azure’s take on the Queen is delightfully practical). It was a welcome touch that he wasn’t just a token waste of time and has more recognizance of his position than you’d think.
Honestly, my biggest problem is that this story’s arc is pretty obvious, even for a manga romance. For as smart as he is, Azure’s clearly never read a mystery novel in his life or he wouldn’t be stupid enough to utter the phrase “nobody could have survived that accident” and leave it at that. Between that and one other character who we’ve clearly not heard the last from, well, connect your own dots.
This book also falls down when compared to other fantastical or historical couple romances. I would put Snow White With the Red Hair, The Apothecary Diaries, and, heck, even Kamisama Kiss as somewhat similar yet done better. This book’s got a good look, some fun moments, reasonable chemistry between the leads, it’s just not quite in those upper echelons.
3.5 stars, rounding down because I just gave several better books in the same genre (or adjacent). This one’s not bad by any means, and I do want to see how the flash forward we see at the beginning comes about, but it’s not going to blow the doors off the genre and wow you with its plotting either. A cozy read.
Well, this is a fun little book with a couple of caveats. After Nina’s screwed over by her “family” (that’s one brutal life lesson right there; this book’s got no qualms about offing people) we swerve into your typical person of low standing in a world of higher standing.
However, I appreciate that the reason this scheme works is because of Nina’s eyes, which are a rare colour, plus the fact that the princess had been sequestered in a small temple for years so nobody outside of it knows what she looks like. I don’t know that a fantasy story needs to be particularly plausible in that respect, but it’s a nice touch.
Anyhow, the relationship between Nina and Azure goes about how you’d expect, although I like that she’s got a strong rebellious streak. What I don’t like is that he is constantly getting the upper hand, which puts them on less equal footing than I would like - she should be able to get herself out of SOME trouble.
Nina does, however, have more insight than Azure on certain things, so she at least gets some time to shine when she handles the bratty heir to the throne, who is a lot more nuanced than his scenery chewing mother (though Azure’s take on the Queen is delightfully practical). It was a welcome touch that he wasn’t just a token waste of time and has more recognizance of his position than you’d think.
Honestly, my biggest problem is that this story’s arc is pretty obvious, even for a manga romance. For as smart as he is, Azure’s clearly never read a mystery novel in his life or he wouldn’t be stupid enough to utter the phrase “nobody could have survived that accident” and leave it at that. Between that and one other character who we’ve clearly not heard the last from, well, connect your own dots.
This book also falls down when compared to other fantastical or historical couple romances. I would put Snow White With the Red Hair, The Apothecary Diaries, and, heck, even Kamisama Kiss as somewhat similar yet done better. This book’s got a good look, some fun moments, reasonable chemistry between the leads, it’s just not quite in those upper echelons.
3.5 stars, rounding down because I just gave several better books in the same genre (or adjacent). This one’s not bad by any means, and I do want to see how the flash forward we see at the beginning comes about, but it’s not going to blow the doors off the genre and wow you with its plotting either. A cozy read.
June 27, 2021
Subjective grade- 90%
Plot - 90%
Writing & dialogue- 90%
Worldbuilding - 70%
Character development - 90%
Character relationships - 70%
That was BEAUTIFUL!! Nina is such a sweetheart, I wish only the best for her 🥺🥺
The plot: immaculate.
The queen made me want to pull my hair! Ugh I hate her. I’m really interested about Galapa but seeings as things turned out, I’m not quite sure if Nina will still be going there?? Nonetheless, I’m still interested.
Overall this manga was so fun and the art style was beautiful! 4 stars 🌟
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy of this book 😊
Plot - 90%
Writing & dialogue- 90%
Worldbuilding - 70%
Character development - 90%
Character relationships - 70%
That was BEAUTIFUL!! Nina is such a sweetheart, I wish only the best for her 🥺🥺
The plot: immaculate.
The queen made me want to pull my hair! Ugh I hate her. I’m really interested about Galapa but seeings as things turned out, I’m not quite sure if Nina will still be going there?? Nonetheless, I’m still interested.
Overall this manga was so fun and the art style was beautiful! 4 stars 🌟
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy of this book 😊
May 27, 2021
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I was curious to read this one. The cover looked really pretty (I love pink hair/blue eyes combo) and I love how the prince was holding onto the girl.
This was quite a fun manga about a girl who is taken from her home to become the double of a princess (who recently died and I am still 100% suspicious about the hows of that given what we saw). You can imagine she isn’t very happy, angry at the betrayal of her friend (the blurb states he is her brother, but he is not, her parents died and he and his brother took her in), the idea of getting married, but she can’t leave, so she tries her best. And is kind of enjoying some parts, I mean, food, clothes and a handsome (at least later on she thinks this) guy. I could understand that given the place she came from and what she experienced. Yes, this isn’t a good situation, but there are good things to it. Things she never had.
I had fun reading it. I especially loved the chapter with the heir apparent, at first I wasn’t sure what to make of the little dude, but he turned out to be an interesting and sweet boy. Though at times I was hoping for a bit more and a bit faster pacing. I mean, what happened to the princess? Why was a replacement so badly needed? Who is the guy Nina is getting married to? Does the queen know? What will happen after that last chapter and what happened there? How did they have a wig ready? I would have loved to see her escape a few times, and I don’t mean just her room, I mean total escape, or at least try. I get why she didn’t, but for me it would have fitted better with the story if she had.
BTW, that queen is horrible. Bleh! She definitely deserved the bath she got when Nina got her fan out of the water. Haha, I had such a laugh at that. She just jumped right in. No care.
The art was quite nice at times! Though it is a shame it is in black/white as the constant remarks about eye colours just didn’t make sense, haha.
I am not sure if I will continue reading, the pacing is a bit slow for me, plus, so many questions.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I was curious to read this one. The cover looked really pretty (I love pink hair/blue eyes combo) and I love how the prince was holding onto the girl.
This was quite a fun manga about a girl who is taken from her home to become the double of a princess (who recently died and I am still 100% suspicious about the hows of that given what we saw). You can imagine she isn’t very happy, angry at the betrayal of her friend (the blurb states he is her brother, but he is not, her parents died and he and his brother took her in), the idea of getting married, but she can’t leave, so she tries her best. And is kind of enjoying some parts, I mean, food, clothes and a handsome (at least later on she thinks this) guy. I could understand that given the place she came from and what she experienced. Yes, this isn’t a good situation, but there are good things to it. Things she never had.
I had fun reading it. I especially loved the chapter with the heir apparent, at first I wasn’t sure what to make of the little dude, but he turned out to be an interesting and sweet boy. Though at times I was hoping for a bit more and a bit faster pacing. I mean, what happened to the princess? Why was a replacement so badly needed? Who is the guy Nina is getting married to? Does the queen know? What will happen after that last chapter and what happened there? How did they have a wig ready? I would have loved to see her escape a few times, and I don’t mean just her room, I mean total escape, or at least try. I get why she didn’t, but for me it would have fitted better with the story if she had.
BTW, that queen is horrible. Bleh! She definitely deserved the bath she got when Nina got her fan out of the water. Haha, I had such a laugh at that. She just jumped right in. No care.
The art was quite nice at times! Though it is a shame it is in black/white as the constant remarks about eye colours just didn’t make sense, haha.
I am not sure if I will continue reading, the pacing is a bit slow for me, plus, so many questions.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
May 12, 2025
I loved the anime and have to find out what happens next. Even though I know how things are gonna go down, I still enjoy this volume a lot. Nina is such a lovable heroine. She's spunky without being annoying. While the worldbuilding is a bit vague, I appreciate how detailed and beautiful the clothes are.
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December 10, 2024Don't look at me I've regressed into a preteen
September 15, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a review copy for via NetGalley, and am voluntarily and happily sharing my honest thoughts. Many thanks to the publisher, Kodansha, for the opportunity!
I really loved the art style here and honestly, it's what caught my attention in the first place! I'm glad that the story and concept managed to keep my attention, and I feel I would definitely continue into vol. 2 depending on the pacing. Nina and Prince Azure were really charming individually. I was wondering how the dynamics would be between them, and this volume really pulled me in toward the later chapters. It'll be interesting to see how things develop in the overall world politics, and when new characters are introduced too.
I really loved the art style here and honestly, it's what caught my attention in the first place! I'm glad that the story and concept managed to keep my attention, and I feel I would definitely continue into vol. 2 depending on the pacing. Nina and Prince Azure were really charming individually. I was wondering how the dynamics would be between them, and this volume really pulled me in toward the later chapters. It'll be interesting to see how things develop in the overall world politics, and when new characters are introduced too.
April 26, 2021
I'm not 100% sold on the art style for this, but the clothing is all really beautiful and interesting. The story drew me right in and suddenly the volume was somehow over! Wait, how was it over so quickly?! Please tell me volume two is releasing soon, I need it now please!
I love the queen - what a great villain! And I can tell I'm a romance reader at heart because I immediately was like "Do I detect the faint whispers of romance between Nina and Azure?" How will that work if she's pretending to be his sibling and is engaged to be married to a prince across the mountains!? I need the next volume, stat!!
I love the queen - what a great villain! And I can tell I'm a romance reader at heart because I immediately was like "Do I detect the faint whispers of romance between Nina and Azure?" How will that work if she's pretending to be his sibling and is engaged to be married to a prince across the mountains!? I need the next volume, stat!!
August 20, 2025
*3.5
Reading my library vol. 1 manga check outs: #2
This was cute and an interesting start to this series. I enjoyed the art a lot; it’s probably what I enjoyed most about this particular volume. I’m curious to see where our story goes, especially with the politics and the impending arranged marriage for Nina. However, I wasn’t fully captivated. Something was just missing to fully invest me in this story. I will be reading more because I’m curious enough, but the next few volumes will need to wow me a lot. Still a decent start and I want to see what direction this takes, especially with one of the main side characters.
Reading my library vol. 1 manga check outs: #2
This was cute and an interesting start to this series. I enjoyed the art a lot; it’s probably what I enjoyed most about this particular volume. I’m curious to see where our story goes, especially with the politics and the impending arranged marriage for Nina. However, I wasn’t fully captivated. Something was just missing to fully invest me in this story. I will be reading more because I’m curious enough, but the next few volumes will need to wow me a lot. Still a decent start and I want to see what direction this takes, especially with one of the main side characters.
November 19, 2023
This is SO GOOD! I want more! You can currently find this book on NetGalley's "read now" shelf for free!
I would say this manga is historical fantasy. There's no magic or fantasy creatures like dragons, but the world is a made-up one that seems partly Arabian-inspired, partly Chinese-inspired. There are some familiar tropes, like the empress feeling threatened that her son, the crown prince, will be usurped by his older step-brother, and there is a decoy princess who took the place of one that died. Still, the characters are absolutely delightful and the art is stunning. There's action and adventure, and you can sense there are mysteries to unravel and romance will be blooming in future volumes. I will definitely stick around for this story!
I would say this manga is historical fantasy. There's no magic or fantasy creatures like dragons, but the world is a made-up one that seems partly Arabian-inspired, partly Chinese-inspired. There are some familiar tropes, like the empress feeling threatened that her son, the crown prince, will be usurped by his older step-brother, and there is a decoy princess who took the place of one that died. Still, the characters are absolutely delightful and the art is stunning. There's action and adventure, and you can sense there are mysteries to unravel and romance will be blooming in future volumes. I will definitely stick around for this story!
July 17, 2025
Been on my radar for ages! Excited to finally read the series.
FMC is a street kid with rare blue eyes. One day, her only friend sells her out and she's the body double of the now deceased princess. She must learn etiquette and all the things before she's off to marry a prince.
The art is gorgeous, the second prince is INTRIGUING, and the court machinations are heavy. I'm really enjoying it so far!
RECAP: Start as above, meet crown prince, she protects him in the well, ending where she's in the town and second prince saves her.
FMC is a street kid with rare blue eyes. One day, her only friend sells her out and she's the body double of the now deceased princess. She must learn etiquette and all the things before she's off to marry a prince.
The art is gorgeous, the second prince is INTRIGUING, and the court machinations are heavy. I'm really enjoying it so far!
RECAP: Start as above, meet crown prince, she protects him in the well, ending where she's in the town and second prince saves her.
October 11, 2024
4 ⭐️
Definitely a good start to the manga. Needs more to go on before I can say I loved this series but so far so good. I definitely loved the art style so beautiful and the clothes of this world where it’s set in is unique and gorgeous.
I can’t wait to read more
Definitely a good start to the manga. Needs more to go on before I can say I loved this series but so far so good. I definitely loved the art style so beautiful and the clothes of this world where it’s set in is unique and gorgeous.
I can’t wait to read more
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October 25, 2024Me parece pronto para opinar, pero sí que me ha gustado suficiente como para querer saber cómo sigue.
Read
October 11, 2023tl;dr
Beautiful artwork, and an intriguing setup for a series about palace drama.
Thoughts
First off - yes the art really is that good throughout. Delicate lines, nice tones, and gorgeous large panels are the order of the day, making this a very pleasing manga to look at. Which is good, because the story can get pretty dark in some places. It's got all the messy political stuff one would expect from a story where a child plucked from the streets suddenly has to pose as royalty. Nina is a great lead, refusing to be a doormat for someone else's politics, but also canny enough to play things smart. Azure is an interesting foil, someone else also trapped by the cards dealt to them, but he keeps his reasons close, and I'm curious to learn more about his motives and plans as the series continues. We have yet to meet the final piece of our lead trio in this volume, but the two leads so far are great to read, and I'm curious to know what happens next.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Beautiful artwork, and an intriguing setup for a series about palace drama.
Thoughts
First off - yes the art really is that good throughout. Delicate lines, nice tones, and gorgeous large panels are the order of the day, making this a very pleasing manga to look at. Which is good, because the story can get pretty dark in some places. It's got all the messy political stuff one would expect from a story where a child plucked from the streets suddenly has to pose as royalty. Nina is a great lead, refusing to be a doormat for someone else's politics, but also canny enough to play things smart. Azure is an interesting foil, someone else also trapped by the cards dealt to them, but he keeps his reasons close, and I'm curious to learn more about his motives and plans as the series continues. We have yet to meet the final piece of our lead trio in this volume, but the two leads so far are great to read, and I'm curious to know what happens next.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
April 30, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very beautiful series. The art is gorgeous and it reminded me of other shojo series, such as Kamisama Kiss and Snow White with the Red Hair. It has a likeable female lead, who is spirited and kind, and the setting is magical and different to others I’ve seen. It was awesome to see something new explored.
The problem I find is that the story beats seem too predictable and a bit cliche. I already had an idea of where this series is going to go, and I’m not expecting many spins on the genre. It seems to be playing it straight, with the very obvious relationship forming, and the political intrigue going to happen. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. The formula works for a reason, and I think it will work for novice readers going into the genre, but if you’re looking for something new and different then you won’t get it here.
This is a very beautiful series. The art is gorgeous and it reminded me of other shojo series, such as Kamisama Kiss and Snow White with the Red Hair. It has a likeable female lead, who is spirited and kind, and the setting is magical and different to others I’ve seen. It was awesome to see something new explored.
The problem I find is that the story beats seem too predictable and a bit cliche. I already had an idea of where this series is going to go, and I’m not expecting many spins on the genre. It seems to be playing it straight, with the very obvious relationship forming, and the political intrigue going to happen. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. The formula works for a reason, and I think it will work for novice readers going into the genre, but if you’re looking for something new and different then you won’t get it here.
April 20, 2021
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nina our main character, is a poor kid who is stealing things in order to survive. But she is not like any normal kid, she has blue eyes which is rare among the population. She is living along with two brothers until one day, one of them sold her to a slaver. She thinks that she is going to be sold because of her blue eyes until it is revealed that he is not actually a slaver, but Azure Seth Fortna, the second prince of Fortna. Nina is going to become Princess Alisha’s double, who recently passed away in strange circumstances, and she has 3 months to learn etiquette since she is about to get married to the prince of another country. But of course, everything is not going to go smoothly, and Nina is not ready to give up her old life just yet.
I requested this manga even though I didn’t previously hear about it because I found the cover pretty. I didn’t have too many expectations going into its. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me. I didn’t like any of the characters, Muhulum especially annoyed me so bad. I found the story okay, but nothing really gripped me, and I’m not curious about what will happen in the next volumes. Nothing was memorable, to the point where I don’t even have anything to say about the manga since it didn’t leave any impression on me.
Nina our main character, is a poor kid who is stealing things in order to survive. But she is not like any normal kid, she has blue eyes which is rare among the population. She is living along with two brothers until one day, one of them sold her to a slaver. She thinks that she is going to be sold because of her blue eyes until it is revealed that he is not actually a slaver, but Azure Seth Fortna, the second prince of Fortna. Nina is going to become Princess Alisha’s double, who recently passed away in strange circumstances, and she has 3 months to learn etiquette since she is about to get married to the prince of another country. But of course, everything is not going to go smoothly, and Nina is not ready to give up her old life just yet.
I requested this manga even though I didn’t previously hear about it because I found the cover pretty. I didn’t have too many expectations going into its. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me. I didn’t like any of the characters, Muhulum especially annoyed me so bad. I found the story okay, but nothing really gripped me, and I’m not curious about what will happen in the next volumes. Nothing was memorable, to the point where I don’t even have anything to say about the manga since it didn’t leave any impression on me.
January 7, 2024
4.5/5
- Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me a copy through NetGalley.
I have to say I really liked this one.
It's set in a fantasy world probably in a sort of past where this young girl who has almost lost everything and everyone finds herself thrown all of a sudden into a world of luxury and princes and castles.
I really liked the premise of the series, and especially how it was developed throughout.
Our main protogonist feels a lot of different emotions, and the author was able to deliver all of them.
The story starts when Nina has lost amost everything, she's living basically like a boy surrounded by only a few people who are left in her life after the plague took almost everyone. All of a sudden she finds herself taken by some misterious people, dragging her to this sort of court, where from now on has to learn to become a princess. She's in fact the only person they were able to find with the same eyes as the lost princess, who apparently had a terrible accident.
Her life is everything but easy, she has to adapt to this new life, know all the new people there and especially live without the ones she always loved and took care of her for so long.
In this first volume there's a lot going on, but the art is very clear and super pretty to look at and the story seems already very intriguing and very interesting.
- Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me a copy through NetGalley.
I have to say I really liked this one.
It's set in a fantasy world probably in a sort of past where this young girl who has almost lost everything and everyone finds herself thrown all of a sudden into a world of luxury and princes and castles.
I really liked the premise of the series, and especially how it was developed throughout.
Our main protogonist feels a lot of different emotions, and the author was able to deliver all of them.
The story starts when Nina has lost amost everything, she's living basically like a boy surrounded by only a few people who are left in her life after the plague took almost everyone. All of a sudden she finds herself taken by some misterious people, dragging her to this sort of court, where from now on has to learn to become a princess. She's in fact the only person they were able to find with the same eyes as the lost princess, who apparently had a terrible accident.
Her life is everything but easy, she has to adapt to this new life, know all the new people there and especially live without the ones she always loved and took care of her for so long.
In this first volume there's a lot going on, but the art is very clear and super pretty to look at and the story seems already very intriguing and very interesting.
April 24, 2021
Well, I think that was a good start for an interesting plot in a military fantasy setting. This volume lays the foundations, starting off with a little world-building and ofcourse, the highlight which is Nina and Azure.
I like both of these characters so far. Nina, albeit really a little annoying at times, she has the most interesting back story. I guess there will be more to follow there. Azure also catches my attention because I think he still has secrets to show.
In the next volumes, I'm hoping to find more of its poor vs rich themes, identity themes, and more politics. If I find a copy, maybe I'll read it.
E-arc from NetGalley.
I like both of these characters so far. Nina, albeit really a little annoying at times, she has the most interesting back story. I guess there will be more to follow there. Azure also catches my attention because I think he still has secrets to show.
In the next volumes, I'm hoping to find more of its poor vs rich themes, identity themes, and more politics. If I find a copy, maybe I'll read it.
E-arc from NetGalley.
February 20, 2024
Very very pretty! I’m so curious about the world building and what happened to the true Princess Alisha. This is the beginning of the series, so it’s alright if things aren’t cranked up and filled with drama right from the beginning.
I want to see Alisha and Azure interacting more, because when they do interact it’s so much fun! The ending was really fascinating!
So far, I like Azure. He strikes me as a kuudere right now with his frosty, aloof exterior but there’s a sweetness to the things he’ll do for Alisha/Nina and his little brother Muhulum. No complaints with Alisha either!
I’ve got 10 volumes, so I will certainly continue reading.
I want to see Alisha and Azure interacting more, because when they do interact it’s so much fun! The ending was really fascinating!
So far, I like Azure. He strikes me as a kuudere right now with his frosty, aloof exterior but there’s a sweetness to the things he’ll do for Alisha/Nina and his little brother Muhulum. No complaints with Alisha either!
I’ve got 10 volumes, so I will certainly continue reading.
June 13, 2023
Hoy vengo a comentaros mis primeras impresiones acerca de: “𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙤 𝙙𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙀𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙨”, obra manga shojo, abierta todavía en Japón con 10 tomos, de 𝚁𝚒𝚔𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒, y publicada en España gracias a 📚
Pero antes de nada, la trama 👉🏻 Nina tiene los ojos del color del lapislázuli; esos hermosos ojos son los que hacen que Azure, el segundo príncipe del país de Fortna, la descubra y se convierta en la sustituta de la princesa Alisha, que debería haberse casado con el príncipe heredero de otro gran país príncipe 👑
Para ello, debe aprender a comportarse según el protocolo y la visten elegantemente con la intención de engañar a los habitantes de su reino… 🤫
💎 Con un ligero toque a 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘺𝘢, debo reconocer que este primer tomo de la obra me ha gustado mucho y tengo curiosidad por conocer más de este nuevo mundo y sus personajes 🧐
💎 El worldbuilding me ha parecido bastante original: basado estéticamente un poco a países de Oriente Medio, con elementos fantásticos como una religión centrada en la importancia de las estrellas 🌟
💎 Posibles intrigas palaciegas por las que habrá que cuidarse bien las espaldas 🫣
Pero antes de nada, la trama 👉🏻 Nina tiene los ojos del color del lapislázuli; esos hermosos ojos son los que hacen que Azure, el segundo príncipe del país de Fortna, la descubra y se convierta en la sustituta de la princesa Alisha, que debería haberse casado con el príncipe heredero de otro gran país príncipe 👑
Para ello, debe aprender a comportarse según el protocolo y la visten elegantemente con la intención de engañar a los habitantes de su reino… 🤫
💎 Con un ligero toque a 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘺𝘢, debo reconocer que este primer tomo de la obra me ha gustado mucho y tengo curiosidad por conocer más de este nuevo mundo y sus personajes 🧐
💎 El worldbuilding me ha parecido bastante original: basado estéticamente un poco a países de Oriente Medio, con elementos fantásticos como una religión centrada en la importancia de las estrellas 🌟
💎 Posibles intrigas palaciegas por las que habrá que cuidarse bien las espaldas 🫣
November 15, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this manga.
I was initially nervous to begin this series, as I find many fantasy manga series hard to follow; the plots tend to be convoluted and confusing. This series however has so far managed to avoid this issue, the plot moves along nicely and at an easy to understand pace. The art style is lovely, and the characters are interesting and likeable. I'm looking forward to continuing the series and getting to know the main characters in more depth. A solid first volume!
I was initially nervous to begin this series, as I find many fantasy manga series hard to follow; the plots tend to be convoluted and confusing. This series however has so far managed to avoid this issue, the plot moves along nicely and at an easy to understand pace. The art style is lovely, and the characters are interesting and likeable. I'm looking forward to continuing the series and getting to know the main characters in more depth. A solid first volume!
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