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An Ordinary Princess #1-3
Extraordinary: A Story of an Ordinary Princess
While her sisters were blessed at birth with exceptional skills, Princess Basil's "gift" is to be ordinary. But can a princess be ordinary? Inspired by M. M. Kaye's beloved novel!
After escaping an unconventional kidnapping, Princess Basil finds herself far from her castle and must take fate into her own hands. She tracks down the fairy godmother who "blessed" her, and learns the solution to her ordinariness might be as simple as finding a magic ring. With an unlikely ally in tow, she takes on gnomes, a badger, and a couple of snarky foxes in her quest for a less ordinary life.
Portland comics artist Cassie Anderson (Lifeformed) takes her webcomic to print in this tale of magical adventure, full of soul and humor for readers of all ages.
After escaping an unconventional kidnapping, Princess Basil finds herself far from her castle and must take fate into her own hands. She tracks down the fairy godmother who "blessed" her, and learns the solution to her ordinariness might be as simple as finding a magic ring. With an unlikely ally in tow, she takes on gnomes, a badger, and a couple of snarky foxes in her quest for a less ordinary life.
Portland comics artist Cassie Anderson (Lifeformed) takes her webcomic to print in this tale of magical adventure, full of soul and humor for readers of all ages.
200 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2019
18 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
July 26, 2019
Princess Basil has been given the "gift" of being ordinary by a fairy at her birth while her sisters were all born extraordinary. Eventually she sets off on her own to find the fairy who "blessed" her to take it back. Along the way she meets some new friends and learns she may be extraordinary after all. A fun, all-ages tale in the vein of Princeless.
November 1, 2019
3.5/5 Stars
Even though the story was a bit predictable I enjoyed it nonetheless. I especially liked the message that this graphic novel was trying to get through to its readers: you don't have to possess some unique quality in order to be extraordinary. You can totally be an ordinary person doing extraordinary things!
Even though the story was a bit predictable I enjoyed it nonetheless. I especially liked the message that this graphic novel was trying to get through to its readers: you don't have to possess some unique quality in order to be extraordinary. You can totally be an ordinary person doing extraordinary things!
June 16, 2019
Princess Basil goes off on a quest to become less ordinary and meets a whole host of interesting characters along the way. She makes friends, has plenty of adventures and learns that she doesn't need a fairy to make her courageous; she had it in her all along.
This book was an exciting adventure for all ages with a fun art style. The characters were well written and likeable; my favourite was Frederick the dragon who's into historic preservation.
[Free ARC from Edelweiss+]
This book was an exciting adventure for all ages with a fun art style. The characters were well written and likeable; my favourite was Frederick the dragon who's into historic preservation.
[Free ARC from Edelweiss+]
January 27, 2022
Plain and ordinary is okay. Perfect. But the plot and the characters could have been more interesting. For such themes if the plot is plain and dull, nothing much works.
The artstyle is the highlight of this graphic novel
Otherwise nothing much workes for me.
It's short and beautiful just to flip.
Didn't like any of the characters. The plot didn't work and the romance didn't do much either.
Moving on to the next book.
The artstyle is the highlight of this graphic novel
Otherwise nothing much workes for me.
It's short and beautiful just to flip.
Didn't like any of the characters. The plot didn't work and the romance didn't do much either.
Moving on to the next book.
December 12, 2022
*3.75
This was a sweet one.
I loved the art style and color palette of this book. It was so bright and welcoming. I was drawn in by that tagline, curious about an "ordinary princess." And I did enjoy following Basil and her quest to break her curse of being ordinary. Her friendship with Hudson was very cute, too, and I liked the dragon.
But I felt like the plot itself lost me. I was curious how being "ordinary" would be treated as a good thing, and I think the point of it was that it meant Basil could find her own talent and power without having something assigned to her at birth, like her sisters. But she comes into her own in a bit of a traditional way at the end of the story, and I think it just left me wanting a bit more.
Hey, I still liked this and would recommend it, make no mistake. It just could've used one extra push at the end. 3.75/5 stars.
This was a sweet one.
I loved the art style and color palette of this book. It was so bright and welcoming. I was drawn in by that tagline, curious about an "ordinary princess." And I did enjoy following Basil and her quest to break her curse of being ordinary. Her friendship with Hudson was very cute, too, and I liked the dragon.
But I felt like the plot itself lost me. I was curious how being "ordinary" would be treated as a good thing, and I think the point of it was that it meant Basil could find her own talent and power without having something assigned to her at birth, like her sisters. But she comes into her own in a bit of a traditional way at the end of the story, and I think it just left me wanting a bit more.
Hey, I still liked this and would recommend it, make no mistake. It just could've used one extra push at the end. 3.75/5 stars.
April 13, 2022
4.4
really cute story, fast paced, and kid-friendly. the story & the art was simplistic and so fairytale-like but with its own twist that makes it so fun to read :)
really cute story, fast paced, and kid-friendly. the story & the art was simplistic and so fairytale-like but with its own twist that makes it so fun to read :)
June 22, 2020
3.5 - loved the color and character design.
December 31, 2020
A sweet and wholesome graphic novel about a young woman finding out what makes her unique. A great way to round up my 2020 reading.
September 25, 2019
I brought this home for myself, since I loved the original novel so much as a kid, but ended up reading it to my 6-year-old daughter. We read it over two nights, then on the third night she picked it up and asked me to keep reading. Since we'd already finished, we ended up reading it again! Then my son came in and stole it away and he loved it too. Even though the story stands alone, both kids are convinced there has to be a sequel, and I hope they are right -- I know we will be first in line.
April 4, 2021
This graphic novel for kids wasn’t very long and I finished it in a single evening. It is really cute and I liked the moral of the story that being ordinary wasn’t a curse, but an opportunity for the princess to be whatever she wanted to be. I kind of hope we see more of these characters as I really liked the idea of it all and felt like this could easily be the jumping off point for a series.
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July 15, 2021Guys I actually read a graphic novel
June 2, 2021
Each of Princess Basil’s sisters were blessed with extraordinary talents at birth by fairies. Whether it’s beauty, music, dancing, or humor, they each have something that draws people in. Then there’s Basil, who feels cursed because she was doomed to receive a blessing from a grouchy fairy. Her blessing? To be 100% ordinary. Her family have tried everything they could think of to spruce her up, but she always ends up feeling useless and ignored. Everything changes when Basil decides to hunt down the fairy who blessed her with being ordinary, leading her on a quest to become extraordinary.
This is such a sweet story about a princess who is ordinary and feels left out and looked over. However, it turns out that being ordinary is not such a bad thing because Basil holds her fate in her hands instead of having it chosen for her. I think sends a great message to kids because it’s real easy to feel left out, ordinary, and even dumb. However, what people see doesn’t define you and you’re just as special as anyone else. You just have to find what makes you feel great and shine.
While most of the characters are one dimensional, we do see some character development for Basil and her new friend, Hudson. I wasn’t expecting a super detailed and deep as this is a story aimed for kids middle school age and younger. That said, I do think there was a good amount of character development and world building that’s not overwhelming for the age group this is meant for. I do have a few questions, but they aren’t anything that the intended audience will have after reading.
Overall, I enjoyed the story as well as the artwork. I also enjoyed the concept art in addition to seeing the original few pages of the story that eventually lead to this novel. I think this is a great book for kids, especially any kid that feels like they don’t fit in due to their appearance or abilities compared to their peers.
This is such a sweet story about a princess who is ordinary and feels left out and looked over. However, it turns out that being ordinary is not such a bad thing because Basil holds her fate in her hands instead of having it chosen for her. I think sends a great message to kids because it’s real easy to feel left out, ordinary, and even dumb. However, what people see doesn’t define you and you’re just as special as anyone else. You just have to find what makes you feel great and shine.
While most of the characters are one dimensional, we do see some character development for Basil and her new friend, Hudson. I wasn’t expecting a super detailed and deep as this is a story aimed for kids middle school age and younger. That said, I do think there was a good amount of character development and world building that’s not overwhelming for the age group this is meant for. I do have a few questions, but they aren’t anything that the intended audience will have after reading.
Overall, I enjoyed the story as well as the artwork. I also enjoyed the concept art in addition to seeing the original few pages of the story that eventually lead to this novel. I think this is a great book for kids, especially any kid that feels like they don’t fit in due to their appearance or abilities compared to their peers.
May 30, 2020
Bagaimana rasanya menjadi seorang Putri tapi terlahir biasa-biasa saja? Basil adalah seorang Putri yang “biasa”, tidak cantik, tidak pandai menari, kurang humoris, kurang bijaksana, tidak bisa menyanyi maupun pintar memasak. Dari semua saudaranya tinggal dia yang belum bertunangan. Lalu Ibunda Ratu punya ide cemerlang : sewa naga utk menculik Basil, akan datang ksatria yang menyelamatkan Basil lalu menikahinya!
Naga yang disewa bernama Frederik, dia jinak dan suka merenovasi kastil. Basil pun kabur dan menemukan teman baru : Hudson penggembala kambing. Lucu, dan menggelitik.
“Do you know what it’s like? To never be pretty enough? Smart enough? Princess-y enough?”
“There is beauty in what you are. Your sisters’ fates are decided for them. You have a choice.”
Naga yang disewa bernama Frederik, dia jinak dan suka merenovasi kastil. Basil pun kabur dan menemukan teman baru : Hudson penggembala kambing. Lucu, dan menggelitik.
“Do you know what it’s like? To never be pretty enough? Smart enough? Princess-y enough?”
“There is beauty in what you are. Your sisters’ fates are decided for them. You have a choice.”
January 5, 2023
Unread shelf project 2023: book 2.
Not sure what to feel about this. The artwork was cute but the story/plot was honestly uninspiring. Glad I read it but it’s definitely not one I expect will call to me for an eventual reread.
Not sure what to feel about this. The artwork was cute but the story/plot was honestly uninspiring. Glad I read it but it’s definitely not one I expect will call to me for an eventual reread.
June 12, 2023
I liked the underlying lesson of the story. Overall it was a little too short and choppy for me to give it more than 3 stars but it was still cute and would’ve been a perfectly inspiring read for younger me.
December 1, 2019
A medieval setting and a very modern and relevant quest. How can a girl find herself when everyone has notions of what she should be? Basil is a down to earth heroine of her own life.
September 5, 2020
Such a delightful fairytale graphic novel.
September 24, 2019
College assignment turned webcomic turned to print, which is hugely inspired or lifted heavily from The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. Not too bad, not too good either.
July 9, 2020
Cute. I enjoyed that the characters weerre not perfect, and made poor choices, and yet it was still sweet. Predictable to an adult, but great for its young audience.
March 15, 2024
An adorable fairy tale like story of finding who you are and of taking your destiny into your own hands. I really enjoyed this and smiled the whole time I was reading it. The artwork is fantastic and the characters were overall endearing. I wish there were more volumes and adventures in this world!
April 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Four stars.
This was such a funny, refreshing and sweet story. I absolutely adored the illustrations, I would give them 6 stars. Impeccable. The cast of characters were different and interesting in their own way. I loved that the main character was a princess “blessed” to be ordinary. She has 6 sisters who were all blessed at birth by different fairies to give them cool talents that made them stand out. Things like beauty, amazing singing voice, good at dancing, or wise. Basil grows up with none of these, and her parents despair of ever getting her married off. Her sisters are all already engaged! So her mother concocts a plan: have a scary dragon kidnap her daughter, and then a prince should come and rescue her and hopefully also marry her.
Basil has a different plan in mind. After getting to the dragon’s castle, she realises that he (his name is Fredrick!!!) is actually a very nice respectful and intellectual dragon and she has nothing to be afraid of. So she decides to escape and go on a quest to find the fairy that blessed her so that she can find out why she was made to be ordinary. On the way she meets up with a young man called Hudson who is a failed squire. He was supposed to kill a dragon, but when it came to it, he couldn’t do it. So Hudson joins her on her quest. From there the action really ramps up. This was such a fun graphic novel, and my daughter is now reading it and is also really enjoying it. I finished it and checked to see if there was a follow up book, because I definitely wanted more of Basil! I want to find out what she does with herself. I loved the message here that she was blessed to be ordinary so that she wasn’t put in a box like her sisters and she could forge her own path and figure out who she is on her own. Such a good message 💜
Four stars.
This was such a funny, refreshing and sweet story. I absolutely adored the illustrations, I would give them 6 stars. Impeccable. The cast of characters were different and interesting in their own way. I loved that the main character was a princess “blessed” to be ordinary. She has 6 sisters who were all blessed at birth by different fairies to give them cool talents that made them stand out. Things like beauty, amazing singing voice, good at dancing, or wise. Basil grows up with none of these, and her parents despair of ever getting her married off. Her sisters are all already engaged! So her mother concocts a plan: have a scary dragon kidnap her daughter, and then a prince should come and rescue her and hopefully also marry her.
Basil has a different plan in mind. After getting to the dragon’s castle, she realises that he (his name is Fredrick!!!) is actually a very nice respectful and intellectual dragon and she has nothing to be afraid of. So she decides to escape and go on a quest to find the fairy that blessed her so that she can find out why she was made to be ordinary. On the way she meets up with a young man called Hudson who is a failed squire. He was supposed to kill a dragon, but when it came to it, he couldn’t do it. So Hudson joins her on her quest. From there the action really ramps up. This was such a fun graphic novel, and my daughter is now reading it and is also really enjoying it. I finished it and checked to see if there was a follow up book, because I definitely wanted more of Basil! I want to find out what she does with herself. I loved the message here that she was blessed to be ordinary so that she wasn’t put in a box like her sisters and she could forge her own path and figure out who she is on her own. Such a good message 💜
May 1, 2022
3 ⭐
Última lectura de abril. Estoy sorprendida como muchas de las novelas gráficas que escojo terminan siendo sobre superarse a uno mismo y encontrar el camino que deseamos tomar.
En cuanto a esta novela gráfica, para mí, empezó bien con la historia, sobre todo porque adoro a las princesas, y más cuando deben luchar y defenderse; y si también se le añadía romance no me iba a molestar.
Tenemos a Basil, nuestra protagonista, quien es la última hija y debido a ello se le da el don de "ser ordinaria", por lo que, a diferencia de sus hermanas, termina siempre siendo relegada y no tomada en cuenta. Honestamente entendí que, en muchas ocasiones, nos sentimos de la misma manera (sin necesidad que venga un hada madrina y nos hechice), debido a que la sociedad, y nosotros mismos lo hacemos, somos constantemente comparados entre todos, lo que al final puede terminar nublando el potencial de cada uno. Nuevamente, como parece ser últimamente, me sentí identificada con la historia, pensando igual que Basil que necesitaba "una aventura" para probarme a mí misma.
En base a ese concepto, siento que la historia iba tomando una buena ruta, pero falló en desarrollarla del todo, sobre todo al final. Se sintió muy conveniente y demasiado rápido, incluso el perdón y la aceptación no se sintieron auténticos y creo que ese fue el mayor problema que tuve porque nada es así de sencillo. Si, Basil tuvo que enfrentarse a muchas cosas y encontrar su propio camino, pero también tuvo ayuda (de quien por cierto también hubiera querido algo de desarrollo), sin embargo se sintió muy rápido.
En general, me gustó, pude identificarme, pero esperaba más del final
Última lectura de abril. Estoy sorprendida como muchas de las novelas gráficas que escojo terminan siendo sobre superarse a uno mismo y encontrar el camino que deseamos tomar.
En cuanto a esta novela gráfica, para mí, empezó bien con la historia, sobre todo porque adoro a las princesas, y más cuando deben luchar y defenderse; y si también se le añadía romance no me iba a molestar.
Tenemos a Basil, nuestra protagonista, quien es la última hija y debido a ello se le da el don de "ser ordinaria", por lo que, a diferencia de sus hermanas, termina siempre siendo relegada y no tomada en cuenta. Honestamente entendí que, en muchas ocasiones, nos sentimos de la misma manera (sin necesidad que venga un hada madrina y nos hechice), debido a que la sociedad, y nosotros mismos lo hacemos, somos constantemente comparados entre todos, lo que al final puede terminar nublando el potencial de cada uno. Nuevamente, como parece ser últimamente, me sentí identificada con la historia, pensando igual que Basil que necesitaba "una aventura" para probarme a mí misma.
En base a ese concepto, siento que la historia iba tomando una buena ruta, pero falló en desarrollarla del todo, sobre todo al final. Se sintió muy conveniente y demasiado rápido, incluso el perdón y la aceptación no se sintieron auténticos y creo que ese fue el mayor problema que tuve porque nada es así de sencillo. Si, Basil tuvo que enfrentarse a muchas cosas y encontrar su propio camino, pero también tuvo ayuda (de quien por cierto también hubiera querido algo de desarrollo), sin embargo se sintió muy rápido.
En general, me gustó, pude identificarme, pero esperaba más del final
January 20, 2020
Princess Basil is blessed by a fairy to be ordinary at her birth. She's not very pleased with the gift as she grows, and neither is her mother. Desperate to find her a fiancé, her mother hires a dragon to kidnap her. Basil isn't very keen with her mom's plan, so she escapes from the dragon and with a shepherd boy/knight in training heads out to find the fairy who blessed her so she can figure out a way to be extraordinary.
This is very loosely based on M.M. Kaye's book Ordinary Princess. So loosely that I didn't recognize much of the story except that she's ordinary. This feels like more it's own story inspired by the basic idea behind Kaye's book. It's a fun, quick quest adventure with a plucky heroine, an evil dragon that must be vanquished, a knight reject who is learning some bravery, some sinister but cute magical fox henchmen, a very practical fairy, and another dragon who is a bit more OCD than evil. The art style fits the story quite well, and the ending is open so that the author could create more adventures with Basil. Hand this to fantasy adventure fans, and graphic novel fans.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There's violence threatened, but only 1 being is seriously hurt (and it isn't very gory).
This is very loosely based on M.M. Kaye's book Ordinary Princess. So loosely that I didn't recognize much of the story except that she's ordinary. This feels like more it's own story inspired by the basic idea behind Kaye's book. It's a fun, quick quest adventure with a plucky heroine, an evil dragon that must be vanquished, a knight reject who is learning some bravery, some sinister but cute magical fox henchmen, a very practical fairy, and another dragon who is a bit more OCD than evil. The art style fits the story quite well, and the ending is open so that the author could create more adventures with Basil. Hand this to fantasy adventure fans, and graphic novel fans.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There's violence threatened, but only 1 being is seriously hurt (and it isn't very gory).
August 24, 2019
Poor Princess Basil - all her sisters were blessed by fairies to have these awesome gifts - one of her sisters has the ability to sing, another to dance, another is beautiful...but the only fairy available to bless Basil was a sourpuss who "blessed" Basil to be ordinary. Just plain ol' ordinary. So while her sisters grow up and immediately get fiances, Basil is stuck being ordinary. So her mom does what any mom would do: she hires a dragon to kidnap Basil so that a prince will come and rescue her and then they'll get married, etc. etc. However, Frederick the Dragon turns out to be more interested in interior decorating than keeping a princess hostage so Basil wanders off and meets Hudson, a failed knight/shepherd who also wishes to be extraordinary. Originally, he'd planned on rescuing Basil from Frederick, knowing full-well that Frederick isn't a mean dragon. So Basil strikes up a deal with Hudson: they'll seek out the grumpy fairy and go on an adventure that will make them both extraordinary.
I loved this graphic novel. It's super sweet and all about accepting yourself, even if you're just "ordinary."
I loved this graphic novel. It's super sweet and all about accepting yourself, even if you're just "ordinary."
December 12, 2020
2.5 stars, though I could see a younger audience rating it higher. A lightly humorous story about the seventh princess in the family, whose grumpy fairy godmother gives her the gift of being ordinary. As a result, she grows to feel inadequate and dull, outshone and overshadowed by her exceptional sisters. When she is the only princess not engaged, her mother decides to hire a dragon to kidnap her, which should attract would-be heroes to rescue and marry her. But she'll have none of that, and soon escapes to find her fairy godmother and ask her to remove her 'gift'.
A comfortably standard story of discovering your inner virtues. The dragon and the fairy godmother were funny in their complete contrast to fantasy stereotypes, though they played relatively minor parts. The two little villain familiars, though, I found mildly annoying. Not a bad standalone read for grade-schoolers or middle-schoolers, but older readers might feel too "I've seen this before" to enjoy it as much.
A comfortably standard story of discovering your inner virtues. The dragon and the fairy godmother were funny in their complete contrast to fantasy stereotypes, though they played relatively minor parts. The two little villain familiars, though, I found mildly annoying. Not a bad standalone read for grade-schoolers or middle-schoolers, but older readers might feel too "I've seen this before" to enjoy it as much.
December 21, 2020
This is very sweet and cute. It originated as a pitch for a television show so the style/elements in the graphic novel draw from fairy tale tropes. The whole thing screams CUTE. That being said, there was nothing earth shattering here. But does there need to be? It's a story about an ordinary princess saving the day and making a friend along the way. I DID like that the dragon has a name and enjoys tea.
Content Notes:
Swearing/Profanity? None
Sex/Sexual References? None
Religious elements? None
Contains magic? Yes, enchanted ring, dragons, etc.
LGBTQ + rep? Not specified
Could a conservative Christian school add this title in?
Absolutely so long as fairies, dragons, magic rings are okay.
Content Notes:
Swearing/Profanity? None
Sex/Sexual References? None
Religious elements? None
Contains magic? Yes, enchanted ring, dragons, etc.
LGBTQ + rep? Not specified
Could a conservative Christian school add this title in?
Absolutely so long as fairies, dragons, magic rings are okay.
July 31, 2019
If I could, I would give this book 3.5 stars. My 8yo finagled her way into me buying this graphic novel for her. She loved it; I liked it. The protagonist, Basil, is “blessed” to be an ordinary princess instead of an exceptional one. Quests ensue as she grows up and attempts to undo the fairy’s blessing a la Ella Enchanted. It was cute and predictable, but as a parent, it gave me an opportunity to talk with my daughter about some really important themes: what is friendship, you create your own destiny, etc. There was definitely a set up for a sequel, so maybe the plot will become less predictable as the series progresses.
August 6, 2019
Full review featured in bonus episode 4 of our monthly podcast, Hello Fellow Kids: https://soundcloud.com/user-476178897...
Cassie Anderson proves her scripting capabilities and reaffirms her ability to sell any emotion or expression in this charming addition to the ever-growing fairy tale canon. With just the right mix of dramatic tension and goofball humor, Extraordinary is a breezy romp through a colorful and exciting magical realm.
Note: Cassie provided a free copy of this book for the purposes of the podcast.
Second note: We would have gladly paid full price for the experience.
Cassie Anderson proves her scripting capabilities and reaffirms her ability to sell any emotion or expression in this charming addition to the ever-growing fairy tale canon. With just the right mix of dramatic tension and goofball humor, Extraordinary is a breezy romp through a colorful and exciting magical realm.
Note: Cassie provided a free copy of this book for the purposes of the podcast.
Second note: We would have gladly paid full price for the experience.
January 18, 2020
This reminded me of a cross between Ella Enchanted and Princeless, and I could not have been happier with that mashup. Basil, the princess, has been blessed with ordinariness. However, she dreams to be unique like her talented sisters, so she embarks on a quest to become extraordinary.
Cassie Anderson excels at detail work, something I also admired in Lifeformed. For example, all of her text boxes are personalized for her various character, so you can tell who is speaking by the word bubbles themselves (so smart!).
Overall, super enjoyable and quick graphic novel read that will not disappoint readers who love a quirky princess.
Cassie Anderson excels at detail work, something I also admired in Lifeformed. For example, all of her text boxes are personalized for her various character, so you can tell who is speaking by the word bubbles themselves (so smart!).
Overall, super enjoyable and quick graphic novel read that will not disappoint readers who love a quirky princess.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews