Heartless Prince by Angela De Vito - 9/10

This modern reworking of classic fairytale elements highlights the nature of love and sacrifice, captured through gripping and dynamic illustrations.

Evony, the magically gifted orphan princess, does what she can to defend the kingdom of the charming but distant Prince Ammon from the attacks carried out by the monstrous familiars of the powerful witch who destroyed her kingdom. When something goes wrong putting the prince and his kingdom in danger, Evony must set out into the unknown to find the witch and get back what was stolen from them.

*While the nature of the witch's magic is dark and twisted, it is not portrayed in a particularly gory way, and so I did not find that it detracted from the nature of the story being told. The story itself is nothing groundbreakingly original, the skill of the illustrations and character development help it to stand out. I was particularly struck with interior strength revealed by Evony - who already checked the boxes of a heroine (through her magical abilities and prowess in hand-to-hand combat) and classical fairytale protagonist (through her royal lineage and romantic interest) - showcasing a profound understanding of selfless nature of love.