Title: Cursed Princess Club
Type: Webcomic
Year: 2019-2024
Country: Unknown (English-speaking Western World?)
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Status: Completed
Platform: Webtoon (read here)
Appropriate for 30+?: Perhaps not, but don't let that stop you
My rating: 4.5/5 stars
(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)
Yes, Cursed Princess Club is a series for teenagers/young adults (of any gender). The characters skew young, wacky antics abound, and the series is basically an illustrated self-help book for struggling youngsters trying to figure out who they are as they transform into adults. I'm sure many 30+ readers will be bored by this series, especially in the beginning. However it potentially has a lot to offer in the right context.
First off, the series gets much better with time. The art improves (albeit from bad to tolerable), the jokes shift from quantity to quality, and the plot gets much more engaging, even exciting. Two of the series' greatest strengths take time to pay off but do so in spades: plot and character development. I don't know if the entire series was pre-planned or if the author is just really good at working with what they've already thrown out there, but little details from dozens if not over a hundred chapters back become critical plot points on many occasions, culminating in a satisfying ending. The primary cast of characters is pretty sizable, and the minor cast even bigger, but they're almost all memorable and endearing, and most experience notable if not tremendous change over the course of the series. The "good guys" make missteps, and the "villains" have redeeming qualities (or at least make some good points now and then).
Second, the lessons and morals in the story are actually really good, not just in what the lessons are but in how they're portrayed. I usually bristle at attempts at "lessons" that come off as naive, ham-fisted, condescending, or absolutist, but I found Cursed Princess Club to skillfully handle all sorts of complex and nuanced topics, from self-hatred to burnout to abusive parents to forgiveness and making amends. I won't say it gets everything right all the time, but the series at least acknowledges that people are complex, best intentions can backfire, platitudes are insufficient to resolve personal issues, and "happy endings" are not always as planned. Topics covered are diverse and contemporary; even the "incel" phenomenon makes an appearance!
Cursed Princess Club isn't a series for everyone in the 30+ crowd, but consider bookmarking it for a rainy day. Unfortunately the series is a slow burn where the first half setup doesn't start to pay off until the second half, which means that before it can really start getting good many readers will have probably dropped it for not living up to the hype. I recommend saving the series for "sick day" reading, an occasion when you could use a wholesome pick-me-up, or perhaps as a pre-bed quiet-time activity (this is how I read most of the series, until the last third or so when it takes a turn toward drama/mystery/action).
As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this piece of media is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.