King of the Stars and His Knight
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Warning:
There will be spoilers for the OEL comic series Star Crossed.
Content Warning: There may be references to power imbalance, violence, social gap, self-deprecation, court politics, sabotage, limb loss, strained familial relationships, child abuse, blood, theft, mentions of contractual relationships, mentions of disownment, gossiping, mentions of war, overwork, disordered eating, mentions of capital punishment, medical procedures, epidemics, death, being orphaned, child labor, drugging, kidnapping, classism, and arranged marriage, as they appear in the comic.
Synopsis:
Polaris is the king, but he wasn’t always meant to be. His older brother was initially supposed to be the king and had been trained intensely to take up that mantle, but he could never measure up to Polaris’s natural talent. So, Polaris is king, and his devoted knight Yildun is all too happy to serve him. But Polaris’s brother is not willing to just let his birthright go so easily. After a sanctioned duel, Polaris loses his seat as king, and while Polaris never really wanted to be king, his knight, Yildun, who is designated to serve only the king, is heartbroken.
Yildun saw Polaris long before he was ever a full-fledged knight, but it was because of his immediate love for Polaris that he knew he had to become a knight. Though he swore fealty to the crown, Yildun is only willing to serve if it’s under Polaris. So, Yildun is on the hunt. There is no way Polaris lost a duel fair and square, and Yildun is out to prove that he was sabotaged. But Polaris doesn’t understand why Yildun is going so far for someone who isn’t even king anymore. When all is said and done, will Polaris be able to take his place back on the throne?
More importantly, will Yildun have the confidence to finally confess his love for his king?
Review:
This is a very inconsistent art style. There are certain angles where the faces appear very distorted, and there are panels where the eyes seem to be looking in different directions. However, there are very beautiful panels, and for a universe where painting plays such an important role, the depth and richness of the color palette are immensely satisfying. If you’re looking for a consistent and clean style, this isn’t it. It isn’t bad, but it could be better.
The world this is set in is super interesting. It’s not quite space, though the sky and the stars play a huge role. This does very little in the way of explanation, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it leaves a lot to wonder about and imagine. There are multiple kingdoms, though I’m not sure if they’re connected on a single planet or if they are scattered through the cosmos. Royals bleed white blood, which is used to create paint that then creates star beasts, while commoners bleed black blood that also seems to be able to be used for star beasts if used by a royal. There are a lot of fun and interesting elements in this world. I wanted more world-building from it, but it’s fun to be able to imagine all the possibilities out there.
However, while the world is very unique, the story itself doesn’t do it justice. The first volume, in particular, flies by some very integral and powerful story beats that definitely needed more time to give them the full weight they desperately needed. The brother’s betrayal is discovered and resolved within a few pages. Then, his forgiveness is given within an instant of his defeat. Similarly, the tension of whether or not Yildun and Polaris will get together is extinguished equally as quickly, with them getting together within the first third of the first volume (which is more time than the brother’s betrayal “arc” lasted). It makes the first volume feel like a series of vignettes, and not very good ones at that. It’s disappointing.
The second volume is much more cohesive and better paced, but its foundation is significantly weakened by the first volume. The second volume is essentially one entire arc, which significantly improves the pacing; however, the ending is unfortunately rushed. What is super fun, though, is the side story, featuring the prince from another kingdom and Polaris’s brother. They are relegated to such a short section of the story, yet the way their romance is set up is much better paced, and I feel that their backgrounds were more thoroughly explored. Granted, we are introduced to them through the main story, so they do get some time outside of their story, but I feel like I know them so much more than I know Yildun and Polaris. More than Polaris, for sure. It’s unfortunate that the second couple is more believable than the main couple, but here we are.
Results:
This was fine. It really needed more, especially for those early arcs, because as it stands, the relationship between Polaris and Yildun feels superficial. On the other hand, it might have benefited more from them already being in a relationship, and then going through the various trials and tribulations, so that their initial romance didn’t feel so rushed. Either way, the first volume feels a bit like a wash, while the second volume could have used that extra time to develop the ending more and feature more of my favorite couple, the secondary one. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one, unfortunately.
Have you read Star Crossed? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!
