by Patricia Baxter, Guest Reviewer

A new king has been crowned in the Kingdom of the Wind: Princess Natalia, the final member of the royal family. While Natalia is determined to stand tall and do right by the people of her kingdom, the reality is significantly more difficult, as she has lost her brother, Louis the previous King, and their father, the King before both of them, in quick succession. To make matters worse, the wind sword, Sylphide, no longer seems to work as it is meant to, causing Natalia to feel like an insufficient ruler, with no one to turn to in her immense grief. As she grants herself a moment alone to mourn, an unexpected figure steps forward to offer support: Sister Sara, a nun of the Petal Convent.

Kamejiro’s The Flower Princess of Sylph is a series made with a great deal of forethought and care, as the author has showcased a commitment to plotting a world of wind and flowers. Their worldbuilding has a strong foundation, slowly introducing more information on the Sylph, their royal descendants, the magic blade Sylphide, and Sara’s unusual connection to them as the story progresses. The architecture and clothing of the people in the world are adorned in various floral and plant motifs, showing a visual commitment to the world they created. My favourite detail is that each chapter in the series is named after a flower or plant, and the events that play out in each chapter align with their symbolic meanings in the flower languages of Europe and North America. All of these choices show a degree of care and craftsmanship that is deeply admirable.

The fact that Kamejiro does not shy away from Natalia’s intense grief is another aspect of this series that I also greatly appreciate. It can be very tempting to push a character, especially a protagonist, towards recovering from mental health problems as quickly as possible for the sake of the overall narrative, but that is not the case here. Instead, the current plot of The Flower Princess of Sylph is focused on Natalia’s gradual recovery, and that this will be a slow, ongoing process throughout the course of the series.

That being said, even a well plotted story is not immune to a few quirks and criticisms. The art is generally impressive, especially when Natalia cuts loose with her powers of the Sylph, but there are some instances where the art can feel a bit rough. Additionally, while most of the gags are funny and well-paneled, certain jokes, like Natalia accidentally hurting herself in her stubbornness, become less grimly humorous and more frustrating and concerning by the fifth chapter. 

Sara is also a character that will probably be rather polarizing for some readers. On the one hand, she is an intriguing character who hides her true intentions and cunning behind a facade of carelessness, but on the other hand her attempts to cheer up the princess can feel a bit jarring and tactless. Considering one of the ongoing mysteries of the series is Sara’s connection to the Sylphide, your opinion on her character may be a deciding factor in whether or not you wish to continue reading the series.

Overall, The Flower Princess of Sylph is a well-crafted fantasy yuri series with plenty of room to grow. A lot of seeds have been planted, including the lilies, but only time will tell what this manga will eventually blossom into.

The series is available on most major electronic reading platforms, such as Global BookWalker, with chapters available for individual purchase. The first chapter is free and the subsequent chapters are 1.99 USD each.

Ratings:

Art: 7.5
Story: 6.5 (good worldbuilding, but the plot itself is rather thin right now)
Characters: 7 (only Natalia and Sara are given any focus so far)
Service: 0 (unless you have a thing for nuns, which would bump the rating up significantly)
Yuri: 2 (only begins to sprout during the fifth chapter)

Overall: 7.5