"Ryan� offers a fanciful modern fairy tale illustrated with a whole sheaf of his intricately detailed cut-paper silhouettes, including a poster on the back of the dust jacket. The hero, a young prince, lives in a palace in the middle of the city, trapped by protocol. � It's the first of three volumes, and readers will long for the next book." � Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Visually stunning� Ryan's hand-drawn, screenprinted, and cut-paper illustrations, filled with intricate patterns, detailed cityscapes, and numerous black silhouettes, are placed on watercolor backgrounds ranging from bright yellow to dark gray hues� VERDICT An intriguing fantasy that pulls readers right into the story with its enchanting plot and eye-catching artwork." � School Library Journal