I picked up Beyond Her Highness Smile thinking that it was another pretty princess book with ballrooms and glittering dresses and a sweet princess whom everyone loves. I imagined romance, light drama and maybe a fairy tale ending. But I was wrong. This internet comic is much more than some gleaming palace story. It is mean, hurtful and weirdly near reality despite being in a courtly universe. Even the smile of the princess, which initially seems so perfect, soon turns out to be the saddest thing about her.
It narrates the adventures of a princess loved by her people, admired by her nobles and being carefully observed by her enemies. She is perfect to all the people around her. She smiles at any given time. That is a smile of grace, beauty and power. People trust it, they are even comfortable with it, yet what they do not know is that it is just like a mask. Hiding behind that smile is a girl who is not able to express her true feelings. She is in a palace where she is entangled in political plots to the extent that displaying weakness is an invitation to lose it all.
The fact that this story reveals the two life of the princess is what makes this story so powerful. To the outside world she is untouchable, serene, and shiny. But when left to herself you find the cracks. Her eyes are swollen and her thoughts are not calm and her heart is sore. She cannot even rely on people as betrayal is just waiting around the corner. I felt lonely as I was reading. Just picture yourself in a group of people and you have no one to express yourself with. This is her life and her smile is her weapon and her prison.
I was able to relate to her plight as, though she is a royal figure, her feelings are very human. Most of us put on masks in our day to day lives. We smile when we are hurt. When we are not okay inside we act okay. That truth is reflected by the princess in the webtoon in a manner that remains with you even after reading. Her strength is not loud. Neither is it the battle with a sword. The force of her power is silent, patient, persistent. That form of strength is more realistic than most novels of strong female protagonists.
The palace scene is described and depicted in such detail that you are standing at those halls. The large ball rooms, the interminable gatherings with aristocrats and the garlanded dresses all give the novel a lavish appearance. However, the beauty itself is not important, it is how beauty covers the dark sides. The palace is a paradise because it is a cage and she cannot breathe entirely. The difference between what the people see and what really exists makes the story a gripping one.
The webtoon includes romance but it does not dominate. It is like little shafts of light in her heavy world. When she sees a person that she starts to trust, she becomes a different person. Such moments are delicate, nearly like glass, as you never forget how easily it can shatter. The love story is gradual, tender and neatly written. It does not in any manner subtract the major subject, her struggle to survive and defend herself in a threatening world.
The art itself should be given a high level of credit. The smile of the princess has been so well drawn that you can see why everyone is fascinated by it. Simultaneously, when she is by herself, her expressions become totally different. She is in pain and you can see it in her eyes and she is tired and you can almost feel how sad she is through the screen. The artist does not simply paint a pretty face, he paints emotions, and that is what makes the story come alive.
I really enjoyed the way the author wrote the dialogues. Most of the dialogues in the story are overlayed. People at the palace are seldom saying what they actually mean. Instructions contain threats, which they conceal. They give compliments to cover insults. There is always two sides in every exchange and the princess is aware of this game. She responds in her own stratums, smiling ever, serene ever, yet never letting her defenses down. It is like playing chess and a single wrong step will ruin it all.
The theme of silent endurance is one of the best in my opinion about the story. The princess undergoes a lot of tests and does not break in front of people. She is also strong because she is able to control her feelings even when she is crumbling inside. I could personally relate to that, as there are times in life when you have to bombard through. You simply continue on and act like everything is okay, because being weak will only aggravate situations. That is precisely the struggle she is experiencing, and it makes her one of the most relatable royal characters that I have ever read.
The timing of the story is also spectacular. It never hurries the significant scenes, but it does not drag interminably either. Every scene feels necessary. You have something new to consider in each chapter. At times it is a small emotional detail, at times it is a large twist in the politics of the palace. It is the alternation of drama and emotion that held me to the hook.
I continued to read and I noticed that not only is the webtoon about her struggle to survive, but also identity. Who is she outside this ideal princess that people see? Is that all she knows about herself beyond that mask? Such questions remain in your mind as you follow her story. The notion that one should be respected and not really known is a depressing concept, and it adds tragedy to the story.
Another thing that I liked was the suspense. These plots and individuals who are ready to destroy her fill the palace. At the end of each chapter, I wanted to know what she would do with the next challenge. That she defeats her adversaries not by arms but by wit and beauty is even more gratifying.
I had mixed feelings about reading Behind Her Highness Smile. On the one hand, I flattered her power and wit. Instead, I understood how lonely she was. It made me remember that perfection can be very painful. The smile which everybody compliments is the same smile which conceals her tears. And that is what makes the story so inspiring and heartbreaking.
I would suggest this webtoon to anyone who likes royal drama with layers. It is not only the matter of beauty or romance. It is survival, sensibility, and burdened expectations. It will cause you to adore the princess, but it will also cause you to reach across the screen and console her. That is the magic of this story. It steals a glittering globe and fills it with crude human feeling.