The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz * * * * *

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a short, self contained comic by Deya Muniz, inspired by her relationship with her wife. It is the kind of book you can read in one sitting. I read it on the bus home from work, yet it still manages to feel complete. The full story is available at the end of the book, so I will avoid spoilers here.

The premise is simple and playful. In an alternative history world loosely reminiscent of seventeenth century France, a Countess presents as a Count. The reason why she needs to pretend to be a man is obvious, the Count has no male heirs, and that’s not a good thing even in this world.

What really carries the book is its tone. The side characters are sweet and humorous. There is a lightness to the dialogue and the situations, and of course an abundance of grilled cheese sandwiches, that keeps everything warm and approachable. The art supports this perfectly. Soft lines, expressive faces, and a colour palette that feels very feminine.

Because the book is so short, there is little room for deep character development. It does not need it. What it offers instead is clarity. The characters are exactly who they need to be for this story, and the emotional beats land cleanly without excess. Nothing overstays its welcome, and nothing feels under-explained.

If you are looking for something gentle, affirming, and genuinely charming, something you can read in under an hour and still think fondly of afterwards, this is well worth your time.

Sometimes a story does not need to be bigger. Sometimes it just needs to be kind, and this one is.