Romance, comedy, politics, and BL with a twist, The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices is odd yet entertaining. Written by Mamecyoro with illustrations by Mitsuya Fuji and translations by Sarah Henshaw, it’s about Princess Octavia, formerly known as Maki Tazawa, trying to find her love match. There is a lot to unpack in the world of The Noble King novel that Maki finds herself in. After all, as a fujoshi fan, she should be living her best life. But being a side character in this world is less exciting than her original 2D joy. The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices Volume 1 is funny, frustrating, and engrossing, making you determined to learn what happens next.
The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices Volume 1 Is A Memorable World
As a self-proclaimed fujoshi—a fan of works focusing on the romance between men; Maki should be ecstatic. After dying, she is reborn as Princess Octavia, a character in her favorite book series, The Noble King. But as Octavia herself explains, it is not that great. The majority of the nobility are gay, which makes Octavia finding a partner difficult. Still, an openly gay aristocracy is lovely to read. But the story spends little time on those BL relationships. Hopefully that will change in future volumes.
Finding a partner is not Octavia’s only problem. She’s always known her fate since she kept her memories as Maki and read the books. In this world, to keep royal blood flowing, the women royals have to marry. After marriage, they give their first boy and girl to their brother to carry on the family line. Though it feels like Octavia is complaining to complain, it is understandable and frustrating. An arranged marriage to give up two of your children would make most hostile. She only exists to do this for her brother, Crown Prince Sirius, and his partner Sil.
Need More Unique Points Of View and Less Background Predators
The Yen Press light novel navigates through multiple points of view. The interesting part is most of those are heterosexual characters. In a story filled with BL, it seems strange not to give one of them a chance to give readers their viewpoint. On top of that, quite a few soldiers in training are there to find a partner. Many of them like her younger, underage brother Alexis. Though the volume spends little time here, the little time they do is creepy.
The book acknowledges this. But only the fifty-year-old man, who tried to abduct Alexis, gets labeled a pedophile. But there are other adult men there who want Alexis. Though not as old, they are equally as vile. It is great they do not make pedophilia and gay synonymous. But they need to do away with these predatory background characters.
Heading Into Rom-Com Territory
Octavia is a sympathetic but determined character. She is not vicious to Sirius or anyone else but behaves coldly. The only one she is close with is Alexis. But after arguing with Sirius, she claims to have a partner. So, most of The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices Volume 1 is Octavia searching for a fake boyfriend, like a rom-com film. Octavia’s search does not include her bodyguard, Klifford Alderton. The reason is she assumes he is gay too, since all her previous bodyguards were gay, and quit once they found their true love.
Of course, in The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices Volume 1, there is more to Klifford than meets the eye. There is his history as a soldier, and he is an Adjutant who serves his Sovereign, who is now Octavia. It is not clear what that entails, but you want to learn more. Also, like a romantic comedy, you wonder when and if Octavia and Klifford become a pair.
Though on the surface, the book is about Octavia finding love, there is so much more in the first volume. The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices Volume 1 is a teaser, whetting your appetite with all these characters, BL, and adds mysteries. As long as future issues focus on BL characters like Sirius and Sil, too, The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices, will only get better.
