Manga Review | Nina the Starry Bride Volume 1

When the Astral Princess-Priestess dies three months before her wedding to prince from a neighboring country, Prince Azure desperately concocts a plan to find a replacement. He plucks Nina, a thief, from the streets to serve as her double and promises to teach her court etiquette.

However, if their ruse fails, they risk getting beheaded and a diplomatic disaster.

Nina the Starry Bride, Vol. 1 by Rikachi weaves a captivating fantasy romance filled with danger and court intrigue.

For better or worse, the story itself leans into a lot of familiar fantasy tropes--i.e. rags-to-riches, Prince(ss) and the Pauper, but the gorgeous artwork and compelling characters help it stand out from the crowd.

Nina really is an enjoyable MC so far—she’s kind-hardened and strong-willed, willing to stand up for herself and others, and I like how non-passive she is.

It also looks like there's a budding romance between Prince Azure (who is pretending to be her half-brother) and Nina, so I detect a forbidden romance and a love triangle in the future and I’m curious to see where the rest of the story goes.

Thank you, Kodansha and NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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