I really enjoyed reading The Rose of Versailles. It feels like a grand, romantic tale, featuring melodrama and stellar artwork in abundance. It’s easy to grasp the massive mark that this series has had on the Shoujo genre; the characters feel their emotions with such intensity, and every shifting mood is highlighted by sudden rays of light and endless flower petals. Though the plot is quite predictable and trite at times, the story’s presentation feels unique to the 1970s with Riyoko Ikeda’s gorgeous art.
Though the artwork is sublime, the story and characters are far from perfect. Many of the characters based on real historical figures feel somewhat constrained, lacking depth. It seems to me that Ikeda didn’t want to make any large assumptions about these figures, even if doing so would have been beneficial to the narrative’s flow. There are also several pacing issues as the story reaches its close, where the narrative either spends too much time on certain characters or not enough time on others.
The worst part of the entire story is André, Oscar’s childhood friend. I’m not sure how he was received back in the 70s, but to a modern reader, he’s absolutely intolerable. He repeatedly attempts to force Oscar to be more feminine, constraining her to typical gender roles. Furthermore, though he tries to both rape and murder Oscar at separate points in the story, their relationship is still portrayed as romantic. André is an asshole, and it’s really irritating how the narrative refuses to criticize his behaviour. It feels really unnatural and forced when Oscar reciprocates his feelings.
Oscar, on the other hand, is the best part of the story. She is headstrong, stunning, and skilled. It’s a delight to watch her subvert expectations of womanhood and carry herself with confidence. She also has the best character arc, spanning the entire story, as she comes to understand the horrible living conditions of the lower class, and eventually fights alongside them during the revolution. Oscar is the reader’s tether to everything that happens in the story; she’s our “way-in” to 1700s France, and her escapades are endlessly entertaining.
The Rose of Versailles is far from perfect, but it is a masterclass in melodrama, feminine beauty, and historical fiction. Though characters can be bland and plot points can be repetitive, Ikeda’s artwork is some of the most striking and gorgeous I’ve ever seen, and Oscar is one of the most unique protagonists I’ve read about. Though not everyone will enjoy this manga, I believe that it is absolutely worth your time! The Rose of Versailles is full of memorable moments that will stick with me for years to come!
