Scarlet Rose #1: “I Knew I’d Meet You”

Even though she has never met him, 18-year-old Maud’s heart belongs to the Fox, a masked adventurer who helps France’s poor at the expense of the elite. After Maud’s blacksmith father is killed by a mysterious stranger, she discovers her inheritance as the granddaughter of Count de Laroche; shortly thereafter, she ends up in Paris with the resources to turn vigilante herself—as the Scarlet Rose—despite her grandfather’s wish that she become a traditional lady. As Maud pursues her father’s killer and hopes to meet the Fox, she builds her own reputation as a local legend, but such work lands her in deeper trouble. Lyfoung includes minimal exposition, instead focusing on dialogue and action sequences that vary from broad comedy (Maud falling into a pig sty while attempting to warn the Fox about a trap) to exciting (Maud knows her way around a rapier). Manga-inflected artwork amplifies the romance, drama, and danger while devoting attention to historical detail—though the time period is unspecified, the characters’ dress suggests the story is set during the 18th century—and the heroine’s independence and daring. Ages 10–14. (Sept.)