Our Flag Means Death gets a magical, sapphic twist in this swashbuckling young adult graphic novel adventure full of high-stakes adventure, fantastical creatures, and a swoony enemies-to-lovers romance perfect for fans of In Deeper Waters and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

“I want to be beautiful. I want to be interesting. I want to be enough.”

That was Ferra Brickminder’s prayer to win back the love of her life. And the gods answer—just not in the way she expected. After hoping for a miracle, Ferra instead watches her skin turn into delicate and dangerously breakable porcelain.

Elsewhere, Brigantine de la Girona, a disgraced orc pirate captain, has her own problems. Penniless and banished from her home, Brig struggles to make ends meet with her crew as her only support. So, when a desperate Ferra enlists Brig to sail her across the Great Sea to her ex-girlfriend’s home for a very handsome fee, Brig is happy to strike a deal.

Pampered Ferra and tough-as-nails Brig quickly butt heads, bickering their way across the high seas, but as they encounter increasingly perilous obstacles—including the gods themselves—the two become reluctant allies…and maybe more.

About The Author

Emily Riesbeck

Emily Riesbeck started writing comics at the age of ten, when they created their first original character, the superhero Aqua Guy. Since then, they’ve written the webcomic The Blue Valkyrie and graphic novels like It’s Your Funeral, Mountain, and The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl. They live in Chicago with their two partners and their cat, Yuri.

About The Illustrator

NJ Barna

NJ Barna has loved drawing for as long as she can remember and has been making comics in some shape or form only a little less far back than that. Her work most notably includes writing and drawing the buddy-cop/romantic-comedy/superhero action webcomic Paradise since 2015, as well as writing and drawing the sci-fi/horror comic Anagenesis, both of which are ongoing projects she has self-published in various places online. NJ is also the illustrator of teen graphic novel The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl.

Why We Love It

“This graphic novel is SO MUCH FUN to read! You come for the promise of romance and adventure, but stay for the winsome cast of characters and all the jokes that Emily Riesbeck and NJ Barna have infused in the writing and the art. The ending sequence is so unexpected and epic, it’ll be sure to have you at the edge of your seat.”

—Celia L., Executive Editor, on The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl