The King has grown old and lonely and is ferociously hated in his Kingdom When a servant attempts to poison him an all-out search begins for those who resist his rule Meanwhile the King only daughter despises her life in the castle She dreams of returning to a town she once visited but is forbidden to take one step outside of the castle walls Her plans to escape strain her relationship with her fianc who has sworn to protect the King Her only hope falls on an absent-minded servant hired within the castle to do construction With his help she hopes to recapture the freedom she so briefly felt With a fairy-tale-like setting combined with modern themes of isolation obligation and longing Birdhouse is a magical debut graphic novel from new talent Vernon White