"Five Days of Fairytales" Day 1: My Review of "The Healer's Apprentice" by Melanie Dickerson

Welcome to "Five Days of Fairytales!" 

On November 29th, Melanie Dickerson's The Merchant's Daughter will be officially released. I am really excited about this book, because it's based on the fairytale, Beauty and the Beast. I am a HUGE Beauty and the Beast fan. Yes, I have been known to watch the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast six times in one week. I also love all fairytales in general, so the next few days there are going to be posts to help create a fairytale mood. Here's what you can expect:

Nov. 25: My review of The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
Nov. 26: Songs that Create a Fairytale Mood
Nov. 27: A Few Facts You May or May Not Know about Beauty and the Beast (yeah, I know it's a long title)
Nov. 28: Favorite Fairytale Quotes
Nov. 29: Official Release Date of The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (and there was a grand celebration!)

So I hope you join me every day, because this is going to be fun! Here's my review of Melanie Dickerson's...



"God, if you have made a way for us to be together," he whispered,

"then let me awaken her with this kiss of true love."

Sigh.

So romantic.

The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson is first and foremost a story of true love. But, as Shakespeare said, the course of true love never did run smooth, so you know this story is going to take you on a ride with a few twists and bumps. If you haven't already guessed, this is a Christian version of the classic fairytale "Sleeping Beauty." Of course, there are many differences between the original tale and The Healer's Apprentice, but they both are enchanting.

The setting is Hagenheim, Germany in the year 1386. Rose, a woodcutter's daughter, has recently become an apprentice to the castle healer, Frau Gerusha. It is a great honor, but daily Rose wonders if she has the talent--and the stomach--to become a healer. All sorts of changes are happening in her life, but perhaps the most startling are the attentions of the Duke of Hagenheim's sons, Lord Hamlin and Lord Rupert. Rose feels torn between the two men for several reasons. Lord Hamlin is kind and chivalrous, but he has also been betrothed for years...to a woman he has never met. Lord Rupert has a reputation for being wild, but lately he seems to be reforming his ways...all for Rose's sake.

It's a story of choices and intrigue. Should Rose follow her heart concerning these two men or her logic? And which is right? Rose is a strong character and her struggle is sincere. Besides these two men, there's also a dark figure lurking in the background wanting to harm Rose, but no one (except maybe Frau Gerusha) knows why. The story increases in tension as the characters' relationships break, heal, and deepen, and a secret about Rose's past is revealed that will change her life, and the lives around her, forever.

Genre: Fantasy/Historical/Youth/Romance

Ages: 12 and up

Pages: 257

Publication Date: October 2010