A familiar tale with a brand new setting

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having read nearly all of Melanie Dickerson's previous works which I discuss in this previous blog post, I knew that The Warrior Maiden would be excellent. There were certainly some surprises though that I was not expecting. To begin with, in previous books the name of the main character did not give away the fairy tale the story was based on. This book did right away so the reader does not have to guess and piece together clues to figure it out. However, even though many readers may be familiar with the overall story, the large variation in setting requires others changes as well. Compared to previous works in this series, I found that the male character had a much more prominent role than I recalled in the other books. I found the larger emphasis on warriors, knights, and war allowed the male perspective to be emphasized. The story also alternates between the two main characters which provides deeper insights into both.

While this book is number 9 in a series, it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this title.characters. That said, characters from previous books in the series are mentioned in passing and knowledge of the previous books is helpful. Dickerson's books are written from a Christian perspective but are not pushy. The middle ages setting provides the perfect opportunity for prayer and Bible verses to be included and seem a natural part of the story. Dickerson also does a fantastic job of including accurate historical detail.

The typical audience for these books is teen girls. I have found them to be completely enjoyable and would encourage anyone of any age to read them. I did find that this particular addition to the series with the more prominent male characters may be interesting to young teen boys and could be considered as a read-aloud for a mixed group.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book The Warrior Maiden from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” View all my reviews