The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson
Christian Fiction/Fairy Tale Retelling. 314 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
She knows women are expected to marry, cook, and have children, not go to war. Can she manage to stay alive, save her mother, and keep the handsome son of a duke from discovering her secret?
When Mulan takes her father’s place in battle against the besieging Teutonic Knights, she realizes she has been preparing for this journey her whole life—and that her life, and her mother’s, depends on her success. As the adopted daughter of poor parents, Mulan has little power in the world. If she can’t prove herself on the battlefield, she could face death—or, perhaps worse, marriage to the village butcher.
Disguised as a young man, Mulan meets the German duke’s son, Wolfgang, who is determined to save his people even if it means fighting against his own brother. Wolfgang is exasperated by the new soldier who seems to be one step away from disaster at all times—or showing him up in embarrassing ways. From rivals to reluctant friends, Mulan and Wolfgang begin to share secrets.
But war is an uncertain time and dreams can die as quickly as they are born. When Mulan receives word of danger back home, she must make the ultimate choice. Can she be the son her bitter father never had? Or will she become the strong young woman she was created to be?
This fresh reimagining of the classic tale takes us fifteenth-century Lithuania where both love and war challenge the strongest of heroes.
My Review:
It’s been a while since I read a Dickerson book, but I got a hankerin’ for a “candy” book – something sweet, simple, and uplifting. Something I knew would end well and perhaps uplift my spirit. I rewatched Disney’s Mulan and, of course, that made this the perfect opportunity to finally pick this up off my TBR.
Honestly, I was a little nervous going in. The last couple of Dickerson books I read I was a little disappointed in, so I’ve not been as excited to get back to these, but I loved the earlier books in the series when I was younger, so I had hoped this one would be good. And I liked it!
It wasn’t unpredictable with some kind of super clever twists or turns on the Mulan legend. It was pretty straightforward, simple retelling – but that’s exactly what I went to this book for. Quick, easy, light. I knew what I was getting and it delivered.
I appreciated how cleverly Dickerson wove the story into her Hagenheim world. The rich historical setting introduced me to the Teutonic knights, which I didn’t know anything about before. It’s always fun to learn something new. I really liked how Dickerson used them in the story and the tension built between the two sides of the war.
Even more, though, I loved the plotline between Wolfgang and Steffan. I was definitely picking up on some Prodigal Son vibes there, and I’m really curious to read more of Steffan (it looks like his story is in the next book, so I may be a little quicker to pick that up). Wolfgang’s heart for his brother was endearing. We need more noble, flawed heroes like him in stories. And Steffan’s pov was super interesting too! I love that we got to see both brothers’ perspectives.
Mulan’s steadfast faith is an encouragement (and her mother’s as well!). It’s heartening to watch a character who is courageous, but it was comforting to see the surety and peace that permeated through Mulan’s actions. Also, I didn’t realize this won a Christy award, but I can see why. It was a really cool portrayal of strong beliefs at war and being firmly rooted in the hope of Christ.
A fun read when you need something uplifting, easy, and light. It’s a quick one that hits all the fun fairytale moments, but also introduces the reader to some neat historical bits and pieces too.
Content: no swearing, some mild violence (nothing very graphic, despite the handful of battle scenes), and a fun, clean romance. It does follow the story of Mulan (girl who poses as boy to save her family), but Dickerson keeps it PG.
More:
Book 1 in the Hagenheim series is The Healer’s Apprentice (5 Stars)
Book 2 is The Merchant’s Daughter (5 Stars)
Book 3 is The Fairest Beauty (4 Stars)
Book 4 is The Captive Maiden (5 Stars)
Book 5 is The Princess Spy (4 Stars)
Book 6 is The Golden Braid (5 Stars)
Book 7 is The Silent Songbird (5 Stars)
Book 8 is The Orphan’s Wish (3 Stars)
Book 9 is The Warrior Maiden (4 Stars)
Book 10 is The Piper’s Pursuit
Book 11 is The Peasant’s Dream
Find more information on Goodreads with the links above. Although these stories are each independent of one another, I would highly recommend reading them in order—especially once you get to the later books.
On GraceBought
If you enjoyed this story, check out others by Dickerson!