I have been waiting impatiently for this book since the announcement! I was so happy when they pushed the release date up by a month. Merida has long been my absolute favorite Disney princess. It might have something to do with the fact that we both love horses and archery, and we both struggle with a mass of curly hair. Curly girlies stick together! And the fact that it takes place in Medieval Scotland is all the sweeter. That is my favorite age, and Scotland has always held a place in my heart. It calls to me! But on with the book review.
The Story
The twist to the story was that Merida never gives her mother the cake the witch makes for her. She eats it herself! This hurtles her back in time where she meets a teenage Queen Elinor, who is then only a princess, and a young Fergus who is nothing more than a prominent clansman of DunBroch. Elinor’s parents of the MacCameron clan are King and Queen of the land, and it is only recently they stopped warring with the DunBroch clan and made an alliance. Elinor finds Merida injured in the woods instead of an injured Fergus, changing their fate that led them to fall in love and marry in the first place. The princess takes Merida to the castle where she works with the staff while she heals. Merida also helps her mother change the fate she wishes to escape. It turns out Merida and her mother are not so different after all! But there is treachery afoot in the castle, with a murderous plot, and it’s up to Merida and her parents to work together to stop it. Can she make her parents fall in love again when they seem always at odds? And can she stop the plot to destroy the MacCameron clan?
I loved the story and the twist! It kept the pages turning in my hands to find out what would happen next. I love, just like when I read “Bravely” that I felt like I was getting to see a whole new side of a character I have loved for so long.
The Writing
The author did a good job with the story. It flowed very well and there were no awkward moments for me where I didn’t know what she was getting at or that felt weird on the tongue.
My only complaint for the entire book would have to be one that is a common mistake among Historical Fiction writers, one that I am sure I’ve made myself. With the character’s dialogue there were no conjunctions. It was all very formal. No I’ve, just I have. No it’s, just it is. And in the movie that is not how the characters talk at all, especially Merida. So, I do have to say I don’t think the author captured Merida’s voice very well.
I can never have too much Scotland description and I could have done with a little more in this book, but I know that this is a young adult novel done by Disney to exhausting the physical description of the land in not in their storytelling wheel. I can forgive this, especially since the story was so good!
I highly recommend this book if you’re reading the series, or if you have a love of “Brave” like I do! You won’t want to miss it.
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