Fresh From the Bookshelf: The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson {Book Review}

I think it was last year that I discovered the author Melanie Dickerson and her *new* take on classic fairy tale stories. I started with The Golden Braid, and then quickly became enchanted with her signature style as I devoured the rest of her fairy tale series. I have been fortunate to be able to review several of her books, and was delighted to receive the latest installment in her Medieval Fairy Tale series, The Silent Songbird, from The Fiction Guild to review. I hoped that I would enjoy it just as much as I had all the previous books.

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About The Silent Songbird

The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson features Evangeline, King Richard II's ward and her quest for freedom to make her own choice about who she marries. Kept like a captive in a castle, she has little interaction with the outside world. She finds simple joys in singing--and has a breathtaking and spellbinding voice. When she discovers that her cousin the king has made a political marriage pact with Lord Shiveley--a man twicer her age with shadowy motives--Evangeline breaks free and joins a small band of servants returning back to Glynval, their home village. 

Because she's known for her incredible voice, she pretends she is mute and throughout the trip, gets to know the handsome young leader Westley le Wyse. 

But not just Evangeline's future is at stake when her secret is discovered and she becomes entangled in a web of intrigue that threatens England's monarchy. What will this silent songbird do--give herself up to protect the one person who cares about her? Or help save the king from a plot to steal his throne?

My Thoughts

Ever since I learned that The Silent Songbird was going to be loosely based on the classic tale of The Little Mermaid, I was eager to read it. I loved that though Evangeline had the classic stunning red hair and incredible voice--playing mute was about the end of the similarities to the animated classic (and fairy tale story) we know so well. The author brought in some great intrigue and twists, and really, you just never know how the story will play out until the final chapter. 

I appreciated seeing the characters from The Merchant's Daughter again. The lead male character in The Silent Songbird, is the son of Lord Ranulf and Anabel of The Merchant's Daughter, so we see his parents woven into the story as well. Does this mean you need to have read The Merchant's Daughter to be able to understand The Silent Songbird? No, not at all. MOST of the books in the series by this author can stand along pretty well. 

All of these books could fit in the Young Adult genre, as well as generic Christian Fiction, so if you are looking for some good books to share with your daughters, I highly recommend the fairy tale series by Melanie Dickerson.

The Silent Songbird Earns 4★

All in all, I can't say that The Silent Songbird was better than any of the other books by Melanie Dickerson that I have read. It's a fun take on a story so many of us know so well, and has elements of intrigue. I do love the medieval setting the book takes place in and think the author portrays it well. And isn't the cover so visually appealing?

The Silent Songbird (Medieval Fairy Tale Series)

by Melanie Dickerson

Available in Hardbound and Kindle

I am looking forward to the next release in the fairy tale series A Noble Servant (due May 2017) which will follow one of the characters from The Beautiful Pretender, and weave in the lesser known classic tale of The Goose Girl. 

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