I love Melanie Dickerson's medieval novels! They all take one (or maybe two) fairy tales and give them a twist. Dickerson's Hagenheim/Fairy Tale Romance series, which I'm still working my way through when I have a spare reading moment, is absolutely fantastic. The Noble Servant is the third book in Dickerson's other medieval series (admittedly, it gets a little confusing keeping all the books straight!), the Thornbeck/Medieval Fairy Tale series. I loved the second book, The Beautiful Pretender, so I was quite eager to get my hands on this book.
She lost everything to the scheme of an evil servant.
But she might just gain what she’s always wanted . . .
if she makes it in time.
The impossible was happening. She, Magdalen of Mallin, was to marry the Duke of Wolfberg. Magdalen had dreamed about receiving a proposal ever since she met the duke two years ago. Such a marriage was the only way she could save her people from starvation. But why would a handsome, wealthy duke want to marry her, a poor baron’s daughter? It seemed too good to be true.
On the journey to Wolfberg Castle, Magdalen’s servant forces her to trade places and become her servant, threatening not only Magdalen’s life, but the lives of those she holds dear. Stripped of her identity and title in Wolfberg, where no one knows her, Magdalen is sentenced to tend geese while she watches her former handmaiden gain all Magdalen had ever dreamed of.
When a handsome shepherd befriends her, Magdalen begins to suspect he carries secrets of his own. Together, Magdalen and the shepherd uncover a sinister plot against Wolfberg and the duke. But with no resources, will they be able to find the answers, the hiding places, and the forces they need in time to save both Mallin and Wolfberg?
New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson beautifully re-imagines The Goose Girl by the Brothers Grimm into a medieval tale of adventure, loss, and love.
My mom recently reminded me that when I was a child, I always read the last few pages of a book first to make sure things would turn out OK. I haven't done that in years, but I guess what I did while reading The Noble Servant is similar ...
The Noble Servant is based on "The Goose Girl," which is a fairy tale I was completely unfamiliar with. It also has shades of "The Prince and the Pauper." Since I had no idea of the plot of "The Goose Girl," I googled it. And then I pretty much knew how the story would go down :-)
Even though I knew basically what would happen, I very much enjoyed the novel's progression. Also, certain events and people surprised me, as some people who I assumed to be bad turned out to be at least sort of good, and some I assumed to be good turned out to be sort of bad. So whether or not you're familiar with "The Goose Girl," you can enjoy this novel.
I've read several of Dickerson's novels now, and, while I didn't find the romance to be as engaging as it was in some of her other books, I still greatly enjoyed the story. It's one that I can heartily recommend to teens and adults alike. 4 stars.
Note: While The Noble Servant contains characters from previous novels in the series (and the main character, Magdalen, had a fairly substantial role in The Beautiful Pretender), this book can stand alone.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Dickerson's Thornbeck novel The Beautiful Pretender (5 stars) and her Hagenheim books The Healer's Apprentice (4-1/2 stars), The Princess Spy (5 stars), The Golden Braid (5 stars), and The Silent Songbird (5 stars).
Connect with Melanie: website, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from the publisher. 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."
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