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Mistress of the Wind
Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .
The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.
Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .
She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response.
It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .
A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.
Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .
She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response.
It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .
A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 19, 2013
354 people are currently reading
1638 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Diener
60 books1,921 followersMichelle Diener is a bestselling, award-winning author of historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy. Having worked in publishing and IT, she's now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters.
Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
When she's not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her online at Twitter and Facebook.
Michelle was born in London and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
When she's not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her online at Twitter and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
January 14, 2014
I've always loved fairy tales. But when I was at university, doing research for a history paper on the witch hunts of the 17th Century, I came across a really interesting (but totally unrelated :)) journal full of articles on the meanings of fairy tales. It was fantastic, and mind-blowing.
I suddenly saw the subversion in the tales. Even with the whitewashing that went on in the Victorian era to make fairy tales moral tales and warnings, especially to girls, to be good, and obedient and incurious, I realized one could read a subtext to the tale.
I then went on to read books on the interpretation of fairy tales by Jungian psychologist Marie-Louise Van Franz and others, and books like Clarissa Estes's Women Who Run With the Wolves, and I found an even deeper love for the tales. Or rather, I finally understood why I loved them so much. I think I'd subconsciously understood the deeper layers, but now I could trace those layers better.
I started thinking about writing a book based on one of my favorite fairy tales, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and ended up weaving some other myths through the tale, to have the story that is Mistress of the Wind. But I really enjoyed the fact that at its heart, I've kept it as a story on a number of levels, just like the original.
It can be about a woman who meets an enchanted prince, falls in love with him and then, when a combination of the circumstances of his enchantment and her actions cause him to be taken from her, she goes on a long search to find and rescue him, getting help from people along the way. Or it could be about a woman coming into her power, and mastering the facets of her personality and understanding her faults and her strengths so that she is able to take on anything that is thrown at her with a clear idea of her worth, and it could be both those things at once. And I don't push the second interpretation on the reader. Some readers have 'got' it straight away, and I totally, totally love that.
The challenge with Mistress of the Wind, given I wanted to remain true to the original fairy tale, was to give Astrid a good reason to go against Bjorn's request to see him as a man, which is the catalyst for her having to go on her quest.
The consequences of her doing so are huge, to both her and Bjorn, and I really had to create a compelling situation for her to act against his wishes. If she doesn't do it, however, the story is over, they win and everyone lives happily ever after.
Unfortunately for them, they have to work a little harder for their happy ending than that.
I used a number of motivations.
The first was genuine curiosity. Astrid wants to see Bjorn as a man. Of course she does. He is her lover and which of us wouldn't want to know what the person we love looks like? Her mother's fear of what he is also spurs that. She wants to be able to reassure her mother that the man she has chosen is not a monster.
Bjorn himself has some responsibility. He could have taken Astrid to his palace and left her alone. But by involving her, drawing her into the complexities of the curse and forming the strong bond that he does with her, he blunts the importance of her never seeing him as a man to her. Of course, the loneliness and waste it would be to not spend time together would be acute, which is why he does as he does, but it is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't things.
Astrid's personality plays a roles as well. She knows she is worthy of respect, if not love, just for being who she is, and so she has fought against her father's attempts to beat her down and break her. That makes it extremely hard for her to accept some of the conditions that are set on her behaviour by her lover.
While she fights against the literal, and figurative, burying of her personality and her need to be free, by her imprisonment in the heart of a mountain, she tries to accommodate his need for her to never see him as a man, to stay inside, to stay in the dark, but it is eating away at her.
Even though Bjorn, her lover, tells her that the conditions of his enchantment are the only things making him hold her back, she sees what he cannot, that his enchanter is merely delaying the end. That the evil queen has no intention of letting him win, and if he does, she will have nothing to lose by reneging on their agreement.
Astrid only breaks the enchantment conditions out of concern for his life - what do the rules mean if he is dead, after all? - but she has also seen it for the slow death it is. She is proactive, and she wants to do. To fight rather than wait at someone else's pleasure, for something she is sure will not be granted, no matter if she and Bjorn follow the conditions or not. The consequences of that act drive the second part of the book, where Astrid has to confront her faults and her power, and decide how to control them.
It was a fine line to walk and one which continually challenged me.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I suddenly saw the subversion in the tales. Even with the whitewashing that went on in the Victorian era to make fairy tales moral tales and warnings, especially to girls, to be good, and obedient and incurious, I realized one could read a subtext to the tale.
I then went on to read books on the interpretation of fairy tales by Jungian psychologist Marie-Louise Van Franz and others, and books like Clarissa Estes's Women Who Run With the Wolves, and I found an even deeper love for the tales. Or rather, I finally understood why I loved them so much. I think I'd subconsciously understood the deeper layers, but now I could trace those layers better.
I started thinking about writing a book based on one of my favorite fairy tales, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and ended up weaving some other myths through the tale, to have the story that is Mistress of the Wind. But I really enjoyed the fact that at its heart, I've kept it as a story on a number of levels, just like the original.
It can be about a woman who meets an enchanted prince, falls in love with him and then, when a combination of the circumstances of his enchantment and her actions cause him to be taken from her, she goes on a long search to find and rescue him, getting help from people along the way. Or it could be about a woman coming into her power, and mastering the facets of her personality and understanding her faults and her strengths so that she is able to take on anything that is thrown at her with a clear idea of her worth, and it could be both those things at once. And I don't push the second interpretation on the reader. Some readers have 'got' it straight away, and I totally, totally love that.
The challenge with Mistress of the Wind, given I wanted to remain true to the original fairy tale, was to give Astrid a good reason to go against Bjorn's request to see him as a man, which is the catalyst for her having to go on her quest.
The consequences of her doing so are huge, to both her and Bjorn, and I really had to create a compelling situation for her to act against his wishes. If she doesn't do it, however, the story is over, they win and everyone lives happily ever after.
Unfortunately for them, they have to work a little harder for their happy ending than that.
I used a number of motivations.
The first was genuine curiosity. Astrid wants to see Bjorn as a man. Of course she does. He is her lover and which of us wouldn't want to know what the person we love looks like? Her mother's fear of what he is also spurs that. She wants to be able to reassure her mother that the man she has chosen is not a monster.
Bjorn himself has some responsibility. He could have taken Astrid to his palace and left her alone. But by involving her, drawing her into the complexities of the curse and forming the strong bond that he does with her, he blunts the importance of her never seeing him as a man to her. Of course, the loneliness and waste it would be to not spend time together would be acute, which is why he does as he does, but it is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't things.
Astrid's personality plays a roles as well. She knows she is worthy of respect, if not love, just for being who she is, and so she has fought against her father's attempts to beat her down and break her. That makes it extremely hard for her to accept some of the conditions that are set on her behaviour by her lover.
While she fights against the literal, and figurative, burying of her personality and her need to be free, by her imprisonment in the heart of a mountain, she tries to accommodate his need for her to never see him as a man, to stay inside, to stay in the dark, but it is eating away at her.
Even though Bjorn, her lover, tells her that the conditions of his enchantment are the only things making him hold her back, she sees what he cannot, that his enchanter is merely delaying the end. That the evil queen has no intention of letting him win, and if he does, she will have nothing to lose by reneging on their agreement.
Astrid only breaks the enchantment conditions out of concern for his life - what do the rules mean if he is dead, after all? - but she has also seen it for the slow death it is. She is proactive, and she wants to do. To fight rather than wait at someone else's pleasure, for something she is sure will not be granted, no matter if she and Bjorn follow the conditions or not. The consequences of that act drive the second part of the book, where Astrid has to confront her faults and her power, and decide how to control them.
It was a fine line to walk and one which continually challenged me.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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November 12, 2015
Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener is an adult retelling of the fairy tale, East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I have not read this fairy tale so I can make no comparisons.
Astrid has always been different. She talks to the wind, it tells her things. But she has never understood why. She and her family are very poor. They barely survive on their run down farm. Her father is a very angry man and treats her, her siblings and her mother horribly, never hesitating to use his fists when he is angry.
Bjorn is the Prince of the mountain. He has had a hex put on him by the evil Queen of the trolls. He has been turned into a huge bear. He has dreamed for years of a beautiful young girl and the evil Queen has given him one year to find her. If he doesn’t find her, he must marry her ugly troll daughter.
When Bjorn does find Astrid, he knows she is the one. He offers her family gold if she will go with him willingly. Of course Astrid will choose to go with him for the chance to escape her father and to offer her mother a better life.
But there is much evil that waits for Astrid and Bjorn. The Troll Queen is not ready to give up. And there are others that would harm Bjorn and Astrid. There are still things that Astrid will discover about herself as well. About her power with the wind.
This book had all the makings of a fairy tale, the handsome prince, beautiful maiden, evil queen. I did enjoy it but I think that perhaps this was just not the perfect book for me. I did speed through it and could easily envision the beautiful bear with his maiden sitting astride him speeding through the forest. But, the many magical creatures were all just a bit much for me. So I have to say that it was just an ok read for me but I do believe that is just more personal preference, nothing to do with the writing itself.
Thank you to Netgalley and Season Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Astrid has always been different. She talks to the wind, it tells her things. But she has never understood why. She and her family are very poor. They barely survive on their run down farm. Her father is a very angry man and treats her, her siblings and her mother horribly, never hesitating to use his fists when he is angry.
Bjorn is the Prince of the mountain. He has had a hex put on him by the evil Queen of the trolls. He has been turned into a huge bear. He has dreamed for years of a beautiful young girl and the evil Queen has given him one year to find her. If he doesn’t find her, he must marry her ugly troll daughter.
When Bjorn does find Astrid, he knows she is the one. He offers her family gold if she will go with him willingly. Of course Astrid will choose to go with him for the chance to escape her father and to offer her mother a better life.
But there is much evil that waits for Astrid and Bjorn. The Troll Queen is not ready to give up. And there are others that would harm Bjorn and Astrid. There are still things that Astrid will discover about herself as well. About her power with the wind.
This book had all the makings of a fairy tale, the handsome prince, beautiful maiden, evil queen. I did enjoy it but I think that perhaps this was just not the perfect book for me. I did speed through it and could easily envision the beautiful bear with his maiden sitting astride him speeding through the forest. But, the many magical creatures were all just a bit much for me. So I have to say that it was just an ok read for me but I do believe that is just more personal preference, nothing to do with the writing itself.
Thank you to Netgalley and Season Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
November 7, 2025
Reread 11/7/25:
I loved this novella just as much the second time around as the first. I completely agree with my rave review posted below.
Review from 11/5/24:
5 stars
Wonderful fairytale retelling
This story is based on the Norwegian fairytale, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, which was included by Andrew Lang in The Blue Fairy Book (1889). That fairytale strongly echoes the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche as well.
Once I started reading this novel, I found it difficult to put it down. It follows the conventions of the adult romance genre, offering the POV of both the MMC, Bjorn, and the FMC, Astrid. Both are strong, active protagonists, who are sympathetic, appealing characters. But most especially, Astrid is an amazing, kick-ass FMC. Her magic, controlling the wind, is a fascinating superpower, and the central premise of the story is that she must rescue Bjorn, rather than the other way around.
Note that there is onstage sex included in this novel, but it is only lightly descriptive.
I own this terrific novel in Kindle format, and I really hope at some point it is released in audiobook format as well, so I can purchase it.
I loved this novella just as much the second time around as the first. I completely agree with my rave review posted below.
Review from 11/5/24:
5 stars
Wonderful fairytale retelling
This story is based on the Norwegian fairytale, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, which was included by Andrew Lang in The Blue Fairy Book (1889). That fairytale strongly echoes the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche as well.
Once I started reading this novel, I found it difficult to put it down. It follows the conventions of the adult romance genre, offering the POV of both the MMC, Bjorn, and the FMC, Astrid. Both are strong, active protagonists, who are sympathetic, appealing characters. But most especially, Astrid is an amazing, kick-ass FMC. Her magic, controlling the wind, is a fascinating superpower, and the central premise of the story is that she must rescue Bjorn, rather than the other way around.
Note that there is onstage sex included in this novel, but it is only lightly descriptive.
I own this terrific novel in Kindle format, and I really hope at some point it is released in audiobook format as well, so I can purchase it.
August 15, 2015
I think Diener should just stick with the Historical Romance/ Espionage genre. I'm really not a fan of her fantasy works.
December 31, 2013
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How can one EVER be too old for the magic of fairy tales? Don’t they tell of human nature, the quest for revenge, the dark side of life and magic and the illumination of love and determination? Mistress of the Wind by Michelle Diener is an “enchanting” remake of an old Norse fairy tale, creating a romantic tale filled with everything magical about finding love and fighting for it. When a magical prince is cursed by his evil stepmother to live as a bear, he must find a way to break the curse before being forced to marry her troll daughter. A young woman becomes a means for her family to live an easier life when she is given to the bear for companionship. But there is so much more to both of them, secrets, magic and the strength to go against all odds for the love that has grown.
What made this so magical for me was the “twist”-Astrid is the one who must fight to save her prince, be he bear or man. This is Astrid’s story, as she learns of her own powers to command the winds, who, I must say are wonderfully portrayed with “human” qualities and failings. Can she find the land East of the Sun, West of the Moon and outwit, overpower and thwart the evil machinations that threaten to take her true love from her? Her journey is filled with wonder and magic, but her inner strength and what she learns of herself is priceless and endearing.
From the beautiful cover to the very last page, Michelle Diener has created her own magic and taken us along with her every step of the way.
I received a review copy from Season Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: December 19, 2013
Publisher: Season Publishing
ISBN: 9780987417657
Genre: New Adult Fantasy/Romance
Number of Pages: 342
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
March 14, 2019
Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .
The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.
Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .
She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response.
Mistress of the Wind was the last retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon that was on my list to read. It's the fourth one I've read and also my least favorite. It wasn't all bad -- there were things I liked a lot about it, like the way the four winds and the wind hags are incorporated into the story-- but it just wasn't as good as the previous retellings I've read. I think that if I had not already read the other three versions I might have liked this one better, but this one just lacked some of the character development and magical feel that the others had.
A good part of the story felt rushed. This was the part where Bjorn and Astrid are getting to know each other so I would have liked it better if the author had taken more time with this part of the book. It resulted in the romance feeling a bit shallow and it moved way too quickly. Astrid is saying no one minute, and then suddenly decides she's all for it the next. I just didn't care for the way that played out. I think the romance would have been much better as a slow burn. I do need to mention that unlike the other versions I've read, this version of the story is not YA, and Bjorn does not just climb into bed with Astrid and go to sleep every night. However, with the exception of one scene most of that is left to the imagination.
After the rushed feel of the romance part of the book, the part after Bjorn has been taken by the trolls seemed to drag on too long. I liked some things about this part of the book, but I think the character and relationship development should have been emphasized more and this part pared down a bit.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.
Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .
She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response.
Mistress of the Wind was the last retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon that was on my list to read. It's the fourth one I've read and also my least favorite. It wasn't all bad -- there were things I liked a lot about it, like the way the four winds and the wind hags are incorporated into the story-- but it just wasn't as good as the previous retellings I've read. I think that if I had not already read the other three versions I might have liked this one better, but this one just lacked some of the character development and magical feel that the others had.
A good part of the story felt rushed. This was the part where Bjorn and Astrid are getting to know each other so I would have liked it better if the author had taken more time with this part of the book. It resulted in the romance feeling a bit shallow and it moved way too quickly. Astrid is saying no one minute, and then suddenly decides she's all for it the next. I just didn't care for the way that played out. I think the romance would have been much better as a slow burn. I do need to mention that unlike the other versions I've read, this version of the story is not YA, and Bjorn does not just climb into bed with Astrid and go to sleep every night. However, with the exception of one scene most of that is left to the imagination.
After the rushed feel of the romance part of the book, the part after Bjorn has been taken by the trolls seemed to drag on too long. I liked some things about this part of the book, but I think the character and relationship development should have been emphasized more and this part pared down a bit.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
December 15, 2013
I have always liked this fairy tale, maybe my earliest memory of it was the Psyche one, or the Swedish version (something prince hat under the mountain). They are each different but East of the Wind became my favorite of them. I guess I connected to the fairytale better than any other.
And Diener sure made it her fairytale too, I do love remakes and this one stays very true and still not. It's the story about an enchanting prince named Bjorn, poor thing can't do much. Astrid, the poor woodcutter's daughter could be a savior, but as the story go, something happens. Maybe that is why I like the story, there is no damsel in distress. Instead it is Astrid who sets off on a journey to save her prince. It's not always easy but she does not stop before she is reunited with her love. So she is the hero of the story. Poor Björn is under his enchantment and even though he does get to fight a few fights, the stage is Astrid's.
The book is light and I read it fast. First, when I start a Diener book I always read 200 pages in a go, and then I have to do something else. Same thing this time, 200 pages and the rest later. The pages sure fly by fast.
A delightful story with heartache and pain in it too. I'd love to read more.
And Diener sure made it her fairytale too, I do love remakes and this one stays very true and still not. It's the story about an enchanting prince named Bjorn, poor thing can't do much. Astrid, the poor woodcutter's daughter could be a savior, but as the story go, something happens. Maybe that is why I like the story, there is no damsel in distress. Instead it is Astrid who sets off on a journey to save her prince. It's not always easy but she does not stop before she is reunited with her love. So she is the hero of the story. Poor Björn is under his enchantment and even though he does get to fight a few fights, the stage is Astrid's.
The book is light and I read it fast. First, when I start a Diener book I always read 200 pages in a go, and then I have to do something else. Same thing this time, 200 pages and the rest later. The pages sure fly by fast.
A delightful story with heartache and pain in it too. I'd love to read more.
December 17, 2013
It seems that I have a soft spot for stories that use old fairy tales as a basic structure. This one is no exception and having an evil stepmother as the villain just seemed right for this story but she was much more than just an evil stepmother.
This is loosely based on an old Norse type fairly tale that I have never read so it seems that it is just as great a story with or without any prior knowledge.
The story of Bjorn and Astrid is engaging and heartfelt, it is a theme used by storytellers all over the world about the cursed prince and the beautiful and devoted princess. The thing here is that this is not an easy journey nor is Astrid what she seems at first.
You will enjoy this story along with the discovery of powers in Astrid she never knew and her struggles to have her prince. Astrid has a long hard road ahead to beat back the powers she has to fight to try to make this a "happy ever after" story.
I give this 5 Star story 4 Stars only because most of the secondary characters are a bit 2 dimensional but in most fairly tales that is the way it is, you will love this story and add it to things you can share with your children if you wish although it is probably a bit above PG in a couple of places. This is a love story after all :)
This is loosely based on an old Norse type fairly tale that I have never read so it seems that it is just as great a story with or without any prior knowledge.
The story of Bjorn and Astrid is engaging and heartfelt, it is a theme used by storytellers all over the world about the cursed prince and the beautiful and devoted princess. The thing here is that this is not an easy journey nor is Astrid what she seems at first.
You will enjoy this story along with the discovery of powers in Astrid she never knew and her struggles to have her prince. Astrid has a long hard road ahead to beat back the powers she has to fight to try to make this a "happy ever after" story.
I give this 5 Star story 4 Stars only because most of the secondary characters are a bit 2 dimensional but in most fairly tales that is the way it is, you will love this story and add it to things you can share with your children if you wish although it is probably a bit above PG in a couple of places. This is a love story after all :)
February 22, 2021
I really enjoyed the layers of this story. It’s a captivating blend of a fairy tale as well as a journey of self-discovery. Either way, I was engrossed from start to finish with the cast of magical creatures and the challenging journey for the Mountain Prince and the Wind Hag to finally find an HEA.
June 13, 2017
Do you hear that high pitched screaming sound?
That's me. Cause this book was so good I just hovered in the perpetual shrieking zone for a majority of it.
East of the Sun and West of the Moon has always been a personal favorite fairytale of mine, since I was a little girl. It's a take on Eros and Pysche, but it's polar bears, witches, and magic. I mean come on! It's almost as good as the Snow Queen and there's nothing more wondrous than a desolated snowy wasteland with Hags and stolen lovers.
Michelle did wonders with this book. The story it's based on is already richly filled with imagery and culture, but this takes the cake. Every location is filled with visions of tree people, gnarled stone creatures, air sprites, water hags, I could go on and on. It's just absolutely lovely.
And as a testament to how skillfully this author wields her words?
She makes you fall in love with a polar bear. WHABAM. I'm so glad she kept this part of the story haha. East of the Sun and West of the Moon always has a cursed prince and a polar bear. And Bjorn was AWESOME! He was kind, he was gentle, he was a little pushy with the whole "I've been gone a year let's have sex" but at least was a gentleman about it. And more importantly (for me) he was weak in moments and let Astrid do what she has to do.
Speaking of!
#nospoilers (the gif is probably a spoiler) but woooooooooooooo I was so happy to see this character come into her own. Having been beaten down her whole life, she remained strong and confident. This is what I like to see female characters look like, and this is what I want young women everywhere to read.
Just because people were afraid of her, just because she didn't have a super strong support system, did NOT make her less of a person.
Can we just read that again?
She is NOT less of a person based on the opinions of others.
I feel like we should all say that together, but I won't make you. Seriously. Read this book, it's well worth your time.
July 12, 2016
There’s some healthy competition, but this might be the best version of East of The Sun, West of Moon that I have come across. Definitely putting it in the top three.
This version is heavily steeped in Nordic mythology and we see just what happens when gods and monsters play politics.
Mountains quake.
The heroine, Astrid, is always portrayed here as growing in character as she journeys to save her Bear Prince from the Troll Queen, but here, Astrid doesn’t just grow – she blossoms into a whole new character thanks to the fact the various characters she meets on the journey aren’t just testing her – they are training her, and she bursts onto the final act like a Marvel superhero.
However, before her powers even come into play, she has a stubbornness that knocks her polar bear lover back on his heels in surprise at the strength she will show in impossible situations.
(Although he really should have stopped being surprised by anything she says or does after he learned she brings an ax to bed when she feels threatened. :-D )
Bjorn and Astrid are perfectly matched in temperament, stubbornness, and power – as well as an understand of the whole great responsibility... blah blah blah.
An epic quest, an amazing cast of characters, a classic love story, and overall a book that left me bereft when I got to the end because I wanted it to keep going!
December 14, 2013
3.5/5
I love books based on fairy tales, and Mistress of The Wind was not an exception. It's sweet, lovely and airy. There are no surprises and you don't have to guess how it ends. You just know.
I would have loved a different, deeper and more detailed story, but Michelle Diener preferred to stay true to the fairy tale format which left me pleased but hungry for more.
Bjorn is mostly a desire object of the book, and it's Astrid who we follow through her experiences and ordeals to get him back. She is curious and feisty and keeps thwarting everything and everyone who underestimates her because she is a young woman. Good on you, girl!
The best parts for me though were three women and four winds, especially Northern Wind who was my favorite character of the story.
I can not say much about the plot because anyone familiar with this story knows how it ends, but I am glad, Michelle plans this type of fairy tale retelling as a series, and I'll enjoy reading more. Recommended as a light, bookish snack to everyone.
I love books based on fairy tales, and Mistress of The Wind was not an exception. It's sweet, lovely and airy. There are no surprises and you don't have to guess how it ends. You just know.
I would have loved a different, deeper and more detailed story, but Michelle Diener preferred to stay true to the fairy tale format which left me pleased but hungry for more.
Bjorn is mostly a desire object of the book, and it's Astrid who we follow through her experiences and ordeals to get him back. She is curious and feisty and keeps thwarting everything and everyone who underestimates her because she is a young woman. Good on you, girl!
The best parts for me though were three women and four winds, especially Northern Wind who was my favorite character of the story.
I can not say much about the plot because anyone familiar with this story knows how it ends, but I am glad, Michelle plans this type of fairy tale retelling as a series, and I'll enjoy reading more. Recommended as a light, bookish snack to everyone.
January 17, 2014
(This review can also be found on my book review blog -Spare Reads-)
A copy of the book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you know I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings. I love the fresh voice and delightfulness that come with each new add-ons and spin-offs. So when I finally got my hands on Mistress of the Wind, I was nothing less than thrilled. Unfortunately, after a fairly promising start, Mistress of the Wind fell terribly short to all my expectations.
As has been mentioned in the synopsis, Mistress of the Wind is a retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Though you may not be familiar with this Norwegian folk tale, its setting is somewhat similar to Beauty and the Beast with Bjorn being the enchanted Beast and Astrid being the fierce Beauty. In order to retain balance in his realm, Bjorn must defeat his vicious and powerful stepmother, a troll queen, by fulfilling her tricky bargain. One wrong move and he would lose both his kingdom and himself, perhaps his lover as well, though he is not in this game alone. The deal holds another critical piece, Astrid, the girl who is meant to be and the girl who would sacrifice everything to be with him.
If I had not read up on the fairy tale beforehand, I might have a better experience with this book. (Yep, that's right.) Because rather than incorporating creative twists to the original story, Mistress of the Wind recounts the tale in almost the same exact way as before with no shiny frostings on top. There are indeed more flesh and details filled into the original story skeleton, but overall it still lacks imagination and creativity. The second half of the book in particular becomes extremely predictable and slightly repetitive when Astrid starts off her journey to the troll queen's palace.
One thing that baffled me the most is the fact that I was so detached from this book. Rarely do I feel completely indifferent about a story, let alone my favorite fairy tale retellings, I have always been able to establish some sort of connections with the book, may it be the plot or the characters, total hatred or absolute admiration. For Mistress of the Wind however, there was not a single moment when I felt I really cared about the outcome or the ending of Bjorn and Astrid's tale. I was not drawn into their world and I did not invest much at all into the story.
I have pondered on the possible reasons behind this for quite some time and I think I have come to a conclusion - it's all because of poor characterizations. Throughout the story, Michelle Diener introduced a good deal of characters to us readers: Bjorn, Astrid, Astrid's family, Jorgen, Norga, etc., yet most of them are seriously underdeveloped and overwhelmingly archetypal. Putting all the secondary characters aside, neither of the two MCs had me falling for them head over heels. Astrid had some potentials in the beginning but gradually lost her confident and brave self later on and turned into someone who is dull and downright forgettable.
After reading this book, I cannot help but wonder whether or not Michelle Diener wrote this story with an intention to market it as a MG novel instead. Because no matter how I evaluate it, Mistress of the Wind lacks both complexity and depth to its characters and plots. It would probably be more suitable for a much younger audience.
A copy of the book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you know I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings. I love the fresh voice and delightfulness that come with each new add-ons and spin-offs. So when I finally got my hands on Mistress of the Wind, I was nothing less than thrilled. Unfortunately, after a fairly promising start, Mistress of the Wind fell terribly short to all my expectations.
As has been mentioned in the synopsis, Mistress of the Wind is a retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Though you may not be familiar with this Norwegian folk tale, its setting is somewhat similar to Beauty and the Beast with Bjorn being the enchanted Beast and Astrid being the fierce Beauty. In order to retain balance in his realm, Bjorn must defeat his vicious and powerful stepmother, a troll queen, by fulfilling her tricky bargain. One wrong move and he would lose both his kingdom and himself, perhaps his lover as well, though he is not in this game alone. The deal holds another critical piece, Astrid, the girl who is meant to be and the girl who would sacrifice everything to be with him.
If I had not read up on the fairy tale beforehand, I might have a better experience with this book. (Yep, that's right.) Because rather than incorporating creative twists to the original story, Mistress of the Wind recounts the tale in almost the same exact way as before with no shiny frostings on top. There are indeed more flesh and details filled into the original story skeleton, but overall it still lacks imagination and creativity. The second half of the book in particular becomes extremely predictable and slightly repetitive when Astrid starts off her journey to the troll queen's palace.
One thing that baffled me the most is the fact that I was so detached from this book. Rarely do I feel completely indifferent about a story, let alone my favorite fairy tale retellings, I have always been able to establish some sort of connections with the book, may it be the plot or the characters, total hatred or absolute admiration. For Mistress of the Wind however, there was not a single moment when I felt I really cared about the outcome or the ending of Bjorn and Astrid's tale. I was not drawn into their world and I did not invest much at all into the story.
I have pondered on the possible reasons behind this for quite some time and I think I have come to a conclusion - it's all because of poor characterizations. Throughout the story, Michelle Diener introduced a good deal of characters to us readers: Bjorn, Astrid, Astrid's family, Jorgen, Norga, etc., yet most of them are seriously underdeveloped and overwhelmingly archetypal. Putting all the secondary characters aside, neither of the two MCs had me falling for them head over heels. Astrid had some potentials in the beginning but gradually lost her confident and brave self later on and turned into someone who is dull and downright forgettable.
After reading this book, I cannot help but wonder whether or not Michelle Diener wrote this story with an intention to market it as a MG novel instead. Because no matter how I evaluate it, Mistress of the Wind lacks both complexity and depth to its characters and plots. It would probably be more suitable for a much younger audience.
January 8, 2014
3.5 Stars: We first meet Bjorn and start to learn about his deal with Norga, his stepmother who's a troll and turned him into a bear. Then we meet Astrid who is outside working and can feel someone watching her so she runs into her house. Bjorn believes he's found the woman he needs to help him defeat Norga--Astrid. He approaches her father who wants to make sure he'll receive something for turning Astrid over to a bear. Astrid willingly leaves with Bjorn and some of her family is happy with the deal while others aren't. Astrid learns more about Bjorn but he's not able to answer all of her questions, which means she does something he's repeatedly begged her not to do and she learns what the consequence is. Will she be able to save him or has she lost him forever?
Astrid grew a lot in this book. I was a bit uncomfortable with how easily her family turned her over to a bear, knowing that he was planning to "have her" and couldn't marry her. She did go willingly but didn't understand all she was agreeing to. There is one adult bedroom scene which goes into some detail and after that, ongoing sex is implied. Honestly, I think the story would have been fine without it and would have made it a story I would feel comfortable sharing with others, especially older teens.
[This book is based on the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and the author does discuss in a guest post why she kept the sexual relationship intact. I'm not personally familiar with this fairy tale so I didn't realize that it is, indeed, part of the original story and after reading her thoughts, I understand more why she included this. The main reason is that it gives more insight into the motivation of the heroine to get the hero back. You can find the link to that post in my review on my blog.]
Astrid started out seeming a bit mousy but we did get some insights which showed that she wasn't someone that was going to give up and go home. She didn't realize, either, what powers she possessed until she decided to do her best to get Bjorn back. Bjorn is also very likable and they have a great connection. Then there are some secondary characters which add to the story and are fun to learn about. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half and towards the end, I couldn't put it down.
Mel's Shelves
Astrid grew a lot in this book. I was a bit uncomfortable with how easily her family turned her over to a bear, knowing that he was planning to "have her" and couldn't marry her. She did go willingly but didn't understand all she was agreeing to. There is one adult bedroom scene which goes into some detail and after that, ongoing sex is implied. Honestly, I think the story would have been fine without it and would have made it a story I would feel comfortable sharing with others, especially older teens.
[This book is based on the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and the author does discuss in a guest post why she kept the sexual relationship intact. I'm not personally familiar with this fairy tale so I didn't realize that it is, indeed, part of the original story and after reading her thoughts, I understand more why she included this. The main reason is that it gives more insight into the motivation of the heroine to get the hero back. You can find the link to that post in my review on my blog.]
Astrid started out seeming a bit mousy but we did get some insights which showed that she wasn't someone that was going to give up and go home. She didn't realize, either, what powers she possessed until she decided to do her best to get Bjorn back. Bjorn is also very likable and they have a great connection. Then there are some secondary characters which add to the story and are fun to learn about. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half and towards the end, I couldn't put it down.
Mel's Shelves
April 28, 2020
Five-Super-Amazing-FairyTale-Retelling Stars! How the author put her own brilliantly and incomparable creative spin on very dark very edgy fairy tale just blew me away! It was such a fantastic gift for a non-fairy tale lover like me who had never read the fairy tale
"East of the Sun, West of the Moon"
before! In my honest opinion, I absolutely didn't need to read that old fairy tale. This version would be the only one for me.
Wishing with all my heart for a movie version of this out-of-this-world-gorgeous tale. Astrid and Bjorn are now one of my TOP HEA COUPLES💘 Sharing one of my favorite scenes:
And yes, I've already read and fallen so crazy in love with two more of the author's super gorgeous tales ➡️ The Golden Apple and The Silver Pear 💖
Wishing with all my heart for a movie version of this out-of-this-world-gorgeous tale. Astrid and Bjorn are now one of my TOP HEA COUPLES💘 Sharing one of my favorite scenes:
Astrid was imprisoned in her room and she'd be stuck there, while his body rotted in the passageway outside, was all he could think. Until he couldn't think anymore. Of anything. Except the stabbing, slashing knife of pain.
And yes, I've already read and fallen so crazy in love with two more of the author's super gorgeous tales ➡️ The Golden Apple and The Silver Pear 💖
November 28, 2013
3.5 stars
This is a retelling of the Norwegian Falk Tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon"
As Falk tales and fairy tales go, this had it all:
There is a quest, adventure, gifts that comes in handy later, old hags, tests, travel, and strange creatures.
So if you like that, you would be happy with this book.
Bjorn is the Mountain prince, he has been enchanted into a huge polar bear by the Troll Queen. He needs to find a special woman in order to break the enchantment and maintain the natural balance of the world. If he doesn't follow the conditions of the enchantment all is lost.
Astrid is not what she seems, she has secrets of her own and she doesn't follow the rules, and when she breaks one of the enchantments conditions, Bjorn is taken by the Troll Queen, and Astrid is then set on a quest to save him, discovering who she really is.
I enjoyed reading it, but I wish the author had given us a bit more on the relationship between Astrid and Bjorn before the quest, make us connect with them and believe more in their feelings. As it happens it's what you get in fairytales where everything happens so quickly.
This review is for a free copy courtesy of Season Publishing via NetGalley
This is a retelling of the Norwegian Falk Tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon"
As Falk tales and fairy tales go, this had it all:
There is a quest, adventure, gifts that comes in handy later, old hags, tests, travel, and strange creatures.
So if you like that, you would be happy with this book.
Bjorn is the Mountain prince, he has been enchanted into a huge polar bear by the Troll Queen. He needs to find a special woman in order to break the enchantment and maintain the natural balance of the world. If he doesn't follow the conditions of the enchantment all is lost.
Astrid is not what she seems, she has secrets of her own and she doesn't follow the rules, and when she breaks one of the enchantments conditions, Bjorn is taken by the Troll Queen, and Astrid is then set on a quest to save him, discovering who she really is.
I enjoyed reading it, but I wish the author had given us a bit more on the relationship between Astrid and Bjorn before the quest, make us connect with them and believe more in their feelings. As it happens it's what you get in fairytales where everything happens so quickly.
This review is for a free copy courtesy of Season Publishing via NetGalley
January 9, 2014
“East of the Sun, West of the Moon” is a Scandinavian fairy tale that’s a bit like “Beauty and the Beast,” and even more like “Cupid and Psyche.” It’s full of striking imagery but has always inspired a bit of ambivalence in me — I love that the girl goes on an epic journey to rescue the guy, but I’m always a smidgen irked that she wins him by doing laundry better than her rival! In recent years, a number of authors have turned their hands to retelling the story in novel form, expanding the plot and focusing on different aspects of the tale, with varying results.
Mistress of the Wind is a new retelling by Michelle Diener, who has written several historical novels before entering fairy-tale land. It’s billed as “New Adult,” that new fiction category that focuses on protagonists of roughly college age and is often steamier than traditional Young Adult fiction. In ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Mistress of the Wind is a new retelling by Michelle Diener, who has written several historical novels before entering fairy-tale land. It’s billed as “New Adult,” that new fiction category that focuses on protagonists of roughly college age and is often steamier than traditional Young Adult fiction. In ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
May 20, 2014
I have been really looking forward to reading Mistress of the Wind ever since it first released. I finally got it day before yesterday and read it in one go. I kept my expectations from this book firmly grounded in reasonable territory since I had already read The Golden Apple before this and I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
In this book, we meet Bjorn, who was once a prince but is now in the form of a bear. His predicament is the result of an enchantment from a particularly powerful troll, Norda. The conditions are that he has one year to find the girl who might love him and then spend an additional year where she cannot look at his face. If he succeeds in both of these endeavours, then the spell will be broken and he will be free of the enchantment and from Norda. If, however, he fails, he will have to marry the her daughter. Bjorn eventually finds the girl he thinks will help him break the spell, Astrid. Except, he didn’t bargain for how headstrong she would be and that she is not easily cowed down and nor does she respond well to being ordered around. He finally manages to persuade he into leaving with him (bribing her father also helped) and together they travel to the prince’s palace that he hasn’t set foot in almost a year.
The Mistress of the Wind is a retelling of the fairy tale: East of the Sun, West of the Moon and for the most part sticks pretty close to the tale. I haven’t read the original in a very long time so my memory of it is a little fuzzy. The main point of differences is in the characters and most notably Astrid’s. In this story, she is the Wind Hag or the Mistress of the Wind and I thought that was a nice touch, that she was powerful in her own right. In her search for Bjorn, she visits the ends of the earth in search of someone who might know where Norda lives. On her travels she meets the mistresses of the Earth, Water and Fire and all of them help her discover and hone her power and also give her a gift that will help her find and bring back Bjorn.
This book was fast paced and I couldn’t stop reading it, not even to sleep. Part of that was because of the pace of the narrative, which is quite fast, and the other that there was always something happening in the book. There was rarely a lull or a dull moment. Also, there weren’t too many characters so it kept the narrative from getting too crowded. The world building was also good and definitely much better than The Golden Apple.
I absolutely loved Astrid. She was all the usual things that a book heroine is meant to be: strong, caring, loyal, etc. but she was also fiercely headstrong and would not be bullied into doing something that she did not want to do. Even after she fell in love with Bjorn, she did not let him dictate her actions. She usually had to rescue him from danger or another and she could always take care of herself. I loved that she was far from a damsel in distress; she was actually far more lethal than the Bear Prince. She was the Mistress of the Wind after all, and you can hardly get the wind to do your bidding. In this book, if anyone was a damsel in distress, it was Bjorn.
Bjorn definitely took a backseat in this book, Astrid was the real star, front and centre. But Bjorn was a nice character as well. His actions and all that he had suffered said that he really cared about his subjects and would be a strong, fair and honest ruler. He tried to as upfront with Astrid about the curse as possible except that there wasn’t much he could tell her.
There are some who might feel that they came together far too soon, but that too made some sense. Astrid’s family didn’t treat her nicely, well her father and eldest brother did not, Her mother and younger siblings had no power in the house and therefore they were powerless to do anything to protect her. For all practical purposes, they sold her to the Bear for gold. As for the Bjorn, he had no human contact in almost a year and then he finally found someone, he thought, could come to love him. They didn’t immediately fall in love but developed a bond, a friendship. He protected her and was kind and gentle with her and in turn Astrid gave him a chance. But she didn’t follow him blindly, she always followed her own instincts and even if she disobeyed Bjorn’s instructions, she was unapologetic (save for that one incident) It was by no means, an easy relationship.
Of Astrid’s family, her mother and her younger siblings, Tomas and Bets, were the only decent relatives (and even Tomas had a moment when he wasn’t quite likeable) But at least they cared enough that they could not enjoy the gold they had acquired by sending her off. They felt guilty and genuinely cared for her. Her father and elder brother were another case altogether. They were greedy and cruel and cared only about themselves. I wish they’d get their comeuppance in someway but the very fact that Astrid was happy and powerful in her own right was satisfying enough. Her elder sister was of little consequence, not openly cruel but not particularly worried for her sister either.
The three Elemental Witches were also a nice touch, with each exhibiting traits of their elements. The Four winds acting like children while also fiercely protective of Astrid.
Mistress of the Wind was a great read and I wish I had read it sooner. It featured great characters and a truly strong heroine. Like her previous books, the romance is perfectly balanced where both the characters are partners and supportive of each other and function on an equal footing. And my favourite part was that Astrid was the one saving Bjorn (time and again) and not the other way around. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
In this book, we meet Bjorn, who was once a prince but is now in the form of a bear. His predicament is the result of an enchantment from a particularly powerful troll, Norda. The conditions are that he has one year to find the girl who might love him and then spend an additional year where she cannot look at his face. If he succeeds in both of these endeavours, then the spell will be broken and he will be free of the enchantment and from Norda. If, however, he fails, he will have to marry the her daughter. Bjorn eventually finds the girl he thinks will help him break the spell, Astrid. Except, he didn’t bargain for how headstrong she would be and that she is not easily cowed down and nor does she respond well to being ordered around. He finally manages to persuade he into leaving with him (bribing her father also helped) and together they travel to the prince’s palace that he hasn’t set foot in almost a year.
The Mistress of the Wind is a retelling of the fairy tale: East of the Sun, West of the Moon and for the most part sticks pretty close to the tale. I haven’t read the original in a very long time so my memory of it is a little fuzzy. The main point of differences is in the characters and most notably Astrid’s. In this story, she is the Wind Hag or the Mistress of the Wind and I thought that was a nice touch, that she was powerful in her own right. In her search for Bjorn, she visits the ends of the earth in search of someone who might know where Norda lives. On her travels she meets the mistresses of the Earth, Water and Fire and all of them help her discover and hone her power and also give her a gift that will help her find and bring back Bjorn.
This book was fast paced and I couldn’t stop reading it, not even to sleep. Part of that was because of the pace of the narrative, which is quite fast, and the other that there was always something happening in the book. There was rarely a lull or a dull moment. Also, there weren’t too many characters so it kept the narrative from getting too crowded. The world building was also good and definitely much better than The Golden Apple.
I absolutely loved Astrid. She was all the usual things that a book heroine is meant to be: strong, caring, loyal, etc. but she was also fiercely headstrong and would not be bullied into doing something that she did not want to do. Even after she fell in love with Bjorn, she did not let him dictate her actions. She usually had to rescue him from danger or another and she could always take care of herself. I loved that she was far from a damsel in distress; she was actually far more lethal than the Bear Prince. She was the Mistress of the Wind after all, and you can hardly get the wind to do your bidding. In this book, if anyone was a damsel in distress, it was Bjorn.
Bjorn definitely took a backseat in this book, Astrid was the real star, front and centre. But Bjorn was a nice character as well. His actions and all that he had suffered said that he really cared about his subjects and would be a strong, fair and honest ruler. He tried to as upfront with Astrid about the curse as possible except that there wasn’t much he could tell her.
There are some who might feel that they came together far too soon, but that too made some sense. Astrid’s family didn’t treat her nicely, well her father and eldest brother did not, Her mother and younger siblings had no power in the house and therefore they were powerless to do anything to protect her. For all practical purposes, they sold her to the Bear for gold. As for the Bjorn, he had no human contact in almost a year and then he finally found someone, he thought, could come to love him. They didn’t immediately fall in love but developed a bond, a friendship. He protected her and was kind and gentle with her and in turn Astrid gave him a chance. But she didn’t follow him blindly, she always followed her own instincts and even if she disobeyed Bjorn’s instructions, she was unapologetic (save for that one incident) It was by no means, an easy relationship.
Of Astrid’s family, her mother and her younger siblings, Tomas and Bets, were the only decent relatives (and even Tomas had a moment when he wasn’t quite likeable) But at least they cared enough that they could not enjoy the gold they had acquired by sending her off. They felt guilty and genuinely cared for her. Her father and elder brother were another case altogether. They were greedy and cruel and cared only about themselves. I wish they’d get their comeuppance in someway but the very fact that Astrid was happy and powerful in her own right was satisfying enough. Her elder sister was of little consequence, not openly cruel but not particularly worried for her sister either.
The three Elemental Witches were also a nice touch, with each exhibiting traits of their elements. The Four winds acting like children while also fiercely protective of Astrid.
Mistress of the Wind was a great read and I wish I had read it sooner. It featured great characters and a truly strong heroine. Like her previous books, the romance is perfectly balanced where both the characters are partners and supportive of each other and function on an equal footing. And my favourite part was that Astrid was the one saving Bjorn (time and again) and not the other way around. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Read
October 7, 2024DNF
This was a fairy tale retelling - not my favorite sub-genre. The summary cites the Norse tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon as its origin, but for me, it felt like a variation on Beauty and the Beast . I was reading the story and seeing in my mind's eye the Beast's castle and the Beauty's confusion from the Disney's anime. Consider me shallow, but I like the Disney's version of this story: its beautiful music, its singing teacups, and its dancing brooms. I don't feel this book is an improvement, even if it introduces some specifically Scandinavian folk twists. So, DNF.
This was a fairy tale retelling - not my favorite sub-genre. The summary cites the Norse tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon as its origin, but for me, it felt like a variation on Beauty and the Beast . I was reading the story and seeing in my mind's eye the Beast's castle and the Beauty's confusion from the Disney's anime. Consider me shallow, but I like the Disney's version of this story: its beautiful music, its singing teacups, and its dancing brooms. I don't feel this book is an improvement, even if it introduces some specifically Scandinavian folk twists. So, DNF.
February 24, 2021
I thought I might like this one since I rather enjoyed another fantasy work (not sci-fi) by this author. Unfortunately, I just didn't really connect with the world, the MCs, or their relationship. I did appreciate the relatively clean content and language and the lack of OP drama. However, overall this was a bit of a miss for me. :(
added-it
February 16, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/16/2021)! 🎁
April 30, 2021
Loved it
This is one of my favorite fairy tales. The authors spin on it made it better. I loved how Astrid finds her powers and goes off to rescue her love Bjorn.
This is one of my favorite fairy tales. The authors spin on it made it better. I loved how Astrid finds her powers and goes off to rescue her love Bjorn.
December 9, 2013
3.5 stars! I was a beta-reader :)
http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...
This story is a grown-up retelling from ‘East of the moon, west of the sun.’ Michelle contacted me to ask if I wanted to be a bèta-reader. I'm still honored she asked me and she even mentioned my name in the acknowledgement! The basic of this story:
Summary.
Astrid is bought by an ice-bear to live in his castle for a year. Her father is greedy and her family is in need of money – and the enchanted ice-bear can provide for that. He is actually a prince, cursed by a troll to find a girl within a year. He must sleep in her bed, but she can’t see his face in the night: that’s when he returns to his human shape. Astrid is of course curious, but she only breaks this rule when the ice-bear (Bjorn) is wounded in battle. He is swept away by the troll and he is now forced to marry her daughter, making sure she will rule the country. Astrid isn’t planning on letting that happen. On her journey to this impossible place, Astrid finds out about her new strength and with a trick, she knows how to free him.
Opinion.
The first thing I liked about this book is Astrid. The only reason she accepts is to save some family members. Most of them are harsh and unkind, but her mother and younger brother have a special place. She is brave, fearless and she knows how to stand up for herself. It was interesting to see how she grows and develops into the character she is supposed to be. I liked her quick mind and temper, so she was definitely a character I was rooting for.
The first time I read this book as a bèta, I had a lot of trouble with Bjorn. He said and did certain things that made me dislike him: even so much that I hoped he would be an ice-bear forever. Michelle did some adjustments and they completed the story for me. It shows how frustrating it is for Bjorn to switch between ice-bear and human. I could understand his need for change, but I still liked how he gives Astrid space to adjust to the new situation. It was fun to see why he picked Astrid and how their fate was settled in a situation long ago.
Most retellings are YA and it was refreshing to read something that was more for adults. It made it very easy to connect with Astrid and I’m looking forward to perhaps more retellings from Michelle.
http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...
This story is a grown-up retelling from ‘East of the moon, west of the sun.’ Michelle contacted me to ask if I wanted to be a bèta-reader. I'm still honored she asked me and she even mentioned my name in the acknowledgement! The basic of this story:
Summary.
Astrid is bought by an ice-bear to live in his castle for a year. Her father is greedy and her family is in need of money – and the enchanted ice-bear can provide for that. He is actually a prince, cursed by a troll to find a girl within a year. He must sleep in her bed, but she can’t see his face in the night: that’s when he returns to his human shape. Astrid is of course curious, but she only breaks this rule when the ice-bear (Bjorn) is wounded in battle. He is swept away by the troll and he is now forced to marry her daughter, making sure she will rule the country. Astrid isn’t planning on letting that happen. On her journey to this impossible place, Astrid finds out about her new strength and with a trick, she knows how to free him.
Opinion.
The first thing I liked about this book is Astrid. The only reason she accepts is to save some family members. Most of them are harsh and unkind, but her mother and younger brother have a special place. She is brave, fearless and she knows how to stand up for herself. It was interesting to see how she grows and develops into the character she is supposed to be. I liked her quick mind and temper, so she was definitely a character I was rooting for.
The first time I read this book as a bèta, I had a lot of trouble with Bjorn. He said and did certain things that made me dislike him: even so much that I hoped he would be an ice-bear forever. Michelle did some adjustments and they completed the story for me. It shows how frustrating it is for Bjorn to switch between ice-bear and human. I could understand his need for change, but I still liked how he gives Astrid space to adjust to the new situation. It was fun to see why he picked Astrid and how their fate was settled in a situation long ago.
Most retellings are YA and it was refreshing to read something that was more for adults. It made it very easy to connect with Astrid and I’m looking forward to perhaps more retellings from Michelle.
January 18, 2016
I love fairy tale retellings, so I was already predisposed to enjoy this book. I'm not very familiar with this particular tale (other than some similarities to Cupid and Psyche and maybe a sort of beauty-and-the-beast theme) which made it feel new and fresh to me.
I also loved the magic of the world building. Beautifully told.
I also loved the magic of the world building. Beautifully told.
December 22, 2013
I rarely read fantasy. The problem for me is, I must find it believable, must be able to picture things as I go, and normally, trolls, elves, dragons, talking animals...are not things I can believe. Rather than suck me into a story, it usually makes me laugh.
Ms. Diener did not make me laugh. With her writing I was able to picture all four different winds, their faint cloudy outlines, the sand they raised, feel the cold they brought.
She saw West half disappear in shock, then he drew himself up to double his size, his dry air sucking up East's humidity.
The descriptions are superb, told in a way that is unique, fantastical, and yet, as crazy as this will sound, believable.
In a nutshell, Diener once again delivers a strong heroine to her readers, a heroine who can love and yet not totally lose herself. Though this is a fairytale retold, we don't have a damsel in distress. Instead, the heroine has to save HIM. FABULOUS!
There's a curse. He's been made into a bear and she cannot know the details. For one year she must be cooped up in his palace and not view his human form. There are trolls, creatures that look like trees, wind that aids her, and at the heart of it all a woman determined to battle earth, wind, fire, and water, to save the love of her life.
She was not chattel. And she was not powerless. And she would most certainly not sit in the wood while he went off to battle, especially with the power of the wind at her disposal.
Full review here. I have one last thing to say. http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
Ms. Diener did not make me laugh. With her writing I was able to picture all four different winds, their faint cloudy outlines, the sand they raised, feel the cold they brought.
She saw West half disappear in shock, then he drew himself up to double his size, his dry air sucking up East's humidity.
The descriptions are superb, told in a way that is unique, fantastical, and yet, as crazy as this will sound, believable.
In a nutshell, Diener once again delivers a strong heroine to her readers, a heroine who can love and yet not totally lose herself. Though this is a fairytale retold, we don't have a damsel in distress. Instead, the heroine has to save HIM. FABULOUS!
There's a curse. He's been made into a bear and she cannot know the details. For one year she must be cooped up in his palace and not view his human form. There are trolls, creatures that look like trees, wind that aids her, and at the heart of it all a woman determined to battle earth, wind, fire, and water, to save the love of her life.
She was not chattel. And she was not powerless. And she would most certainly not sit in the wood while he went off to battle, especially with the power of the wind at her disposal.
Full review here. I have one last thing to say. http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2013/...
June 29, 2025
I've never read East of the Sun, West of the Moon so going into this I wasn't sure what to expect. I liked the concept and the magic in this version of the world was intersting, but I really really didn't like the relationship dynamic- I don't mind forced proximity, but Bjorn is kinda really gross in wanting to be with Astrid, like he's already planning to sleep with her before he's made it back to the castle.
This is some of the convo from the first night at the castle:
"I want only to lie with you, make you truly mine as you agreed."
"I did not agree to be yours. I agreed to go with you" Astrid shuffled back on her knees, shaking, the ax still rasied high.
"Yes, but you knew I wanted you as my woman. That coming with me would mean being my wife in all but name. Why, even your parents asked me about marriage. You could not have misunderstood"
Um, what?? from Astrid's point of view that's sounding more like she's been sold into prostitution??
Then Astrid asks him to make a promise/oath: "A promise that you will not take me until I say I am ready." which sounds a lot like she's asking him to promise not to r*pe her?? He doesn't want to and doesn't make the promise.
It was just such a horrible set up to the 'relationship', the power dynamic between them was horrible and it gave me the ick for the whole book.
This is some of the convo from the first night at the castle:
"I want only to lie with you, make you truly mine as you agreed."
"I did not agree to be yours. I agreed to go with you" Astrid shuffled back on her knees, shaking, the ax still rasied high.
"Yes, but you knew I wanted you as my woman. That coming with me would mean being my wife in all but name. Why, even your parents asked me about marriage. You could not have misunderstood"
Um, what?? from Astrid's point of view that's sounding more like she's been sold into prostitution??
Then Astrid asks him to make a promise/oath: "A promise that you will not take me until I say I am ready." which sounds a lot like she's asking him to promise not to r*pe her?? He doesn't want to and doesn't make the promise.
It was just such a horrible set up to the 'relationship', the power dynamic between them was horrible and it gave me the ick for the whole book.
November 2, 2015
Mistress of the Wind is the second book I've read by Michelle Diener and it was another amazing read for me. Now, I haven't read the original tale so I have no idea how close the stories are but this is a beautiful book in its own right either way.
The book follows Bjorn, the demi-god son of a Vanir (a race of Norse gods) who has been transformed into a bear by his troll of a stepmother Norga, in a bargain they've struck. If he is unable to find the girl he met many years ago and wishes to have for his own, he will be forced to marry his stepmother's daughter. As the synopsis says though Bjorn gets more than expected when he finds his lady, Astrid.
As a big fan of mythology, Mistress of the Wind was new for me since I've never read any Norse mythology. The romance is sweet, the action kick-butt and the characters loveable, especially Bjorn's friend Jorgen. The story is fast-paced and never boring, the world a beauty and Michelle's writing so wonderfully detailed that I felt I was with Bjorn and Astrid on their journey.
So for the mythology, romance and fantasy fans Mistress of the Wind is the perfect read for you.
*Thanks so much to Michelle Diener and NetGalley for letting me review Mistress of the Wind!*
The book follows Bjorn, the demi-god son of a Vanir (a race of Norse gods) who has been transformed into a bear by his troll of a stepmother Norga, in a bargain they've struck. If he is unable to find the girl he met many years ago and wishes to have for his own, he will be forced to marry his stepmother's daughter. As the synopsis says though Bjorn gets more than expected when he finds his lady, Astrid.
As a big fan of mythology, Mistress of the Wind was new for me since I've never read any Norse mythology. The romance is sweet, the action kick-butt and the characters loveable, especially Bjorn's friend Jorgen. The story is fast-paced and never boring, the world a beauty and Michelle's writing so wonderfully detailed that I felt I was with Bjorn and Astrid on their journey.
So for the mythology, romance and fantasy fans Mistress of the Wind is the perfect read for you.
*Thanks so much to Michelle Diener and NetGalley for letting me review Mistress of the Wind!*
March 28, 2014
I have to admit, I have not read the original fairy-tale - East of the Sun, West of the Moon, so I have nothing to compare this one to.I did read the plot of the original story in Wikipedia after I had finished the book.
When I started reading Michelle Diener's version of this fairy-tale, I was reminded couple of other stories and myths, like Beauty and the beast, Cupid and Psyche, and couple of other fairy-tales I remember from my childhood but can't remember their names. So the story was familiar and same time it was not.
This version of the original is very well written, with a strong heroine and hero, with some new twist, that make the story sound more like modern days fairy-tale and more suitable for YA readers than for children.
It was a very good read!
When I started reading Michelle Diener's version of this fairy-tale, I was reminded couple of other stories and myths, like Beauty and the beast, Cupid and Psyche, and couple of other fairy-tales I remember from my childhood but can't remember their names. So the story was familiar and same time it was not.
This version of the original is very well written, with a strong heroine and hero, with some new twist, that make the story sound more like modern days fairy-tale and more suitable for YA readers than for children.
It was a very good read!
January 9, 2022
Long winded (no pun intended)
Alot of words with very little character development and a very weak plot. I wouldn't waste my time. This story is somehow incomplete.
Alot of words with very little character development and a very weak plot. I wouldn't waste my time. This story is somehow incomplete.
September 15, 2025
**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is a standalone. I have enjoyed other books by Diener in the past and will continue to read her books, but I thought this one did not feel as smooth as the later books.
Bjorn has been cursed and must look for a woman that will love him in order to break it. By day, he is a giant bear and by night he is a man. The curse puts several restrictions on his behavior and his future wife must not see him as a man. Bjorn thinks of a clever way around this. Despite his desperation to break the curse, he is honorable and careful with Astrid.
Astrid is a young woman who does not know that she is the wind goddess. As the book goes on, her powers become more clear. When Bjorn comes to find her, she willingly lets herself be taken in order to help the family she loves (her mother and a brother and sister). In addition, she boldly allows Bjorn to bed her as she is determined to live life on her own terms.
The story is mostly about Astrid coming into her powers. It is a tale of resilience and strength for both her and Bjorn. Astrid starts the story thinking she is fully human and endures her life of poverty with an abusive father. She is not broken but she is also not what she will become. Throughout the story she becomes stronger and more clever about facing the obstacles in her path.
The book has parallels to the Scandinavian folk tale “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”.
I like Diener’s books, and will continue to read them.
This book is a standalone. I have enjoyed other books by Diener in the past and will continue to read her books, but I thought this one did not feel as smooth as the later books.
Bjorn has been cursed and must look for a woman that will love him in order to break it. By day, he is a giant bear and by night he is a man. The curse puts several restrictions on his behavior and his future wife must not see him as a man. Bjorn thinks of a clever way around this. Despite his desperation to break the curse, he is honorable and careful with Astrid.
Astrid is a young woman who does not know that she is the wind goddess. As the book goes on, her powers become more clear. When Bjorn comes to find her, she willingly lets herself be taken in order to help the family she loves (her mother and a brother and sister). In addition, she boldly allows Bjorn to bed her as she is determined to live life on her own terms.
The story is mostly about Astrid coming into her powers. It is a tale of resilience and strength for both her and Bjorn. Astrid starts the story thinking she is fully human and endures her life of poverty with an abusive father. She is not broken but she is also not what she will become. Throughout the story she becomes stronger and more clever about facing the obstacles in her path.
The book has parallels to the Scandinavian folk tale “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”.
I like Diener’s books, and will continue to read them.
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