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Beyond the Tales #1
Dagger's Sleep: A Retelling of Sleeping Beauty
A prince cursed to sleep.
A princess destined to wake him.
A kingdom determined to stop them.
High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.
A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?
One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia’s mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand greater sacrifice than either of them could imagine.
A princess destined to wake him.
A kingdom determined to stop them.
High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.
A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?
One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia’s mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand greater sacrifice than either of them could imagine.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2019
120 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
Tricia Mingerink
12 books453 followersTricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
October 9, 2018
This was an extremely unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I love gender swapped fairy tales so I was super interested in this story. I'll admit, it ended up being nothing like what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The characters were really fun. My favorite was probably Alex. He may have been selfish, but I understood him and I really felt for him. Probably my favorite relationship in this book was between him and Jadon- I really want to see more about him in future books.
I really liked the idea of the fallen fae and the curses and gifts that they gave. That was unique and I can't wait to see how that plays into the rest of the series.
One thing that bothered me was the world, I could figure out what sort of world this was. It seemed Native American with canoes and buckskin clothes and buffaloes and names for the countries that I won't even try to spell, and yet people lived in castles with names such as Roseann and Alexander so that I was thoroughly confused. Also this is probably just me, but I didn't like where the map was placed in the book. I spent the whole time I was reading wishing I had a map and then I turned the last page and there it was.
But if you enjoy clean Christian fantasy- more than that, Christian fairy tale retellings- look no further. This is the book for you.
Many thanks to the author for the copy which she provided. I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
The characters were really fun. My favorite was probably Alex. He may have been selfish, but I understood him and I really felt for him. Probably my favorite relationship in this book was between him and Jadon- I really want to see more about him in future books.
I really liked the idea of the fallen fae and the curses and gifts that they gave. That was unique and I can't wait to see how that plays into the rest of the series.
One thing that bothered me was the world, I could figure out what sort of world this was. It seemed Native American with canoes and buckskin clothes and buffaloes and names for the countries that I won't even try to spell, and yet people lived in castles with names such as Roseann and Alexander so that I was thoroughly confused. Also this is probably just me, but I didn't like where the map was placed in the book. I spent the whole time I was reading wishing I had a map and then I turned the last page and there it was.
But if you enjoy clean Christian fantasy- more than that, Christian fairy tale retellings- look no further. This is the book for you.
Many thanks to the author for the copy which she provided. I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
May 29, 2018
This is the best Sleeping Beauty retelling I have ever read. It has everything that makes a good retelling, plus so much more.
To be honest, as I started Dagger’s Sleep, I wasn't expecting to get my socks knocked off. I fully expected it to be good, but I wasn't sure it would be amazing.
Boy, was I in for a delightful surprise.
The first half of the book was REALLY good! The characters, the intrigue of the storyline, the beautiful and engaging writing style… Pretty much every aspect of the novel had me hooked. But from the 50% mark and onwards, that “really-good-ness” became UTTERLY BREATHTAKING AMAZINGNESS.
Wow, wow, wow. By the last page my heart felt battered by such emotion and epic-ness and… eeeeeep! I am honestly a major fangirl.
5 TOP FAVORITES:
- Rosanna. This princess broke a lot of YA princess cliches I hadn't even truly realized were such big cliches. O_O It was suuuper nice and actually felt more realistic. And I just loved Rosanna - she was a strong but very likeable heroine. <3
- Prince Alexander. He had issues, but he was still a cinnamon roll. And his character arc… perfection.
- Daemyn Rand. A wonderful blend of mysteriousness, quietness, and overall INTRIGUINGNESS. (I don't think that's a word, but who cares? xD) As the story progressed, he only became more and more brilliantly complex.
- The romance. Slow-burning and tension-filled. Yes, yes, yesssss.
- The allegorical aspect of it. It was tastefully and beautifully done, subtle and epic like Narnia. The most epic part of the whole book, if you ask me.
So yep, five stars. I don't have any complaints, I don't think. xD I can't wait for future installments of Beyond the Tales, and I REALLY want to read The Blades of Acktar now. XD
*I received a free ARC of this book from the author for promotional purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.
----
My heart kind of burns with emotion right now. For real. RTC soon, when I can think straight.
To be honest, as I started Dagger’s Sleep, I wasn't expecting to get my socks knocked off. I fully expected it to be good, but I wasn't sure it would be amazing.
Boy, was I in for a delightful surprise.
The first half of the book was REALLY good! The characters, the intrigue of the storyline, the beautiful and engaging writing style… Pretty much every aspect of the novel had me hooked. But from the 50% mark and onwards, that “really-good-ness” became UTTERLY BREATHTAKING AMAZINGNESS.
Wow, wow, wow. By the last page my heart felt battered by such emotion and epic-ness and… eeeeeep! I am honestly a major fangirl.
5 TOP FAVORITES:
- Rosanna. This princess broke a lot of YA princess cliches I hadn't even truly realized were such big cliches. O_O It was suuuper nice and actually felt more realistic. And I just loved Rosanna - she was a strong but very likeable heroine. <3
- Prince Alexander. He had issues, but he was still a cinnamon roll. And his character arc… perfection.
- Daemyn Rand. A wonderful blend of mysteriousness, quietness, and overall INTRIGUINGNESS. (I don't think that's a word, but who cares? xD) As the story progressed, he only became more and more brilliantly complex.
- The romance. Slow-burning and tension-filled. Yes, yes, yesssss.
- The allegorical aspect of it. It was tastefully and beautifully done, subtle and epic like Narnia. The most epic part of the whole book, if you ask me.
So yep, five stars. I don't have any complaints, I don't think. xD I can't wait for future installments of Beyond the Tales, and I REALLY want to read The Blades of Acktar now. XD
*I received a free ARC of this book from the author for promotional purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.
----
My heart kind of burns with emotion right now. For real. RTC soon, when I can think straight.
May 25, 2018
HOLY COW.
So in my humble opinion, this book never quite reached the emotional highs and desperate lows of the Blades of Acktar series. It simply wasn't quite as compelling-- I didn't love the characters /quite/ as much, and I wasn't quite as crazy about the characters. BUT! I think I felt the same way about Dare, the first book in Blades of Acktar, when I read it the first time. So, I'm not taking off points for that. It's just that I wasn't as crazy about this story (but Tricia Mingerink will absolutely always be an auto-buy author for me ;))
Despite this, there's SO MUCH to love about this first book in a new series! The fairy-tale retelling aspect is so fun (I loved the unconventional take on Sleeping Beauty, and the fact that the traditional elements were THERE but DIFFERENT...let's just say all the love for that). The "spindle" becomes a dagger, and I love the way that aspect was implemented. The "true love's kiss"....well, let's just say that I won't spoil anything because it's so much better to find it out for yourself when you read the book for yourself ;)
World-building! Perfection! I was initially a little weirded out by the Western aspect, but Mingerink had me convinced in just a few pages. Because this was PERFECT. The canoeing. The "tribal" feeling to the whole thing. The buffalo hunt! Log cabins and pioneers! Dangerous paths through the mountains!!!! I LOVED IT. ALL OF IT.
And the characters. I didn't feel like they were quite as wonderful as the Blades characters, but they were still amazing. I ADORE stories with strong character arcs (especially ones where an arrogant self-centered guy who could be so great figures out that he's got issues) and Alex's was no exception. He was terrific. Rosanna was a relatable heroine--strong but not ridiculous. I adored her. And DAEMYN. DON'T GET ME STARTED. He was amazing. (And the plot twist with him was just like O_o) The other characters weren't quite as amazing (although ZEKE WAS EXCELLENT, and I really appreciated Rosanna's brothers. Let me just say I love brother-sister relationships in fiction. ;)) Berend was terrific.
The allegory-type plot thread was brilliantly done. I loved it. SO INSANELY GOOD.
I think overall I'd give this book 4.5 stars. Because it wasn't QUITE as amazing as the Blades of Acktar, but as a series beginning it has SO much potential and I can't wait to see where Rosanna, Daemyn, and Alex go next! (And let me just say....that ending scene. With a certain character. If you've read the book, you know what I speak. If you haven't, WHY HAVEN'T YOU. My heart split into a thousand tiny pieces, but that's okay this time, Tricia...you put it back together XD)
Definitely recommend this one. Buy it. Read it. Love it.
SO GOOD.
So in my humble opinion, this book never quite reached the emotional highs and desperate lows of the Blades of Acktar series. It simply wasn't quite as compelling-- I didn't love the characters /quite/ as much, and I wasn't quite as crazy about the characters. BUT! I think I felt the same way about Dare, the first book in Blades of Acktar, when I read it the first time. So, I'm not taking off points for that. It's just that I wasn't as crazy about this story (but Tricia Mingerink will absolutely always be an auto-buy author for me ;))
Despite this, there's SO MUCH to love about this first book in a new series! The fairy-tale retelling aspect is so fun (I loved the unconventional take on Sleeping Beauty, and the fact that the traditional elements were THERE but DIFFERENT...let's just say all the love for that). The "spindle" becomes a dagger, and I love the way that aspect was implemented. The "true love's kiss"....well, let's just say that I won't spoil anything because it's so much better to find it out for yourself when you read the book for yourself ;)
World-building! Perfection! I was initially a little weirded out by the Western aspect, but Mingerink had me convinced in just a few pages. Because this was PERFECT. The canoeing. The "tribal" feeling to the whole thing. The buffalo hunt! Log cabins and pioneers! Dangerous paths through the mountains!!!! I LOVED IT. ALL OF IT.
And the characters. I didn't feel like they were quite as wonderful as the Blades characters, but they were still amazing. I ADORE stories with strong character arcs (especially ones where an arrogant self-centered guy who could be so great figures out that he's got issues) and Alex's was no exception. He was terrific. Rosanna was a relatable heroine--strong but not ridiculous. I adored her. And DAEMYN. DON'T GET ME STARTED. He was amazing. (And the plot twist with him was just like O_o) The other characters weren't quite as amazing (although ZEKE WAS EXCELLENT, and I really appreciated Rosanna's brothers. Let me just say I love brother-sister relationships in fiction. ;)) Berend was terrific.
The allegory-type plot thread was brilliantly done. I loved it. SO INSANELY GOOD.
I think overall I'd give this book 4.5 stars. Because it wasn't QUITE as amazing as the Blades of Acktar, but as a series beginning it has SO much potential and I can't wait to see where Rosanna, Daemyn, and Alex go next! (And let me just say....that ending scene. With a certain character. If you've read the book, you know what I speak. If you haven't, WHY HAVEN'T YOU. My heart split into a thousand tiny pieces, but that's okay this time, Tricia...you put it back together XD)
Definitely recommend this one. Buy it. Read it. Love it.
SO GOOD.
May 28, 2018
4.5 stars
I can't wait for more!!
Dagger's Sleep wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was simply amazing nevertheless! I was so excited to read something new by Tricia Mingerink, and this book did not disappoint. Mysterious, adventure, and poignant, fans of Tricia Mingerink will not want to miss this one!
So Dagger's Sleep is the first book of a fairy tale retelling series. As you might have guessed, it's a retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" ... with a fantastic twist! The world building was great, the characters wonderful, and the mystery thrilling. I became immersed in this fantasy world with it's very distinct culture - I can't wait to return to it for some more unique tales. And hopefully see more of these same characters?
We have mountain-loving, river-riding Princess Rosanna, a legendary sleeping prince, and a passel of other totally great characters. I really liked Rosanna and enjoyed her personality. Tricia Mingerink does a lovely job with female characters! I'm interested to see more of Rosanna's bear brother. And also the Snow White and Twelve Dancing Princesses characters briefly mentioned. *speculates in eager anticipation*
The mysterious air shrouding this book is the best! I have my speculations early on, but did not see some of those twists coming. So much fun!
But Dagger's Sleep wasn't just fun, it also had some serious depth. I love the Christian allegory and thought the author did such a good job with that. It was powerful and soul-stirring! There were some weighty thoughts and lessons learned. I really, really appreciated it and can't wait to see how Tricia Mingerink continues this beautiful faith thread in the next books.
The writing style in this book felt a little different from Tricia Mingerink's BLADES OF ACKTAR series. Perhaps more slow-paced. Yet it was rich and exciting, and I greatly look forward to reading the rest of this series! Book Two, I await thee! *winks*
I received a copy of Dagger's Sleep from the author. This review is my honest opinion.
I can't wait for more!!
Dagger's Sleep wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was simply amazing nevertheless! I was so excited to read something new by Tricia Mingerink, and this book did not disappoint. Mysterious, adventure, and poignant, fans of Tricia Mingerink will not want to miss this one!
So Dagger's Sleep is the first book of a fairy tale retelling series. As you might have guessed, it's a retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" ... with a fantastic twist! The world building was great, the characters wonderful, and the mystery thrilling. I became immersed in this fantasy world with it's very distinct culture - I can't wait to return to it for some more unique tales. And hopefully see more of these same characters?
We have mountain-loving, river-riding Princess Rosanna, a legendary sleeping prince, and a passel of other totally great characters. I really liked Rosanna and enjoyed her personality. Tricia Mingerink does a lovely job with female characters! I'm interested to see more of Rosanna's bear brother. And also the Snow White and Twelve Dancing Princesses characters briefly mentioned. *speculates in eager anticipation*
The mysterious air shrouding this book is the best! I have my speculations early on, but did not see some of those twists coming. So much fun!
But Dagger's Sleep wasn't just fun, it also had some serious depth. I love the Christian allegory and thought the author did such a good job with that. It was powerful and soul-stirring! There were some weighty thoughts and lessons learned. I really, really appreciated it and can't wait to see how Tricia Mingerink continues this beautiful faith thread in the next books.
The writing style in this book felt a little different from Tricia Mingerink's BLADES OF ACKTAR series. Perhaps more slow-paced. Yet it was rich and exciting, and I greatly look forward to reading the rest of this series! Book Two, I await thee! *winks*
I received a copy of Dagger's Sleep from the author. This review is my honest opinion.
May 30, 2024
Very good and interesting but was somewhat slow which hampered my enjoyment. I almost DNFed it at 21% because it was so slow and kind of boring, but I pushed on regardless because I was just curious enough to keep going, haha.
So the worldbuilding is a mix of mostly Native American, a dash of medieval castles and the occasional blond person, and hillbillies living in the woods, oddly enough, lol. While a bit like “okay, sure” at times I didn’t truly mind the mixed bag, though I’ve seen plenty of reviews who either love it or hate it, so be wary of that if cohesive worldbuilding is a make it or break it thing for you.
The characters were either boring or drove me crazy. Rosanna was fine but I couldn’t connect with her in the slightest, and Alex drove me batty and I really disliked him until I stumbled across a character who annoyed me more then he did (which was kind of a shock to be honest, lol) to which he just became “just there” too. I didn’t care about anyone else either, they were all just there and okay in my opinion. (Are you sensing a theme here?)
For a fairy tale retelling there were only the bare amount of Sleeping Beauty elements, which were gender flipped and taken in unique directions I liked, and I don’t know about anyone else but when I read a fairy tale retelling I expect romance and, well, there wasn’t any until the very end and that just felt there too, so I was super disappointed.
The Christian allegory was cool and I liked what was done with it in regards to the magic in the world and the gifts and curses, who Jesus is, etc., and I also really liked the portrayal of the Appalachian setting, as I grew up in that region, but other then that the story was just there and sadly didn’t work for me.
‼️Content‼️
Violence: fighting with weapons (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); dead bodies from a raiding party (not detailed); a character is shot with arrows (not detailed)
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Drug/Alcohol: the making of moonshine is talked about plus its used to clean wounds
Other: magic; fae/fairies; people are fae blessed and cursed; death and grief; people fall into a cursed sleep
So the worldbuilding is a mix of mostly Native American, a dash of medieval castles and the occasional blond person, and hillbillies living in the woods, oddly enough, lol. While a bit like “okay, sure” at times I didn’t truly mind the mixed bag, though I’ve seen plenty of reviews who either love it or hate it, so be wary of that if cohesive worldbuilding is a make it or break it thing for you.
The characters were either boring or drove me crazy. Rosanna was fine but I couldn’t connect with her in the slightest, and Alex drove me batty and I really disliked him until I stumbled across a character who annoyed me more then he did (which was kind of a shock to be honest, lol) to which he just became “just there” too. I didn’t care about anyone else either, they were all just there and okay in my opinion. (Are you sensing a theme here?)
For a fairy tale retelling there were only the bare amount of Sleeping Beauty elements, which were gender flipped and taken in unique directions I liked, and I don’t know about anyone else but when I read a fairy tale retelling I expect romance and, well, there wasn’t any until the very end and that just felt there too, so I was super disappointed.
The Christian allegory was cool and I liked what was done with it in regards to the magic in the world and the gifts and curses, who Jesus is, etc., and I also really liked the portrayal of the Appalachian setting, as I grew up in that region, but other then that the story was just there and sadly didn’t work for me.
‼️Content‼️
Violence: fighting with weapons (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); dead bodies from a raiding party (not detailed); a character is shot with arrows (not detailed)
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Drug/Alcohol: the making of moonshine is talked about plus its used to clean wounds
Other: magic; fae/fairies; people are fae blessed and cursed; death and grief; people fall into a cursed sleep
June 2, 2021
Reread as an audiobook 2021: Reading Tricia Mingerink books always feels like coming home somehow, and I love it. <33
Reread 2019: Yep, loved this even more the second time around. <33
Summary: I laughed...I cried...it moved me.
-deep breath to collect thoughts-
First off, I absolutely love the Blades of Acktar, and I was reeeeaaalllyyy hoping this new book would be as wonderful as that series. It absolutely was. <33
Storyworld--This was an intriguing mix of American Indian tribal meets Appalachian mountains meets medieval fantasy with swords and castles. And it worked wonderfully. The descriptions were amazing. I loved exploring the mountains and valleys with the characters.
Theme--Okay, this I was a little confused on this until the last about quarter of the book, and then everything fell into place beautifully. And wow. Just yes.
Characters--Feels. Shattered. On so many levels.
Rosanna-She was so sweet, as is her character arc. Female main characters aren't always my favorite, but Ms. Tricia pulled this one off so well.
Berend-PUNS. I could "bearly" keep the grin off my face when he was on the scene. XD
Daemyn-Cinnamon roll and awesome guy. Also tragic. -hands you a box of tissues- Daemyn was my favorite character, and his arc was amazingly done.
Alex-This guy...I wanted to slap him so many times when he did dumb things. XP He's not exactly the hero you love right away, but you still want so badly for him to get it right. His arc...my word, yes, it was fantastic. I shall not give spoilers, but his...change, I guess you could call it...was probably my favorite.
Jadon-Also a cinnamon roll that I loved very much.
Other side characters-Zeke and Isi were great. Their banter with the other main characters had me chuckling several times. XD
-Plot--The twist of switching rolls in a fairy tale retelling is very cool, and Tricia did an awesome job of keeping it so I didn't ever want to put it down.
-Overall--I wish there was a way to give something more than five stars...because I would definitely do that for this one. -nods-
Reread 2019: Yep, loved this even more the second time around. <33
Summary: I laughed...I cried...it moved me.
-deep breath to collect thoughts-
First off, I absolutely love the Blades of Acktar, and I was reeeeaaalllyyy hoping this new book would be as wonderful as that series. It absolutely was. <33
Storyworld--This was an intriguing mix of American Indian tribal meets Appalachian mountains meets medieval fantasy with swords and castles. And it worked wonderfully. The descriptions were amazing. I loved exploring the mountains and valleys with the characters.
Theme--Okay, this I was a little confused on this until the last about quarter of the book, and then everything fell into place beautifully. And wow. Just yes.
Characters--Feels. Shattered. On so many levels.
Rosanna-She was so sweet, as is her character arc. Female main characters aren't always my favorite, but Ms. Tricia pulled this one off so well.
Berend-PUNS. I could "bearly" keep the grin off my face when he was on the scene. XD
Daemyn-Cinnamon roll and awesome guy. Also tragic. -hands you a box of tissues- Daemyn was my favorite character, and his arc was amazingly done.
Alex-This guy...I wanted to slap him so many times when he did dumb things. XP He's not exactly the hero you love right away, but you still want so badly for him to get it right. His arc...my word, yes, it was fantastic. I shall not give spoilers, but his...change, I guess you could call it...was probably my favorite.
Jadon-Also a cinnamon roll that I loved very much.
Other side characters-Zeke and Isi were great. Their banter with the other main characters had me chuckling several times. XD
-Plot--The twist of switching rolls in a fairy tale retelling is very cool, and Tricia did an awesome job of keeping it so I didn't ever want to put it down.
-Overall--I wish there was a way to give something more than five stars...because I would definitely do that for this one. -nods-
May 28, 2018
What a ride, y'all.
The course of this book is like a river, dotted with waterfalls of adventure and rocks bearing labels like 'pain' and 'intrigue'. (That's basically the extent of my creativity analogies. Stop laughing.)
The plot was adventurous, but the insane, heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat excitement was kind of come-and-go. Some parts were upbeat and thrilling, while others were more laid-back and comfortable. The storyline was entertaining, and the retelling aspects subtle and nicely done. I totally suspected the Jadon/Daemyn plot twist, though. ;) The romance was sweet and endearing, drawing me in more than other aspects of the story. And the allegoric hints were very nicely done!
The setting was interesting and unique. The Indian-tribe feel, the seven kingdoms, the mountains and rivers and bridges. It was different and lovely—and really relatable to this mountain girl. ;) Many of the names felt familiar to me, such as Cumber Gap (Cumberland Gap), Tuckawassee (Tuckasagee), Cheyandoah (sounds like Shenandoah, unless I'm pronouncing it wrong), and Kanawhee (Kanawha Valley). Not sure if it was intentional or not, but that was cool. xD
Now, about the characters... Rosanna was pretty good, and I enjoyed her story. Daemyn was FABULOUS and I loved him so much. Alex...I'm still not sure what to think about him, as I was really annoyed with his character until nearly the 40% mark. He somewhat redeemed himself, but not enough for him to be a favorite. Berend (THE PUNS <3) was great, as were Zeke and Isi (hard-core shipping those two).
I don't read much fantasy, and the whole thing with the curses and gifts and Faes threw me off for awhile, but I eventually got a grasp on what was going on with everything. (Basically, the resurrections confused me, because my mind doesn't work well in a realm where such things just commonly happen.)
All in all, it was a well-written book with a solid storyline. In my opinion, it wasn't as good as The Blades of Acktar, but because this author is a favorite, I'm sure I'll be reading more of the retellings in this series. So, after all that, I'm going with a 4 star rating. It was good, but not amazing. I liked it, but I didn't love it.
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**
The course of this book is like a river, dotted with waterfalls of adventure and rocks bearing labels like 'pain' and 'intrigue'. (That's basically the extent of my creativity analogies. Stop laughing.)
The plot was adventurous, but the insane, heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat excitement was kind of come-and-go. Some parts were upbeat and thrilling, while others were more laid-back and comfortable. The storyline was entertaining, and the retelling aspects subtle and nicely done. I totally suspected the Jadon/Daemyn plot twist, though. ;) The romance was sweet and endearing, drawing me in more than other aspects of the story. And the allegoric hints were very nicely done!
The setting was interesting and unique. The Indian-tribe feel, the seven kingdoms, the mountains and rivers and bridges. It was different and lovely—and really relatable to this mountain girl. ;) Many of the names felt familiar to me, such as Cumber Gap (Cumberland Gap), Tuckawassee (Tuckasagee), Cheyandoah (sounds like Shenandoah, unless I'm pronouncing it wrong), and Kanawhee (Kanawha Valley). Not sure if it was intentional or not, but that was cool. xD
Now, about the characters... Rosanna was pretty good, and I enjoyed her story. Daemyn was FABULOUS and I loved him so much. Alex...I'm still not sure what to think about him, as I was really annoyed with his character until nearly the 40% mark. He somewhat redeemed himself, but not enough for him to be a favorite. Berend (THE PUNS <3) was great, as were Zeke and Isi (hard-core shipping those two).
I don't read much fantasy, and the whole thing with the curses and gifts and Faes threw me off for awhile, but I eventually got a grasp on what was going on with everything. (Basically, the resurrections confused me, because my mind doesn't work well in a realm where such things just commonly happen.)
All in all, it was a well-written book with a solid storyline. In my opinion, it wasn't as good as The Blades of Acktar, but because this author is a favorite, I'm sure I'll be reading more of the retellings in this series. So, after all that, I'm going with a 4 star rating. It was good, but not amazing. I liked it, but I didn't love it.
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**
May 28, 2018
She would be fine. She would be strong, and she would face tomorrow without complaint. But, for tonight, she let her hands shake.
I had no intention of reading this book, to be honest, but when I went to sign up for the joint blog tour of this and Dissemble, and actually read the synopsis, and then found out it was a fairytale retelling, I knew I had to. Fairytale retellings are my weakness. What can I say?
I’m so glad I ended up reading it. This was one of the most original takes on the tale of Sleeping Beauty I’ve ever read. Not only is it genderbent (the prince is the one who falls asleep, and the princess must wake him), but it’s set in an absolutely fascinating storyworld, and has such a strong message about God’s love and power. Rosanna and Alex are perfect protagonists; their character arcs are so good.
The only issue I had as that it took me about 100 pages to really get into it. The world was a smidge overwhelming for me, but I think that might have been because it’s been literally years since I’ve read a true high fantasy. But once I got to where the world wasn’t distracting and I could fully immerse myself in the plot, oh my word, did it get amazing.
I know most people don’t like being able to anticipate plot points before they’re revealed, but I personally love when that happens. And it happened a few times in this book and BOY it was great. The story kept me up late reading several nights, and I don’t really regret it.
I can’t wait to dig into more of Tricia’s writing (I’ve already got the first Blades of Acktar book aw yeah), and I am HIGHLY anticipating further exploration into the other fairytales I saw mention of. Idk if that’s actually going to happen. But I will devour it if it does.
4.5 stars from me!
**I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review**
I had no intention of reading this book, to be honest, but when I went to sign up for the joint blog tour of this and Dissemble, and actually read the synopsis, and then found out it was a fairytale retelling, I knew I had to. Fairytale retellings are my weakness. What can I say?
I’m so glad I ended up reading it. This was one of the most original takes on the tale of Sleeping Beauty I’ve ever read. Not only is it genderbent (the prince is the one who falls asleep, and the princess must wake him), but it’s set in an absolutely fascinating storyworld, and has such a strong message about God’s love and power. Rosanna and Alex are perfect protagonists; their character arcs are so good.
The only issue I had as that it took me about 100 pages to really get into it. The world was a smidge overwhelming for me, but I think that might have been because it’s been literally years since I’ve read a true high fantasy. But once I got to where the world wasn’t distracting and I could fully immerse myself in the plot, oh my word, did it get amazing.
I know most people don’t like being able to anticipate plot points before they’re revealed, but I personally love when that happens. And it happened a few times in this book and BOY it was great. The story kept me up late reading several nights, and I don’t really regret it.
I can’t wait to dig into more of Tricia’s writing (I’ve already got the first Blades of Acktar book aw yeah), and I am HIGHLY anticipating further exploration into the other fairytales I saw mention of. Idk if that’s actually going to happen. But I will devour it if it does.
4.5 stars from me!
**I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review**
August 6, 2018
Gender swapped fairy tales are the best! And I love Tricia's Acktar series, so I was super excited to dive into this new series!
It has the same great worldbuilding as Acktar, and fun settings inspired by different regions in America (which is awesome!).
I loved all the characters and started really hoping my shipping senses weren't wrong early on. Spoiler - I wasn't and it made me really happy. :) There were a few characters I'd have liked to see more of, but maybe in another book! I really enjoyed the flipping back and forth between the past and present in order to present the two sides of the "sleeping beauty" legend, and explaining how all the kingdoms have basically formed over the past 100 years.
This one had more allegorical elements to it, but I love the way Tricia presents the Christian elements in her stories. It never really seems overdone and there's a good balance.
While I didn't like this one as much as the Acktar series, I still really enjoyed it and am looking forward to more epic fairy tale retellings!
It has the same great worldbuilding as Acktar, and fun settings inspired by different regions in America (which is awesome!).
I loved all the characters and started really hoping my shipping senses weren't wrong early on. Spoiler - I wasn't and it made me really happy. :) There were a few characters I'd have liked to see more of, but maybe in another book! I really enjoyed the flipping back and forth between the past and present in order to present the two sides of the "sleeping beauty" legend, and explaining how all the kingdoms have basically formed over the past 100 years.
This one had more allegorical elements to it, but I love the way Tricia presents the Christian elements in her stories. It never really seems overdone and there's a good balance.
While I didn't like this one as much as the Acktar series, I still really enjoyed it and am looking forward to more epic fairy tale retellings!
May 25, 2018
Who would have thought I’d enjoy a fairytale retelling so much! I just loved this, enough that I’ve read some sections three times!!
It did take me a while to get into this, in fact not until Daemyn entered the scene. But the Alex sections really grabbed me. At first I wanted to shake some kindness into Alex but I loved how his character developed over the course of the novel especially in his interactions with Jadon. I love friendship stories like this.
I am also in awe about how well Mingerink has made this so engaging. This is such a compelling story and the Christian elements really enhance the text.
Definitely wanting the next book now!
It did take me a while to get into this, in fact not until Daemyn entered the scene. But the Alex sections really grabbed me. At first I wanted to shake some kindness into Alex but I loved how his character developed over the course of the novel especially in his interactions with Jadon. I love friendship stories like this.
I am also in awe about how well Mingerink has made this so engaging. This is such a compelling story and the Christian elements really enhance the text.
Definitely wanting the next book now!
July 8, 2018
Oh my goodness. I don't even know what to say about this book other than Tricia has such an incredibly strong and unique writing style that totally jumped series' as she moved out of The Blades of Acktar into this new adventure. The characters are beautiful, each with their own quirks and unique little twist--a curse or a gift (or both)--to fit the sake of the story. Rosanna was a fantastic lead, and though Alex was supposed to be the main male lead, Daemyn totally stole his thunder in my mind. I love Daemyn!! :D This isn't a super fast-paced adventure, but it doesn't need to be. The allegorical aspect was very well done and enjoyable. I can't wait for the second book in this series!!!!!
December 11, 2022
Love love love loved this!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ And Daemyn.....😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️ Can't wait to read the next one ☺️
October 16, 2018
I enjoyed this unique fairy-tale retelling! To start with, it is a gender-swap of Sleeping Beauty. But the setting is what really makes it feel different...imagine this--the explorers of young America decided to keep building European castles even while still paddling about in canoes and buckskins--that gives you an idea of the fantasy world here. I for one appreciated that unusual flavor.
There's lots of good action, strong character-building, a budding romance, and it is safe for all ages (though there are moments of violence).
Although this is at its base a Sleeping Beauty retelling, it is by no means compelled to stay on that story's path and strikes out adventurously on its own.
There's lots of good action, strong character-building, a budding romance, and it is safe for all ages (though there are moments of violence).
Although this is at its base a Sleeping Beauty retelling, it is by no means compelled to stay on that story's path and strikes out adventurously on its own.
February 12, 2025
I really loved Daemyn. And Rosanna. But mostly Daemyn. Alex's arc was also great, and I also loved the allegory. 😍😍
December 19, 2018
I finished this book a couple weeks ago, and I still can't get it off my mind. It's just that good.
It's so unique and filled with adventure that I couldn't help but fall in love with it. The setting, the characters, the plot . . . ugh, EVERYTHING.
First of all, I love how Alexander does literally everything he can to undo the curse. Following his journey was fascinating. I mean, I already knew what had to happen because Rosanna existed, and there can't be a curse breaker without the curse coming true. It was interesting to see Alexander's perspective versus Rosanna's a hundred years later and how different the world was.
Speaking of Rosanna, I loved her. She was strong, clever, and so amazing. She wasn't willing to sit back and let others do her job and I loved her for it. Plus she's the curse breaker and I loved watching her grow into her calling.
And Daemyn. He was my favorite character. I loved watching his and Rosanna's relationship develop. They're literally so cute together.
This book had this amazing depth to it that has been on my mind for weeks. I haven't read a retelling like this before and I'm so excited to see what comes next.
It's so unique and filled with adventure that I couldn't help but fall in love with it. The setting, the characters, the plot . . . ugh, EVERYTHING.
First of all, I love how Alexander does literally everything he can to undo the curse. Following his journey was fascinating. I mean, I already knew what had to happen because Rosanna existed, and there can't be a curse breaker without the curse coming true. It was interesting to see Alexander's perspective versus Rosanna's a hundred years later and how different the world was.
Speaking of Rosanna, I loved her. She was strong, clever, and so amazing. She wasn't willing to sit back and let others do her job and I loved her for it. Plus she's the curse breaker and I loved watching her grow into her calling.
And Daemyn. He was my favorite character. I loved watching his and Rosanna's relationship develop. They're literally so cute together.
This book had this amazing depth to it that has been on my mind for weeks. I haven't read a retelling like this before and I'm so excited to see what comes next.
July 11, 2019
Overview:
Tricia Mingerink succeeds again at creating a splendid novel, a fairy tale retelling, gender-bend of Sleeping Beauty. I have read many fairy tale retellings (to be honest, it’s one of my favorite genres), and with all retellings, they can become a little too cookie cutter after many readings (about ten to be exact). However, Mingerink’s novel is unlike any fairy tale retellings I have been blessed to read, and that’s what makes it so great! She merely took the themes of Sleeping Beauty and wove them into her own tale, complete with compelling characters and a fascinating plot not found anywhere else.
Characters:
Rosanna, princess of Neskahana, is one of the main narrators of the book. She is destined to be the curse breaker who wakes High Prince Alexander from his cursed sleep. Far from helpless, this princess has strengths that she doesn’t recognize, and her growth is a delight to read. Plus, in this retelling, she’s not the one that pricks her finger!
High Prince Alexander is the other narrator of the novel. He arrogantly seeks to break the curse that was spoken over him from birth. To that end, he learns how to use the dagger said to prick his finger and does everything he can to avoid the curse. He even sets out with his manservant Jaden to find a Fae that he hopes will break the curse, and along the way finds outs the truth about himself and how he should treat others.
Jadon is Alexander’s manservant and honestly the reason I tolerated the High Prince’s behavior for most of the book. He helped bring a perspective to the novel of a man of faith and kindness, willing to risk all for the sake of someone else. I’m not sure I could put up with as much as Jaden did, and I’m grateful Mingerink included him for the reader’s sanity.
Daemyn is the mysterious guide who seeks to bring the curse breaker, Rosanna, to the High Prince. A man who has survived attacks against himself and his father, many suspect him of being cursed. As the novel continues, Rosanna doubts this claim and starts to learn more about this quiet and confident man.
These are the main characters in my opinion; however, there are many other characters which I loved to read about: Isi, the fearless Princess’ guard; Berend, whose humor is unbearlievable ;); Luke, the overprotective older brother; Zeke, Daemyn’s nephew and supporter. There are others who are equally as important and interesting, but those were my favorites, and I think it is amazing that Mingerink could create such a lifelike cast.
Plot:
I just want to squeal and dance with joy about this plot. Everything about it is unexpected-how the dual stories play out, how the characters are involved, and who the Fae really are. Eventually, the pieces that Mingerink drops are put together to make a puzzle, but it’s such a fun process to get to that point. The plot kept me guessing and hinted at pieces which I believe will be part of other books. Yet, the ending was so satisfactory that I didn’t feel like I was missing anything either. Well played, Mingerink. I look forward to reading more.
Setting:
As a writer, I struggle with creating unique cultures and people groups. Mingerink makes doing that easy. She creates seven different cultures with appearances and qualities that set them apart from each other. She emphasizes the beauty of combining those cultures during peacetime but also how their diversity drove them apart. What I mean by this is that she acknowledges the value of having a unique culture while also arguing that unity is important as well. This subtle theme, woven throughout her cultures and settings, makes it a message especially relevant to Christians as a whole group. I digress, but the point is that Mingerink didn’t need magical creatures or fairies to create a compelling, creative, and amazing background for her retelling.
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
Tricia Mingerink succeeds again at creating a splendid novel, a fairy tale retelling, gender-bend of Sleeping Beauty. I have read many fairy tale retellings (to be honest, it’s one of my favorite genres), and with all retellings, they can become a little too cookie cutter after many readings (about ten to be exact). However, Mingerink’s novel is unlike any fairy tale retellings I have been blessed to read, and that’s what makes it so great! She merely took the themes of Sleeping Beauty and wove them into her own tale, complete with compelling characters and a fascinating plot not found anywhere else.
Characters:
Rosanna, princess of Neskahana, is one of the main narrators of the book. She is destined to be the curse breaker who wakes High Prince Alexander from his cursed sleep. Far from helpless, this princess has strengths that she doesn’t recognize, and her growth is a delight to read. Plus, in this retelling, she’s not the one that pricks her finger!
High Prince Alexander is the other narrator of the novel. He arrogantly seeks to break the curse that was spoken over him from birth. To that end, he learns how to use the dagger said to prick his finger and does everything he can to avoid the curse. He even sets out with his manservant Jaden to find a Fae that he hopes will break the curse, and along the way finds outs the truth about himself and how he should treat others.
Jadon is Alexander’s manservant and honestly the reason I tolerated the High Prince’s behavior for most of the book. He helped bring a perspective to the novel of a man of faith and kindness, willing to risk all for the sake of someone else. I’m not sure I could put up with as much as Jaden did, and I’m grateful Mingerink included him for the reader’s sanity.
Daemyn is the mysterious guide who seeks to bring the curse breaker, Rosanna, to the High Prince. A man who has survived attacks against himself and his father, many suspect him of being cursed. As the novel continues, Rosanna doubts this claim and starts to learn more about this quiet and confident man.
These are the main characters in my opinion; however, there are many other characters which I loved to read about: Isi, the fearless Princess’ guard; Berend, whose humor is unbearlievable ;); Luke, the overprotective older brother; Zeke, Daemyn’s nephew and supporter. There are others who are equally as important and interesting, but those were my favorites, and I think it is amazing that Mingerink could create such a lifelike cast.
Plot:
I just want to squeal and dance with joy about this plot. Everything about it is unexpected-how the dual stories play out, how the characters are involved, and who the Fae really are. Eventually, the pieces that Mingerink drops are put together to make a puzzle, but it’s such a fun process to get to that point. The plot kept me guessing and hinted at pieces which I believe will be part of other books. Yet, the ending was so satisfactory that I didn’t feel like I was missing anything either. Well played, Mingerink. I look forward to reading more.
Setting:
As a writer, I struggle with creating unique cultures and people groups. Mingerink makes doing that easy. She creates seven different cultures with appearances and qualities that set them apart from each other. She emphasizes the beauty of combining those cultures during peacetime but also how their diversity drove them apart. What I mean by this is that she acknowledges the value of having a unique culture while also arguing that unity is important as well. This subtle theme, woven throughout her cultures and settings, makes it a message especially relevant to Christians as a whole group. I digress, but the point is that Mingerink didn’t need magical creatures or fairies to create a compelling, creative, and amazing background for her retelling.
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
May 25, 2018
Previously published on Purely by Faith Reviews.
Recommended Age: 13+
This is the first book I’ve read by her (still have yet to read her Blades of Acktar series). It’s like a fairy-tale retelling, with multiple references to the originals. I don’t normally read these types of books, but I couldn’t pass this one up. I’m really glad I didn’t because it was something I absolutely adored!
Roseanna was this princess who was more of an outdoors girl, and loved to get her hands dirty as well as going on an adventure. Her life in the beginning was so different compared to how everything turned out in the end. It’s so hard to not give away any spoilers, but she was just someone I was fond of. Also, I oddly kept imagining her being a red-head when she actually had black hair. Tell me I’m not the only one kind of makes up what they look like in their head, altering their appearance. xD
Daemyn. There were many plot-twists with him, some of which I expected and fangirled over. Basically, I adored him. He was this interesting person with an interesting history. Oh, I don’t know what to say without spoiling anything. I’m really glad how everything turned out for him in the end.
Alex was annoying, especially at the beginning. So arrogant and prideful. Did I mention arrogant? I suppose it was realistic to expect respect since you’re the prince and all, but kindness matters too. It was an interesting twist to have him be the one to fall into a deep sleep instead of a princess, such as Sleeping Beauty. I’m really glad how everything turned out in the end and that the author made sure the ending wasn’t cliche.
The romance aspect was totally fine. Almost completely clean, and not necessarily the focus of the story (excluding the whole wake-wup-the-sleeping-prince thing). Roseanna only had a few moments of thinking about whilst Alex had a whole scene with his girlfriend (I think? Wasn’t really clear on that part) and kissed her.
The main thing I thought was interesting was the faith element. I don’t really know how to describe it (nor do I remember their names besides the Fae Prince), but it resembled Christianity. Kind of like the moral of the story, to trust the Fae Prince since he had a plan for the characters in the story. Which is sort of like Christians trusting God since he has a plan for our lives. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s the overall idea I got from that element. 🙂
The story was perfect. I’ll admit it was harder to get into at first, but once Alex’s side from a hundred years ago was introduced, I got into it. The author described everything perfectly (I know I’m saying perfect too many times), and I had such a good experience with this book that I decided I’ll have to get the first book in the Blades of Acktar series sooner rather than later. This book is worth checking out!
Content Warnings: Mentions of blood, wounds, death, etc; Some romance (mentioned above) that is mostly clean with a few kisses.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to give a positive one. This review was written in my own words and opinions.
Recommended Age: 13+
This is the first book I’ve read by her (still have yet to read her Blades of Acktar series). It’s like a fairy-tale retelling, with multiple references to the originals. I don’t normally read these types of books, but I couldn’t pass this one up. I’m really glad I didn’t because it was something I absolutely adored!
Roseanna was this princess who was more of an outdoors girl, and loved to get her hands dirty as well as going on an adventure. Her life in the beginning was so different compared to how everything turned out in the end. It’s so hard to not give away any spoilers, but she was just someone I was fond of. Also, I oddly kept imagining her being a red-head when she actually had black hair. Tell me I’m not the only one kind of makes up what they look like in their head, altering their appearance. xD
Daemyn. There were many plot-twists with him, some of which I expected and fangirled over. Basically, I adored him. He was this interesting person with an interesting history. Oh, I don’t know what to say without spoiling anything. I’m really glad how everything turned out for him in the end.
Alex was annoying, especially at the beginning. So arrogant and prideful. Did I mention arrogant? I suppose it was realistic to expect respect since you’re the prince and all, but kindness matters too. It was an interesting twist to have him be the one to fall into a deep sleep instead of a princess, such as Sleeping Beauty. I’m really glad how everything turned out in the end and that the author made sure the ending wasn’t cliche.
The romance aspect was totally fine. Almost completely clean, and not necessarily the focus of the story (excluding the whole wake-wup-the-sleeping-prince thing). Roseanna only had a few moments of thinking about whilst Alex had a whole scene with his girlfriend (I think? Wasn’t really clear on that part) and kissed her.
The main thing I thought was interesting was the faith element. I don’t really know how to describe it (nor do I remember their names besides the Fae Prince), but it resembled Christianity. Kind of like the moral of the story, to trust the Fae Prince since he had a plan for the characters in the story. Which is sort of like Christians trusting God since he has a plan for our lives. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s the overall idea I got from that element. 🙂
The story was perfect. I’ll admit it was harder to get into at first, but once Alex’s side from a hundred years ago was introduced, I got into it. The author described everything perfectly (I know I’m saying perfect too many times), and I had such a good experience with this book that I decided I’ll have to get the first book in the Blades of Acktar series sooner rather than later. This book is worth checking out!
Content Warnings: Mentions of blood, wounds, death, etc; Some romance (mentioned above) that is mostly clean with a few kisses.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to give a positive one. This review was written in my own words and opinions.
May 31, 2018
reviewed by bookwolf4
3.5 stars
**Fairy tales have never really been my thing. Please take this into consideration while reading my review.**
Recommended to: anyone looking for an original fairytale retelling, or anyone looking for a clean story for preteens.
MY THOUGHTS:
I have read the whole Blades of Acktar series and adored them, so when I heard about Dagger’s Sleep I couldn’t wait to read it. The concept of Dagger's Sleep is very unique, and Ms Mingerink pulls it off very well. However, I think that I was expecting another medieval-type story, so Dagger's Sleep was a bit unexpected and I didn't enjoy it as much.
(There might be some spoilers below...)
What I Liked:
Berend: “Her younger brother Berend was a bear to wake in the morning. Partially because he was an eighteen-year-old who enjoyed his sleep, but mostly because he spent his nights as a large black bear, thanks to his Fae curse.”
Rosanna: She was sweet, and in a way reminded me of myself. “Dreaming about adventure was one thing. Actually leaving was something entirely different.”
Isi: Isi was my second-favourite character, after Berend. She was very loyal and brave.
Daemyn: So, I thought Daemyn as a character was very...plain. BUT I did love how he used a staff as a weapon! So cool! It reminded me of Patrick Carr’s series, The Staff and The Sword.
What I Didn’t Like:
The first two-thirds of the book were a bit slow, so it took me a while to get into the story. I think a large part of this is just because I didn't connect with the setting (think Pocahontas), so that is on me, not the author.
Alex really wasn’t a nice person, and I just never connected with him as a character.
The ending felt a bit rushed. Like, one second there’s a big war about to start, the next Rosanna and Daemyn are talking – then it’s the end of the book. Maybe that will be more detailed in the next books?
Other:
I would’ve liked to know more about how the Fae system worked, such as why some people were cursed and some blessed, etc. But I’m guessing that will also be more detailed in future books.
I didn't see any chemistry between two key characters who "fall in love".
A huge part of me liking a book is if it makes me laugh. Other than Berend, there was really no comic relief. Berend will always be a memorable character for me because he was funny and different. I never really connected with any of the other characters as they all seemed very similar to each other, and their interactions felt a bit wooden to me.
Quotes
“This quest was real. It wasn’t a lark. It wasn’t a grand adventure. It was life and death in a way she hadn’t understood before. She couldn’t have understood it until the look of death carved into a man’s face.”
“The Tuckawassee are scouring the mountains around here. Major Beshko is madder than a bear with a hangover.”
“When you came in your arrogance, you were heard because I am worthy.” The Prince’s gaze didn’t waver. “When you come in your humility, am I any less worthy?”
“Jadon Rand died from a knife when he was thirty-nine years old. I reckon the person I was as Jadon died then too. A hundred years— living so many names— changes a person.”
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
3.5 stars
**Fairy tales have never really been my thing. Please take this into consideration while reading my review.**
Recommended to: anyone looking for an original fairytale retelling, or anyone looking for a clean story for preteens.
MY THOUGHTS:
I have read the whole Blades of Acktar series and adored them, so when I heard about Dagger’s Sleep I couldn’t wait to read it. The concept of Dagger's Sleep is very unique, and Ms Mingerink pulls it off very well. However, I think that I was expecting another medieval-type story, so Dagger's Sleep was a bit unexpected and I didn't enjoy it as much.
(There might be some spoilers below...)
What I Liked:
Berend: “Her younger brother Berend was a bear to wake in the morning. Partially because he was an eighteen-year-old who enjoyed his sleep, but mostly because he spent his nights as a large black bear, thanks to his Fae curse.”
Rosanna: She was sweet, and in a way reminded me of myself. “Dreaming about adventure was one thing. Actually leaving was something entirely different.”
Isi: Isi was my second-favourite character, after Berend. She was very loyal and brave.
Daemyn: So, I thought Daemyn as a character was very...plain. BUT I did love how he used a staff as a weapon! So cool! It reminded me of Patrick Carr’s series, The Staff and The Sword.
What I Didn’t Like:
The first two-thirds of the book were a bit slow, so it took me a while to get into the story. I think a large part of this is just because I didn't connect with the setting (think Pocahontas), so that is on me, not the author.
Alex really wasn’t a nice person, and I just never connected with him as a character.
The ending felt a bit rushed. Like, one second there’s a big war about to start, the next Rosanna and Daemyn are talking – then it’s the end of the book. Maybe that will be more detailed in the next books?
Other:
I would’ve liked to know more about how the Fae system worked, such as why some people were cursed and some blessed, etc. But I’m guessing that will also be more detailed in future books.
I didn't see any chemistry between two key characters who "fall in love".
A huge part of me liking a book is if it makes me laugh. Other than Berend, there was really no comic relief. Berend will always be a memorable character for me because he was funny and different. I never really connected with any of the other characters as they all seemed very similar to each other, and their interactions felt a bit wooden to me.
Quotes
“This quest was real. It wasn’t a lark. It wasn’t a grand adventure. It was life and death in a way she hadn’t understood before. She couldn’t have understood it until the look of death carved into a man’s face.”
“The Tuckawassee are scouring the mountains around here. Major Beshko is madder than a bear with a hangover.”
“When you came in your arrogance, you were heard because I am worthy.” The Prince’s gaze didn’t waver. “When you come in your humility, am I any less worthy?”
“Jadon Rand died from a knife when he was thirty-nine years old. I reckon the person I was as Jadon died then too. A hundred years— living so many names— changes a person.”
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
January 3, 2019
Wow, did this book ever take me by surprise! It is the first story I've read by this author, and it certainly won't be the last.
Dagger's Sleep is a reverse-retelling of Sleeping Beauty--that is, it features a prince waiting to be awakened from a sleeping curse. It took me a while to become invested in the story's characters, but the switches in scene between past and present successfully drew me deep into both worlds. The Christian allegory is well done and suits the story world.
The clever plot twists, the slow build to the dramatic climax, the character tension and drama--epic!! I also really enjoyed the setting. The blend of familiar place names from the American Midwest and South was amusing, and I found the various people groups quite interesting. This book gives hints of several more stories to come, and I can hardly wait to read them!
Another fairy-tale retelling I can highly recommend!
Dagger's Sleep is a reverse-retelling of Sleeping Beauty--that is, it features a prince waiting to be awakened from a sleeping curse. It took me a while to become invested in the story's characters, but the switches in scene between past and present successfully drew me deep into both worlds. The Christian allegory is well done and suits the story world.
The clever plot twists, the slow build to the dramatic climax, the character tension and drama--epic!! I also really enjoyed the setting. The blend of familiar place names from the American Midwest and South was amusing, and I found the various people groups quite interesting. This book gives hints of several more stories to come, and I can hardly wait to read them!
Another fairy-tale retelling I can highly recommend!
June 5, 2018
This book is so amazing! First of all, what a refresher to find a fantasy world not based on medieval Europe! I absolutely loved the native American feel to it and the settings. Seriously, all the canoes and stuff...wow. And when I say the princess can paddle her own canoe, I mean it quite literally. :)
The characters, of course, are amazing, though since I couldn't spend as much time with them as with the Acktarian characters, I didn't fall quite as much in love with them. Daemyn and Alexander are both lovable, but they're not as adorable as Leith.
I just loved the way the fairies were done. There's something about the way most fairies are done in stories that I just don't like, and that wasn't present here. It seemed so believable and real and like it actually fit in with the world.
Even more amazing was the allegory. Seriously, I don't know if I've seen a more beautiful allegory. I can't go into details, but it was so beautiful.
This book was seriously amazing and everyone needs to read it. The lessons and the themes, the characters, the settings, and of course, the amazing allegory all make it so worth it. I can't wait to spend more time in this world. (Of course, I will always be a little peeved I shipped the wrong ship, but oh well. I can't have everything, I guess.)
The characters, of course, are amazing, though since I couldn't spend as much time with them as with the Acktarian characters, I didn't fall quite as much in love with them. Daemyn and Alexander are both lovable, but they're not as adorable as Leith.
I just loved the way the fairies were done. There's something about the way most fairies are done in stories that I just don't like, and that wasn't present here. It seemed so believable and real and like it actually fit in with the world.
Even more amazing was the allegory. Seriously, I don't know if I've seen a more beautiful allegory. I can't go into details, but it was so beautiful.
This book was seriously amazing and everyone needs to read it. The lessons and the themes, the characters, the settings, and of course, the amazing allegory all make it so worth it. I can't wait to spend more time in this world. (Of course, I will always be a little peeved I shipped the wrong ship, but oh well. I can't have everything, I guess.)
May 5, 2018
Wow! What a tale! and one unlike anything I have ever read so far! In a style similar to C.S. Lewis, with an allegorical fashion, in a location like West Virginia, in a history like pre-Middle Ages, your brain will be surprised by the adventures found in the mythology of ancient America.... Seriously, the descriptions will be paintings in your mind, the journey will have you turning pages faster than you think, and the characters and their development will have you satisfied. Truly a very good read!
March 2, 2024
This is not like other retellings, and I was left guessing up until the end. Parts were interesting, but I was confused about what exactly I was supposed to be imagining in my head because elements of the world seemed incongruous. Like native Americans, but also castles and kings and princes, but also backwoods mountain people??? I also didn't care much for any of the characters or feel invested in the romance.
Read
May 23, 2018This is a beautiful story. Well done, Tricia! This one has been my favorite of all the lovely books you have written. I rarely cry, but I nearly did towards the end... I won't give spoilers away! You must read it for yourself. This is a story of redemption, of love, adventure, daring and courage. It is original, and powerful in its allegorical details.
May 26, 2018
WOW. Just . . . wow! Yet another book by this amazing author that kept me up wayyyy too late for several nights in a row. I know I should have been prepared for that, but honestly, after reading Mingerink's fantastic "Blades of Acktar" series, I seriously wondered if I would be able to get into any book of hers that didn't have lovable Leith and Martyn and Renna and the rest of her incredible crew battling for their lives across its pages. So it came as a bit of a shock to me how easily I was swept into this new world she created, so completely different from Acktar, and how instantly I fell in love with these new characters as well!
As you will probably guess from the back cover blurb, Dagger's Sleep is a twist on the old familiar fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. But when I say "twist" when speaking about Tricia Mingerink, believe me, it's not the same definition of "twist" that you are thinking of! Twist is hardly the word. Her plot, like her other books, has so many shocks and surprises that it's more like a labyrinth that leaves you gasping and guessing and flipping pages so fast you'll be not only breathless, but actually dizzy, at the end of each chapter. I am in AWE of how on earth this author thinks up book after book that keeps me one heartbeat away from cardiac arrest each time I turn the page!
Ever since discovering Tricia Mingerink's books, I've been recommending them to everyone I know. Dagger's Sleep is no exception. Full of adventure, humor, and characters that will seem so real you'll find yourself praying for their safety, this is truly Tricia Mingerink at her best. I already can't wait for her next book!
Although I received an advance copy, I was under no obligation whatsoever to leave a review. I'm doing it because I honestly think everyone who loves a good, clean, rollicking Christian adventure will enjoy this book immensely!
As you will probably guess from the back cover blurb, Dagger's Sleep is a twist on the old familiar fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. But when I say "twist" when speaking about Tricia Mingerink, believe me, it's not the same definition of "twist" that you are thinking of! Twist is hardly the word. Her plot, like her other books, has so many shocks and surprises that it's more like a labyrinth that leaves you gasping and guessing and flipping pages so fast you'll be not only breathless, but actually dizzy, at the end of each chapter. I am in AWE of how on earth this author thinks up book after book that keeps me one heartbeat away from cardiac arrest each time I turn the page!
Ever since discovering Tricia Mingerink's books, I've been recommending them to everyone I know. Dagger's Sleep is no exception. Full of adventure, humor, and characters that will seem so real you'll find yourself praying for their safety, this is truly Tricia Mingerink at her best. I already can't wait for her next book!
Although I received an advance copy, I was under no obligation whatsoever to leave a review. I'm doing it because I honestly think everyone who loves a good, clean, rollicking Christian adventure will enjoy this book immensely!
May 7, 2018
Tricia Mingerink shifts gears from her Blades of Acktar series to a new genre, fairy tale adaptation, and does so with the same skill she exhibited in her prior books. She weaves the tale of sleeping royalty masterfully, retaining certain details from the original story while building an alternate universe, adding engaging new characters, and shifting other details to construct a satisfying new narrative. The use of royal titles and military ranks set within what felt like a Native American culture took me by surprise and required adjusting my perspective. But the details remained consistent throughout and became the normal standard for Mingerink’s alternate universe. Her characters pulled me in with ease, and her plot line kept me turning pages up to the very end. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Mingerink in the future.
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
May 10, 2018
Review to come!!! :D P.S IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 13, 2020
such an incredible book! RTC.
May 26, 2018
I loved reading this book. It doesn't rank quite as high in my mind as The Blades of Acktar, but being a series that automatically gives me more time to fall for the characters, and they're among my favourite books ever. Not much can measure up.
Still, Dagger's Sleep lived up to all my expectations. Strong characters, solid setting, slight twist, and sterling silver themes. It was delightful.
It begun with a princess shooting the rapids of the Onohio river in a birch bark canoe. That was the first moment of joy. Like the Blades of Acktar, this is not quite the traditional medieval setting. It has hints of it, but that is mixed with native American mythology, and its own fairy tale world.
This first point also introduced Rosanna who is a lovely character. She's a great mix of outdoorsy, strong and feminine. Not to mention smart, and capable of pulling the hero she just saved head first into the river. Accidentally of course. Isi her bodyguard is an interesting contrast to her. She isn't quite so fond of the outdoors, and cares more about appearance. But she would follow Rosanna anywhere, and if necessary give her life for Rosanna's safety.
We then meet Rosanna's family. Her father, the king of Neskahana, her younger and very funny brother Berend who is cursed to turn into a bear each night, her older brother Willem who is gifted with charismatic writing, and is a good person for advice, and her beautiful and brave mother.
The story then skips back one hundred years to Prince Alexander who, by his great intelligence, has come to the conclusion that there must be a way to avoid his curse, or have it removed. He's nowhere near as likeable a character as Rosanna is, because intelligence doesn't automatically come with humility, but he feels real enough, he is competent, and he's quite capable of learning. Eventually.
It is rather comical to see Alex try to fit in with people who he considers obviously beneath him, and also to attempt to stay his arrogant, and intelligent self as he slowly changes. There are phrases like this: "He could afford to be magnanimous to his manservant after the trek they'd gone through." It's also comical and sad to see him thinking he's changed, but still holding onto his pride. The character arc is awesome, I'm telling you.
I saw the main reveal of the book as it was coming, but there were numerous small things that surprised or delighted me. The Fallen and Loyal Fae being equivalents to demons and angels respectively. The way the ultimate control of the Highest King, Lord of Fae and Men shines throughout the story. The little teasers of books to come (Snow White, Twelve Dancing Princesses, and a few things that could be hints of others).
There are other characters of importance. The greatest of them being Alex's manservant Jadon Rand, and Rosanna's escort, Daemyn Rand. (No coincidence with the names.) Jadon is the perfect manservant. He's gotten so good at being subservient to Alex that he has a little trouble when Alex decides to treat him more like a friend. But he's totally devoted. Daemyn is the perfect heroic fighter on those occasion he doesn't fall into the river (actually, even on those occasions). He's slightly mysterious to which lead to me begin paranoid that he was actually going to turn Rosanna over to the Tuskawasse. (and who knows, maybe he does.)
There is also Daemyn's nephew Zeke, and a number of other relatives including Aunt Frennie who sells moonshine to soldiers, then listens to them once their tongues are loosened. And Jadon's older brother Luke who is protective and not afraid of Alex in the least. Also Rosanna's other guards, and that other character I forgot. I know there is someone else who deserves a mention.
And it ends wonderfully, in a way that I didn't quite expect form the beginning, but fit perfectly. I really hope we see a little bit of the characters ongoing lives as the series continues.
So, if you like fantasy, fairytales, or adventure, I recommend this. It's a very lovely book.
Note: I didn't talk about antagonists. There are a few people as antagonists, but the biggest ones are Alex's curse and his inner self. I enjoyed reading a story that did not focusing on defeat some evil leader, or enemy kingdom.
Still, Dagger's Sleep lived up to all my expectations. Strong characters, solid setting, slight twist, and sterling silver themes. It was delightful.
It begun with a princess shooting the rapids of the Onohio river in a birch bark canoe. That was the first moment of joy. Like the Blades of Acktar, this is not quite the traditional medieval setting. It has hints of it, but that is mixed with native American mythology, and its own fairy tale world.
This first point also introduced Rosanna who is a lovely character. She's a great mix of outdoorsy, strong and feminine. Not to mention smart, and capable of pulling the hero she just saved head first into the river. Accidentally of course. Isi her bodyguard is an interesting contrast to her. She isn't quite so fond of the outdoors, and cares more about appearance. But she would follow Rosanna anywhere, and if necessary give her life for Rosanna's safety.
We then meet Rosanna's family. Her father, the king of Neskahana, her younger and very funny brother Berend who is cursed to turn into a bear each night, her older brother Willem who is gifted with charismatic writing, and is a good person for advice, and her beautiful and brave mother.
The story then skips back one hundred years to Prince Alexander who, by his great intelligence, has come to the conclusion that there must be a way to avoid his curse, or have it removed. He's nowhere near as likeable a character as Rosanna is, because intelligence doesn't automatically come with humility, but he feels real enough, he is competent, and he's quite capable of learning. Eventually.
It is rather comical to see Alex try to fit in with people who he considers obviously beneath him, and also to attempt to stay his arrogant, and intelligent self as he slowly changes. There are phrases like this: "He could afford to be magnanimous to his manservant after the trek they'd gone through." It's also comical and sad to see him thinking he's changed, but still holding onto his pride. The character arc is awesome, I'm telling you.
I saw the main reveal of the book as it was coming, but there were numerous small things that surprised or delighted me. The Fallen and Loyal Fae being equivalents to demons and angels respectively. The way the ultimate control of the Highest King, Lord of Fae and Men shines throughout the story. The little teasers of books to come (Snow White, Twelve Dancing Princesses, and a few things that could be hints of others).
There are other characters of importance. The greatest of them being Alex's manservant Jadon Rand, and Rosanna's escort, Daemyn Rand. (No coincidence with the names.) Jadon is the perfect manservant. He's gotten so good at being subservient to Alex that he has a little trouble when Alex decides to treat him more like a friend. But he's totally devoted. Daemyn is the perfect heroic fighter on those occasion he doesn't fall into the river (actually, even on those occasions). He's slightly mysterious to which lead to me begin paranoid that he was actually going to turn Rosanna over to the Tuskawasse. (and who knows, maybe he does.)
There is also Daemyn's nephew Zeke, and a number of other relatives including Aunt Frennie who sells moonshine to soldiers, then listens to them once their tongues are loosened. And Jadon's older brother Luke who is protective and not afraid of Alex in the least. Also Rosanna's other guards, and that other character I forgot. I know there is someone else who deserves a mention.
And it ends wonderfully, in a way that I didn't quite expect form the beginning, but fit perfectly. I really hope we see a little bit of the characters ongoing lives as the series continues.
So, if you like fantasy, fairytales, or adventure, I recommend this. It's a very lovely book.
Note: I didn't talk about antagonists. There are a few people as antagonists, but the biggest ones are Alex's curse and his inner self. I enjoyed reading a story that did not focusing on defeat some evil leader, or enemy kingdom.
January 14, 2025
Dagger's Sleep by Tricia Mingerink
Rating: Five Stars! This book is amazing! Absolutely amazing!
Language/Profanity: None
Faith: There are Fallen Fay and Faithful Fay (angels and fallen angles,) being at the brink of Beyond (heaven,) hearing the singing, talk of the Highest King, meeting the Prince of all Princes, talk of serving Highest King and how they were doing it out of pride and not doing it with joy, and honestly there was probably more.
Romance/Sex: Wanting to marry but the other person not wanting, kiss, a very gradual falling in love with each other.
Violence ect.: Arrows being shot at, and into people, some slightly described arrow wounds, blood, a violent death (not too described I don't think, at least not for me,) a litteral water fight (they are fighting in the water,) scars,
Other: I don't quite know if some of the doctorin is correct, but... honestly, it's just a book.
Part of a Series: Yes. Book one of a four book series that is complete. (I recommend starting with this book, not the last one as I did...)
Synopsis:
A prince cursed to sleep.
A princess destined to wake him.
A kingdom determined to stop them.
High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.
A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?
One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia’s mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand greater sacrifice than either of them could imagine.
Thoughts: So we have already established that I really really enjoyed this book. The characters were really well written, each of them with their own personalities. The writing itself was amazing. I loved the faith content. And the switching POV's was incredibly well done, partly because of the characters. Normally when there is a book that switches POVs (especially switching times as well) I am just reading the one to get to the other POV but I actually didn't want either to end when the chapter was over. I was slightly confused at first, as I had read the last book before this one (It was an ARC, and I didn't realize it was part of a series till I started reading it.) But I soon got over the confusion. Honestly Alex was the MOST annoying character ever, with his gift of superior intelligence that he paraded around like this:
"Baron Galilahi’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded. Of course, he did. Alex was the intelligent one. He could see all the obvious answers everyone else wasn’t gifted enough to notice."
But I even grew to like him, especially since he grows.
Favorite character, part, quote.
Character: Rand...you'll see why I did it that way after you read the book.
Part: The siblings banter. I saw this in the last book as well, and I love it!
Quote: I have a few, but here is one...
A loyalty that exists only for the reward gained is no true loyalty but merely a well-bribed selfishness.”
--chapter 28
Rating: Five Stars! This book is amazing! Absolutely amazing!
Language/Profanity: None
Faith: There are Fallen Fay and Faithful Fay (angels and fallen angles,) being at the brink of Beyond (heaven,) hearing the singing, talk of the Highest King, meeting the Prince of all Princes, talk of serving Highest King and how they were doing it out of pride and not doing it with joy, and honestly there was probably more.
Romance/Sex: Wanting to marry but the other person not wanting, kiss, a very gradual falling in love with each other.
Violence ect.: Arrows being shot at, and into people, some slightly described arrow wounds, blood, a violent death (not too described I don't think, at least not for me,) a litteral water fight (they are fighting in the water,) scars,
Other: I don't quite know if some of the doctorin is correct, but... honestly, it's just a book.
Part of a Series: Yes. Book one of a four book series that is complete. (I recommend starting with this book, not the last one as I did...)
Synopsis:
A prince cursed to sleep.
A princess destined to wake him.
A kingdom determined to stop them.
High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.
A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?
One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia’s mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand greater sacrifice than either of them could imagine.
Thoughts: So we have already established that I really really enjoyed this book. The characters were really well written, each of them with their own personalities. The writing itself was amazing. I loved the faith content. And the switching POV's was incredibly well done, partly because of the characters. Normally when there is a book that switches POVs (especially switching times as well) I am just reading the one to get to the other POV but I actually didn't want either to end when the chapter was over. I was slightly confused at first, as I had read the last book before this one (It was an ARC, and I didn't realize it was part of a series till I started reading it.) But I soon got over the confusion. Honestly Alex was the MOST annoying character ever, with his gift of superior intelligence that he paraded around like this:
"Baron Galilahi’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded. Of course, he did. Alex was the intelligent one. He could see all the obvious answers everyone else wasn’t gifted enough to notice."
But I even grew to like him, especially since he grows.
Favorite character, part, quote.
Character: Rand...you'll see why I did it that way after you read the book.
Part: The siblings banter. I saw this in the last book as well, and I love it!
Quote: I have a few, but here is one...
A loyalty that exists only for the reward gained is no true loyalty but merely a well-bribed selfishness.”
--chapter 28
December 17, 2018
So, in all fairness: this book gave me exactly what it promised, which was a genderbent retelling of Sleeping Beauty featuring a proud-and-intelligent prince, a prophecied princess, and a powerful theme of sacrifice and trust. And the story itself? Excellent. However, certain aspects of the book just didn't do it for me.
We'll start with what I liked. The characters were interesting and developed well. Rosanna was, pleasantly, a heroine who could be strong and yet uncertain, outdoorsy and yet still feminine, a princess but humble and ready to serve. Daemyn Rand was fascinating, arguably the best part of the book. He's quiet, mysterious, loyal, and a skilled warrior, but manages to avoid all the cliches that can come with those traits. I enjoyed most of Daemyn's family — a lot of colorful characters there! — and Rosanna's friend, Isi, and her brother, Bertrand. (Friendships and family relationships are the best, y'all. I almost wish we could've had a few more scenes with Rosanna and Isi and Rosanna and Bertrand.) The plot itself is also good — or, rather, the plots, since there are two running the whole time: Alexander's efforts to remove his curse (intriguing, even though we know he'll fail) and Rosanna's quest to wake him (also intriguing and full of danger and adventure). And Tricia also handled the allegorical and spiritual elements incredibly well; they're powerful and memorable rather than cheesy.
What didn't I like, then? Part of the problem is Alexander, who annoys me immensely for most of the book. Don't get me wrong; he's a well-drawn character with excellent development. But, for much of the book, he's also a proud, self-congratulating, stuck-up jerk who thinks that he can solve every problem in life just because he's smart. And, I mean, he's realistic; pride does cause about 75% of the problems in any world, one way or another. He's just also annoying, and Jadon was the only reason I could deal with some of Alexander's chapters as well as I did.
By far my biggest problem with this book, though, is the worldbuilding. That is, it doesn't make sense. It feels like the author smooshed the American wilderness with a standard European fantasy world, and while that sounds great in theory, it didn't quite work in practice, and I really wish that the author had picked one (preferably American wilderness) and stuck to it. Or, if she wants to keep the combined element, make more sense of how they're combined! In particular, please explain why the pumpernickel all the place names sound Native American when most of the characters (except for a few minor and villainous characters) have white-person names. That is not how language storming works. And, as I predicted in my status update, it did bother me through the entire book. The worst of it is, the author could've fixed the problem pretty easily by mixing more native-sounding people names in with the white-sounding ones, because then I could rationalize it as "Oh, ok, we've got native-analogous and settler-analogous people here, and they've mixed and intermarried and that's why we've got this strange mix of cultures." But she didn't, so I can't, and arrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh.
(This would probably bother me less if the first scene hadn't gotten me so hopeful that this was a world primarily based on pre-settlers America, with the culture being primarily native-analogous. That would've been so much fun. But nope. It didn't happen.)
So, for the TL;DR: I wanted to love it, but I didn't. Nonetheless, it's an excellent story with mostly enjoyable characters (and one annoying one) and an excellent theme, but if you're a worldbuilding person, that element might just drive you crazy.
We'll start with what I liked. The characters were interesting and developed well. Rosanna was, pleasantly, a heroine who could be strong and yet uncertain, outdoorsy and yet still feminine, a princess but humble and ready to serve. Daemyn Rand was fascinating, arguably the best part of the book. He's quiet, mysterious, loyal, and a skilled warrior, but manages to avoid all the cliches that can come with those traits. I enjoyed most of Daemyn's family — a lot of colorful characters there! — and Rosanna's friend, Isi, and her brother, Bertrand. (Friendships and family relationships are the best, y'all. I almost wish we could've had a few more scenes with Rosanna and Isi and Rosanna and Bertrand.) The plot itself is also good — or, rather, the plots, since there are two running the whole time: Alexander's efforts to remove his curse (intriguing, even though we know he'll fail) and Rosanna's quest to wake him (also intriguing and full of danger and adventure). And Tricia also handled the allegorical and spiritual elements incredibly well; they're powerful and memorable rather than cheesy.
What didn't I like, then? Part of the problem is Alexander, who annoys me immensely for most of the book. Don't get me wrong; he's a well-drawn character with excellent development. But, for much of the book, he's also a proud, self-congratulating, stuck-up jerk who thinks that he can solve every problem in life just because he's smart. And, I mean, he's realistic; pride does cause about 75% of the problems in any world, one way or another. He's just also annoying, and Jadon was the only reason I could deal with some of Alexander's chapters as well as I did.
By far my biggest problem with this book, though, is the worldbuilding. That is, it doesn't make sense. It feels like the author smooshed the American wilderness with a standard European fantasy world, and while that sounds great in theory, it didn't quite work in practice, and I really wish that the author had picked one (preferably American wilderness) and stuck to it. Or, if she wants to keep the combined element, make more sense of how they're combined! In particular, please explain why the pumpernickel all the place names sound Native American when most of the characters (except for a few minor and villainous characters) have white-person names. That is not how language storming works. And, as I predicted in my status update, it did bother me through the entire book. The worst of it is, the author could've fixed the problem pretty easily by mixing more native-sounding people names in with the white-sounding ones, because then I could rationalize it as "Oh, ok, we've got native-analogous and settler-analogous people here, and they've mixed and intermarried and that's why we've got this strange mix of cultures." But she didn't, so I can't, and arrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh.
(This would probably bother me less if the first scene hadn't gotten me so hopeful that this was a world primarily based on pre-settlers America, with the culture being primarily native-analogous. That would've been so much fun. But nope. It didn't happen.)
So, for the TL;DR: I wanted to love it, but I didn't. Nonetheless, it's an excellent story with mostly enjoyable characters (and one annoying one) and an excellent theme, but if you're a worldbuilding person, that element might just drive you crazy.
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