In fact, it’s made me even more excited to go back and read The Merchant’s Daughter, very soon, to read the story of Westley’s parents! But The Silent Songbird also stands alone, and my lack of familiarity with the first one didn’t take away from my enjoyment of reading this. I’m aware this is a sort of sequel to The Merchant’s Daughter by the same author, which I’ve not read yet, and I can tell that anyone who read it will love reading this one and seeing references and characters from before.

Otherwise, I didn’t have any real complaints and I just really enjoyed it. The book started out a little predictably (heroine supposed to marry old, ugly, evil man, and determined to escape), so that part sounded somewhat like other books (but I suppose that couldn’t be helped, and it quickly moved on to become surprising and intriguing). ❤ I also loved that King Richard was in the story!

And I loved the setting, which I felt so immersed in: the medieval English countryside and castles! So awesome. The whole book, in fact, was written excellently. The rest of the characters were all well-written. He was a gruff character who surprised me by really growing on me. The other characters were great to read about as well: Lord and Lady le Wyse, Westley’s parents-his mother was so nice, and his father was simply awesome. Hagenheim books! Only missing The Golden Braid… The romance was so sweet and beautiful-loved it-and the Christian elements were also lovely. I also love their names! (Speaking of the name Westley… I couldn’t help grinning when Eva told Westley “as you wish” once.

Westley was the best-endearing, noble, kind, with a sense of humor, though also conflicted about a lot of things going on, and quite energetic which for some reason was really cool. I loved them!Įvangeline was a good heroine, who I quite liked. It had a lot going on, was exciting and sweet by turns, and kept me totally absorbed in the lives of these characters, who felt so real. The plot was so interesting and really kept me on my toes, wondering what would happen next and how it would all work out. I was curious how a retelling of The Little Mermaid would work with no magic and not even a mermaid, but it worked wonderfully in this book! It was so fun to pick out the references and see how the retelling wove through the story in surprising yet fitting ways. Deception, scheming villains, and misunderstandings all stand in her way, as she tries to escape her fate and find love and a deeper faith in God. She finds her chance when she must escape marriage to a horrible man, and meets a caring young man named Westley le Wyse. Links - find The Silent Songbird on: Thomas Nelson | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | GoodreadsĪnother enchanting, romantic Young Adult fairytale retelling from Melanie Dickerson!Įvangeline, a young woman with a beautiful voice (and the ward of King Richard), is kept in a castle but longs to go out into the world. Published November 8, 2016, by Thomas Nelson Should she give herself up to protect the only person who cares about her? If she does, who will save the king from a plot to steal his throne? More than Evangeline’s future is at stake as she finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue that threatens England’s monarchy. But when the truth comes out, it may shatter any hope that love could grow between them. Pretending to be mute, she gets to know Westley le Wyse, their handsome young leader, who is intrigued by the beautiful servant girl. Can he help her discover the freedom to sing again?ĭesperate to flee a political marriage to her cousin King Richard II’s closest advisor, Lord Shiveley-a man twice her age with shadowy motives-Evangeline runs away and joins a small band of servants journeying back to Glynval, their home village. The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson Young Adult / Christian / Historical Romance / Fairy Tale Retelling / The Little Mermaid / MedievalĮvangeline is gifted with a heavenly voice, but she is trapped in a sinister betrothal-until she embarks on a daring escape and meets brave Westley le Wyse.

Songbird reviews 2016