Melanie Dickerson has a penchant for taking well-known fairy tales and making them something new and different. The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest is her newest offering with a Robin Hood like theme. Odette Menkels spends her nights finding food for the orphans who live in her village and her days teaching them to read and write. The only problem is that the nights are spent poaching venizen from the Margrave's forest. Jorgen is the new forester who is entrusted with the task of finding the person who is poaching the deer from the Margrave's forest, but Jorgen seems to be falling in love with the beautiful Odette, which will make his job all the harder.
There are a cast of characters who flesh out this novel with all kinds of drama--
Mathis--the burgomeister's son who wants Odette for his own because of the prestige she will bring.
Rutger--Odette's uncle who has raised her since her parents died. He is a wealthy merchant and well respected in the town.
Ulrich--the Margrave's chancellor and not a very nice man.
Anna and Peter--Odette's best friends.
The setting and the people populating this book make it a delightful read. The intended audience is young adult and it will fit that bill perfectly. I really don't want to go into more of the plot because I don't want to give away the whole story. Just suffice it to say, Melanie Dickerson knows her stuff and plies her craft well.
Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a deer in your forest.
My Thanks to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book.
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