Castle of Refuge

 

I love Melanie Dickerson's adaptations of fairy tales to Christian fiction for young adults, partially because I have never out-grown fairy tales and partially because I like keeping up with literature for children and young adults.  While Castle of Refuge is not a specific fairy tale (that I can remember), it does draw the reader in like a fairy tale does.  This book reminds me in so many ways of a book by Lori Wick called "The Knight and the Dove." There are many premises that are similar.  

• Audrey (CoR) has an older sister, Maris, who is her nemesis.  Megan (KaD) has an older sister Marigold who plays the same part. 
• Maris and Marigold are sociopathic in their actions and attitudes. 
• Maris and Marigold also find men who are willing to do their bidding in their schemes.
• Audrey and Megan, while victims of their sisters' machinations, find refuge in a Knight and his castle.
• Their fathers are less than protective and fatherly toward their daughters. 
• Audrey and Megan find purpose in teaching the young girls in their respective villages to read. 

Melanie has woven her own tale in this book and makes it an enjoyable read.  I love reading medieval fiction and this book fits that bill quite nicely.  It's just that from the outset, I could see similarities to a book written almost twenty years ago.  It made me smile because it was like seeing an old friend after being apart for many years.  Melanie has done a great job in creating a plot that moves along at a good pace.  Her descriptive talents make the setting come alive and produce characters who are multidimensional. 

Because Castle of Refuge is titled as being A Dericott Tale, I am assuming that there will be other books to come in a series.  It intrigues me to think of whose story will be next and I am excited to see which one it will be.  

This book earns four strong stars, only because I am so familiar with a similar tale by another author. 

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.