First Line Friday: The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest Review

First Line Friday: The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest Review

Welcome to another First Line Friday. This week is my The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest Review. This fairytale retelling is by Melanie Dickerson and is published through Thomas Nelson.

The First Line:

“The tip of the arrow found its mark, a perfect shot through the deer’s heart and lungs.”

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest Review:

I’ve read a few of Melanie Dickerson’s fairytale retellings, but it’s been awhile since the last one. As with all of her other retellings, I enjoyed this one. They allow readers to enjoy familiar and beloved childhood stories without having to pick up a children’s book. And as a fan of retellings that step outside of the originally drawn lines of the story, I especially like this series.

One note before I get into my review of this particular story. Originally, I thought I’d read this and pass it on to a pre-teen girl at my church that loves to read. However, there is a quite a bit dealing with more adult ideas of prostitution and the complexity of going back to that life because of a sense of owing someone. And in this case, the girl involved is a young teenager. Because of this, I cannot recommend it for younger girls who are looking for something to bridge the gap between childish stories and more adult stories.

I enjoyed Jorgen and Odette. They are both likable characters with clear goals and motivations. The weights they carry from the past have helped make them into who they are as the story begins. Both have honorable intentions, but may at times be led astray by their desires to do the right and good thing. They do grow, but most of their growth is due to external forces. Without serious character flaws, they don’t have the need for great amounts of introspection or wrestling with the self.

As with a lot of fairy tales, the good people are good and the bad people are bad. There are rare exceptions where readers may not be completely clear on a character’s motivations. But these are the exceptions. There aren’t a lot of surprises in the tale.

The predictability and lack of strong internal struggles are the only things keeping this very enjoyable story from being 5 stars. If you’re a fan of fairytale retellings, you won’t be disappointed in The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest.

Get The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest