Stiefvater, Maggie. Bravely. Disney Press, 2022. 978-1368071345. $19.99. 384. Grades 7-12.
Merida of DunBroch is feeling a little bored with her life, but when two deities show up on her doorstep on Christmas Eve night, she learns that if she cannot bring change and progress back to DunBroch, her family and realm will be destroyed by Feradach, a god of destruction. In order to save her family, Merida embarks on three journeys and hopes to move her family away from stagnation. They need motivation in order to change, but Merida only has a year, and while she puts all of her energy into others, she forgets that she must also change herself.
THOUGHTS: Brave is one of my favorite movies, and Maggie Stiefvater is one of my favorite authors. Naturally, when I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it! It wasn’t quite what I expected it to be, but I loved it all the same. Stiefvater adds to the myth and magic already present in the story while focusing on each character in depth, and I especially loved reading about the triplets and their unique personalities. However, I would recommend seeing the movie first before diving into Bravely.
Fantasy Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD
Merida of DunBroch, the Scottish princess featured in the Disney film, Brave, is now twenty years old and restless when Christmas Eve brings her an encounter with the god Feradach. Charged with rooting out and destroying entities that are stagnating, Feradoch has his eyes set on DunBroch, Merida’s beloved ancestral home. Only Merida’s quick thinking, and the sly intervention of the wily old goddess, the Cailleach, provide DunBroch a reprieve. Merida is granted a year to bring necessary change to DunBroch. She hounds, nags, and drags her parents and triplet younger brothers to explore opportunities and expand their horizons; to analyze and discover their true callings, to repair and improve the family home. But will a year be enough? Will DunBroch change enough? Fans of Stiefvater, a writer of ethereal fantasy fiction, may be initially disappointed with her prosaic writing, but with her solid grounding in Celtic lore, she crafts an engaging story with delightful character development. Readers with no familiarity with the movie will still be caught up in Merida’s quest and Stiefvater’s evocative world building. Merida is a compelling, sympathetic character who needs to learn at least as much as the rest of her family, but may not realize, until too late, that the biggest change is risking her heart.
THOUGHTS: A Young Adult Disney princess tale, this a charming story with a limited audience. Stiefvater’s writing is aimed at a more inclusive age range than her Raven Boys and other series. Purchase where romantic fantasy is in high demand, or readers maintain a fondness for Disney. Hopefully this will lead readers to Stiefvater’s truly genius works.
Fantasy Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD
Mythology