In this instance, the reveal comes at around 50% of the way through the book (where I might expect it more at 65-70% of the way through. Usually, with Mulan (or a retelling thereof), the turning point of the story is where Mulan’s identity is revealed and then perhaps there’s one more peak in the story where she rescues everyone in all her womanly glory (at least in my experience that’s how the layout of these things goes). Will she be able to trust Wolfgang to help? Or will sacrificing her own life be the only way to save her mother? When Mulan receives word that her mother has been accused of practicing witchcraft through her healing herbs and skills, Mulan’s only thought is of defending her. But battle is a dangerous place where anything can happen-and usually does.

When Wolfgang discovers his former rival and reluctant friend Mikolai is actually a girl, he is determined to protect her. or showing Wolfgang up in embarrassing ways. When they arrive, Wolfgang is exasperated by the young soldier Mikolai who seems to either always be one step away from disaster. Wolfgang and his brother Steffan leave Hagenheim with several other soldiers to help their father’s ally in Poland.

At the last minute, she pretends to be the son her father never had, assumes his duties as a soldier, and rides off to join the fight to protect the castle of her liege lord’s ally from the besieging Teutonic Knights. Mulan is trying to resign herself to marrying the village butcher for the good of her family, but her adventurous spirit just can’t stand the thought. But what happens when the handsome son of a duke discovers her secret? Mulan isn’t afraid to pretend to be a son and assume her father’s soldier duties in war. Read on for more of my thoughts.įrom New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a fresh reimagining of the classic Mulan tale. Sadly, this book ended up not being my cup of tea, but there are some things I did like about it. I was drawn into Melanie Dickerson’s The Warrior Maiden largely because I thought the cover was beautiful, very soft colours with that pop of red, but I also love a retelling and a Mulan retelling but set in medieval Europe sounded like it was worth a shot. Hello Humans! Who is ready for another retelling? I know last year was the year of ALL THE RETELLINGS but they are absolutely still being published and I am absolutely still reading them.

The warrior maiden by melanie dickerson