The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest (A Medieval Fairy Tale)

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest (A Medieval Fairy Tale)

By Melanie Dickerso

A beautiful maiden who poaches to feed the poor.

A handsome forester on a mission to catch her.

Danger and love are about to unite in Thornbeck Forest.

I always thought I'm immune to romance, romance novels, romantic movies...something sort of. However, I lost my heart every time I read Melanie Dickerson's novels...I can hardly contain myself, it is so good! She created beautiful stories and I found myself trapped in again and again. (Sigh...and I have no way to stop that from happening...)

I almost forget, this book is also about fairytale retelling! (It might be the last one recently, I'm going to move to another category). It's adapted from The Swan Lake and Robin Hood. And the main character, Odette, just happen to be the same name as the swan princess. (I love this fairy tale so much!)

  The margrave owns the finest hunting grounds for miles around--and Odette Menks spends her nights poaching his deer to feed the hungry orphans of Thornbeck. By day, Odette is a simple maiden who teaches children to read, but by night this young beauty has become the secret lifeline to the poorest of the poor.

  For Jorgen Hartman, the margrave’s forester, tracking down a poacher is a duty he is all too willing to perform. Jorgen inherited his post from the man who raised him . . . a man who was murdered at the hands of a poacher.

  When Jorgen and Odette meet at the Midsummer festival and share a connection during a dance, neither has any idea that they are already adversaries.

  The one man she wants is bound by duty to capture her; the one woman he loves is his cunning target . . . What becomes of a forester who protects a notorious poacher? What becomes of a poacher when she is finally discovered?

  To me, Odette is a mixture of Odette (the swan princess) and Marian (I suppose the name of Robin Hood's wife?). She uses long bows as well as man. (Since I'm such a crazy fan of those stories with bows and arrows...when I had the opportunity to use a bow...I gave it a try...and my both arms soured for the next day). She was kind to the poor due to her childhood memory, so she poached at night. But what I don't get is that since your uncle was so rich before (I mean before cause something happen in the book), why don't you just buy food from market? (Unless she’s so eager to hunt...then that'll be another problem). Never mind, when Odette and Jorgen met at the midsummer festival, the sparkle appeared! Yeah, it seems like the moment when Odette and the prince met in The Swan Lake. But unfortunately and also gratefully, we don't have Robert in the book! (The evil sorcerer in the original fairy tale...am I right?). But we have a handsome-lovesicked-rich merchant's son in the book, and he was capable of doing anything just to win Odette... (be careful for this kind of men...they're usually horrible when they can't get the thing they want.). So he found a woman whose figure look like Odette in the masquerade...and yep, you know what happened next. "Would you marry me?" (Of course not! She's not the right person! I was screaming in my head when I read this part.). Let's say something about Jorgen, his was the first man created by Melanie Dickerson that the statue was under the female character (before they were married...), and it's also the first book by Melanie that the beautiful maiden wasn't married to a Lord. (I believe The Golden Braid will be the next! It's about time! Girls don't need a prince to make herself in a fairy tale! That's what love do for us...not included me, I dot need romance to block in my way). He was a forester and hungered for revenge to the poacher who killed his father. (Come on, if I were the poacher, I would flee as soon as possible from the minute the person was died! Who would stay there and risk themselves?). However, what really connects Odette and Jorgen was their kindness, they were both willing to contribute for the children and were both happy when they were doing this. Odette inspired Jorgen to be a better man (not that he was bad, he was a great man...but actually put himself into action is another thing).  I think in this story, the only man to blame is Mathis (the handsome-lovesicked-rich merchant's son). As for the reason...go find yourselves! Odette may be wrong for poaching, Rutger (Odette's rich uncle) may be wrong for betrayal, Jorgen may be wrong for asking the wrong hand to married...that's all because that guy's fault! (I won't blame him for falling in love with Odette, but his behavior and the way he spoke to Odette...I think he only loved her because of her beauty, not who she truly was). 

  Although Melanie Dickerson's The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest is as usually contain no magic that should be in fairy tale, this book carries all the romance and excitement, and again, God's willing (still not a problem to me, I can enjoy myself with that part even I had mentioned before...I’m not a Christian.). And all who love Melanie Dickerson's books shouldn't miss this first book from the series (more is coming!), and those who haven't read her book should go to the bookstore immediately to grab one and start reading it! (I'm still admiring all the beautiful scenes and customs and interactions between Odette and Jorgen and all the non-magic magical world created by the author and...breathe Vivian, breathe...) (but sorry, even Odette and Jorgen can't compared to Gisela and Valten~G&V are just perfect!!!)