The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson is a loose retelling of A Little Mermaid. The last couple of books from this author were not that great in my opinion, but I was happy to see that this story was better. From the very beginning I was hooked with Evangeline's story line.
Evangeline is a ward of King Richard II and has always been trapped inside the castle unable to go out because of the fear of someone taking her and using her as ransom. Dying to be free, she sings beside her open window often as she looks longingly out at the world around her.
When the king comes back from a trip and states that Evangeline is to marry his closest advisor, Lord Shively, she tries to get the king to change his mind. She knows Shively is a bad man trying to use her for his own gain, but the king will not yield to her pleas. Desperate, she decides to flee and joins another group of servants for protection. Evangeline covers her red hair and pretends to be mute so no one will figure out who she is. She is amazed at the kindness from the group's leader, Westley le Wyse, and he in turn is captivated by her. As they get to know each other, Evangeline wants to tell him the truth but is afraid to. What will Westley think when he finds out the truth?
I found this book very enjoyable and loved Evangeline's determination. She was sweet and kind but also firm in her decision not to marry just anyone. Plus, she had dreams and wasn't about to let them go, and I really liked that about her. She became my favorite character from Melanie Dickerson. I can't wait for more fairy tale retellings! It's always nice to be able to delve into a fantasy world for a little while, and this story was perfect for that.
I was given this book for free from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.
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