4 out of 4 stars
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Michael and the Ice Princess by Mary Mendenhall is a historical fantasy novel set in medieval times.
After a King is cursed by a woman in the market, his whole life turns upside-down. He entrusts his baby girl to the care of his loyal advisor, desiring her to be hidden away until the curse has been broken. Unfortunately, the child is hidden a little too well and her whereabouts are lost to her father.
Miriam has no idea that she is a lost princess. All she knows is that she doesn't seem to belong anywhere. The townspeople think she is strange and whisper behind her back about her being a changeling. No one, not even her foster parents, can figure out why her hands and feet are always as cold as ice. With a plague sweeping across the country, so too come accusations against Miriam. Is she cursed? Is she a witch? Only those who get to know her seem to think otherwise.
I was a little hesitant to read this book because the description calls it a mystic romance. I do not like books about mysticism, and with romance novels being what they are today, I generally steer clear of them. However, this book is not like either of those things. I did not initially understand what genre this book is which made me nearly pass up the opportunity to read it. The deciding factor for me was that the author compares her book to George MacDonald's writings. He is an author I love, so that immediately got my attention. Michael and the Ice Princess does well to live up to the comparison. It is easy to see the similarity the authors have in the way they write. I thoroughly enjoyed the classic feel that this book has.
While this is not an action-packed or fast-paced book, I certainly do not consider it to be slow or boring in any way. There are enough events to keep the story moving at a reasonable pace without losing the charm of the writing style. Some stories are all about the destination and others are about the journey. This one is a little bit of both. The journey and destination are equally valued.
There is a strong Christian/Catholic theme to the story. The author handles this aspect well. It seems very fitting for the time period. I also love that the characters are free to be themselves and believe differently from one another. It gives them depth and makes them more realistic.
I have to say, the relationship between Michael and Miriam is a little weak. There does not seem to be very much reason for them to fall in love. Thankfully, it is not a case of insta-love or shallow, appearance-based love. In fact, I did enjoy their relationship. I just wanted more interaction between them. I was disappointed that it took more than half the book for them to meet. Michael is my favorite character and for a large chunk of the book, he is in the background. I would have liked for him to be more important to the story since his name is on the cover.
Overall, I think this is a wonderful story about love, faith, and finding yourself which is why I am giving it 4 out of 4 stars. It is a clean book that is suitable for all ages, though I think teens and adults would appreciate it the most. I especially recommend it to people who are fond of Christian classics.
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Michael and the Ice Princess
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I like that it has Christian theme and I think this is something I would enjoy. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Mary Mendenhall on such a high rating.
