Melanie Dickerson is the bestselling author of numerous novels, usually fairy tales set in long- ago times. Although I’ve never read her previous works, I’ve often wanted to and finally decided to give her newest novel from Thomas Nelson Publishers a try. “The Noble Servant” was released in 2017, and is endorsed as a retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale entitled “The Goose Girl”, with hints of “The Prince and the Pauper” mixed in as well. While most of Ms. Dickerson’s work is labeled in the Young Adult genre, “The Noble Servant” is more broadly classified under Christian Fiction.

“She lost everything to the scheme of an evil servant, but she might just gain what she’s always wanted . . . If she makes it in time.” With a tagline like this, it’s hard not to be captivated by this unique fairy tale retelling. Undoubtedly “The Noble Servant” draws you in right from the start, wasting no time in getting to the heart and action of the story. Keeping your attention and imagination held throughout the book is a bit more of a challenge, however, especially when it is clear that this author’s primary genre is juvenile rather than adult fiction. While still enjoyable, the dialogue, characterization, and rather outlandish plot just weren’t quite as noteworthy as I was hoping and expecting from this much-acclaimed author. In the end, I am glad I read this book and would enjoy reading another Melanie Dickerson retelling of a fairy tale I’m more familiar with. However the primary audience that I think would most enjoy this book, despite the misleading classification, is still young adults.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.