Prince Arpien Teric Elpomp Herren Trouvel of Conquisan was the third son.
Arpien had a name befitting a king, but knew he would never inherit the kingdom.
These two facts led to Arpien's decision to wake Princess Briar Rose Steward, commonly called Brierly, claim her heart and win her dowry of Sentre Forest. Then he would have a Kingdom to rule.
It shouldn’t be that hard, should it?
Thus begins an enchanting tale of mishaps, discoveries, and adventure written by new author Sarah E. Morin. I was introduced to this truly amazing piece of fiction by my teenage daughters, who both suggested I read it . . . when they were done, of course!
As a reviewer I am often sent books to read in exchange for my opinion. This review is different. I checked out Waking Beauty from our local library, and long before I finished, I knew I wanted to share this gem with you. I think you’ll love it too!
Written in the style of an old English tale, Waking Beauty weaves a masterful spell of learning, patience, self-sacrifice and fortitude through 67 delightful chapters. Readers will laugh, cringe, and maybe even cry as Arpien tries not only to win Brierly’s heart, but also to convince her that she is actually awake. After sleeping for 100 years, Brierly’s thinking is muddled and she believes she is still in the dream world.
I enjoyed this allegorical story immensely. It was my favorite new book of 2015. The characters are fully developed, and quite believable. Brierly’s cousin Nissa just might have become my favorite because of her unwavering faith and determination, even in the face of ridicule.
Waking Beauty was printed by Enclave Publishing and is in the Young Adult Fiction/ Fantasy genre. We would put it in the Christian Fantasy section at our house, alongside The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, and The Kingdom Series by Chuck Black. I would recommend this tale for ages 13 and up. Adults will also enjoy the story presented in Waking Beauty as it does not follow a traditional fairy-tale plot line, but rather twists and turns and makes itself difficult to put down. This is not a romance book, although there are elements of romance as Arpien tries, mostly in vain, to figure out how to win Brierly’s heart and her understanding.
I’ll admit that as I neared the end of the book, I rationed myself to a chapter a day because I didn’t want the book to end. Hopefully Sarah is already writing another book, or can be convinced to start soon. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
I encourage you to pick up a copy from your favorite bookseller or your local library. It is also available as an E-book from the Enclave Publishing website.
I hope you enjoy meeting the Thorn King, and finding out what he teaches both Brierly and Arpien!
You can visit Sarah's website by clicking here.
This sounds like a book that my book-loving preteen would love. I think I'll have to look for it when we head to the library tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up at DEAR Monday.