The Healer's Apprentice

Jan 29, 2011 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Those who like their YA books clean and those who like Christian fiction. Suitable for 12+.

Shelves: fairy-tale-or-folk-tale-retellings, young-adult-fantasy, christian-book-read-by-an-agnostic, young-adult-historical-fiction, young-adult-romance, germany, reviewed, demons

So I did not realize going in that The Healer's Apprentice was a Christian book, but after browsing through the shelves and seeing that many others had tagged it as such, I realized it would probably not be my cup of tea. I have nothing against Christian fiction, and I certainly understand why there is a market for it, considering that a lot of what is popular in YA fantasy and even most YA realistic fiction right now isn't exactly stuff that makes it easy to wear a WWJD bracelet while reading....more So I did not realize going in that The Healer's Apprentice was a Christian book, but after browsing through the shelves and seeing that many others had tagged it as such, I realized it would probably not be my cup of tea. I have nothing against Christian fiction, and I certainly understand why there is a market for it, considering that a lot of what is popular in YA fantasy and even most YA realistic fiction right now isn't exactly stuff that makes it easy to wear a WWJD bracelet while reading. Personally though, I like my fiction without an evangelical slant. I respect other's beliefs, but since Christian beliefs don't exactly mesh with my own (understatement of the century), I do find it hard to really get into a book that is constantly referencing stuff I don't believe in like "God's will", bible verses, etc.

However, I decided to continue with the book because I was intrigued by the twisted fairy tale aspect of the story, and was interested to see how on earth it bore any resemblance to Sleeping Beauty. The pleading to God and religious messages did quickly become tiresome, and once or twice I had the impulse to rate the book one star, but I decided not to dock the book any stars for its Christian slant. I didn't feel it would be fair to penalize it for being a Christian book, since it was really my own fault that I didn't do a bit more research beforehand into what kind of book it was.

That said, I do think it should be more clearly stated/marketed/advertised/whatever that The Healer's Apprentice is religious fiction, so that people can make a more informed decision as to whether or not they want to read it. There was nothing on the cover, in the description on amazon or the blurb here on goodreads to indicate to me that this wasn't just a normal YA historical fantasy. I suppose the fact that it was published by Zondervan, apparently the world's largest bible publisher, could have been a hint, but if you're a pagan like me you've never heard of Zondervan before. So perhaps it was my own fault for not investigating more, but I did feel a little bit misled. You're a lot less likely to win anyone over to your beliefs when they feel that they've been misled or tricked into thinking this is just another light YA read, so it's better to just be upfront that there are Christian messages, perhaps stating so in the blurb or somewhere on the cover/back of the book, rather than waiting for the reader to get 50 pages in. Just saying.

Religion aside, it was a fairly mediocre, unmemorable read. It's pretty light on any actual history and heavy on deus ex machina, so I wouldn't consider it much more than fluff, but it did keep me entertained for a few hours. The writing was clean and smooth, with lots of cool vocabulary like "chewet" (German meat pie) and genuflection. Unfortunately, many aspects of the plot were too predictable. The hints were more like flashing alarm bells than subtle hints. (view spoiler). I laughed out loud when Wilheim conveniently remembered "the ordinance" that allowed him to save Gunther - talk about deus ex machina. One second, the book was having a man killed on the whim of an arrogant ruler, with no regard for justice, and the next second it's having everyone obey some rarely-used, forgotten ordinance. I'm sure if said arrogant ruler really wanted to have the guy executed, he would have just ignored or changed the ordinance and done so. It seemed out of character and inconsistent for him to be ignoring justice and having a man killed, refusing to spare his life, mainly because he was in a bad mood, and then all of a sudden making nice with a law that forces him to spare the guy's life.

Some of the historical aspects did seem well-researched, such as the ball section, although I don't really know enough about 14th century german dancing and music to say for sure. I enjoyed the descriptions of the various gowns and outfit worn by characters. Rose's dresses sounded gorgeous and lush, so it was fun picturing them. I would have liked to see a lot more detail and plot centered around Rose being a healer's apprentice. Medieval medicine is an extremely interesting topic, so I was expecting that there would be a lot of focus on that aspect, considering the title of the book, but I was sorely disappointed. Aside from one stitching job, a few very brief mentions of herbs, one fevered death, and the occasional mention of her mentor bandaging a burn/wound, there was very little focus or elaboration on healing as an occupation. I was expecting deaths, broken bones, births and miscarriages and lots of cool tidbits about herbal remedies, etc. The Healer's Apprentice really did not live up to its title. It was mainly a sappy romance with a wishy-washy heroine. Very little healing involved at all, unless you count the mending of broken hearts (awwwww!).

The romance was far too clean for my tastes. I realize that while for me "clean" may be a complaint, for others it is something to praise, and that's fine. I just personally need a bit more spice and sexiness for me to enjoy a romance. I really can't get heated up when there's a big fuss made about something as dull as holding hands (how scandalous!) and the most that happens is a lukewarm kiss. That brings me to what bugged me most about the plot - the obsession with female virtue. Virginity is cool, whether you choose to keep it or lose it, either decision is equally valid. However, idealizing female purity to such absurd levels only serves to objectify women, as it did when Gunther had to "defend Hildy's honour", as if she was an object to be won and fought over, not to mention that it also serves to perpetuate cycles of violence. Again, if these views on purity/virtue are your beliefs, then you'll probably enjoy the book, but if you're more like me, it will likely just annoy you.

Although I've been rather critical, it ultimately wasn't a bad book, but the themes and content weren't really to my personal taste. I'm sure others who are better-suited to the story will really enjoy it as a fun, lighter read. I would recommend Princess of the Midnight Ball, another sweet, light fairytale retelling with a German setting, for those who want the fluff without the overt morality. (less)

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Dec 18, 2010 Zekkaina (LadyDragonKeeper) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, my-books, christian-historical, favorites

Disclaimer: I received this book through Goodread's FirstReads program, so I'd like to thank them and Zondervan for my copy. No compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own.

"The Healer's Apprentice" by Melanie Dickerson is my first Goodread's FirstReads win --a book I've been "dying" to read ever since I saw the book cover months before its release. I am SO glad to see Zondervan coming out with teen medieval historical fiction (that's a mouthful, haha) and I thoroughly enjoye...more Disclaimer: I received this book through Goodread's FirstReads program, so I'd like to thank them and Zondervan for my copy. No compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own.

"The Healer's Apprentice" by Melanie Dickerson is my first Goodread's FirstReads win --a book I've been "dying" to read ever since I saw the book cover months before its release. I am SO glad to see Zondervan coming out with teen medieval historical fiction (that's a mouthful, haha) and I thoroughly enjoyed Melanie Dickerson's medieval “Sleeping Beauty” inspired tale. Speaking as a huge Christian Medieval/Fantasy fan, I hope Zondervan and other publishers will take notice of this wonderful new author.

As a college-aged student, I'm a bit older than the target audience, but I simply adored this book, finishing it in about three hours and promptly re-reading it twice over the weekend. Since there are already so many well written summaries about this book, I will refrain from trying to come up with my own and instead focus on my own thoughts of this novel. In general, I thought the writing was very well done for a first time author. One time when I was reading a novel set in the 1700's, a character used the word "okay," which really jarred me out of the story, since I thought that language was too modern. As far as I remember, the characters used appropriate, "medieval sounding" language and I felt that this and the attention to historical detail presented in this novel enhances the story greatly.

In contrast to some of the reviews here, I loved the character of Rose –perhaps because I found myself relating to her in many ways. While I consider myself romantic at heart: getting my hands on all the Christian romance fiction (that won't scare my parents) and vigorously “shipping” character pairings from my favorite books and t.v. shows, when it comes to my real life, my “love life” --I am extremely logical or realistic, maybe too much or maybe just recognizing crushes when I see them.

I think the main reason why it's hard for some to relate to the main characters is because we live in such a different time. Only two hundred years ago, in Jane Austen's 19th century Regency Era, the issues of class, how much money you or your family had, etc. factored very highly into who you could marry. These issues were very much alive in the medieval age. Rose's thoughts of “why should/could Lord Hamlin be interested in me when I'm just a woodcutter's daughter” is a valid question. Just as for the Bennett girls in “Pride and Prejudice,” marrying “well” was one of the only ways to be financially secure for a woman. Though I'm not sure about the historical accurateness of Rose's apprenticeship, there were some trades (such as being a governess) that would be an “acceptable” job for a woman, but other than that, marriage was the answer to her life's security (food, shelter, clothing, etc.). In both eras, since marriage was such a high priority for many women, having a good reputation was imperative for a “good” marriage. Think of the fiasco that Lydia Bennett caused when she went away with her “dear Mr. Wickham” --not only that, but her sisters' reputations were also sullied even after Lydia's marriage because of the scandalous rumors surrounding her and her husband before the wedding (“Did they? Didn't they?”). However for wealthy men like Lord Hamlin or Mr. Darcy, it would be easier for them to marry a woman even if from a “lower class” because of their financial security, though even they could suffer repercussions for not marrying someone within their class (as Mr. Darcy's aunt Lady Catherine hinted at regarding Elizabeth).

Because of this probable historical background, I think that it was interesting to see that medieval healer's apprentice Rose didn't want to marry the “old rich bachelors” her mother tries to set her up with (which would be what most women did), but wants to be self-sufficient. I suppose there were women who felt that way back then, but I imagine that they weren't very common. Even though it might have been a more “modern” sensibility, I felt that it was extremely believable and I liked that aspect very much.

I loved the growing relationship between the hero and Rose. Very cute and sweet (and can I say hot?) I think the best way to describe it is “romance with restraint.” A lot of this was from their sense of responsibilities and obligations but “OMG,” yes you most definitely can feel the chemistry and tension between them! Of course they struggled with their growing attraction and I feel that was realistically portrayed and endeared me to the characters. The mature, responsible way they handled their feelings is something I'd love to have in a relationship one day. As one of my friends would say, “Any guy can give in to his desires, but what's really sexy is if he has those feelings and can control himself.” The library scene near the end is one of my favorite romance scenes. Speaking of romance, unless you count a “real” kiss or two as “mushy,” it doesn't go farther than that description-wise. As I mentioned, there is romantic chemistry, but it was very appropriate, tasteful, pure (or whatever you would like to call it). However, with issues such as mistresses and (though not graphically described) a girl attacked by a man at night, I would say parents should come to their own decision on whether to let their elementary aged children read this novel (it is aimed at teens), though I'd let someone who's bordering the tween/teen years read this.

My only dislike was the conclusion to the Moncore storyline. It was a let down to me --I felt like Lord Hamlin should have had a greater role in regards to Moncore instead of a knight. I felt like a big duel or something between the two would have been cool (after all, he's been searching for that man for over five years), but I'm a sucker for sword fights. Yes, I also suspected the ending, but it's a historical romance novel, not a mystery/suspense book, so I didn't mind that too much.

The Christian aspect of the novel was well done and not “preachy” like some other Christian authors I've read and the historical aspect of the novel helped in this area as most Europeans at that time were “practicing Christians” at the least. Good messages such as not relying entirely on your feelings or emotions when it comes to love and the willingness of the characters to do the right or responsible thing, despite personal sacrifices can be taken for all audiences, but I was encouraged specifically by the main characters striving to live by faith and trusting in God –in Him and His plan for them.

My first reaction on seeing my book copy was, “Oh, my gosh, it looks so short.” Granted, the book looks about 1.5'' thick, but the print is smaller than average for a paperback about 7'' tall (the print seems to be the size of mass market paperback “pocket books”), but my fears were assuaged as I didn't feel like it was “short” --in other words, the story arc was full, lush, and then came to a logical conclusion. In the future, I (and my eyes) would appreciate a more traditional-sized type for the size of this paperback. However, the cover art is even more gorgeous in real life and the “healer's cabinet” concept on the back cover is lovely as well.

In conclusion, “The Healer's Apprentice” is one of the most well written debut from a first time author I've read in a long time, and I hope much more medieval fiction is to come. I'm recommending this to all my friends, especially teen girls. I've put Melanie Dickerson on my “favorite authors” list and can't wait for her next novel! (Thank you for reading and I apologize for the length of this review.)(less)

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Nov 20, 2010 Erica (daydreamer) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodreads-firstreads, 2010-reads, love-love-it, i-own, release-in-2010, historical-fiction, ya, sleeping-beauty, fairytale-reminiscent

I do so love a good clean romance novel. And this book was a perfect example. It was beautiful and romantic, a perfect Christian love story. I really like books set in medievalish times, and this book was brilliantly researched and written. It was pretty predictable, I knew who Rose was nearly from the beginning, but that didn't take away the joy I had of reading Wilhelm and Rose find this out for themselves. I also liked how it was based loosley on Sleeping Beauty, and the true love's kiss..sig...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Brandi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 Stars

This debut novel was very intriguing. (I read it almost two years ago, but I hadn't posted my review until now.)

Not only do you find spine-tingling magic in Healer's Apprentice, but you also come face-to-face with larger-than-life fairytale characters.

So what's it about? We all know the story of Sleeping Beauty. A beautiful maiden has no idea she's actually a princess. She was cursed at birth and her parents hid her away for her own safety. Eventually she meets a prince - but instead of...more

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Oct 11, 2010 Michelle Griep rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Healer’s Apprentice is a young-adult sweet love story with a bit of intrigue. If you’ve ever wondered what life is like in a medieval castle, then this is the book for you. And if you’re in to handsome, strong, integrity-filled heroes, then this is definitely the book for you.
Lord Hamlin struggles with following the call of duty or his heart, and a very real struggle it is. He chooses duty…which just so happens to end up fulfilling his heart’s desire. This fella is every girl’s dream man.
...more

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May 16, 2013 Elevetha Houre rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairytale-retelling, fairytales, insta-love, images-involved-in-review, 2013, christian-romance, christian, historical-whatnot, meh-worthy, once-is-enough

I wasn't impressed. It isn't bad by any means but it's not that good.

Woah, hold up there, Hamlin. You can't go around issuing unrealistic decrees that you break no less than two pages later, that everybody breaks with no consequences at the ball, and that apparently no longer matter till it's necessary for the story again. This really annoys me. Majorly. You don't mention something that seems important and then have it no longer pertain in any way no less than two pages later. He breaks it, Rupe...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Dawn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorites

I’ve never been one to read young adult fiction or romance. Not even when I was a young adult, in fact. And actually, I didn’t realize this book was listed as young adult until I picked it up from the hold shelf at my local library. But hey, since I had it in my hand... and it is such a beautiful book, and I’d heard such good things about it, I decided I would read my first “young adult” novel... at the age of 34. Wow. I’m literally TWICE as old as a young adult. How depressing.

Well, even if I’m...more I’ve never been one to read young adult fiction or romance. Not even when I was a young adult, in fact. And actually, I didn’t realize this book was listed as young adult until I picked it up from the hold shelf at my local library. But hey, since I had it in my hand... and it is such a beautiful book, and I’d heard such good things about it, I decided I would read my first “young adult” novel... at the age of 34. Wow. I’m literally TWICE as old as a young adult. How depressing.

Well, even if I’m old, there is something about fairy tales that I still love. The fact that The Healer’s Apprentice is based on the tale of The Sleeping Beauty is what made me want to read it in the first place... no matter that I’d never heard of the author before.

As long as I’m in the mood for admitting things like my age, I also want to confess something else. I’ve been getting into the awful habit of opening a book to a random page in the middle and reading a few pages in order to determine whether I want to read it or not. I know. This doesn’t seem very fair to the authors I’ve never heard of or read anything of before... but you must understand how many books there are in my TBR pile. More than I can keep up with while trying to write my own books, manage this blog, and baby-sit a two and a half-year old and her nine month old brother (but only until June! PTL!).

When I reread those pages (which convinced me that I really SHOULD DEFINITELY read the book), I love them even more once I’d got to them in the order of the story. Yeah, big surprise, huh? I was actually enchanted by the entire story world, the characters and then plot... even though I pretty much already knew the basics of it. Melanie Dickerson is a master at making her characters connect in ways that make you feel God made them for each other. I also loved that the scene on the cover was from a very important scene in the book. It was perfect matched, which isn’t often done so well as on the cover of this book. Covers really do matter, you know. A cover of a book is often what convinces me to become interested in a book in the first place.

Quite frankly, I loved everything about this book. It wasn’t quite as passion-filled or angsty as other books I like, but the ending was just plain heart-meltingly adorable. I definitely look forward to reading her second book, The Merchant’s Daughter, which is a retelling of the fairy tale The Beauty and the Beast. (less)

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Nov 12, 2010 Catie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, historical, romance, ya, first-reads

I was very excited to receive this book, the first one I've won from first reads. I am a huge sucker for fairy tales, and I collect them for my two daughters for when they get older. In the interest of full disclosure, I do want to say that I am not a Christian and I was aware that this book is a Christian story, but I was still interested in reading it.

This is the story of Rose, who is apprenticed to the local healer-woman in a medieval German town. She was raised in poverty, and struggles wit...more I was very excited to receive this book, the first one I've won from first reads. I am a huge sucker for fairy tales, and I collect them for my two daughters for when they get older. In the interest of full disclosure, I do want to say that I am not a Christian and I was aware that this book is a Christian story, but I was still interested in reading it.

This is the story of Rose, who is apprenticed to the local healer-woman in a medieval German town. She was raised in poverty, and struggles with a pushy marriage-minded mother. One day, she finds herself alone when the handsome Duke's son shows up injured. She treats him and they develop an interest in each other. This is quite unfortunate, as the future Duke is already betrothed to a mystery girl that he's never met, who's in hiding because a mad "pagan sorcerer" is after her. The Duke's younger, less pious brother also develops an interest in Rose. Rose struggles with her feelings for both of them, but mainly she worries about being a faithful, chaste, pious young woman with a good reputation. So, this is where the story really loses me. It was very hard to let myself fall into the story or the characters when I couldn't relate to them. I felt that the two main characters were so completely rule-following and faithful through out the book that they lost a good bit of their humanity. At one point, Rose is in the woods at night, with an evil sorcerer out there looking for her, and she offers to remain there, alone, rather than allow the hero to escort her into the castle, lest her reputation be ruined. She then refuses to sit astride his horse and manages to improvise a side saddle. Rose was so one-dimensional in her constant, determined faith and propriety that it was hard for me to feel that she was real. The nemesis also really made me chuckle. I couldn't help but think that in the real middle ages, Rose's herb-using healer woman boss would have been the first one pegged as a Pagan Sorcerer. This book is supposed to be based on Sleeping Beauty, but it actually ended up reminding me a lot of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park. You've got the proper, pious heroine and the the two men - one virtuous and one only pretending at virtue. There's even a silly female "best friend" type character to round out both casts of characters! Mansfield Park is not my favorite Austen, but at least Fanny Price had some flaws!

All that being said, I think that a Christian audience might appreciate this book. It's probably a good choice for any teen bible study groups out there, as it's more of a lesson than a real story.(less)

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Jun 21, 2011 Ginnie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist, about-authors, favorites

In Melanie Dickerson's debut novel you find a teen fiction of Sleeping Beauty, retold.

Rose is an apprentice healer and the lowly daughter of a woodcutter in 1386 in Saxony, Holy Roman Empire. She is unique for her time and station because Frau Garuscha, her mentor, taught her to read Latin, the language of the day.

The story begins with The local Duke's sons return home from school. Lord Hamlin, the elder brother, is in an arranged marriage betrothal since the age of 5. He is a very dutiful and r...more

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Jan 02, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish I could give this book three and a half stars. I liked, but I'm not so sure I REALLY liked it. So I'm giving it four stars, but being a bit generous.
The first book I've read in 2011, I was really looking forward to "The Healer's Apprentice." I've been following Melanie Dickerson on goodreads for a while and we seem to read a lot of similar books.

The Plot
The life Rose knows is that of the woodcutter's daughter, apprentice of Hagenheim's healer. Though pretty, she does not wish to marry,...more I wish I could give this book three and a half stars. I liked, but I'm not so sure I REALLY liked it. So I'm giving it four stars, but being a bit generous.
The first book I've read in 2011, I was really looking forward to "The Healer's Apprentice." I've been following Melanie Dickerson on goodreads for a while and we seem to read a lot of similar books.

The Plot
The life Rose knows is that of the woodcutter's daughter, apprentice of Hagenheim's healer. Though pretty, she does not wish to marry, but wants to be a healer, especially if that means avoiding the constant stream of eligible old men her mother sends after her. Life at Hagenheim Castle changes, though, with the arrival of the two young lords, Hamlin and Rupert. When Lord Hamlin is injured in a hunting accident, Rose is the one to care for him. Both young people find themselves curiously attracted, but Lord Hamlin has been betrothed since age 5.

Thoughts
A historical romance, "The Healer's Apprentice" is a retelling of the fairytale Sleeping Beauty, though it would be unfair to leave it at that. Definitely Christian, it is written for teenagers but might prove interesting to various ages. I can't imagine a guy reading it, being more girlish, but not neccesarily chick-flick ish
I did like how the story was that of Sleeping Beauty, yet much different. You didn't feel like you were going through the usual motions like a typical fairytale, but it flowed well together.
A few things annoyed me. For example, Rose and Lord Hamlin, though professing deep interest in the other's character, mostly seemed attracted to the other person physical appearance. I got bored of reading about Rose's "light brown curls" and Lord Hamlin's "muscular shoulders." Her perfect lips. His tussled appearance. etc.
Also, Frau Geruscha, the healer, was kind of a weak character. Though she willingly gave her life to watch the young girl, she doesn't seem very interseted in watching over her well-being outside of a few angry looks and some not-very-effective comments.
Lord Hamlin struggles with his love....and struggles, struggles, struggles, struggles until I really don't care. Maybe you're suppose to like him for his imperfections, but seriously. Go hunting or something. Stop thinking a girl!
With that, though, I did like how Lord Hamlin worked to keep his thoughts and behavior pure for his future betrothal. Having him seek out the evil wizard who put his betrothal in so much danger gave him an interesting side, a hint of adventure. So many modern "romance" or "fantasy" or even fairy-tale novels have male characters so irritating, obnoxious, or just plain offensive in their romantic inclinations that you want to give them a cold shower and a knuckle sandwitch. You don't feel that way about Lord Hamlin, though he isn't exactly a Mr Darcy or a character you get a fictional crush on, he is a good guy.
His brother, Lord Rufus wasn't very believable, though. There wasn't any real change in him...I wanted to slap Rose for ever thinking she liked him. He was kind of flat. A cold hearted jerk who took any romantic loss with barely a glimmer of regret.
Rose was....irritating and interesting. I liked her as a person, though she often got a bit dramatic.
I was rather iffy about the book until I hit maybe...early climax. About that point I went, "wow. This is getting interesting."
And it was.
While bad guys and real...evilness had remained somewhat hidden, maybe being found in emotions or relationsips, utnil Moncore shows up. He's evil, and while maybe not very deeply drawn out, his hidden presence has been felt throughout. I liked how Dickerson used demonic influence over some sort of 'magical' stuff. I liked how the truth was proclaimed, that Jesus makes you more powerful then the evilest enchanter, hands down. The demons had no power but to create fear.
Up until the early climax, I read but wasn't interested. The end wasn't remarkable (I really wanted to be like, DUDES - STOP KISSING HER HAND) but the climax was good and made it worth it. I look forward to reading more by Melanie Dickerson. (less)

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Jan 29, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Jessica Day George (Princess of the Midnight Ball)

Shelves: covers-i-love, could-have-been-better, 2011-reads, retellings, should-have-loved-it-but-didn-t, reviewed

(Actual rating: 2.5 stars)

The Healer's Apprentice. Think about the title for a moment. If you were to see this book at your library or in a bookstore, what would you think the book was about without even picking it up to read the summary blurb? A fairy tale retelling, perhaps? A medieval mystery of intrigues and twists? A historical fiction piece following one girl's struggles in an era where women were not supposed to have identities beyond 'daughter,' 'wife,' and/or 'mother'? Well, The Healer'...more (Actual rating: 2.5 stars)

The Healer's Apprentice. Think about the title for a moment. If you were to see this book at your library or in a bookstore, what would you think the book was about without even picking it up to read the summary blurb? A fairy tale retelling, perhaps? A medieval mystery of intrigues and twists? A historical fiction piece following one girl's struggles in an era where women were not supposed to have identities beyond 'daughter,' 'wife,' and/or 'mother'? Well, The Healer's Apprentice is a bit of all of those -- but here's the big question: does it succeed at trying to be so many things at once? For me. . .I expected a lot more from it.

It wasn't a bad story, not at all. It was cute, sweet, dramatic, a bit spiritual. . .but it really failed to have that 'spark' that all the greats have. Personally, I would have loved more of a focus on Rose's desire to become a healer than the story I ended up with! I didn't really care much about Lord Hamlin's impending marriage to a mysterious unknown lady, his brother Rupert's duplicitous attempts to have his cake and eat it too in terms of Rose, or the big runaround attempts at twists and turns. It felt less like a story and more like bulleted points on an outline to me. The first fifty or so pages actually gave me more of what I had wanted from the book -- a historical fiction novel with a fairy tale feel to it. However, as I delved deeper into the novel, I couldn't help but think, "Why wasn't this just written as a straight fantasy or fairy tale retelling?"

Now, here's what miffed me about the book overall (since I could have forgiven the above slights and given a half of a star more despite them): the Christian elements were WAY. TOO. OBVIOUS. I don't know how Christian authors feel about this, but -- in my humble opinion -- Christian fiction should be written to appeal even to nonbelievers. And you know how that's done? A SUBTLE APPROACH. Some Christian authors have a knack for this (Dee Henderson and Ted Dekker come to mind), but many of them don't. Here's my point: if you can make even a fellow Christian (yes, I'm a Christian) roll her eyes a bit at the religious saturation in a novel, then how do you expect people who DON'T believe that way to read your book and enjoy it? Less is more. If the message is meant to be ingrained in someone's mind, then it will dig itself in there and nest without your help. Write your story the BEST possible way it can be written. And, for me, I thought this book wasn't written to be the best it could be.

What did I like about the book? Well, I liked how the feminine inequality issues were presented. Those scenes made the book feel more real to me since everything else about this book just seemed a bit too good to be true. (Yes, Miss Cynic is in the reviewer's chair today since Miss Optimist is on vacation.) It seems a bit too idealistic to me since, come on, the Middle Ages were pretty bad beyond just plagues and lack of knowledge. Back then, the church (overall) was more an overseer and money collector than an actual great help to its people; many men were pigs and weren't afraid to show it because women weren't seen as equal; and knowledge was something you either had access to from birth or, forget it, you were basically screwed. Basically, I should have seen more of the grit and realism of the Middle Ages than the focus on the 'love story' (which I could take or leave, to be honest, since it all seemed too neat and perfect for my tastes).

At the end of the day, I'm glad I took the time to read The Healer's Apprentice. . .but I can't honestly say I would recommend it because the cons outweigh the pros in this instance. (less)

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Sep 17, 2010 Renee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-ya-fiction

I am a huge fan of fairy tales and I really enjoyed this story that is loosely based on Sleeping Beauty. It has all the elements I look for in a story, not only is there a great plot, a swoonworthy hero, and an intelligent heroine there's a great message for girls everywhere about waiting for the right guy to come along. Rose, the heroine, not only has to deal with learning that her parent's aren't who she believed them to be but also deal with a very handsome young man who isn't who he seems to...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Zoey M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, historical-fiction

Wow, this is great. I can't believe the ending. No spoilers here, but wow. If you're reading this boook and wondering, should I just quit, dont the ending is worht it. Wow oh wow. Great book.

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Mar 05, 2013 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian, historical, romance, relationships, scifi-fantasy, spiritual, young-adult

In 1386, in Lower Saxony, the crowd awaits the return of the princes from school, and two teenage girls draw the reader into Melanie Dickerson’s story with their innocent dreams and excitement. Rose is apprenticed to the castle healer, Frau Geruscha who learned Latin and herbs in a Catholic convent before moving here to serve the community. Though amply wise and studious, Rose tries to avoid the unpleasant sights and smells of a healer’s business while helping her mistress. Meanwhile her friend...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Nancy Kimball rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this, which surprised me because Medevial times is SO not my thing. Or fairy tales. But I'd been primed for the era by another novel set in approximately the same time period so it wasn't wholly unfamiliar to me and the historical detail here made for a solid read.
I typically prefer a larger cast of characters and can absolutely do angst to a point and while I recognize this was necessary for the novel's fairytale premise to work, I thought the heroine's angst pushed a little too hard to...more

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Sep 03, 2012 McKenzie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Ages 13 and up

Rose couldn't stand there gaping, so she spurred her mind to action. "Lay him on the bed. Where is he hurt?"

With breathtaking emotion, Melanie Dickerson sweeps you into a story of a healer's apprentice that will leave you craving for more. She draws you into the story of Rose, who is struggling to find her identity. All Rose wanted was to prove that she was capable to become the next town healer...and to forget the engaged Lord Hamlin, who she had nursed back to health.
But it seems like forgetti...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Religious Women

The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson combines two main elements: religion and fairy tale.

The fairy tale aspect is swathed in the book's historical atmosphere. Set in a time when invisible demons were an all-too-real fear of the common man, Dickerson forgoes evil fairies and sets us up with a sorcerer who can commune with demons.

Rose and Lord Hamlin, her leading man, both possess a faith in God that I found endearing. As a Christian woman and a writer myself, I tend to be hyper-critical o...more The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson combines two main elements: religion and fairy tale.

The fairy tale aspect is swathed in the book's historical atmosphere. Set in a time when invisible demons were an all-too-real fear of the common man, Dickerson forgoes evil fairies and sets us up with a sorcerer who can commune with demons.

Rose and Lord Hamlin, her leading man, both possess a faith in God that I found endearing. As a Christian woman and a writer myself, I tend to be hyper-critical of books that give an unbalanced representation of faith (either too rosy or too sordid), so I appreciate that Dickerson shows the unpleasant side of religious politics with Hamlin's brother, Rupert, who wants a high church position so that he can be wealthy but who also doesn't want to give up women.

I can't help but admire Rose's devotion to her faith. A character needn't believe in God for me to like him or her, but I do like to see characters trying to remain true to their beliefs. The best example of this I've ever seen is The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery (of Anne of Green Gables fame), where the main character comes from a religiously and socially oppressive background and rebels in a way that scandalizes her family but maintains her beliefs and honor. In The Blue Castle, Valancy doesn't wake up and realize everything she's ever been taught is wrong. She realizes she hates her situation, and she changes it. It's empowering.

Alas, The Healer's Apprentice is no The Blue Castle. Though Rose shares a similar core of honor with The Blue Castle's Valancy, Rose never quite gets the courage to change her situation. It is partly Apprentice's plot itself, as a fairy tale adaptation, which keeps Dickerson from exploring that theme to a satisfactory depth, but it is Rose's continued lack of action that keeps her from achieving the height of admiration true heroines deserve.

(view spoiler)

I wanted to see more danger and action and Lord Hamlin, and I wanted Rose to have more chances to act and affect her own life.(less)

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Jun 19, 2012 Grace rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Author: Melanie Dickerson
Title: The Healer’s Apprentice
Description: Rose works at the castle learning how to be a healer. There she meets the brothers Wilhelm and Rupert, sons of the Duke. They are both attracted to her, but Wilhelm, as the eldest, is betrothed to the daughter of a neighboring Duke.
Review source: It was a freebie on kindle.
Plot: Which brother (if any) will Rose end up with? Who is Wilhelm’s betrothed? Who is the evil sorcerer who Wilhelm must pursue? Will Gunther, Rose’s friend...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Rauli rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A wonderfully sweet story, fed my love of the medieval romances to the T. I must confess the plot got the better of me, I kept vacillating between the identity of a certain Lady. I was convinced of it one moment then just hoping with all my heart for my speculations to be true. Also, I was completely oblivious to the parallels between this book and the classic Sleeping Beauty plot until I read Mrs. Dickerson's inspiration to writing The Healer's Apprentice.I must say I enjoyed Mrs. Dickerson's s...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Christie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Healer's Apprentice was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting much from it, being more of a YA tale. I didn't realize that it was a Christian fiction book either, but that is actually a preference of mine... so I was happy. It is a clean romance, with no profanity or sensuality. It does have faith and Christian elements, but not so much that it is on the preachy side. While there are mentions of prayer, scripture, and rules of the Church there isn't so much to throw off a secular reader. T...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Myla Abujan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So this is the second book that i have read by Melanie Dickerson. Unbeknownst to me, i had read her second book, the merchant's daughter, before her debut novel but I don't think it affects anything really. This novel was a good read and I was able to really get into it much like with the Merchant's Daughter. I think there was a bit more action in The Healer's Apprentice than there was in Melanie's other book. The love between Rose and Wilhelm was very sweet and the relationship with one another...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Fysierm rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Disclaimer: I received this book as a part of the GoodReads FirstReads program.

I received this book a while ago, but it has taken me a while to finish it. The first time I read it, I couldn't bear reading past the first chapter. I didn't realize when I started reading it (nor was it evident from a quick perusal of the mini blurb on the FirstReads description page or the book description) that it was very, very Christian book. Then I did my subsequent research on the publishing company (they did...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Darla rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(Genre:Christian teen fiction/historical?) This is the story of Rose, the daughter of a woodcutter, who is working as the apprentice to the village healer. She is young, beautiful, and kind, but doesn't like the sight of blood, which makes being a healer a little difficult. She is receiving attentions from both of the sons of the local ruler. She really likes the older son, but he is betrothed to another lady. The younger son's attentions are flattering, but she is not sure that he can be truste...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was hoping (based solely on the cover art, I think) that The Healer's Apprentice would be a fairy tale along the lines of Princess of the Midnight Ball. And, in a way, it was. It is also a thoroughly Christian book, with few surprises and little suspense, but the romance at its heart is sweet and unsullied--a pleasant contrast to some of the overly gritty urban fantasy I've been reading lately.

The same tale in a modern setting would have seemed fake, but Dickerson's backdrop of 14th century G...more

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Aug 28, 2011 LeAnne added it · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-ya

Rose is a peasant girl, glad to be apprenticed to the local healer since that will keep her from being forced to marry the lecherous wool merchant who has been pursuing her. But she’s not convince healing is really the way she wants to spend her life since she gets queasy around blood. Both handsome sons of the duke of Hagenheim are attracted to Rose when they return from Heidleberg University. One sees her physical beauty and his own desire for it; the other her mind and compassionate spirit. B...more

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Jun 19, 2011 Peggy Morgan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction, young-adult-fiction

Melanie Dickerson’s debut romance has been nominated for the Young Adult Christy Award. It is set in Lower Saxony in the fourteenth century. Young Rose, ostensibly a woodcutter’s daughter, is apprenticed to the court healer of Hagenheim castle. She is not a particularly adept apprentice but soldiers on because she sees this position as the only way to avoid an arranged marriage. Called upon to dress the wounds of Wilhelm, Lord Hamlin, Rose is instantly smitten. Wilhelm returns the feelings but t...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Deborah Milagros rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Any one with a love for historic fiction and love for romance.

My Story with: Most Fridays I participate in Novel Publicity Karmic Friday. One of those days I visited Melanie Dickerson’s author page and liked her Facebook page. One day reading my news feed I saw a posting about her book and how to get a Kindle copy. I downloaded it and kept it aside. After I discovered the Kindle app for Android with Meant to Be by Tiffany King, I needed another book to read. Therefore, The Healer’s Apprentice it was since the cover caught my eye.

My View: I really enjoyed t...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Rachel Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: lovers of historical fiction and sweeping romances, also Christian readers.

I found this book online as a PDF and started to read it just to see what it was like. Five riveting hours later and I had finished the whole thing. It was an extremely enjoyable read. A retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale, it was filled with romance, deceit and an overwhelming feel for destiny. I believe the author is a Christian writer and this definitely comes across in her work, and although I can't say I'm a Christian, this did not put me off at all. If anything, it made her characte...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Scribbler King rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I neither loved nor hated THE HEALER'S APPRENTICE--it was OK.

I don't think it was that it's Christian Fiction--I've read a lot of that over the years and I judge those books the same way I do every book I read. In other words, I don't give out brownie points if the author specifically states that the characters are Christian or that they have Christian values. I will be honest and say I might enjoy the story more because the characters (usually) have standards similar to mine.

Perhaps I was just...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

The Healer's Apprentice is the story of young Christian girl named Rose. Her family is poor, so her mother is constantly trying to marry her off to this merchant or that, but Rose will have none of it. She intends to be the healer when her mentor, Geruscha, gets too old, and the healer doesn't have to marry anyone.
Lord Wilhelm Hamlin, the Duke's heir, is betrothed to the Lady Salomea, whom he has never met. She has been in hiding for years, sent away by her father who wished to keep her safe fr...more

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