The Healer's Apprentice

‘The Healer’s Apprentice’ by Melanie Dickerson is a Christian historical retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It takes place near the Harz Mountains, in a town called Hagenheim in Lower Saxony (current day Germany) in 1386.

Duke Gerstenberg and his family live in the castle and watch over the town of Hagenheim. His has two sons and a younger daughter, Osanna. Elder son is Earl Wilhelm Hamlin, a strong and serious man. The younger son is Lord Rupert, who is a flirt. Wilhelm and Rupert have just returned home from studying at Heidelberg’s university. Wilhelm has been betrothed to Duke Godehard Marienberg’s daughter, Lady Salomea, since he was five years old.

Moncore was the conjurer, expert in pagan magic, and personal advisor to the former Duke of Marienberg, Lady Salomea’s grandfather. After the old duke died, his son Godehard banished him from his region. Moncore swore to get revenge on the new duke. He decided to find the duke’s daughter and unleash demons to torment her. When the duke heard this, he sent his newborn daughter away into hiding.

Wilhelm has spent years trying to find Moncore and prove to his future in-laws that he is worthy of Lady Salomea and that he can protect her. Only one person knows exactly where Lady Salomea is hiding. Lady Salomea is nearing her nineteenth birthday and her father decides that whether or not Moncore has been found, she will be brought out of hiding and marry Wilhelm. This makes Wilhelm even more determined to find Moncore before he can get to her.

Seventeen year old Rose Roemer is the eldest daughter of the town’s woodcutter. Frau Geruscha, the town healer, has taken Rose under her wing and is teaching her the healing arts. Rose would like to become the town healer because there would be certain advantages for her. Most women are expected to marry. Her mother wants her to marry someone rich in order to up the standing of the family and make better prospects for her younger three children. The problem is that her mother keeps trying to marry her off to older men that make her feel grossed out or fearful. If she becomes the new town healer, she will not be made to marry anyone! But Rose has a secret; she is doesn’t handle blood all that well.

It’s soon apparent that both Wilhelm and Rupert like Rose. Wilhelm has kept himself from falling in love with any woman because he is betrothed. But something about Rose draws him to her. And then there’s Rupert, who likes flirting with various women but is never serious about any of them. Rupert claims that Rose is different than the rest. Wilhelm is jealous, but he is promised and he tries never to break a promise. But can he marry Salomea, a woman whom he has never met, or will he break his promise in order to marry Rose?

I love how Dickerson took the time to research about Saxony and makes you feel as though you have transported back in time. This is a really great book. It comes in book and e-book formats.