Title: The Warrior Maiden
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 3.7 out of 5

Mulan doesn’t want to stay home and marry the butcher’s son, but with her father dead, there aren’t many options for her and her mother. Rather than waste her life tied to a man she doesn’t love, she disguises herself as a soldier and goes off to war to protect her liege lord’s castle.

Wolfgang, a duke’s son, is eager to fight against the rampaging Teutonic Knights, but his brother, still bitter from a childhood tragedy, defects to join the Knights, leaving Wolfgang to fight his battles alone. Until he meets the young soldier Mikolai, who is inexperience but brave, and the two form a formidable team.

But there’s something that doesn’t quite add up about Mikolai, and when the boy is injured, Wolfgang realizes he’s really a girl—Mulan. She is still determined to be a soldier and to keep her mother safe, but Wolfgang just wants to protect her—and make a future for them together.

I love the Disney Mulan, and I love a good re-telling, so I was eager to read this. The story itself was solid and enjoyable, but I never did feel close to the characters. All of their emotions and motivations felt distant, and unconvincing because of it. I’m actually interested in reading more of these re-tellings from this author—I do love Disney—because she has a solid following and I’m hopeful this book just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Melanie Dickerson combines her love for history, adventure, and romance in her writing. The Warrior Maiden is her newest novel, a re-telling of Mulan.

(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

I ended up DNF-ing this book within the first 30 pages. I found the writing style hard to follow. I could see the Mulan-inspired elements, and they did take on a unique twist. I was excited to see where this book would take me, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.

This was a great story. I loved Mulan and her tenacity as she fights to make a name for herself as well as help her mother not lose her home. Wolfgang is a man of integrity. I enjoyed watching how he looks out for those who are around him. Both are great team members and the way they fight through all the treachery and deceit. This book kept me captivated to the very end. I would recommend this to anyone that loves romance and a strong woman character that won't back down when the going gets tough.

THE WARRIOR MAIDEN by Melanie Dickerson is an inspired young adult retelling of the classic Mulan tale but with a historical twist—the story is set in fifteenth-century Lithuania, its pages are filled with castles, Teutonic Knights, and sieges. Danger, warring knights, battles and secret identities make for a fast read.

This was my first experience with Dickerson and I was looking forward to reading a fresh take on Mulan, and I was curious to see the story taking place in a whole new realm. Would Mulan still be the spirited, warrior-girl trying to save her family we all have come to love once hearing her story?

Melanie Dickerson is a well known and established writer. Her fairy tale retellings are fan favorites. They are written for readers who enjoy sweet and clean romance stories filled with adventure, authentic historical settings, and beautiful descriptions. I have to say THE WARRIOR MAIDEN was a perfect example of this.

“She knows women are expected to marry, cook, and have children, not go to war. Can she manage to stay alive, save her mother, and keep the handsome son of a duke from discovering her secret?”

The story opens with Mulan needing to choose between accepting an unwanted marriage proposal or taking up her father’s mantle and joining other warriors in a battle against the besieging Teutonic Knights.

All her life Mulan has tried to fit in, as an adopted daughter to a warrior father who treats her like a burden, but a mother whose precious love makes up for it, Mulan wants more than anything to prove herself, her adventurous spirit calls on her for something more. At the last minute, she disguises herself as the young son her father never had, assumes his duties as a soldier, and rides off to join the fight to protect the castle of her liege lord’s ally from the besieging Teutonic Knights.

This story has some really great battle scenes featuring Mulan using the bow and arrow, riding a warhorse and fighting alongside her fellow warriors. It also touches on an interesting prophecy about her was given by a friar to her mother. The idea that Mulan may be destined for greater things, a spiritual calling by her Christian beliefs, added another interesting layer to Mulan.

Throughout the story, Mulan encounters hardships and adversity, but she remains strong in her faith. The change in her fellow warriors, and their eventual acceptance of her when she is revealed to be the daughter rather than the son of their fellow warrior, is well-written and believable. There is, of course, one particular villain who does not accept her as a woman-warrior that drives the plot, and readers are definitely not going to like him.

My one wish was for Dickerson to have included in the book some of Mulan’s rich heritage. In the story, she is adopted at a rather young age and taken back to Lithuania. It would have enriched the story even more if she had included some details of her ancestry and culture which I felt were lacking.

The building relationship between Mulan and Wolfgang is really one of rival warriors and eventual friendship. These two characters end up learning to trust one another on the field of battle and off, where acceptance plays a crucial part in their feelings for each other. Wolfgang is a fierce warrior with a heart of gold, his loyalty and devotion to Mulan make him a worthy and perfect counterpart to her.

In the End

THE WARRIOR MAIDEN by Melanie Dickerson is a wonderful example of clean YA reading while maintaining plenty of thrilling action, historical details, and sweet romance. This is a great choice if you are looking for an inspired Mulan retelling that features a spirited heroine with a unique setting and positive Christian themes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for an ARC. This is an honest review.

Based in Melanie Dickerson's world of Hagenheim, The Warrior Maiden is the ninth book of the series. Taking the legend of Mulan, Dickerson reimagines the story to fit her world. An orphan girl from Asian descent adopted by a European family Mulan was prophesied to be a warrior and now her time has come.

So when I first picked this book I did not know many things including two important factors, the heavy Christian aspects and this was a book in a series. Cultural appropriation is a big thing and it should be something to be aware of. I was very concerned about that when I first started reading this book. Once I realized this was a book that was part of series with a world already built I was less concerned about that. She kept Mulan's ethnicity correct if not the religious aspects but truly I was okay with it. Adopted children are usually raised in their parent's faith. If this had been a stand alone novel I would have cried foul. So the second thing mentioned was the Christian aspects. This is heavily Christian for an Eastern Asian story. I generally do not read Christian books because I am not religious. Well this was heavily Christian based for me, I did not find it overly preachy or completely in my face. Taking in the time frame this is based I found accurate for the customs.

Now I am going to say more about the plot and characters. I found Mulan oddly boring. This is woman who would live in a world where racism would run rampant as well as sexism. For instance when all the soldiers came together right away, Mulan barely faced any racism where Wolfgang faced a lot of prejudice? For as much as Mulan would have to overcome she was forgettable and did not seem to really address all she had to overcome. The most interesting character was Stefan but even he was meh. The plot at the end was twist because it was boringly civil.. This was supposed to be a war and I never felt like I was truly dealing with warring nations.

Final thoughts is two stars for Goodreads because it was an ok book, just bland. Three on NetGalley because I would maybe recommend it. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Book Summary (Amazon): She knows women are expected to marry, cook, and have children, not go to war. Can she manage to stay alive, save her mother, and keep the handsome son of a duke from discovering her secret?
When Mulan takes her father’s place in battle against the besieging Teutonic Knights, she realizes she has been preparing for this journey her whole life—and that her life, and her mother’s, depends on her success. As the adopted daughter of poor parents, Mulan has little power in the world. If she can’t prove herself on the battlefield, she could face death—or, perhaps worse, marriage to the village butcher.
Disguised as a young man, Mulan meets the German duke’s son, Wolfgang, who is determined to save his people even if it means fighting against his own brother. Wolfgang is exasperated by the new soldier who seems to be one step away from disaster at all times—or showing him up in embarrassing ways.
From rivals to reluctant friends, Mulan and Wolfgang begin to share secrets. But war is an uncertain time and dreams can die as quickly as they are born. When Mulan receives word of danger back home, she must make the ultimate choice. Can she be the son her bitter father never had? Or will she become the strong young woman she was created to be?
This fresh reimagining of the classic tale takes us to fifteenth-century Lithuania where both love and war challenge the strongest of hearts.

My thoughts...I absolutely fell in love at first sight with this beautiful cover! For me, it's one of the best I've seen. I was intrigued with the idea of a Mulan retelling...I wasn't sure I was going to like it as much as some of the other fairy tale retellings Melanie Dickerson has done. Let's just say from the start that I loved it! And here's why...
Mulan's courage throughout the novel is inspiring. I love that this is written as a young adult novel...perfect for my almost 12 year old. I let her read it as well and Mulan has become one of her favorite characters. Mulan was willing, over and over, to sacrifice herself for others. Courage, sacrifice, and humility are all character traits that I want for myself, but especially for my pre-teen. I love that this is such a big part of this novel.
I also loved the sacrificial love that was part of the romantic aspect of the story. This was a sweet romance, with an appropriate amount of romantic tension for a young adult audience. Woven through the love story was also a friendship that developed between the two main characters, compassion for each other and their circumstances, and each willing to put themselves in harm's way in order to protect the other. I can't help but think about the verse, "Greater love hath no man than this than one who lays his life down for his friend."
This is also a faith-based novel, so there are moments in which the characters wrestle with their beliefs and work out their faith. They also ponder the Bible and verses that are meaningful. Again, I like this aspect of the novel as I am personally a woman of faith and my daughter is growing in her faith.
I'm so thankful for novels like this that not only have a great storyline, but also explore important themes like honor, love, humility, and faith. This is much needed in our society today, especially for our youth. I'm so glad that I can pass on Melanie's books to my daughter with confidence that we'll both come away encouraged and entertained.

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in order to give an honest review, which I did.**

So… I rated this a 3-star because it was very hard for me to get into this.
Religion, more specifically Christianity, is a HUGE influence here. While I have no objections to it, it was such a primary focus that it took away from the history and the retelling. Some of the dialogue revolving around the religion was too simple and too unrealistic. For example, Mulan forgave waaaaay too easily. I know a lot of Christians praise forgiveness and encourage others to do so, but for an 18-year old to just simply accept what is with no hint of anger was just too easy of an answer for me. She’s young and still her in adolescence so where’s all the hormones that would affect her choices? Another example would be when Wolfgang discovers she’s a girl – he BARELY had a reaction to it and brushed it off as easily as if it were dust. Which part of me does appreciate because it empowers gender equality BUT for a story based on a time period where gender equality was not a forefront presence, there should have been more argumentative consequences.
As I was reading, how the story progresses made every character more childish and immature than what I wanted them to be – especially Mulan. Her development didn’t move at all through the entire story. I felt like she was stagnant and didn’t grow as much as a MC is supposed to grow. In retrospect, the Disney movie shows more growth than this did. Their love was an insta-love: they barely knew each other (less than a week if I recall) and once it was discovered she was a girl and among dying circumstances, they profess their love. Not really believable. Mulan also continues to have the need to always be the sacrificial lamb and doesn’t learn to accept help when she needs it. Part of this is due to her stubborn nature which finally shows a hint of its colors when Andrei locks her in the room, but when she brings it up to Wolf, she retracts into this submissive weak girl that I didn’t like. It was like she was only a strong female warrior when the armor was on, but once she changed into a dress she withered and became a simpering princess.
The pacing of the story was also a bit slow. I really liked the dialogue but the plot just didn’t work for me and it was due to the unrealistic religious aspects and the immaturity and lack of development of these characters. Maybe it’s just me but this wasn’t my cup of tea ☹️

I absolutely adore fairy tale retellings, and I have a special place in my heart for Hua Mulan and all versions of kickass warrior girls. So when I saw a YA retelling of it, I jumped on it. What I didn’t realize was that it was the 9th (!) in a series, though it works well as a standalone, and that it was Christian fiction.

Queasiness flipped Mulan’s stomach. Was her Oriental appearance—black hair, slightly darker skin, and almond-shaped eyes—unpleasant to Algirdas? Certain boys in the village had taunted her, calling her “Mongol,” and even some women looked askance at her, as if they disapproved of her. But Mother always told her she was beautiful, and even her father when asked had grunted and said, “You are not an ugly girl.”


First off, I need to address the elephant in the room. When I read the blurb, I assumed that Mulan would be Chinese – that is, that she was raised in China and then travelled to Europe as a young adult. Instead, she was basically raised as Lithuanian from the time she was three, and the only non-Lithuanian characteristic about her is her appearance. This is problematic for me in so many ways. There’s a tendency for authors to write biracial characters as a way to get diversity brownie points but still write, basically, white people with extra melanin, without having to do any of that pesky research into a different background. I don’t believe this is what Ms. Dickerson intended at all, but I truly wish she’d chosen to do a looser retelling with a non-ethnic character, especially since so little of the book actually follows the fairy tale to begin with. Mulan’s appearance is only brought up by bad guys as a negative to disparage and “other” her, and otherwise pretty much ignored.

I hadn’t realized this was Christian fiction when I requested it. While I generally don’t mind it, I found parts of the story especially heavy handed, and the heavily Protestant-influenced theology (scripture in the common tongue, laity interpretations) felt amusingly inaccurate for the time period, at least to my knowledge. I did like how spiritual both Mulan and Wolfgang were – both frequently pray for God’s help – but could’ve done without the prophecy sub-plot. It felt like spackling on some sort of God-given approval for Mulan’s choices, when I thought they were perfectly Biblical without that.

“Because that’s how I feel. Just trying to make up for my illegitimate birth, to make it up to Mother, who raised me and never resented me for the pain she felt at my father’s betrayal, or the fact that she could never have her own children.”
“Is that why you became a soldier? You were making amends by ensuring she had a home?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “She would have rather I’d married the butcher.”


Once I realized this was Christian fiction, I wondered how Mulan’s deception of pretending to be a man would be handled. Wolfgang discovers Mulan’s ruse pretty quickly, and is suspicious of her from the beginning. There’s some funny bits in there before that happens though, including a sword fight and archery competition. In fact, the book was very action packed – almost too much action at points. Mulan and Wolfgang barely have any time to talk in between battles before they’re threatened by another skirmish. But when they do get the chance, I loved their interactions, especially Wolfgang teaching Mulan to read and the initial “meet-cute” while Wolfgang still thinks she’s a man. I thought their relationship was sweet and well-developed, and thought their conflict – what future could they have together? – was believable. I was less impressed that her supposed friends literally trick her and lock her in her room for the pivotal battle, on Wolfgang’s orders, and afterwards, she basically just lets it go. It seemed entirely out of character and I hated that she was completely sidelined.

There’s also a side plot with Wolfgang’s brother, Steffan, who decides to join the opposing forces (you know, the people burning villages supposedly in the name of God). I liked how both Wolfgang and Mulan dealt with that, though I did feel like sometimes it detracted from their own relationship. On that note, all the villains are one note evil. They’re greedy and power hungry and one is even described as looking like Satan; the main villain thinks all women are evil and tools of Satan. There’s little room for gray areas or nuance, so this read much younger at times than I think was intended.

Overall, this was an OK read, but not something I could really recommend.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The tale of Mulan, a daughter inspired to go to war to save her family, is a common tale, but what if Mulan lived in Europe in the medieval times? What if she went to war for an unknown Duke to save her mother from destitution only to meet the man of her dreams? Would she meet with renown or with shame? What would those around her do if they found out that she was a woman?

The heroine of this tale is stubborn and fierce. Mulan's father has just died, and she must take care of her mother. Faced with the choice of marrying the town butcher to live as nothing more than a glorified servant in his house and dressing up as a boy and going to war in her father's stead, Mulan sets off on an adventure that will change her life. Transformed by the battle field and by the praise and admiration of her fellow soldiers, Mulan is transformed from a clumsy girl of 18 who never fit in in her small village into a warrior who is capable and strong. She earns the respect of those around her as she goes from being the illegitimate daughter of a Lithuanian soldier to a capable leader and warrior in her own right.

Wolfgang lived his life motivated by the guilt of his past... guilt over a childhood choice that impacted so many other lives and guilt that he can't reach his hard-hearted brother. A kind, noble man, he is given an opportunity to join his father's soldiers who are journeying to Poland to defend the castle belonging to his father's allies, Duke Konrad. Believing that he can use his sword and bow to do good, he fearlessly sets off despite his brother's betrayal. His pride is wounded when he is bested in an archery competition by a young soldier, Mikolai from Lithuania, but he soon comes to respect this brave comrade-in-arms.

The Warrior Maiden is another of Melanie Dickerson's re-imagined fairy tale. The heroine is inspiring and endearing. Mulan goes off to fight against knights and experienced soldiers to keep her mother and herself from being displaced -- with no place to live and no way to make a living for herself. On the battlefield, she finds fame and glory and love. Mulan is headstrong and stubborn but she also seeks to please God in all things and to defend those who are dear to her. Through the story, you can see how her mother's faith influenced her own faith and steadfastness. It is a beautiful tribute to her mother and her love for her adopted daughter. The hero is a man of honor, courageous and strong. Wolfgang seeks to do what is right and defend those whom he loves.

The Warrior Maiden is a uplifting story that reminds us that bravery still exists and that those who honor God will prosper in the end. Evil will not win in the end, and love is a great and powerful force. Though it is a retelling of a fairy tale and many of my assumptions about the book were proven true, the story line wasn't completely predictable, which I appreciated.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the ARC copy that I was given in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mulan is an only child forced to make the very difficult choice marry and have a home for her mother and herself or run away disguised as a man and go to war in the place of her father. Mulan chooses the latter. With her faithful retainer Andrei at her side Mulan goes off to war where she has to learn how to make war and despite her smaller size save the people in the villages ravaged by the Teutonic Knights. She comes under the command of Wolfgang the son of a lord and when he learns that she is a woman he also aids in keeping her secret. Falling in love is not part of her plan, when Mulan and Wolfgang are an amazing team, but can their love survive in a time of war and turmoil. This is a great story and the historical setting is very interesting since it brings the many challenges of living in such a time to the forefront like not having hospitals to go to when injured, devotion to the church, and women not having the ability to do things for themselves because of their gender. Mulan is a very unusual girl in a very difficult set of circumstances and it is her will, prayers, and willingness to try that helps her along,

The Warrior Maiden is the latest young-adult tale from Melanie Dickerson. When Mulan's father suddenly dies, she decides to take his place in an uprising against the innocent people of Poland. This 20-year-old plans to hide her identity by dressing as a young man!

A wealthy man in Hagenheim, Germany, has two young sons, Steffan and Wolfgang, who want to prove themselves worthy of being knighted. These young men decide to join in with this fight. As they make their way to join the battle, Wolfgang learns that while he wants to fight for the Polish people; unfortunately, his brother, Steffan, has decided he will take up arms on the opposite side of the battle!

Unfortunately, the fight will be brother against brother! You will see how God will use these three young people, Mulan, Steffan, and Wolfgang, as they are confronted with the evilness in this world!

There is an ancient Chinese ballad about a maiden who takes her father's place in the Chinese army and saves the day. You are probably familiar with the story from the Disney movie. (I've attempted watching the movie twice but fell asleep both times!)

Author Melanie Dickerson places Mulan in Europe and instead of battling the Huns, she joins the army of a Duke to fight against the Teutonic Knights, a group of militaristic monks. I really appreciated how the author showed who these monks were in such an interesting way that integrated into the story so well.

I don't always relate to strong women characters. Do I believe women should be shy and retiring? Absolutely not! But I don't get women trying to be like men in every way. Mulan was very relateable, though. While she disliked the "womanly" arts of cooking and cleaning, preferring to be outdoors and learning archery, she was still very much a woman. She only joined the army out of necessity, to save her mother from eviction. Her strength in the face of fear was very admirable as was her compassion and kindness.

I loved Wolfgang! He is a younger son in the family of the Duke of Hagenheim, the family involved in all the stories of this series. He struggled with feelings of guilt related to an incident in his childhood and subconsciously tried to earn forgiveness. His love for his brother caused him to make some choices that almost got Mulan hurt, and that broke his heart.

There were some beautiful spiritual truths that came out through this narrative as both Mulan and Wolfgang sought to figure out their place in the world.

Most of the story was wonderful, with fun situations and a great picture of what it would have been like for a woman to attempt impersonating a man at that time in history. There was a section, however, pertaining to one of the battles, that seemed to lack some details and appeared a bit abrupt.

If you enjoy young adult fairy tale retellings or even just medieval fiction, I recommend this for your library.

The Warrior Maiden was written by Melanie Dickerson. It was published in 2019 with HarperCollins Publishing. This enrapturing new installment in Melanie Dickerson’s fairy tale romance collection explores the story of Mulan!

Adopted and raised by a peasant couple, the young woman is expected to marry well enough to provide for her family. When her father dies, Mulan makes the risky decision to take his place in battle against the Teutonic Knights – disguised as a man. As she fights alongside Wolfgang, son of the German Duke Wilhelm, Mulan must make sure that no one recognizes her for who she truly is. As they learn to trust one another, they find that they both have secrets to hide – secrets that could prove fatal. And when Mulan receives word of danger back at her home, she must decide who she will be – the young woman her mother expects, or the son her father wanted?
SPOILER ALERT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
As an avid reader of Melanie Dickerson novels, I was only too eager to review this book. I absolutely loved how the author created a strong character in Mulan, who was not afraid to stand up for her beliefs. I loved her companion and friend, Andrei, who risked his life at times to ensure her safety. The male characters in this book were over all very well-rounded, which I really appreciate in romances told from a girl’s perspective. Wolfgang saw Mulan’s character before he saw her attractiveness. He got along with her as a friend first, since he didn’t realize she was a girl. He also had to accept that girls can be strong when he found her out, as he was pretty sexist at the beginning of the story. But in the end, both he and Andrei stick by her side, no matter the danger. Nonetheless, the characters were still flawed, which made them even more relatable. Wolfgang struggled with guilt over his older brother’s disloyalty; Mulan questions her abilities and motives for deception.
I believe this book would best suit teens or older, as there are some *ahem* delicate scenes in the book. There’s an instance where Wolfgang and Mulan (disguised as a boy at this point) have to bathe in the same room, although the content is handled very well and nothing inappropriate is seen or stated directly. All things considered, this is a great read, and I would definitely recommend to that age group.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purposes of providing a review. I was not required to post a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Review to be published February 10th on The Nerd Daily]

Melanie Dickerson's Hagenheim series reimagines classic tales and brings these stories back to life in a new, enchanting yet more realistic light. For me, Mulan is one of my favourite movies of all time, and so when I saw this novel, I had nothing but high expectations. The Warrior Maiden gets back to the true core of Mulan. While this story may lack in witty dragons and catchy musical numbers, it makes up for it with a heartfelt story of courage and staying true to yourself. The book is written so beautifully that it makes you fall back in love with both old and new characters by tugging at your heartstrings all the while making you sit on the edge of your seat.

"She longed to help them, to defeat the enemy so they never came to endanger her own people but how was that possible? A woman, eighteen years old, was expected to marry, to have children, to cook and clean and sew, not fight."

After her father passes away, Mulan takes his place in the next battle to prevent her home being taken away. As an outcast of her village due to her mixed lineage, she is already looked down upon, so when she joins the army disguised as a man, the feeling of being misplaced still lingers. But in true Mulan spirit she proves that she belongs there as much as any other person.

Mulan proceeds to demonstrate that you are capable of anything if you have motivation and strong core beliefs. She not only destroys them all in an archery competition, but thinks out of the box, proving she is a valuable asset and takes the lead in battle and pretty much saves all their lives. Mulan shows both skill and courage which makes her worthy in the eyes of her comrades when she is revealed to be a woman.

Mulan grows closer to a prince named Wolfgang who has just has a falling out with his brother after going their separate ways. They form a strong friendship which eventually grows romantic after circumstances prevail. He loves her not because of the way she looks but because of her heart, bravery, and he also respects her as a human being. Wolfgang is living fictional proof that chivalry is not dead and it is a very admirable trait in a person. This is a very limited trait that is not found in many books. So perhaps out with the bad boys that all somehow have leather jackets, motorbikes, and a bad attitude and in with the men that treat everyone equally, don’t wear tight pants, and find a pure heart the most important quality in a woman.

"Mulan made sure to walk beside Wolfgang instead of behind him. She couldn’t let him think she considered herself any less than his equal."

The Warrior Maiden focuses a lot on the multiple ways that love can be found, it balances them out well by showing how love can be behind many decisions: romantic, family, and self. Mulan joins the army to keep a roof over her mother's head while Wolfgang volunteers to spar to make sure Mulan does not get hurt.

When hearing about a new fairytale retelling, some may sigh in exhaustion and skip over the opportunity of ANOTHER retelling, but when it comes to Melanie Dickerson, that is not the case. Melanie brings a fresh new perspective that makes them more alive and relatable than the original. She has created her own world that where every book and character is connected, which makes it a series you can immerse yourself in. The Warrior Maiden is no different. It is easy to read and get into plus there are little twists and turns to keep you so interested making it easy to read in one sitting.

Overall, it's a heartfelt story that proves that you can be kind, a soldier, and a woman all at the same time. Mulan is such a wonderful example of a true strong female character proving you can stay true to yourself by have a kind heart even in war.

"She had been accepted as a woman, soldier, and rescuer."

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the war against the Teutonic Knights and to keep her home from being taken away from her. She meets the Duke's son, Wolfgang, who she shares secrets with and both become heroes as they lead their armies into battle.

First off, this is not your average Mulan Disney movie. I don't know the other legend of Mulan, but I'm sure it's not like that either. This Mulan is from Lithuania and honestly I think it could have stood as it's own book and character and not have to be a Mulan retelling. The only similarity is that she disguised herself as a man and even that is revealed very early in the book, which I found surprising. But as I read, the early reveal allowed a relationship to bloom and added another subplot. Other than it didn't really need to be a Mulan retelling, I liked it. It had a good adventure feel, with battles and people getting shot, a villain seeking revenge (albeit he was a little wimpy,) witchcraft, and a little romance.

I didn't realize it was a Christian novel, but I feel like it went well with the time period and the Teutonic Knights' motivations.

I also have a feeling that Wolfgang's brother, Steffan, will be getting his own story.

I have always loved the Disney movie Mulan so when I saw this book I knew I needed to read it. I love this story and I really can't wait to see if there is going to be another book in this series.

Starts out well and is an enjoyable tale. I know it’s a retelling but I still don’t see the need to take a Mulan and move it to Lithuania, just could have been done differently. It was good, lots of action, a bit of romance. It’s a fun retelling but I found it overly heavy on religion , I didn’t realise it was Christian YA so again why take Mulan ! I’m sure plenty will enjoy this more than I did, it was nice but just too religious for me

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, so I’ve read other books by this author that I really enjoyed. This one, I didn’t like very much. As a story, I liked it, but as an adaptation of the legend of Mulan, I hated it.

There may be spoilers below, just warning.

So, they took Mulan, a Chinese legend from China and made the character half-Lithuanian and half-Mongolian…the author took China out of Mulan?? Really??

The books I’ve read by Dickerson had good romances with characters that went together well. This book would have been better if she had decided not to go along the romantic route. Wolfgang was a boring romantic partner who would rather lock Mulan in a castle while he fought her battle for her (yes, this is a thing that happened, sorry about the spoiler).

The religion in this book was insane. I realize that in the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church ruled everything, but it was jarring when I’m reading about a battle and suddenly there’s a Bible study class in the middle of the scene.

Also Wolfgang’s brother was a terribly written character. His thoughts made no sense and his motivations were nonexistent.

Here are some things I liked, since it may seem like I’ve just been shitting on this book (I have been, it was not good).

I liked the relationship between Mulan and her stepmother. Honestly, Feodosia was a BAMF. I also liked the relationship between Mulan and Andrei. It was almost like the relationship between siblings, and they were always looking out for each other.

If you’re looking for a good book by Melanie Dickerson, this is not it. Go to The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, that one it a 5 star read. The Warrior Maiden is a 2.5 star read.

The Warrior Maiden is a perfect retelling of Mulan. You get to go into battle with this young woman disguised as a man. You also get to meet Wolfgang and watch him and Mulan become friends on the battlefield. Mulan is a skilled archer and she is able to bring that ability to the battlefield and be recognized for her bravery alongside Wolfgang. I loved reading how Wolfgang learned she was a woman and how he vowed to himself he would protect her. As Wolfgang learn to trust each other with intimate details of their lives feelings begin to develop between them. But feelings are a long way from marriage. Wolfgang is the son of a duke and Mulan is peasant girl. How could a marriage ever come from that. Mulan also has made a powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to see her killed. Even at the cost of one of Mulan's family members.

The Warrior Maiden is so well written and is just a good read through and through. I loved it.

I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest feedback.

Mulan has grown up in a small villiage in Lithuania. She is the daughter of Milokai, a warrior who fathered her while fighting in the East. Milokai's wife has raised Mulan as her own. Now, Mulan is a young woman and Milokai is dead. Mulan's mother attempts to marry off Mulan, however when Milokai is called to battle, Mulan assumes his place as Milokai's son. Assisted by her father's steward and her archery coach, Andrei, Mulan marches off to protect the castle of an ally from the Teutonic Knights. Fighting with Mulan is the Duke of Hagenheim's son, Wolfgang. Wolfgang's brother Stefan however is fighting for the Teutonic Knights. At first, Wolfgang sees Mulan as a rival in archery, but Mulan's skills in battle win her respect and Wolfgang see's her as an equal. Now, fighting closely with Wolfgang, Mulan must protect her secret and her feelings towards Wolfgang while continuing to fend off the Teutonic Knights, including Wolfgang's brother.


A very creative re-imagining of the Mulan story within the world of Hagenheim. At first, I was very wary of how Mulan would fit into the western European world, but with a few twists here and there, it seemed liked she was made to belong all along. I enjoyed how the spirit of Mulan was kept in her personality. Mulan was scared, but kept a very confident face, and showed bravery and ingenuity in battle, using her strengths as a woman. She balked against the gender norms of marrying for safety and security to a man who would not love her for who she is. I loved reading the battle scenes and seeing Mulan's mixed emotions as she fought to protect herself as well as what she believed was right. Mulan and Wolfgang's relationship was also very interesting. Beginning as a rivalry and then a respected friend and warrior, Wolfgang then turns into the only other person who know Mulan's secret and his feelings towards the soldier and now woman must change. There is a lot of will they or won't they that drove me a little mad as neither of them wanted to ruin the friendship forged in battle. I also appreciated the incorporation of the historic Teutonic Knights and Grand Master Rusdorf. With an exciting ending and the hope of a happily ever after, The Warrior Maiden is another wonderful installment in the Hagenheim stories.


This book was received for free in return for an honest review.