Bravely

[cornerofmadness]

Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Bravely picks up a few years down the road with Merida on the brink of adulthood. I received a copy via Netgalley for review which did not influence my review in any way.

On Christmas eve as Merida is preparing the feast for it and for her friend/maid Leezie when someone appears in the kitchen. She chases the person down and it turns out to be the god Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation. Cailleach, the old goddess of creation intervenes. Merida is granted a boon. She has a year to shake her family out of its path and every last one of them has to change or Feradach will destroy them.

Changing people is no easy task. On top of this, a cruel Scottish warlord has offered her father a deal, find three other kingdoms to ally with him or die. With the dual threats of death, Merida acts as ambassador to save and change her family.

As she goes out in the world, she sees that maybe her parents are too lackadaisical, that they’re allowing DunBroch to fall into ruin. One of her brothers has no purpose, one is afraid of everything and the other is cold and angry. Leezie is hapless. There is a lot to do. Feradach has a further requirement, once a season he will show up to see her progress and she must witness what he does to show her life being reborn from the destruction.

The story is engaging. Feradach’s changing personality was interesting. Merida and her family are great characters and I really enjoyed the read.




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