Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went into this. Bravely is the first Disney sequel novel that I’ve read and I have to say it was everything that I didn’t know I wanted.

The proper etiquette for a review of this nature is to give a rundown of the plot, but I went in blind and I feel it’s much better when you go in not knowing much about this book. I had never seen Brave, but watched it for the first time just before reading this.

My take away is that Maggie’s take on Merida rings true to the Disney original. This Merida is a bit older and wiser, having lived and traveled, but still has the wild heart and stubborn nature. Also, in true Maggie Stiefvater fashion I found the story deep and meaningful. I’ve read some reviews saying it’s predictable, but I say it’s more of a fairytale than anything, take that what you will because there are many facets to a fairytale. Even if it had its moments of being predictable it didn’t take a second away from my enjoyment and even made those moments more bittersweet.

Finally I think the most important take away of this story is the theme of growing up and changing which can be frightening but also exciting. If you’re a fan of Maggie Stiefvater or of Brave, This is a great addition to your library.