Title: The Healer’s Apprentice
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Series: Hangenheim #1
Genre: Christian Fiction
The Hagenheim series is a retelling of several well-known fairytales. Based loosely On the story of Sleeping Beauty, The Healer’s apprentice follows the story of a young girl named Rose who is the apprentice to the healer of Hagenheim. Afraid of the marriage that would await her if she were to return home to her parents, Rose tries her hardest to prove herself a worthy healer despite the illness she feels in the presence of blood. One day while she is left alone, the future duke Lord Hamlin shows up with a gruesome injury to one of his legs. With no one to turn to for help, Rose pushes her feelings aside and does all that she can to care for him. Over time she starts to develop unwelcome feelings toward Hamlin, especially knowing that he is betrothed to a mysterious girl from another land. As the story unfolds, Rose is forced to make decisions toward her own future and the hope that it holds for her.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book with exception to a few scenes. I believe it sent a better message than it’s Disney counterpart. I’m happy to say that it wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be either. Despite being written more for youth, it’s an enjoyable read for adults as well. I will definitely be reading more of this series in the future.
Rating: 
Age Appropriateness: While the story is a romance, it is a clean romance, with plenty of reference to God and following His will. It’s listed under teen fiction. Based on reading level I would recommend for 10 and up but also consider it a safer read for younger advanced readers. It’s fairly easy to see the similarity to the original Sleeping Beauty tale but also adds a Christian view to the characters.
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