Veil of Winter: overcoming lies to protect
Veil of Winter is a Dericott Tale by Melanie Dickerson, a YA clean romance novel.
In the novel, Princess Elyce’s father tells her she is too emotional and disgusting to him. He tells her God disapproves of her for not obeying her father, although her father is evil and unloving and should not be obeyed. Elyce struggles with the emotional hurts of living with such an emotionally abusive father and a cold aunt. Her mother died when she was young.
Elyce grows up isolated and friendless. The one person she considers a friend is her servant Ysa, but when her father makes a pact with another evil king, and Elyce tries to defend the people of her kingdom, her friendship with Ysa is threatened.
Two English knights arrive to help the princess because one felt God impressing him to save the princess after a discussion with his sister, a friend of Elyce’s. Of course, Gerard falls in love with the princess, but his job is to protect her not botch up the plans by letting his heart get involved.
Emotional struggles draws reader in
Emotional struggles the princess wrestled with drew me to this story. How many of us believe lies told us by influential people in our past or by peers that stuck in those hard to remove places of the heart? Because of this common wound, readers relate with the heroine’s self-doubts and wavering confidence. Should she be the unfeeling, cool royal her aunt groomed her to be, or the girl who feels deeply and seeks to be loved for who she really is and not the façade she is forced to portray.
Elyce strives to do what is right in the eyes of God. Her situation leaves her questioning who she can trust. These are other aspects that I found relatable. We yearn to make the correct choice that benefits people without injuring anyone at the same time. This, of course, is often impossible. No matter what, someone usually loses something. People learn, and God forgives. Allowing ourselves to trust others backfires at times. Who hasn’t floundered through such grief and learned lessons of guarding our hearts?
Ties with Sleeping Beauty tale
Dickerson bases her stories on fairy tales and this one is based on “Sleeping Beauty;” Gerard awakens her with what appears to be a kiss when she took a sleeping potion to feign death. She slaps him, of course, but he protests he was only trying to resuscitate her. That’s how they meet, and from there, the tale has nothing similar to the other tale, that I can recall.
These stories can become rather predictable, but I think it is still a sweet tale for young adults, 12 and up, and it’s a quick escape from the toils of every day.
This medieval story is set in the winter in the Holy Royal Empire, near France and German states and includes King Wenceslaus in Prague.
I recommend this sweet read with a guaranteed happy ending.
Further information about this author
Veil of Winter is the third in a series. I reviewed the second book on my blog. I have read most of the novels by this author and recommend them for girls 12 and up.