I am always hesitant to read novelizations and continuations of beloved Disney characters. Maggie Stiefvater knocked it out of the park with Bravely. The storyline felt true to Merida and her family. She did an amazing job of growing up Merida and her brothers after the events of the movie. We get to see more of the triplets and get insight into each one of their personalities. We get to see Merida's relationship with each of them, as well as, how her relationship with her mother & father had changed after the movie and over the years. We also get to see a new relationship bloom for Merida and one that is truly befitting of the fiercely independent, free spirited, and strong-willed girl turned young woman. Of course, all the magic and folklore and mythology of Medieval Scotland is there and a huge part of the storyline, just as in the movie, and it feels immersive in the writing. The thing I loved most about Bravely was the message of complacency, the need for humans to grow & evolve, the importance of redemption and second-chances. And there was the ending! Chef's kiss!

This was exactly what I would've expected a Maggie Stiefvater Brave retelling to be, and for me that wasn't a good think. I love the original Raven Cycle books, and I thought she did a similarly interesting job of weaving in mythology here. But I just hated this romance for Merida so much,

I wish this book wasn’t connected to <i>Brave</i> and Merida. It’s a cool concept, but I was having trouble suspending my disbelief that it was worked with Merida.

I enjoyed this book! I'm a huge Disney fan and have always loved Merida's story. I loved all the culture and history that was woven into the narrative, but at times I felt the pacing to be a bit clunky and I felt like the book lacked the whimsical feel of the film. Overall though, a good read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for this ARC!

I wish I enjoyed this more! I'm a lover of Disney and adored the movie Brave but I don't believe the writing style of this book was for me. It felt too wordy with the constant descriptions and I didn't really feel a connection to the story of Merida. It didn't seem like the same Merida we know and love. While differences are to be expected, I didn't think she would lose the essence of who she was.

Overall, this is a coming-of-age story fairytale for Merida that would seem like a continuation of what the movie put out there. The best part was all the Scottish myths and background in the book!

I think if you like the author's writing style and enjoy Middle-Grade/early YA books, you will enjoy this read!

Land, Family and Traditions are all very important to Scotland. I love how the author took the time to make that obvious! The magical flow of words to describe all of this is simply enchanting. I would recommend watching the movie Brave to be familiar with the characters as this novel picks up a few years after the movie. The story is a perfect extension! I was so caught up in the story my half way thru I could not wait to see how it would all play out. Ancient Dieties and Cunning Bargaining...what is not to love! Special thanks to Disney Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

As an adult, reading Disney, sometimes the plot is a bit childish, but still offers that wonderful nostalgic feeling. This book was not like that. This book offered a more mature plot and a new adventure post Brave. Merida is growing up and learning what it means to change as you grow, and this allows the reader to grasp that concept as well, which is important for middle grade students as they navigate new nuances of their lives. The ending was spectacular and was perfect for it to be a standalone, but still offered that open door for another book in this realm.

I enjoyed Brave (the movie), but I struggled a bit with this. I liked reading about the strong, young heroine. but I had a hard time staying engaged at times. Some parts were a bit confusing, and the pacing was uneven. I've read and enjoyed other fairytale retellings, but this one missed the mark. I did enjoy the Scottish history and folklore information, as well as the cover.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. I usually love this author, but for some reason this title just didn't grab me.

Wonderful retelling of one of my favorite Disney movies! As expected of Maggie Stiefvater, there's just something about her writing style that I love and can't get enough of. The story was already familiar to me so I didn't need too long before I got familiar with the setting. I couldn't help but love everything in this book. It was every bit magical as I imagined it it be. 5 stars, no doubt.

Bravely:

OVERALL:
Merida, from Disney’s Brave, has spent many months traveling, and returns home to discover that the god Feradach is planning on destroying her home and family. After a bargain with the god Cailleach, she must voyage outside her kingdom, and work with each family member to help them grow and change, for good. And she cannot forget her own necessary growth in the process.

15 SECOND “What’s This About?”
Stiefvater weaves a beautiful YA story that takes place after Disney’s Brave ends. Merida encounters two gods, and an agreement occurs that requires her to assist her family in making changes to better themselves as individuals or the consequences will be devastating.

FAVORITE PART:
I LOVE the gentle growth and connection between Feradach and Merida. So sweet.

ARC provided by Netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

First let me start by saying yes I have seen the Brave movie by Disney/Pixar. It is one I have only seen a few times and although I liked it it is not one of my favorites. I did not however like this book much at all. I feel that it in no way was part of the previously discussed movie, and that other than having similar character names it did not help one bit with me understanding this book at all. I didn’t even think the main character Merida's characteristics or overall feel was similar to the movie. In the book I felt she was less full of life and adventure, a bit darker, flat, sadder and overall a bit humdrum.

Ok so enough comparing the movie and book. The book I had time getting into in fact there were only a few spots where I really wanted to keep reading and those were far and inbetween. I was confused in some parts and didn’t like the pacing at all. I often found myself wanting it to move along and then when I actually found a storyline I liked and wanted to read more it would suddenly stop. It was so frustrating. Several times I thought oh this part has potential to keep me interested and go in a cool direction, but it was short lived.

I never really got invested in the story or the characters. I have read other fairytale retellings and loved them, this one was just lacking in so many areas for me. I also went into this book with little knowledge about Scottish history or Scottish folklore and think this also put me behind before I started to read the book only added to my confusion.

I really liked the cover and the potential I thought it might have. Overall I am not sure I would read another retelling book by this author, but maybe a stand alone book I would try.

A stunning Disney retelling that will appeal to a broad audience. Strong female lead, a story of found family, overcoming adversity to find something better on the other side. Evenly paced with fun, interesting characters

I’ve been a big fan of Merida ever since I first saw the trailer for the film. I made sure I could see an advanced screening of the film and then even handmade a cosplay, my first real finished one.

As soon as I heard about this book, it was on my most anticipated books. Thankfully it did NOT disappoint.

This book takes place years after the events of the film, Merida is still unmarried, and she even has a sort of sister (an orphaned girl they took in who became a part of the family).

But when Merida’s home and family are threatened, she will do anything to save them, including trying to change them, but will she change herself?

The story draws you in right away into the familiar setting with characters you love and new ones you can help but fall in love with. Of course, there’s lots of adventure and description of the beautiful Scottish land!

This will for sure be a welcome story amongst fans of Brave and Merida. And no worries, Merida is still as outspoken as before!

Maggie Stiefvater has been a favorite since I found her Shiver series, Scorpio Races, and Raven cycle books. She is an automatic read for me.

Merida has always been a favorite princess of mine so I was eager to check out this retelling. It was very enjoyable and I loved the differences Ms. Stiefvater put in.

Maggie Stiefvater has been an automatic buy for me since I read her "Shiver" series at about age 13. She's had one disappointing novel for me, and this is not that. Absolutely love this retelling!

I think this works as a stand alone but for me, it was really nice to see Merida and her family years after Brave (which I loved). I really enjoyed the main theme about how ruin and destruction make way for new life, this made me think about my life and if I was stagnating or growing. Any book that gives you something to think about outside of the story is a hit.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I regret to say that I DNFed this book. It's not because it wasn't good but it was because I'm in slump and felt as if the book wasn't catching my interest. The writing was very good I'll admit and the story is intriguing but not something I'm in the mood for. Extremely sorry for DNFing because I try to avoid DNFing ARCs but sometimes it's inevitable😅

Love these types of books. Spirited and a continuation of one of my favorite movies (although I know Brave isn't everyone's). Folklore always grounds these stories and it's an enjoyable read, particularly for teens. I read it along with my niece.

To be honest, this book was much better than I expected. In the movie, Merida comes across as annoying which is because she is a pre-teen. Here, Merida has become a young adult. Thankfully, she is no longer arguing with her mom about dumb stuff that all pre-teens do. Merida is still complex but now we can see inside her head and feel her motivations, which is refreshing and really helps the reader accept her quirks. This is very much a fairy tale - the entire book is infused with overt *magic* which I have come to expect from any of Stiefvater's books, but the author does an excellent job of fitting this story into the world of the movie. It is a sequel but it felt fresh and more immersive than the original. I enjoyed getting to know the triplet as individuals, which was surprising to me. The new characters felt real and like they had always been there. The romance was something else I was concerned about before reading, but it was done in a light and skillful manner. Though you can see it coming, it was slow and soothing and never jarring to Merida's opinions on marriage from the movie. It felt appropriate that love would sneak up on her in a way (and that her perfect match would be an immortal being!)