The Fairest Beauty

Tomorrow he’d be gone. But Sophie would be safe and God would help him discover the truth about Sophie’s identity. He hadn’t wanted to seek God’s will, had been afraid that God truly didn’t intend for them to be together. But now he knew he needed God’s favor. “You said all things work together for the good of those who love you. I wasn’t listening to you before, but I know I need You now. Please let it work out, God, for me to marry Sophie. God, I will follow you, no matter what You ask me to do.”

Book: The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson, Zondervan Publishers, 2013

 

Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale

Target Audience: Girls 15-20

Subjects: Jealousy, Love

Summary: All her life everyone has loved her. All but one. The one with all the power, unfortunately. A few simple deceptions and Sophie is left to be raised by the one who hates her. Now she’s grown and the truth of her existence has been leaked to her betrothed… who doesn’t take off to rescue her. Instead, his brother sneaks off to rescue her, determined to best his brother in something. The trouble is that the wrong brother is falling in love with her! And he’s not exactly accompanied by an army. He’s on his own. So neither guarding his heart or rescuing her is an easy task! Jealous, her stepmother will stop at nothing to destroy her. How can Gabe keep her safe?

Notes: This is a Snow White story. A beautiful young girl, a wicked stepmother who is jealous of her beauty and wants to see her killed. A handsome young man (not a prince, but close enough – a lord) loves her and tries to save her from the wicked stepmother. She flees to a cottage where seven men live (in this story, they are outcast, each with some kind of deformity) in secret. It’s a story of love and commitment. Sophie was betrothed at birth to Gabe’s brother, and so both try to avoid falling in love with one another and at least half heartedly seek to do the right thing. Gabe in particular gets very challenged and convinced about the selfishness in his motives. It does a really good job of conveying the importance of following Christ completely, not just half heartedly.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Song of Solomon 8:6 – Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.