If you like cozy, sweet MG fiction, you’d like this series by Melanie Dickerson! Lady of Disguise is #6 in the Dericott Tales series following the lives of a dozen brothers as they sort out their lives after a massive plot against their family.
Lady of Disguise
This novel follows Louisa Lennon as she goes on the hunt for a Viking treasure. This treasure holds the promise to save her and her sister Margaret from being married to weird old men. (This is largely a theme throughout the novels, all about finding true love, but they’re so cute.) Loosely based on Jack and the Beanstalk, Louisa sets off in disguise as a young man. Along the way, she meets some friends, including Sir Charles.
Ratings
Story: 4/5
Worldview: 4.5/5
The story was predictable, hence the 4, but it really was an enjoyable read! This is a series I would gladly recommend to younger siblings and cousins. The books are full of good morals and examples of seeking Christ in all situations.
Worldview is 4.5 because the novel surprised me in so many ways. The characters call out religion over true charity, and some characters beg God to help them forgive those who have wronged them. I was not expecting one character to pray for salvation and what it means to accept Jesus, but they did! It was great! The only hiccup was that there were moments when characters presented worldly mindsets: induce dreams with herbs to “find your future husband,” and a bit hint at the prosperity gospel/works from other characters.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, this is the best novel I’ve read from Dickerson in terms of worldview, but also the one with the most awkward romances. The love interest once excused his behavior with “we aren’t doing anything wrong.”
The combined rating is 4.5, and I am definitely seeing this series through to the end! My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re interested in checking out other books in the series, you can see Castle of Refuge and Cloak of Scarlet, #2 and #5 in the series respectively.
