Review of Nimue: Freeing Merlin (Barnes & Noble Edition)
Posted: 07 Jan 2024, 09:19
[Following is a volunteer review of "Nimue: Freeing Merlin (Barnes & Noble Edition)" by Ayn Cates Sullivan.]
"Nimue: Freeing Merlin" tells the story of Nina, a seventeen-year-old girl who lives a normal life with her mother after her father died a few years ago. Nina had strange dreams about a mysterious, magical woman that she could not make sense of. Nina tries to learn more about her dream while on a trip to England with her mother and discovers that she once lived as a lady of the lake and a powerful mage named Nimue. As Nina's life intersects with her past as Nimue, this book gradually reveals more about the relationship between them and the purposes of their lives.
When the story first began, Nina and her mother were portrayed as people who believed in the possibility of a spiritual realm. This made me, as a reader, pause for a moment, and I appreciated the open-mindedness of that aspect. I liked how the characters addressed spirituality whenever it came up, never dismissing it as ridiculous. This was an important aspect of the book, and I believe that anyone who reads it should emulate it in order to fully appreciate the story.
Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was the description. This created a smooth flow and provided insight into the characters' minds. It resulted in an engrossing experience because we could understand how the main characters felt and thought. When Morgen first met a perplexed Nina, I found her wit amusing. I also liked the expressions of emotion when it came to Nimue's love affair with Merlin. These made the book feel more wholesome, and I was always curious about how it would describe the next event.
During her research prior to writing this book, Ayn Cates Sullivan discovered various stories and beliefs about the Avalonian legends involving the various characters in the book. This author then found a way to weave these stories together, making sense of them and never allowing them to feel contradictory. This only demonstrates expert story-telling ability and the results of extensive research, both of which are commendable.
I only have a few complaints. The book felt a little slow-paced, especially when it described Nimue and Merlin's romance, and even though that was an important part of the story, it still felt a bit too long. The book also implied that Merlin would bring balance to an already unbalanced world, which I expected to see. However, because the book was only about freeing Merlin, I believe leaving that out is acceptable. As I read, I noticed a few errors, but nothing major enough to detract from my enjoyment. In any case, "Nimue: Freeing Merlin" deserves 5 out of 5 stars. The drawbacks, mainly subjective, are not too serious to deduct a star for. This fictional story is perfect for fans of mystery and Arthurian legends.
******
Nimue: Freeing Merlin (Barnes & Noble Edition)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"Nimue: Freeing Merlin" tells the story of Nina, a seventeen-year-old girl who lives a normal life with her mother after her father died a few years ago. Nina had strange dreams about a mysterious, magical woman that she could not make sense of. Nina tries to learn more about her dream while on a trip to England with her mother and discovers that she once lived as a lady of the lake and a powerful mage named Nimue. As Nina's life intersects with her past as Nimue, this book gradually reveals more about the relationship between them and the purposes of their lives.
When the story first began, Nina and her mother were portrayed as people who believed in the possibility of a spiritual realm. This made me, as a reader, pause for a moment, and I appreciated the open-mindedness of that aspect. I liked how the characters addressed spirituality whenever it came up, never dismissing it as ridiculous. This was an important aspect of the book, and I believe that anyone who reads it should emulate it in order to fully appreciate the story.
Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was the description. This created a smooth flow and provided insight into the characters' minds. It resulted in an engrossing experience because we could understand how the main characters felt and thought. When Morgen first met a perplexed Nina, I found her wit amusing. I also liked the expressions of emotion when it came to Nimue's love affair with Merlin. These made the book feel more wholesome, and I was always curious about how it would describe the next event.
During her research prior to writing this book, Ayn Cates Sullivan discovered various stories and beliefs about the Avalonian legends involving the various characters in the book. This author then found a way to weave these stories together, making sense of them and never allowing them to feel contradictory. This only demonstrates expert story-telling ability and the results of extensive research, both of which are commendable.
I only have a few complaints. The book felt a little slow-paced, especially when it described Nimue and Merlin's romance, and even though that was an important part of the story, it still felt a bit too long. The book also implied that Merlin would bring balance to an already unbalanced world, which I expected to see. However, because the book was only about freeing Merlin, I believe leaving that out is acceptable. As I read, I noticed a few errors, but nothing major enough to detract from my enjoyment. In any case, "Nimue: Freeing Merlin" deserves 5 out of 5 stars. The drawbacks, mainly subjective, are not too serious to deduct a star for. This fictional story is perfect for fans of mystery and Arthurian legends.
******
Nimue: Freeing Merlin (Barnes & Noble Edition)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon