Review of Nimue: Freeing Merlin (Barnes & Noble Edition)

[Shannon McGoogan Moseley]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Nimue: Freeing Merlin (Barnes & Noble Edition)" by Ayn Cates Sullivan.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Nimue:Freeing Merlin by Ayn Cates Sullivan is a page-turning fantasy tale that takes the reader from modern-day New York and London into an ancient realm inspired by Celtic and Arthurian mythologies. Although this book is part of the Legends of the Grail series, it is a stand-alone novel.

The story begins in New York City, where 17-year-old Nina awakens from a vivid dream in which a woman in a green dress and violet eyes tells her to "remember who you are" and then calls her "Mage." Nina has no time to ponder the strange dream as she and her mother, Diana, are rushing to catch a flight to England. The dream will prove to be the impetus for her mystical journey.

In England, Nina visits a local healer to help her find answers about the dream that still plagues her. Ganieda, the healer, tells her, "If you remain open and curious, you might live into your destiny." She tells Nina, "You have entered the Sea of Forgetfullness, but the veil is coming off and an ancient magic is looking for you." Nina leaves the healer with more questions than she had before.

After Nina leaves the healer, she meets Morgen, the mysterious woman in green from her dream. This encounter reveals that Nina was Nemue from the 5th century Avalon. She also discovers that, to keep the world in balance, she has to free Merlin from where he was imprisoned. So, Nina is transported back in time with a mission. The twist? She has forgotten where Merlin is hidden.

Ayn Cates Sullivan's expertise and extensive research into ancient history and mythology are evident as Nimue travels through the mystical realms. Sullivan expertly intertwines the various myths, carrying the plot through modern New York/London and ancient Avalon. She has created an interesting coming-of-age story wrapped in a fantasy novel.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was professionally edited, with very few errors, and there was no use of profanity. While there were no explicit sexual scenes, some readers may find the romantic scenes a little too detailed. For this reason, I believe this book is more suitable for mature readers. Overall, I would rate this book 5 out of 5.

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Nimue: Freeing Merlin (Barnes & Noble Edition)
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