Aladdin refocused!
The Orphan's Wish (Hagenheim #8) by Melanie Dickerson
An interesting take on Aladdin joins Melanie Dickerson's insightful series of traditional folk and fairytale retellings, set in the German dukedom of Hagenheim. The vision Dickerson brings to these works is so original. I am always in awe of the prism through which the stories are told and the wellspring of creativity Dickerson seems to flawlessly draw upon. That said, for all its interesting perspective, I didn't warm to Aladdin's story in the same way that I have to others. The tale of a young boy rescued by a monk from an Oliver Twist type start to life in Palestine, who journeys to an orphanage in Hagenheim and then to Lüneburg. A tale of love, courage and friendship.
Growing up with the Duke of Wilhelm’s daughter Kirstyn, Aladdin and she become inseparable. As he becomes older Aladdin realizes he must leave to make his fortune in order to be deemed worthy of Kirstyn. A deeper challenge for Aladdin is his self image, his needing to redeem himself. Even though he is successful, he continues to see himself through the eyes of Mustapha, his old thief mentor, his "Faigin."
Aladdin "needed to prove he wasn’t just a poor, unlovable thief. A rat, Mustapha had called him. Those memories brought him so much shame. "
Back in Hagenheim, all is not as it should be, and when Kirstyn is kidnapped, all that Aladdin loves is threatened.
A rewarding read despite my misgivings.
A NetGalley ARC
***
An interesting take on Aladdin joins Melanie Dickerson's insightful series of traditional folk and fairytale retellings, set in the German dukedom of Hagenheim. The vision Dickerson brings to these works is so original. I am always in awe of the prism through which the stories are told and the wellspring of creativity Dickerson seems to flawlessly draw upon. That said, for all its interesting perspective, I didn't warm to Aladdin's story in the same way that I have to others. The tale of a young boy rescued by a monk from an Oliver Twist type start to life in Palestine, who journeys to an orphanage in Hagenheim and then to Lüneburg. A tale of love, courage and friendship.
Growing up with the Duke of Wilhelm’s daughter Kirstyn, Aladdin and she become inseparable. As he becomes older Aladdin realizes he must leave to make his fortune in order to be deemed worthy of Kirstyn. A deeper challenge for Aladdin is his self image, his needing to redeem himself. Even though he is successful, he continues to see himself through the eyes of Mustapha, his old thief mentor, his "Faigin."
Aladdin "needed to prove he wasn’t just a poor, unlovable thief. A rat, Mustapha had called him. Those memories brought him so much shame. "
Back in Hagenheim, all is not as it should be, and when Kirstyn is kidnapped, all that Aladdin loves is threatened.
A rewarding read despite my misgivings.
A NetGalley ARC
***
Comments
Post a Comment