Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater

Disney, bold & brave, magical

5 stars

As a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater’s, I was to excited to receive an ARC of Bravely from Disney Books on NetGalley. After reading it I can confidently say I cannot imagine another author who would have done justice to the continuation of Merida’s story. 

“Red hair, keen eyes, quick brain, built to start fires but not to put them out.” - Prologue, p. xiii

Stiefvater writes in such a way that magic is an intrinsic part of every story, even when it is not fully present.  The imagery is vivid, the emotions are strong, the plot is easy to follow yet hard to predict. As Merida makes a bet with gods of old and takes on the challenge of changing her family before destruction comes for DunBroch, readers get sucked into a story about family and nature, growth and magic. 

This story is also an amazing continuation of the Disney/Pixar film Brave. The wild triplets are grown boys now, with their personalities expanded and separate from each other. Fergus and Elinor are the rulers we first watched on screen, but with time dulling some of their shine.  New characters are introduced that add more depth and leave me wanting to know more about their stories, and while Merida stars in this book as much as in the movie, she has grown as well.  She is just as determined, bold, and brave, but Merida is making new discoveries about her home, her family, and herself.  For my part, I enjoyed this new exploration of Merida and all of DunBroch just as much as the film (and as an avid reader and Stiefvater fan, honestly a little more than the film). 

This book releases May 3, 2022.  Don't forget to get your hands on a copy!