Review: The Healer's Apprentice

The Healer's Apprentice
Melanie Dickerson
2010; Zondervan; ISBN 978-0-310-72143-7 (paperback)

Historical Period/Events: Germany in the Middle Ages

Summary:  Rose knows that she is lucky to have the position of healer's apprentice.  The local healer, Frau Geruscha, has taught Rose to read and write along with showing her much encouragement.  But Rose grows faint at the sight of blood.  More troubling, though, are her feelings for Lord Hamlin, the son of the local duke.  Lord Hamlin is attractive, strong and responsible.  He is also betrothed to the daughter of a duke, a young woman who has been kept in hiding for years to protect her from an evil conjurer.  Amidst broken hearts, secrets, and demons, Rose must rely on her faith to sustain her.

An unusual blending of two genres--historical fiction with Christian fiction--succeeds thanks to an interesting storyline.  The historical details are well-drawn, capturing life in a German village in the 1300s at a time when faith was a large part of everyday life.  Rose and Lord Hamlin are the heroes of the story not simply for their faith but for their strong, moral natures.  Interesting questions about ethics and choices are sprinkled among the sweeping romance.  With an appealing cover and a hook-filled storyline, The Healer's Apprentice will attract readers who don't normally read either historical or Christian fiction.