Bravely by New York Times Best-Selling author Maggie Stiefvater is everything I hoped Brave would be. It has all the elements that make up an enticing traditional Disney story – a strong princess, an emotional and philosophical dilemma, a beautiful setting, etc – and much, much more.
I was disappointed that Disney Pixar’s Brave missed the mark for me (I felt it did not quite have that heart-thumping magic that Disney Pixar so often gets right), but this disappointment is cured by Bravely – a thrilling adventure that the characters, setting and potential of the original Merida story had from the very beginning. It obviously just needed Stiefvater in the mix.
What is Bravely about?
One Princess. Two Gods. Three Voyages. Four Seasons.
Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets— and her peaceful kingdom. But she's frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, and challenge.
But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm – and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year – or suffer the eternal consequences.
Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire change within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all – herself?
Intrigue imbedded in a captivating and thought-provoking Scottish fairytale
Bravely is intrigue embedded in a captivating and thought-provoking Scottish fairytale which nabs the reader from the start. The prologue begins with: “This is the story of two gods and a girl.” It continues in folk-tale fashion, outlining the origins of two gods – one of creation, the other of destruction – and their relationship to Merida’s home of DunBroch, and in present day, to Merida herself. The “girl” in the prologue’s introductory sentence is, of course, Merida. What happens in the subsequent pages is far less predictable and far more thrilling than I expected.
In Brave, Merida seeks to change her fate, and Bravely follows a similar trajectory. The novel is written as a sequel – sparingly referencing the events of Brave as happening in the recent past – but revisits the main theme in a more detailed, thoughtful, multifaceted, and compelling way. Change is everywhere in this story. Merida’s mission happens over the course of one year, which sees the change in seasons (the book is broken up in four parts: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall), as well as the change in villages and kingdoms that Merida visits (each one entirely different from the next).
As far as the main plot goes, the theme is amplified by more than just Merida’s personal journey: each member of Merida’s family, as well as others, must change lest DunBroch succumb to ruin. While many physical changes take place, Feradach, the god of destruction, reinforces the notion that “[c]hange isn’t about getting taller or changing the roof over your head. Change happens in your heart, in your way of thinking, of moving in the world.” The story also digs deep in exploring the difference between stagnation and tradition. Is it possible to change parts that are bad and keep the parts that aren’t? Is Merida in danger of losing special, intimate family moments by putting her family on a different path?
I enjoyed getting to know so many characters in Bravely and am smitten with Stiefvater’s parable-like storytelling. Merida’s three brothers – Harris, Hubert, and Hamish – are much more than just mischievous triplets. Each have their own story and are separated (physically, and in being described as very different individuals) in order to grow. Merida’s mother, Queen Elinor, has a gripping backstory that plays out gracefully; explaining why Elinor is the way she is. There is more to learn and love about the Disney Pixar characters from Brave, while Stiefvater’s characters take the tale to the next level.
Feradach is the most surprising, alluring, and creative character. Not only is he a god of destruction, but his appearance changes depending on who is looking at him. There are some funny moments where he appears in the same room with Merida, Elinor and Fergus – each of them seeing him differently despite standing in front of them at the same time. His character arc is also interesting and unexpected. Levity is provided by Leezie, Merida’s pseudo-sister, who is whimsical and thrives on doing “Leezie-like” things, including deciding that marriage is not for her on the actual day of her proposed marriage. Fun arises despite the book largely venturing into heavier existential themes.
In addition to change, Bravely explores inevitability, suffering, nature, duty, and the familiar theme of what one wants versus what one really needs. There are many varied side stories meaningfully integrated into Merida’s journey that make Bravely multilayered, moving and magical, transcending the express magic therein as well as this reviewer’s expectations.
While Brave was not my cup of tea, Bravely certainly is.
Bravely will be released on May 3, 2022.