Hush by Donna Jo Napoli
Hush is based off an Irish legend of a princess that was captured and made a slave and who through her silence won back much of her freedom.
Melkorka starts out as a beautiful, headstrong Irish princess that still has a lot of growing up to do. For her birthday she begs her father to take them to see the Viking town of Dublin. Her entire family pays bitterly when her brother loses a hand and her family goes to "war" over the dishonor. Melkorka and her little sister Bridgid are sent away somewhere safe only to become captured and made slaves. For the rest of the book Melkorka doesn't say a word. She takes the motto of her mother to heart, "Hush."
Bridgid eventually escapes the slave ship but we never know what has become of her. Melkorka travels through much of the world to see Russian cities, Arabic cities, Norse cities etc. Through it all she is silent which cloaks her in an air of mystery. Her captor is reluctant to give her up because she is so beautiful and because he thinks she is an enchantress of some kind. Mel is able to win some much needed food and clothing for her fellow captives through his fear and admiration of her. She does eventually get sold to a Norseman that impregnates her.
Boiled down like this it doesn't sound like a terribly good story but it actually is. Donna Jo Napoli has a way of taking the facts and weaving a life into and around them. By the end you feel much in tune with Mel and the choices she has made. It's an interesting story that does end reasonably well. It is a story that can teach girls and young women to be strong despite adverse conditions.
Hush is based off an Irish legend of a princess that was captured and made a slave and who through her silence won back much of her freedom.
Melkorka starts out as a beautiful, headstrong Irish princess that still has a lot of growing up to do. For her birthday she begs her father to take them to see the Viking town of Dublin. Her entire family pays bitterly when her brother loses a hand and her family goes to "war" over the dishonor. Melkorka and her little sister Bridgid are sent away somewhere safe only to become captured and made slaves. For the rest of the book Melkorka doesn't say a word. She takes the motto of her mother to heart, "Hush."
Bridgid eventually escapes the slave ship but we never know what has become of her. Melkorka travels through much of the world to see Russian cities, Arabic cities, Norse cities etc. Through it all she is silent which cloaks her in an air of mystery. Her captor is reluctant to give her up because she is so beautiful and because he thinks she is an enchantress of some kind. Mel is able to win some much needed food and clothing for her fellow captives through his fear and admiration of her. She does eventually get sold to a Norseman that impregnates her.
Boiled down like this it doesn't sound like a terribly good story but it actually is. Donna Jo Napoli has a way of taking the facts and weaving a life into and around them. By the end you feel much in tune with Mel and the choices she has made. It's an interesting story that does end reasonably well. It is a story that can teach girls and young women to be strong despite adverse conditions.
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