Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale...Review

About the book:
Melkorka is a princess, the first daughter of a magnificent kingdom in medieval Ireland -- but all of this is lost the day she is kidnapped and taken aboard a marauding slave ship. Thrown into a world that she has never known, alongside people that her former country's laws regarded as less than human, Melkorka is forced to learn quickly how to survive. Taking a vow of silence, however, she finds herself an object of fascination to her captors and masters, and soon realizes that any power, no matter how little, can make a difference.

Based on an ancient Icelandic saga, award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli has crafted a heartbreaking story of a young girl who must learn to forget all that she knows and carve out a place for herself in a new world -- all without speaking a word.


It's a compelling novel, but certainly not a happy one. Around the year 900, a young Irish princess is kidnapped by Vikings and ends up in Iceland as a slave. She's strong-willed and refuses to speak. Historically, it's a fascinating description of the time and people and the conflict between the Vikings and everyone else. The idea that this people just came in and took whomever they wanted--men, women, and especially children--and sold them as slaves is barbaric.

Not a happy, nor even pleasant novel to read, it is fascinating. While I didn't love it, I can't not recommend it either.

Thanks to my local library for having a copy I could borrow.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 2/08

* * *
3/5 Stars

Comments

  1. i've never heard of this book before. i've added it to my to-read list - probably not one i'll get to soon, but someday ...

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