HUSH by Donna Jo Napoli (YA Fic)
This book is so not Disney. Find a quiet place and travel with Melkorka, a medieval Irish princess who, while in disguise and fleeing from possible tyranny in her father’s kingdom, is captured by barbaric seafaring slave traders. Ripped from the privileged life she has only ever known, beautiful Melkorka adapts to her new circumstances by feigning muteness and keeping silent. Her silence, through which she develops an intense and focused inner life, becomes a powerful tool for survival in a world of cruelty and violence.
Over time, Melkorka takes on a new persona, a new name, and new skills, which she uses to help her fellow captives. But she retains the sensitivity, compassion, and strength of her noble birth, which serve her well in the story’s many harsh moments. In the end, the princess doesn’t marry the clichéd prince of her dreams and live happily ever after. But through the challenges she faces, Melkorka finds peace in her heart and hope for the future in a real and totally unexpected way.
Hush is a mesmerizing, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting book --- the best I’ve read in a very long time. Take the journey with Melkorka. It’s well worth the trip!
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