Hush by Donna Jo Napoli

May 5th, 2008 at 8:39am |

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Audience: Middle school (some mature content)

Rating: B-

Synopsis:

This novel tells the story of an Irish princess who is captured by slave traders and taken from her homeland. Melkorka decides to stop speaking, and her silence becomes a key part of her safety as she is sold and taken further and further from her homeland.

Chatter:

(Spoiler Alerts! ) One thing Napoli does well is research. It was apparent that she had spent a good deal of time doing thorough research about life in Melkorka’s time. The other positive I found in this book is that Mel and Maeve are both strong female characters who support and protect those around them without resorting to violence.

This story made a lot more sense after I read the author’s note at the end. Not that I recommend reading it before hand, that would spoil the plot. This just wasn’t the story I expected to read. I kept waiting for the plot to circle back around to Melkorka’s parents and brother, but we never returned to Eire. It seemed like there was too much time spent setting up the princess’s life in Eire, because none of that was resolved. In the same way, Mel learns first hand why slavery is wrong, but is never given the opportunity to take this knowledge back to her father/king and have Eire’s law changed.

I had major problems with the ending of this book. It seems totally unfinished… after following Melkorka on a journey for 300 pages, the book ends just when she arrives. After reading the author’s note, I think that maybe Napoli felt constrained by the original story –but I thought the most interesting part could have been that parts that are from the original tale…

Didn’t anyone else want to know what Hoskuld’s reaction will be when he overhears ‘Beauty’ speaking for the first time? I also wanted to know about Brigid and the family back in Eire. Presumably we’re supposed to infer that Brigid died and her spirit is in the bird – but I wanted more details. Don’t you?