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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Melkorka is a princess, the first daughter of a magnificent kingdom in mediæval 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.
This book was a Christmas gift to myself and I have never been so disappointed in a book before. I honestly wanted to like this story because just the idea is inspiring! This girl, Melkorka, is a princess. She's typical. Spoiled. And very bratty I must say. In the beginning, I really was thinking to myself that if I met this girl, she would have a handprint across we cheek.
She really didn't consider other people's feelings and I think that the author was noticing that the brat times was off the charts and she would have Melkorka think to herself hmm, I care about my people and I would do anything for them. But would she? Really?
I was thinking that maybe she would be this really shallow on the outside but later on we would learn that she really is caring.
It was too bad that I didn't stick around long enough. I gave up on this book about half way through. It just wasn't for me. Maybe it is for other people but for me this book only gets 1/5
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.
This book was a Christmas gift to myself and I have never been so disappointed in a book before. I honestly wanted to like this story because just the idea is inspiring! This girl, Melkorka, is a princess. She's typical. Spoiled. And very bratty I must say. In the beginning, I really was thinking to myself that if I met this girl, she would have a handprint across we cheek.
She really didn't consider other people's feelings and I think that the author was noticing that the brat times was off the charts and she would have Melkorka think to herself hmm, I care about my people and I would do anything for them. But would she? Really?
I was thinking that maybe she would be this really shallow on the outside but later on we would learn that she really is caring.
It was too bad that I didn't stick around long enough. I gave up on this book about half way through. It just wasn't for me. Maybe it is for other people but for me this book only gets 1/5
It was an interesting book, but I was very disappointed in the ending. And in my opinion the ending is a very important part of the book. The book was very sad and I kept reading, waiting for that happy ending, the one where she finally escapes. But it never came. There were too many questions left unanswered. We never know what happened to her sister, or the rest of her family for that matter. After all that hardship and sadness, her escape would have made the book alot better. Instead she seemed to accept her fate as a slave forever.
Very good read! I love the facts about the world at that time. Mel's journey is one of hardship and pain and yet she stands tall and strong. Her hope shines the brightest even to the end. I love the ending but it's too much of a cliff hanger. I want to know how Mel handles the news to Hoskuld. If he really has a wife. If she comes to love her new homeland. The life of her new bundle of joy. I want to know more about her. What else happens?
This is a moving description of kidnapping and assault, and of a person finding whatever power they can in a situation that has rendered them powerless. The main character is powerfully wrought and I was impressed with the descriptions of her and the other slaves with whom she is captured.
As with Napoli's other books, I had some problems with her descriptions of place: the past feels too generic and not specifically detailed enough. As an Irish person, some of the descriptions of Ireland grated on me, especially her descriptions of fauna that don't actual live in Ireland: the stork is an important symbol in this story, but as storks do not nest in Ireland I would have preferred her to chose another bird.
These are small problems, though, when compared with how well Napoli creates her characters, and how believably she renders the atmosphere of kidnap and fear. Melkorka chooses to remain silent, and in that way maintains some power over her own being: I loved how this was written and I believed it utterly. Very powerful work.
As with Napoli's other books, I had some problems with her descriptions of place: the past feels too generic and not specifically detailed enough. As an Irish person, some of the descriptions of Ireland grated on me, especially her descriptions of fauna that don't actual live in Ireland: the stork is an important symbol in this story, but as storks do not nest in Ireland I would have preferred her to chose another bird.
These are small problems, though, when compared with how well Napoli creates her characters, and how believably she renders the atmosphere of kidnap and fear. Melkorka chooses to remain silent, and in that way maintains some power over her own being: I loved how this was written and I believed it utterly. Very powerful work.
I adored this book.
It was a brilliant story based on an old Icelandic Saga.
I felt like you really got to know the main character and went through everything that happens to her, with her. An amazing story that I would definitely read again
It was a brilliant story based on an old Icelandic Saga.
I felt like you really got to know the main character and went through everything that happens to her, with her. An amazing story that I would definitely read again
This book haunts me. Its dark and unsettling at points, but a very good read.
...This book is probably one of best YA books I ever read.
I read this book around the age of 12 or 13, I can't really recall. All I know is that it truly spoke to me. I didn't like the main character in the beginning, but watching her endure made me grow to admire her, if not love her. The whole story was horrifying to me: Mel's kidnapping, enslavement, and the fact that she cannot escape. But Mel's story is one of endurance and silent rebellion. Yes, she is a young, pampered princess- but she is a young woman who is faced with awful circumstances. Her story still haunts me to this day and I was so happy to find a copy of it in my alma mater's library. Not all historical fiction is corset ripping, jazz babying fun, and Donna Jo Napoli's Hush is stellar YA up against those much more popular novels.
I read this book around the age of 12 or 13, I can't really recall. All I know is that it truly spoke to me. I didn't like the main character in the beginning, but watching her endure made me grow to admire her, if not love her. The whole story was horrifying to me: Mel's kidnapping, enslavement, and the fact that she cannot escape. But Mel's story is one of endurance and silent rebellion. Yes, she is a young, pampered princess- but she is a young woman who is faced with awful circumstances. Her story still haunts me to this day and I was so happy to find a copy of it in my alma mater's library. Not all historical fiction is corset ripping, jazz babying fun, and Donna Jo Napoli's Hush is stellar YA up against those much more popular novels.
This book was really interesting. I wasn't sure what to expect from it but I did like it.
I'm sorry that it ended on such a sour note, but it's based on an Irish fable so that is how it was. I'm still unsure what prompted her to take the vow of silence but it did make her more interesting.
I'm sorry that it ended on such a sour note, but it's based on an Irish fable so that is how it was. I'm still unsure what prompted her to take the vow of silence but it did make her more interesting.
I like that this is based on an Icelandic story, and the idea of fleshing out folklore is always intriguing. But I can't help but wonder... what was the point of this story? We float from event to event, seeing Melkorka go from a haughty and entitled princess who sneers at slaves, to being enslaved herself and travelling from place to place... but does she really learn or grow? We meet secondary characters who seem destined to play a substantial role in her life... only to vanish and not be seen again. And don't get me started on the unsatisfying ending. I feel very deprived of a climax.
Made me want to return to Sevenwaters though!
Made me want to return to Sevenwaters though!