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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
this is an engaging and well written young adult read. the only downside was the lack of a happy/complete ending. this book leaves you wanting more.
An intersting read. It took me awhile to get into the book, but it grew on me. A read that you can read quickly and be entertained with.
Hush was a little tough to get into, and even tougher to put down. A moving and unusual story. Napoli put her spin on another fairy tale/legend, although this had a definite element of historical fiction in it as well. Melkorka became much more likable as the story continued, and the unanswered questions reminded me that it isn't always necessary to have a Disney ending to have a satisfying ending.
Everyone seems to be hating on this book, but I totally liked it. Yeah, it's not for those who need a perfect happily ever after. It's 900's era Northern Europe- she gets kidnapped by Russian slave traders and sold to Vikings. But it's not particularly violent, and while the sexual debauchery is addressed, it's not exactly detailed. It's actually really moving. The whole book is. It's an emotional look into what it might have FELT like to be a slave/concubine, the hopelessness but the wanting to have something to live for...
I thought it ended well, but it gave me book hangover! I want to know more. I want to know the immediate parts of the story after the ending, and long term: how does she tell Hoskuld? Does she even tell him, or just wait for him to figure it out on his own? How does he feel? What does Hoskuld's wife think about Mel? What sort of living arrangement do they make? What's Iceland like? Does Mel like it? Is she happy? Does she start talking again immediately, or does she wait? Does she like being a mother? Does motherhood give her the hope and peace she thought it would bring her? Would Hoskuld ever marry Mel if the opportunity arose? Would Mel marry him? Could they ever be happy together, or would she always resent him? What does he think when he finds out about her heritage? Does he do anything about it? Does he free her at least? I mean, it's the least he could do. But then he couldn't guarantee she'd stay with him, so he probably wouldn't... Jerk.
I thought it ended well, but it gave me book hangover! I want to know more. I want to know the immediate parts of the story after the ending, and long term: how does she tell Hoskuld? Does she even tell him, or just wait for him to figure it out on his own? How does he feel? What does Hoskuld's wife think about Mel? What sort of living arrangement do they make? What's Iceland like? Does Mel like it? Is she happy? Does she start talking again immediately, or does she wait? Does she like being a mother? Does motherhood give her the hope and peace she thought it would bring her? Would Hoskuld ever marry Mel if the opportunity arose? Would Mel marry him? Could they ever be happy together, or would she always resent him? What does he think when he finds out about her heritage? Does he do anything about it? Does he free her at least? I mean, it's the least he could do. But then he couldn't guarantee she'd stay with him, so he probably wouldn't... Jerk.
Melkorka is the eldest princess of the tiny fiefdom of Dunnpatrick in the land of Eire. When her elder brother is wounded and Mel's father seeks revenge, Mel and her sister are forced to steal away in the night to safety. Before the two girls can reach a neighboring home however, they are kidnapped by slavers and taken far from Eire.
I kept waiting for something big to happen in this story but overall nothing really does. Melkorka has to be the most passive heroine I have ever read. She maintains her silence because the slaver who stole her thinks she's an enchantress and her silence reinforces that illusion. She remains quiet out of habit. She never tried to escape after the first time. She helps her fellow slaves but beyond that remains passive in all ways. Even when she is sold to a new master and taken even farther away. Overall, while the historical details are intriguing and the very, very faint interplay of Celtic mythology caught my interest this feels like a story about nothing at all. There is little character growth and that's a huge disappointment.
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Mel's attitude in the end is also frustrating for me because she's happy to have a baby. Even though that baby will be a slave. Even though that baby can be taken from her at any time. She just passively goes along with everything, even this where her child is concerned.
The book's description made it seem like there was some element of magic in the story and there isn't. The faint hint of Celtic mythology never plays out - Nuada losing his hand is clearly a nod to the Tuatha De Daanan and their king Nuada who met a similar fate and thus could not be king. The silver smith excited me because I thought for sure that silver would come into play and we'd see Nuada's silver hand. Nope. Bridgit's mythological roots also fall short of their potential. I feel as though this story promised me one thing and failed to deliver anything at all.
Napoli is an excellent story teller and I've loved other books by her. She has a way with description and prose that is so lyrical it's a kind of magic in itself. Given that, Hush was a huge disappointment for me.
I kept waiting for something big to happen in this story but overall nothing really does. Melkorka has to be the most passive heroine I have ever read. She maintains her silence because the slaver who stole her thinks she's an enchantress and her silence reinforces that illusion. She remains quiet out of habit. She never tried to escape after the first time. She helps her fellow slaves but beyond that remains passive in all ways. Even when she is sold to a new master and taken even farther away. Overall, while the historical details are intriguing and the very, very faint interplay of Celtic mythology caught my interest this feels like a story about nothing at all. There is little character growth and that's a huge disappointment.
SPOILERS BELOW
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Mel's attitude in the end is also frustrating for me because she's happy to have a baby. Even though that baby will be a slave. Even though that baby can be taken from her at any time. She just passively goes along with everything, even this where her child is concerned.
The book's description made it seem like there was some element of magic in the story and there isn't. The faint hint of Celtic mythology never plays out - Nuada losing his hand is clearly a nod to the Tuatha De Daanan and their king Nuada who met a similar fate and thus could not be king. The silver smith excited me because I thought for sure that silver would come into play and we'd see Nuada's silver hand. Nope. Bridgit's mythological roots also fall short of their potential. I feel as though this story promised me one thing and failed to deliver anything at all.
Napoli is an excellent story teller and I've loved other books by her. She has a way with description and prose that is so lyrical it's a kind of magic in itself. Given that, Hush was a huge disappointment for me.
I actually really liked this book. It was well written and though I didn't like the main character, and perhaps even the story, at first I did come to like it more as I got further in.Her character growth was well done. The reason it isn't four stars though is not that there was no happily ever after, but there were many questions that I would have liked answers to. It could have been an afterword or epilogue just to say what really happened. Since there were a couple of loose threads I didn't feel fully satisfied as a reader should be at the end of a book. All the historical facts were quite interesting to me since I've been reading up on Irish history lately. I do enjoy Napoli's work for a quick read and I haven't read any for a while.
I read the follow-up book (Hidden) before I read this one, so there wasn't a lot of suspense, but it was still totally engrossing. The amount of research & detail is amazing. The story is beautiful and brutal at the same time, as I guess you'd expect from something inspired by an Icelandic saga.
A great example of how sometimes people should just shut up.
H was pretty captivated by this story, and giving us lots of updates as he progressed. I had never known about a Russian slave trade existing, and would like to learn more.