Hush

An Irish Princess’ Tale
by Donna Jo Napoli

Melkorka is a princess, she is used to people treating her with respect. She’s entitled to it. Her life is good until, when visiting Dublin for a special treat, misfortune befalls her family. An incident that brings her father to the brink of war with the Norsemen results in the princess’ need to hide. With her sister, Brigid, Mel flees to a neighboring kingdom, but they way is far and peasant-boy disguises don’t protect them from the wickedest of thieves, the ones who trade in humans. Mel and Brigid get a new perspective on life as slaves, and “a slave life counts for nothing unless the slave finds a trick.” Mel’s trick will be to hush. Read this Irish princess’ tale and find out how silence can be power.

I felt sort of in the middle about Hush. The writing was well done, and the characters were interesting, but the story wasn’t very exciting. Things take place, but Mel mostly went along with what happened to her, and though that is part of her power, it doesn’t make for a particularly adventuresome tale. It’s not your classic princess story (it is more about pain and hope than love or romance), and because of that and the writing I did enjoy it, but it wasn’t a new favorite.

Read and reviewed for my Royalty Rules Reading Challenge.