I received this ARC from Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Hidden by Donna Jo Napoli Published by Simon and Schuster on December 30th 2014
Pages: 384
Source: ARC from Publisher
Amazon-Indiebound
Goodreads
A young girl must learn to survive and find her family against all odds in this heartbreaking companion to Hush from award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli.
Lost at sea when her sister is taken captive on a marauding slave ship, Brigid is far removed from the only life she knew as a princess and the pampered daughter of an Irish king.
Now Brigid has few choices. Alone and abandoned, she disguises herself as a boy and vows to find her innocent sister taken into slavery. Through her search many years pass and she grows from being a child to a woman, tough Brigid does not give up. She lives from the land, meets friend and foe along the way, and gains a reputation as a woman thought to be fierce enough to conquer men. It is not fierceness that guides her but the love of isster and the longing for her family to be united. One day she finds her way, knowing that her only real power comes from within herself.
Based on the legend of the first Norse woman pirate, award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli has told a remarkable survival story spanning years and continents and one that transports and transforms readers.
My Thoughts:
This book is the companion to Hush: An Irish Princess’ Tale (a book I read and enjoyed back when it came out in 2007.) I always wondered what happened to Brigid (the younger sister of the heroine in Hush) so I was thrilled when I heard about Hidden.
These books are my cup of tea. They’re based on Norse legends and contain lots of historical detail. Hidden works in the legend of the first Norse woman pirate. How cool is that?!? It starts off when Brigid is separated from her sister after being stolen by slavers. (This is covered in the first book as well.) I loved that Brigid’s story picked up right where she left in Hush. This meant that we got to see snippets of her life from a child to a young woman. She goes through so much! It was so interesting to read!
I do have to say that these are quieter books. They don’t have the fast paced action/adventure popular today. However, if you’re interested in a story steeped in history and the harsh realities of life for young women on their own, Hush and Hidden are not to be missed.
Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook
Hush is in my TBR, but I Haven’t gotten there yet (I wish I made a dime every time I said that about a book). I’m glad that you enjoyed Hidden as much as Hush.