If you didn't read the blurb, in 'Hush" we follow seventeen-year-old Shae who wholeheartedly believes she's cursed after the death of her younger brother five years prior. Tragedy strikes again when her mother is found murdered with a golden dagger—a weapon used only by the Bards. She ventures out to seek the truth and after locating the Bards whereabouts, she later discovers the truth behind the murder was a lot closer to home then what she initially thought.

Overall, this was an impressive debut from a celebrity that I have seen in a long time. Their track record ahem hasn't been great *side-eyeing Evelyn Lozada and KUWTK trash crew 'works of art'* and this was surprisingly well written and more so up my alley. It almost had me shook.

The plot was satisfactory. It was predictable at times but it still kept me mildly entertained. The romance portion. Meh. It could've been better but then again my heart was set on Mads because I mean… Mads was the book boyfriend of all book boyfriends and I will fight anyone that says otherwise! He was so sweet, endearing and swoonworthy! Why oh why didn't Shea fall for him?! Why did she have to go fuck up a good thing?! I understand he doesn't have the typical leading hero looks but c'mon, Ravod was alright but he didn't stand a chance against Mads. Ugh. So disappointing. Anyway I digress…

Moving along to the MC—Shae, the lead heroine, wasn't very likable. Side characters were great but something about her just rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was her rash behavior that led to the disruption of her friendships with Mads and Fiona. It's understandable that her mother's death was absolutely gut-wrenching especially after losing her father and brother years prior but her approach, behavior and actions were abrupt and too rash for my liking. Her problem was that she never thought things through (not the brightest as you can see) and nearly put her loved ones and their families lives at risk. And in all honestly I would have probably reacted the same way her childhood friends did and distance myself from her and her mother's murder.

So to sum it all up, Dylan Farrow's 'Hush' has promise and I can't wait to follow this story with the upcoming installment. And if you still unsure if this is right for you, keep in mind that this is ideal for readers who enjoy young adult fantasy, adventure, magic, and a bit of mystery all bundled into one. So if you're a fan of all of that, jump aboard, you won't regret it.

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An interesting start that plays on familiar tropes without being too trite in the end. ( )

The Bards come to collect the tithes for Shae's village. Their poor village does the best it can but it is not enough. The Bards decide to do a Telling. Shae wants to ask the Bards for a favor, but they do not look on her with respect. After they leave, she finds her mother dead. Shae will not rest until she finds the answer. To do that she must go High House. Will she find the answers she wants? Will she get involved with the Bards at High House?

I enjoyed this story. I liked Shae's questioning of everything even as the powers that be try to gaslight her. She thinks she has no gift and that she is weak, but she is much stronger than she or any of the Bards think she is. While Shae and her villagers have been taught the Bards are worthy of respect, she discovers they are not what she has been taught. They are as flawed as the villagers. There is also evil among them. Shae is my favorite character. The other characters do not draw the same feelings from me. There are many questions I have about them.

The world building is good. The story as a whole is good but there were times in the late middle where I got confused as to what was real and what was illusion or dream. I look forward to reading the next book of the series. ( )

"Perhaps I made a mistake by trusting him, but his mistake is underestimating me."

This book can be summed up in three words: Gaslight. Gatekeep. Girlboss.

Shae is a headstrong, albeit stubborn, young woman who isn't afraid to ask questions and push the envelope when things aren't adding up. What starts out as an unfortunate tale of a poor town plagued by illness turns into a world where nothing is at it seems.

I thought the premise for this story was interesting and the magic system 'tellings' was unique.

I'm interested to see how Dylan Farrow wraps this story up next the next book. ( )

Hush is the first novel in the Hush series by Dylan Farrow.

Plot:
Shae lives at the edge of a small village with her mother. They are just about tolerated in town since Shae’s brother died of the Blot, a highly contagious illness transmitted by ink which is why reading and writing are outlawed. The only people who don’t seem to fear that Shae might still be carrying the Blot are her best friend Fiona and Mads, the neighbor boy who may be more. But not even with them Shae has shared the fact that something is wrong with her, that her dreams and her embroidery are bleeding into reality. When the Bards come to town, Shae hopes to receive their blessing and healing, just like the entire town. While the town receives rain from them, Shae isn’t so lucky. And after they are gone, Shae’s mother is murdered, leaving her without hope and with very few options. So she risks it all and travels to the High House, where the Bards live, hoping to get help from them.

Hush is a pretty good read, albeit not deviating far from young adult fantasy standards. As it is being touted as a feminist book, I was expecting a little more from it in that regard, but I did like reading it overall.

Read more on my blog: https://kalafudra.com/2021/07/14/hush-dylan-farrow/ ( )