Elowen lives with her family in a small fishing village called Bodruth. She loves her life on the island with her
younger siblings and friends – especially Heath, a young man the others tease her about. Heath dreams of travelling the world, but Elowen loves the island and her family too much to even think of it.
It’s not all wonderful though. Her father is a cold, brute of a man with no kind words for any of his children and is quick to raise a fist. Only Elowen is brave enough to stand up to his callousness, protecting her mother and siblings.
It all changes one terrifying, fiery, night when a ship arrives in their cove. A pirate ship. Elowen is one of many villagers captured and thrown in the filthy hold of the ship for a long journey. Elowen’s beautiful singing voice during weeks in the hot, dark, and disgusting hold is the only comfort to other captives and a reminder of their past lives.
Their destination is a far off foreign land where they are to be sold as slaves. Chained at a slave market, she uses her voice again to comfort the starved, beaten, and miserable souls around her, not knowing it will determine her future.
Bought with several gold coins and led away still in chains, she is taken to her new owner – The King of Rabakesh. She is renamed and is to be his “Nightingale”, singing when required. She rebels and learns the King’s rules the hard way.
Elowen’s courageous and stubborn spirit and a promise made to her brother is the only thing that keeps her alive. That same spirit brings her suspicion and jealousy from women in the king’s palace, but also friendship, love and understanding from others.
Despite living in a stunning desert palace, with exotic food and drinks at her fingertips, exquisite clothing and also having a place of privacy she never had at home in Bodruth, all Elowen desires is to go home.
From the first page to the last, I was swept up in Elowen’s plight. To begin, her love of her family and small fishing village where she grew up is obvious, making her shocking capture and sale as a slave in a distant land all the more compelling.
With just the right amount of description throughout Elowen’s new life in a palace, I felt surrounded by the opulence of golden domes, luscious colours of fabrics and furnishings, and exotic tastes of new fruits and juices.
I could almost feel the warm desert breeze and my bare feet on the polished tiles and wood as Elowen explores the richness around her. The more she experiences this new life, kindnesses shown to her, and meeting the king himself, the more she is torn between two places to be. Home. Family. A promise made. Or comfort, friendship, love and a new purpose.
An enthralling tale by a master storyteller. The Author’s Note explaining where the story originated is fascinating.
Quick Review
A young woman (17) is snatched from her beloved small fishing village and sold as a slave to a King in a distant land of desert, strange customs, language and rules. Her beautiful singing voice saves her from normal slave’s drudgery and work as she is to be the King’s Nightingale.
Her strong spirit and a promise made drive her determination to escape. Despite the luxury surrounding her and the special treatment she receives, all she wants is to go home to her village. Only the King can grant her freedom, but he loves her voice too much. She must find another way.
Author – Sherryl Jordan
Age – 13+
Teacher’s Notes here
(Courage, Historical, Family, Grief, Desert, Battle, Power, King, Slavery, Slave market, Guilt, Pirates, Ottoman Empire, Determination, Camels, Luxury, Voice, Sing, Song, Language, Customs, Rules, Love)