A vivid story of a fight for survival in darkest medieval Dublin As the spectre of the Black Death hovers over Dublin in the fourteenth century, Kai is plucked from the filthy streets to sing in the great Christ Church choir. But Kai has a secret that must be kept hidden - even from new friends Tom and Jack. When Jack is cruelly taken by the plague, Kai turns to the mysterious voices in the church for comfort. But Kai is not alone in the cathedral; enemies are lying in wait - hoping to destroy the singer in the most terrible way imaginable ... Kai will need great strength, talent and help from unexpected quarters just to survive.

 

 

This book has been graded for interest at 10 years.

There are 208 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2012 by O'Brien Press Ltd .

Eithne Massey has written many books for both adults and children, mainly based on the legends of Ireland. Her adaptation of the award-winning movie The Secret of Kells is set in the time of the early Viking raids; The Silver Stag of Bunratty and Where the Stones Sing are set in Norman Ireland and Blood Brother, Swan Sister at the time of the Battle of Clontarf. All blend together historical detail with myths, legends and folklore, resulting in stories which will appeal to "young readers who enjoy an adventure with well-rounded characters and a touch of magic and history" (www. childrensbooksireland. ie).