What Is Hidden

by Lauren Skidmore

[sstaley]

I love the feeling of becoming lost in a new world. What is Hidden will pull you in from the first chapter. This wonderful world of Venesia, is similar to Venice, Italy. The author sketches with beautiful descriptions the city, the palace full of nobles and royalty, glamorous dresses worn at the balls, and the very fashionable masks. The masks are symbols of class and status in this land. Tragedy befalls main character Evie at the beginning taking away her father and their livelihood of mask making. This heroine doesn't stop to cower and feel sorry for herself. She picks up the pieces of her life and sets out to enact revenge on the man known as, The Chameleon, who destroyed her home, killed her father and marked her.

My favorite parts of this novel are when Evie is with her best friend Aiden. He is a kind and chivalrous noble who has befriended Evie. Aiden is full of mystery, but I figured out early on his true identity. This didn't take away at all from the story. It just made me cheer him on and his plans for Evie. The witty and humorous dialogue between them adds spice and vitality to the novel.

Though the cover says this is a "Cinderella Tale", I wouldn't classify it as a re-telling of the old fairytale. This story is so unique, that the faint parallels are only there in the background. Readers will be caught up in the storyline of Evie, Aiden and the Chameleon. I was also fascinated as Evie demonstrated her artisan skills of mask-making. Speaking of masks, the front cover of the elegant woman in a green mask, is just breathtaking! That alone will make you want to pick up this novel.

This novel is clean, and a refreshing twist on a fairytale world of Princes, Castles and balls. The mystery may be solved easily by some, but the pull of Evie and Aiden working together and their changing feelings, will keep you reading quickly. I was so happy to find out that there is another book in this series to be coming soon. I recommend this 5-star book to teens and adults.