Mirella

In the cheerful town of Hamelin, life flows peacefully: the city is steeped in sins, the rich fill their chests with gold, while the poor live on the edge of hunger. The red-haired orphan Mirella grew up in an orphanage and works as a water bearer in the city. Hard labor and hardship have tempered Mirella’s will—she knows her worth and can stand up for herself. A kind and compassionate girl helps even those who stand lower on the social ladder—children and lepers who have accepted their lot and submitted to those above and stronger than them. But Mirella doesn’t want to bow her head and obey others. And when hordes of rats come into the city, followed by the plague in the form of a stranger dressed in black, Mirella discovers an unusual gift and learns the secret of her origin. The French writer Flor Wesco writes historical-fiction novels for children and teens with a good dose of irony and humor. The well-known legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin in her works takes on a new meaning. This is Flor Wesco’s first translation into Russian. “Vendredi” Prize (2019), “Sorcières” Prize (2020), “Imaginales” Prize (2020). The book is narrated by the actress and theater director Polina Ayrapetova from “Petr Fomenko’s Workshop.”