Margo Lanagan has created a darkly enchanting world on Rollrock Island. A young girl, not pretty and unloved, discovers she can bring a girl out of a seal.
My full review is here at Thirteen O'Clock: http://www.thirteenoclock.
Http://librarianosnark.blogspot.
Gorgeous concept, sometimes delivered with shatteringly beautiful prose, but the internal narration of the islanders themselves leaves much of the geography and sense of place lacking, and makes for a trawling read wherein we must work to collect information. Names pop up, then disappear, then reappear again in familiar terms, without the familiarity.
Tender Morsels is a punch in the gut. Sea Hearts is ice water dripping down the back of your neck.
First line: "The old witch is there," said Raditch, peering over the top of Six-Mile Beach.
Sea Hearts appeared during week 4 of Sync, "SYNC is a program that gives away two complete audiobook downloads -- a current Young Adult title paired thematically with a Classic or Required Summer Reading title -- each week to listeners ages 13+ while SYNC is in session each summer" (audiobooksync.
Absorbing book about the vengeful activities of a witch living in a community which had been cruel to her as a child.
Growing up she had been teased and tormented, then later acknowledged as being of use to the towns menfolk.
Margo Lanagan is an author I've been meaning to read for ages. I'm so glad I started with Sea Hearts, it was just beautiful.
When she was little she knew she was different, she just didn't understand how she was different. There were those in town who would whisper as she passed, others with courage would openly scorn her but most would simply turn away as though she were never there.
I loved Lanagan's tone and style in this. Almost a lilting sea shanty.
Not my type of book. Struggled to finish it.
Spellbinding tale of witches and men calling forth their desires into human form. Beautiful and pliable, the sea maids are trapped in the bodies men desire and prevented from choosing their own destiny.
