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Writer's pictureHerzie Santos

Book Review: Selkie Tales


Summary

Selkie Tales is a young adult fiction by Karen Heath. The story revolves around Annie Shaw, a high school champion swimmer who is being raised by her aunt and uncle far from the coast of Maine. Annie is oblivious to her choice of food and the fact that her hands and feet transform when she swims. When her boyfriend, Dave, points out her unusual transformation, saying that it’s the reason why he doesn’t like her to swim, Annie gets upset and drives far away from him. Unintentionally, she ends up in Shelmerton Cove where she was born, and learns about her roots. Soon, she uncovers the consequences of swimming in the ocean on a midsummer night, and takes risk in finding out whether she belongs to the land or the sea.


Review

This was a nice story! It gives that homey feeling where you just want to snuggle a pillow while reading the book because it's so light and pleasant to read. I think this would appeal more to younger readers, maybe teens and young adults, although I enjoyed it even if I'm not so young anymore. If there’s something I like the most, it’s the fact that I'm not sure about the true intentions of the Shelmerton Cove residents over Annie, especially Angus. It makes the story more mysterious.


Ironically, this story feels familiar, yet new to me. When it comes to underwater mythical creatures, I can only think of mermaids or sirens, Circe, and the Loch Ness Monster. I have never heard of selkies and Finfolk. So, though the theme and emotions evoked are very familiar to me, there's still a comparative dose of a different reading experience that makes this book refreshing.


Overall, I'm giving it 5 out of 5 stars. It was a beautifully written story about Annie’s journey in filling the whole in her existence, and embracing who she is. I recommend this book to all readers who love folklore.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N1S5Q4/ref


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