Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: paperback copy won from a giveaway
Tender Morsel absolutely crushed me! It was such a huge life lesson and it hurt… really bad! I approached Sea Hearts with extreme caution because I’m still feel the crushing pain from Tender Morsel. Thankfully, or is it rather, unfortunately, Sea Hearts was not as sharp as Tender Morsel… at least, not to me personally.
Whilst I knew this novel was an expanded work of the short story, Sea-Hearts (with the dash), I never actually read that story so this was all new to me. The story revolves around Rollrock Island and the selkies but really, whilst the selkies may be the main interest for most fantasy loves in reading this, they’re really not the main story. It is a tool employed ingeniously by the witch, and the author, in teaching Rollrock residents, and the reader, an important lesson: Don’t Mess with the Witch!! respect for all despite how different they are.
It wasn’t preachy in any way especially since there were multiple of perspectives from different times and sides. The main lesson was easily learnt but there were multiple layers of dimensions to it. I am torn between admirations for the witch’s resourcefulness and nauseated by her vengefulness. In any case, she’s taken it up on herself to teach the community a lesson which will be remembered for a long long time. This was a dark tale but well worth the read.
Tien's Blurb 