I loved this beautifully written and moving story. A tale of family and grief set in Tasmania, Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands, it wonderfully explores the path to healing. I enjoyed the growth experienced by the main character, the 80's parties, the sheep, the myths and fairy tales, the romance, the descriptions of nature and the many strong women. It made me both tear up and laugh out loud. Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC. 5/5 stars!

i am so thankful that i got to read this book early! thank you so much to the publishers and to netgalley. what a lovely story this was!! it was fantastic and sweet and precious and lovely in every single way!!!

Rounded up from 4.5 stars. Captivating and ethereal. I loved the mystery especially for someone not familiar with the folklore. I loved the setting and the characters. I actually liked that there were so many characters in the story. It felt more authentic to life where you see the connections others have in your life and how each person has their own little family. I liked the traveling that Esther had to do to discover the truth about Aura and about herself ultimately. I felt like certain parts drug out with a lot of exposition and took more attention and thought to read through. I do think it was a little late to reveal exactly what Aura had been hiding from Esther but I liked the way the story came out in pieces through those in her life. I loved the way that quotes and stories played an essential role in the storyline.
“'I think Hilma would say apathy is the easy choice. And no one else can make the hard choice for you. Want it, want more — the abstract, the strange, the large, the small, the beautiful, the mysterious, the pain, the loss, the grief, the discovery, the freedom, the joy.
Want it, choose it - or accept confinement of your own making.’”

“Quaintrelle - 'A woman who prioritises a life full of passion, inspiration and pleasure,' Heidi said, grinning through tears.”
This book was dazzling and magical. I will definitely be recommending it to so many people in my life. I know I’ll be processing and reminiscing on this one for a while.

Beautiful imagery and writing, The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding by Holly Ringland is a story of the love between sisters and the heartbreak of loss. Esther’s sister Aura disappeared into the sea a year before and Esther pulls away from her family amidst the pain and grieving, reluctantly a year later she returns for her sisters memorial and memories and deep feeling begin rushing back. Esther decides to face her grief and embarks on a journey to discover the truth of her sister disappearance.

There is such descriptive image writing work in this novel the reader feels like they are right there, the characters were well written but I struggled to get pulled into this book. It is a long read and although the writing is done well, it was just so many more pages than I felt the story really needed.

This book has some wildly beautiful and thoughtful moments, I suspect the pacing might be an issue for some though.

The Seven Skins of Esther Wildling is at it's heart a love letter to sisterhood, a nod at the strength of women, and an exploration of generational influence. At times the book feels like a fever dream, it is melancholy and sad but always offers some hope to it's readers too. The pacing is slow and methodical. The author leaves no stone uncovered, but I can't imagine the book any other way. I think patient readers, willing to get lost in this labyrinth of as story, will not regret it.

I just finished reading 'The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding', and I'm still absorbing the lingering emotions! Holly Ringland's writing is pure magic, weaving a tale that's both heartbreaking and uplifting. Esther's journey to uncover the truth about her sister Aura's disappearance is a mesmerizing adventure that takes you from the coast of Tasmania to the Faroe Islands. The fairy tales and cryptic verses woven throughout the story add an enchanting layer of depth, exploring the complexities of sisterly love and the human experience. This book will leave you feeling all the emotions - be prepared to laugh, cry, and reflect on your own life. It's a stunning exploration of grief, joy, and transformation that will stay with you long after you finish reading. I can't recommend it enough!

Holly Ringland's 'The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding' unfolds the poignant story of Esther grappling with the tragic loss of her elder sister, Aura. The narrative explores the profound impact of Aura's mysterious departure, delving into the complexities of their once inseparable bond. Struggling to comprehend Aura's altered state upon returning from the Faroe Islands, Esther embarks on a journey to unravel the enigma behind her sister's tattoos, each marking a verse of a fantastical tale. As the novel elegantly unfolds on the picturesque Faroe Islands, Esther gradually uncovers the hidden truths about Aura's life, leading to self-discovery and family revelations. The novel beautifully navigates themes of grief, relationships, and the resilience needed to cope with tragedy. Ringland's portrayal of the enduring connection between the sisters and the exploration of personal pain and healing make this novel a truly special and thought-provoking experience

This gorgeous cover of The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding by Holly Ringland is a beautiful edition to my shelf and it’s even more stunning in the hand and reflects the connection of nature in the story.

The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding is totally absorbing with threads of magical and mythical elements, written in a beautiful and lyrical prose. The story is by no means a fast read, it’s a chunky book full of exquisite detail, mystery, fairytales and folklore.

We follow our broken protagonist Esther Wilding who is living with the loss of her beloved elder sister Aura, who it seems has disappeared last seen on the beach walking into the sea, presumed dead.

Aura has left behind a journal and Esther sets out to follow in the footsteps of Aura’s recent life overseas to seek answers for her family and closure. She travels from Tasmania to Copenhagen and then onto the Faroe Islands to follow her sisters trail before she returns home.

I love the connection to nature, culture and the travel in this book. There are themes of grief, loss of innocence, self-discovery, healing and fractured family relationships.

A beautifully and passionately written captivating, dream-like and poignant read.

The seven skins of Esther Wilding, by Holly Ringland is a book about discovery and transformation, love and loss, family and friendship, fairy tales and folklore.

I love the depth of emotion portrayed in this book. I am so glad I read it.

To be published February 6, 2024
Published by House of Anasi Press Inc.

This is a deeply emotional book about loss and love. Esther is heartbroken after losing her sister, Aura. The loss is especially painful because of the mysterious circumstances surrounding Aura’s disappearance. As Esther seeks answers, she’s guided by her sister’s cryptic writings.

The storyline holds tremendous promise. At times I felt the writing was a bit heavy and verbose which occasionally lessened the emotional impact of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

This book is about grief, a sister’s love, and finding your way in life. Esther sets out to find out the truth of her sister’s story when her sister dies by suicide. Her sister leaves behind a journal with cryptic sayings that Esther attempts to decipher and find out what happened to her sister. Esther is on a self destructive path while she is trying to find her way in life and dealing with grief. Her mission is complicated by family secrets. She travels from Tasmania to Copenhagen and finally the Faroe Islands. The descriptions of the locations was lovely and detailed.
I have a couple reasons for this book being a 3 star versus 4 star. The journal was confusing and did not hold my interest. Also, Esther becomes involved with a person pertinent to her sister’s story which I found unsettling.
This book is good for new adults who can identify with Esther’s path to find herself. It will also resonate with those who have had to deal with grief.
Thank you House of Anansi Press and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this book sounds amazing. It obviously drew me in.

However, even though the writing is lovely, it’s wordy to the point of being boring and the main character is somehow a bit flat.

A bit too flowery for me but can see the appeal to people who love a bit of a magical and ethereal air to there stories.

A it’s me not you situation unfortunately.

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for the arc my opinion is my own.

A beautiful, atmospheric read. Her lyrical writing draws you in, but the pacing of this story was a little too slow for me. I am grateful for audiobooks for sure and think I would better enjoy ingesting it that way.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the E-Arc!

very strong. NOT a fantasy, but the fairy tales are worked in well. and our main character Esther is strong. thanks for the arc.

I received this ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying I should really read descriptions more. I saw selkie and I thought for sure this was a fantasy novel.

Boy was I wrong! Even though this book isn’t what I was looking for, it ended up being very beautiful and touching. I’m not usually big into women’s fiction esque books, but I enjoyed this one.

Definitely a slow moving plot as we follow Esther’s journey. This is more of a book to read to smell the flowers rather than get to the finish line. It was a bit slow for me, but still enjoyable. This is not a one sitting kind of book. It’s absolutely more about the journey, and it is left very open ended.

The characters definitely have development throughout. I also appreciated the short viewpoints from other characters in the book. It was a really nice insight to plot points, plus it gave you a level of empathy for them you may not normally have. At the beginning of this book, all I could think of was how unfair Esther’s parents were. The further we progressed and the more we learned, the reader begins to understand so much more than what is on the surface.

The writing is almost reminiscent of a Brontë novel but more gothic and yet modern perhaps? It was a slow and descriptive read, but well thought out. It seems as though the author did a good bit of research in this one. There’s representation for the lgbt+ community and native communities, and considering where this takes place, offers a good bit of variety.

The main thing this book did for me was fuel my wanderlust. I’d never even heard of the Faroe Islands and now I’m dying to go see them. The music from the region is beautiful. I really loved how the author incorporated different cultures into this book, especially lesser known cultures. It was truly an experience to read. All in all, a good read, but more of a slow read. I think I would’ve enjoyed this more in a different mindset and time, but still wonderful. No regrets about reading it.

4 stars

This is a beautifully written and emotional story that I won’t soon forget. It’s a good exploration of love, loss, redemption, and everything in between. It is a book you want to be with for a long while, you just dont quite want it to end.

I’ve never read Ringland before but I will certainly be checking her out now.