More Selkie books please! I like Selkie lore and this one is from the author of Medusa which I really enjoyed (so good!). This wasn't as good o ONLY because it was a little rushed in the end and I didn't want it to end! From the start I if course was angry for Quinn, I saw red when she was held against her will. I understood her feelings towards those adults around her. It made me sad. Reading her journey was so so good though. This didn't end like I thought it might, I'm sad about that but also happy with how it ended for some of the characters. Not happy for others. It was a quick read. I started it yesterday. Finished it today.
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this egalley. I was not obligated to leave a review. All opinions are my own

Description
From the author of Medusa comes a beautiful and emotional story featuring a selkie: a mythological creature who can turn from a seal into a human.

Seven years ago, Quinn finally dared to transform from a seal into a human and took her first steps on land. As a selkie, she is both a daughter of land and sea. But when a human stole her pelt, he stole her freedom as well, forcing Quinn to become his wife and bear his children. As legend tells, capturing a selkie will bring you luck, and she became a coveted prize.

Constrained to a life that was no longer her own, Quinn longed for nothing more than to find her pelt and seize her freedom. Then one day, her eldest daughter hands Quinn her pelt and without a second thought, Quinn snatches it and escapes to the sea. But she's no longer used to swimming and doesn't know where her herd has gone. And after an almost disastrous encounter with her former husband, leaving her severely injured, Quinn doesn't have the strength to go searching.

Instead, she finds herself taking shelter on a nearby island with a lighthouse and three lighthouse keepers. Quinn doesn't trust humans anymore and wants to stay hidden from the keepers. But she can't survive on her own. Can she learn to trust these humans and shed her hatred of all humankind? Or will she give into her fears and accept the monstrous fate that others have bestowed upon her?

This book is a masterpiece that weaves together fantasy and raw emotion with such grace. Quinn’s journey is not just about reclaiming her freedom, but also about healing and rediscovering her strength. The way the author paints her struggles and growth, both in the realm of the sea and in her interactions with others, is deeply moving. Anyone who is a fan of emotional depth, mythic tales, and stories of personal transformation, this book will capture your heart and stay with you long after you turn the last page. It’s hauntingly beautiful, full of magic, and utterly unforgettable.

I love this space of mythological retelling that Nataly Gruender is occupying. She’s quite deft at providing a point of view that shows how female (perceived antagonists) are often victims and not aggressors as opposed to the classic portrayal of villain or temptress.

Quinn, the Selkie this book is about, has her pelt stolen by a man who forces her to become his wife and bear his children. After years of searching, it is Quinn’s children that actually find her pelt and her eldest daughter returns it to her, thus freeing Quinn and allowing her to return to the sea. Quinn’s husband tries to recapture her and wounds her which leads to Quinn’s involvement with 3 lighthouse staff members. It all works out in the end (I suppose) as Quinn is able to form her own found family.

I enjoyed this book and will probably read it again at some point, but I’m not sure that I connected with any of the characters and cannot decide if Quinn is selfless or selfish (but perhaps that is part of her dual nature).

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this advanced copy <3

This is the story of Quinn, a selkie -- mythical creatures of Celtic/Nordic origins that are able to shift from seal to human, allowing them to live both on land and in the water -- who gets trapped on land by a man (<i>typical</i>) who wants to use her for his own gain. Her forces her into marriage and motherhood and keeps her from returning to her herd.

After years of searching for the pelt that will allow her to return to the sea, she finally discovers it and takes off for the water. As she escapes, her husband chases her down and subsequently injures her, forcing her to take refuge on an island inhabited only by three lighthouse keepers. Because she is deeply distrustful of humans, Quinn is hesitant to accept their help, but due to her injury she soon realizes she has no choice and is soon taken in.

With her vengeful husband on her tail and her true identity emerging, Quinn's feelings for one of the keepers starts to bubble to the surface, and she must decide if she should stay or return to the sea.

I found this book very readable/bingeable and enjoyed learning about selkies, as I feel like so few fantasy books focus on that specific mythos. Quinn and Maisie's *friendship* was lovely to watch evolve, and seeing these men show Quinn that not all people (especially men) are bad was beautiful.

While overall I liked this book, it felt like it was lacking somehow, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe I felt a little disconnected from the characters or I didn't totally buy what the author was selling re how selkies transform/shift. Or maybe I just have a milelong TBR I'm impatient to get to?

Did I love it? No. But would I recommend it? Yes. Still fun and different from what we usually see with these kinds of stories.

Overall, I gave this book 3.5/5 stars, rounded up.