A darkly decadent gem about a girl learning how to mend a shattered reality.
Selkie. The name alone sparks enough fear to cause anyone to want to flee from the coast. Yet, these terrifying shapeshifters aren’t what caused Isla Blackwood to trade a comfortable life in Silveckan for the open ocean some seven years earlier. For Isla, the stifling obligation of Blackwood Estate is more frightening than any vengeful sea creature could ever be. Hoping to discover all the hidden parts of herself, Isla joins a crew on a grand ship of the Vesnian Tidesguard. Plying and protecting the waters of the Adrenian Sea is a rewarding challenge that begins to fill the emptiness gnawing at her soul. Still, when she receives a beckoning letter from her ailing mother, Isla immediately charts a course for the home and family she left behind. Before she can unriddle her changed circumstances, Blackwood Estate collapses into a nightmare. The family home is decimated and desecrated by selkies and other creatures that are even more treacherous. Isla is forced to flee with her brother and a loyal family guard, Darce. He is skilled in battle and a man of his word, but Darce also knows how to keep a secret. And his secret isn’t the only one out there. Left with years of regret and white-hot anger, Isla finds herself aligned with the enemy in a war against entrenchment, entitlement, and expectations.
Poised and accessible, Sea of Souls is an alluring tale of adventure, mythology, and discovery. Deliberately placed Scottish terms and exciting pieces of folklore orient this timeless novel in a space all its own. An immersive fantasy with strong worldbuilding, Scrimgeour’s refined prose is what truly sets this novel apart. “The waves leapt angrily, throwing themselves into the hull as if the ship had somehow scorned them.” Here, a simple description of the intensity of the sea is vivid enough to place readers on the top deck alongside Isla. Drama and action run on equal footing throughout Isla’s journey, ensnaring readers from her first moment of solemn introspection and keeping them engaged through every twist and turn. While romance features lightly in this female-driven story, powerful friendships and shifting family dynamics serve as the bedrock. You’ll never enjoy an innocent shoreline without considering the monsters that might be lurking beneath or near the waters after reading Sea of Souls, a darkly decadent gem about a girl learning how to mend a shattered reality.
