The Brides of Rollrock Island

The Brides of Rollrock Island  by Margo Lanagan

Misskaella Prout is ugly and outcast, unloved by her family, mocked by the women and rejected by the men of Rollrock Island. 

Though she has a magical talent to pull selkies from out of their seal-skins and into human shape, she does not stop with merely conjuring a lover for herself.  Instead, Misskaella also creates a deep and complex revenge against the island people by providing--for a price--a beautiful seal-wife for each man on the island.  Enchanted by the fey sea-wives, the men abandon their human families, mortgage their wealth, and deny that their lives are anything but wonderful.  The selkie women are helpless without their seal-skins...but when their sons steal back the coats, life on the island changes dramatically once again.

A complex and beautifully written story of hatred, love, magic, revenge, and eventually, redemption.  No cussing, minimal violence, and some on-page sexual situations between humans and selkies in (mostly) human form.  Highly recommended, ages 14 to adult.

Lies Beneath

Lies Beneath  by Anne Greenwood Brown 
Delacorte Press  2012

“ I hadn’t killed anyone all winter, and I have to say I felt pretty good about that.” 

GREAT first line!  Calder is a merman, with three mermaid sisters- all very real monsters who feed off the happiness that exudes as an aura on others.  Unfortunately, these innocent swimmers are killed in the process. 

Calder's family is out to avenge their mother who was snared in a fisherman’s net after failing to acquire the son demanded as retribution for saving the father.  Yes, confusing.   In the mer-world, a promise is all-important. 

With many twists and turns, Calder and his sisters pursue the father and the family, now grown with daughters of their own.  In the midst of revenge, Calder falls in love with Lily, the sixteen year old daughter, and the world changes.

This is not Disney’s Ariel.  These are killers, exacting revenge in a blood oath.  Somewhat reminiscent of vampires, these mer-folk pull all readers under in a trance turning to terror.  The killer (pun intended) ending leads to the sequel that we knew (hoped?) was coming-
but not until March 2013.

Kissing; some violence  13 up.