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A review by nicktomjoe
The Selkie's Mate by Nicola Davies
5.0
The core Selkie story retold here loses none of its traditional roots. Nicola Davies uses language so well, bold in stretching her reader’s’ vocabulary- corncrake; cowries; sacrament; furtive - vivid in phrases such as “immersed in their mother’s silvery happiness.” It reads like a rich folk tale.
But it isn’t quite what earlier storytellers might have made: this is a retelling where the crofter husband is deceitful but maybe not as abusive as traditional telling; there is a sense of loss and reconciliation in the ending that points to modern models of separation.
A subtle reworking of one of my favourite folk tales, beautifully done - and credit has to go to newcomer Claire Jenkins, whose artwork reinforces the Western Isles of Scotland, and brings the landscape to life.
But it isn’t quite what earlier storytellers might have made: this is a retelling where the crofter husband is deceitful but maybe not as abusive as traditional telling; there is a sense of loss and reconciliation in the ending that points to modern models of separation.
A subtle reworking of one of my favourite folk tales, beautifully done - and credit has to go to newcomer Claire Jenkins, whose artwork reinforces the Western Isles of Scotland, and brings the landscape to life.