Selkie

Drawing from Scottish folklore surrounding seal-women, Gruender (Medusa) crafts an enchanting tale about autonomy and trust. Owen comes upon selkie Quinn as she’s exploring her human form for the first time and steals her seal pelt, trapping her into a marriage. Selkies are supposed to bring luck and fortune, but Quinn rages against her entrapment, repeatedly tearing their house apart in her desperate search for her pelt. Seven years later, Quinn’s children discover the pelt while playing hide and seek and bring it to their mother, who seizes the chance to escape. Returned to the sea, Quinn finds that she’s still not safe. Her herd have abandoned her and she is hunted by Owen, who refuses to let her go. When she’s injured in her flight from him, Quinn seeks refuge on the island where she was first discovered all those years ago. A lighthouse has been built there in the interim, manned by three lighthouse keepers. Now Quinn must decide if, after all that humans have put her through, she can trust them to help her. Toggling between past and present, Gruender uses mythology to show the best and worst of humanity. The result is sure to please readers looking for folkloric retellings outside of Greek mythology. Agent: Melanie Figueroa, Root Literary. (Aug.)