The Brides of Rollrock Island

by Margo Lanagan

[nannah]

I have to go back and check if this book really was classified as YA, because it really reads more like an adult fairy tale.

At first glance, The Brides of Rollrock Island is about a sea-witch, Misskaella, who enacts her revenge on the residents of Rollrock Island because of the bullying she endured while growing up. She conjures up sea-wives (selkies) to enchant the men, driving every woman off the island--and earning a mighty sum in the process.

But again, that's just at first glance. The book goes into different character's PoVs, all telling the same story through different perspectives. With each new perspective, protagonists become villains, villains to characters you root for, and you see the fairytale more richly and clearly. It's hauntingly beautiful and expertly written.

The prose is so gorgeous and flowing you just keep reading on and on. It sucks you in, even if it's not a very action-packed novel. It's definitely not for everyone, but it's a transporting, powerful book, and one that'll probably stick with me for a while.