Published: August 2024
Pages: 382
Summary
Dark be the water, and darker still the creatures that lurk within…
Isla Blackwood has never accepted the shackles of her family’s nobility. Instead, she sails the open waters, searching for belonging on the waves.
But when tragedy forces Isla home, she realises she can no longer escape the duty she’s been running from. Selkie raiders plague the island’s coasts, and when they strike at Blackwood Estate, Isla has no choice but to flee with her hot-headed brother and their brooding swordmaster.
To reclaim her home, Isla will have to set aside her grief and join forces with an exiled selkie searching for a lost pelt. The heirloom might be the key to stopping the raids—but only if they can steal it from the island’s most notorious selkie hunter, the Grand Admiral himself.
Caught between a promise to the brother she abandoned and a friendship with the selkie who should have been her enemy, Isla soon realises the open seas aren’t the only treacherous waters she’ll need to navigate.
As enemies close in, she must decide where her loyalties lie if she wants to save what’s left of her family—and find the belonging she’s been searching for.
My thoughts
I loved this book!
Sea of Souls is a Scottish-inspired dark fantasy filled with folklore and monsters, ancient magic and high-seas adventure.
I have a potential bias as I am Scottish and I am constantly on the look out for Scottish inspired fantasy. I’m yet to read one which does my country and culture justice, until now. Sea of Souls is a fantastic depiction of our folklore alongside the wonderful Scottish dialogue that we use.
Does that put you off? Please don’t let it and let me tell you why!
The language is woven in very considerately yet accurate. Words used in the right context mean that readers not familiar can pick up what the words mean via the context clues, as well as a quick language guide the author kindly added to the start of the book (should it be needed). Whilst I was reading this book it could have been me in Isla’s position, talking to my own siblings.
“You think I don’t remember how much of an irritating wee gobshite you were when we were bairns? If I took to heart half the insults you hurled my way, I’d have throttled you before you turned six.”
The fantastic writing doesn’t end with the dialogue, Scrimgeour has beautiful, evocative prose. This book is very well written and atmospheric. The first chapter had me reeling in the feeling of the seas, the terror that lies within, one’s life in the mercy of those beneath the water. The scene settings and the landscape descriptions are rich and wonderfully done and very accurate to our – at times – very miserable weather here in Scotland.
“My people know better than most how the tides provide for us as much as they punish us. There is a balance to the sea, one which must be kept. That is the nature of the auld ways and the promise I made you. I cannot regret keeping to it.”
Sea of Souls is filled with folklore and mythology, from shape shifting selkies to wraiths and water kelpies. The fear and strength that these creatures bring was depicted well through our main characters and I could feel their own worries and the stress it caused.
The characters are complex and compelling, each with their own motivations and flaws. Their journeys are fraught with danger and they must navigate political powers, supernatural threats, and their own inner turmoil of what is right and wrong. The world that is set up creates a dynamic war between humans and selkies, but the more we find out the more we question what really is at play and what is the right thing to do. As a reader, its expected that we also come to our own conclusions which is something I admire in books like this. I don’t want to be told what to think, I want to be shown and decide for myself and this book does that well.
“The lapping of the waves on the sand filled her ears like a promise. The sea still called her; maybe it always would. But there was no running now. No ignoring what she had to do.”
There is an interplay between these characters, their shifting alliances and betrayals, keeps the narrative dynamic and unpredictable. Isla at times ruffled my the wrong way, there were scenes I found her quite annoying, but I can also understand why she behaved in such a way.
While the plot moves at a good pace, I did find that certain plot points were only able to continue via very coincidental situations. I do prefer to read characters that make their own way and shape their own narrative, pushing forward the plot themselves than wait for situation to make itself available. It’s a minor reflection once I finished the book.
Scrimgeour explores themes of fate, free will, and the power of belief, thought not to the depth I would have liked, but this is a series and I am eager to see what awaits in book two. The blend of historical detail and fantastical elements is handled very well, creating a believable and immersive world that has been lingering with me despite finishing two books since reaching the end of the Sea of Souls.
Would I recommend?
Yes! If you’re looking for a historical fantasy, filled with Scottish folklore and rich landscapes, you should give this a try. A small romantic subplot does come into play however the bulk of this plot is two sides of a war finding common ground and the impact that has on our other characters and the wider world. It is beautifully written and very engaging, filled with mystery and magic.
Sounds really good! I like historical fantasy so that could work for me 🙂