The Brides of Rollrock IslandOn remote Rollrock Island, men go to sea to make their livings—and to catch their wives. The witch Misskaella knows the way of drawing a girl from the heart of a seal, of luring the beauty out of the beast. And for a price a man may buy himself a lovely sea-wife. He may have and hold and keep her. And he will tell himself that he is her master. But from his first look into those wide, questioning, liquid eyes, he will be just as transformed as she. He will be equally ensnared. And the witch will have her true payment. Margo Lanagan weaves an extraordinary tale of desire, despair, and transformation. With devastatingly beautiful prose, she reveals characters capable of unspeakable cruelty, but also unspoken love. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 53
Page 14
... felt blowsy and floaty in it, not held to' gether properly; cold air crept in under the skirt. I clambered up between Mam and Dad, and drew some warmth off them. Nobody spoke; that was alarming. No girl whispered, so Billy had nothing ...
... felt blowsy and floaty in it, not held to' gether properly; cold air crept in under the skirt. I clambered up between Mam and Dad, and drew some warmth off them. Nobody spoke; that was alarming. No girl whispered, so Billy had nothing ...
Page 23
... felt no pain, no turmoil of my stomach, and I could get up and move about much as I always did. No one else seemed to notice how high or heightened everything had gone, how the essence of things rushed and flapped in my heart. My ...
... felt no pain, no turmoil of my stomach, and I could get up and move about much as I always did. No one else seemed to notice how high or heightened everything had gone, how the essence of things rushed and flapped in my heart. My ...
Page 25
... felt like running, leaping with the leaping stuff, calling out, encouraging it and being encouraged. So as to have told the truth to Bee, I did walk upon the mole, right out to the end and back again. My eyes lied to me: the town sat as ...
... felt like running, leaping with the leaping stuff, calling out, encouraging it and being encouraged. So as to have told the truth to Bee, I did walk upon the mole, right out to the end and back again. My eyes lied to me: the town sat as ...
Page 26
... felt the same urge now as I had then, to run from the top of the cliff and fall in among the seals below. Surely I would be buoyed up by this fountaining air, like a coracle in the top of a wave? Instead, I hurried, sister'free, alone ...
... felt the same urge now as I had then, to run from the top of the cliff and fall in among the seals below. Surely I would be buoyed up by this fountaining air, like a coracle in the top of a wave? Instead, I hurried, sister'free, alone ...
Page 28
You have reached your viewing limit for this book.
You have reached your viewing limit for this book.
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Aggie Ann Jelly arms babs Bannister beach Billy blanket boat bothy breath Cave Cove Cawdron cliff coat cold Cordlin Crescent Corner curled Dad's dark Dominic Mallett door eyes face fell felt Fisher front girl glad gone Grassy Grinny hair hand head heard held Johnny Baker Kitty knew Knocknee lads laughed lifted lips little prince looked Lorel Mam's MARGO LANAGAN married Missk Misskaella Missus Mister mole mouth Nanny Nase Naseby Neme never night path Potshead Prout pulled pushed Raditch remember rock Rollrock seals seaweed seemed shook shoulder sight skin smell smile Sophie stared stay step stood talk Tatty tell There's thing thought told took town Trudle turned voice walked wall watched wavelets waves weed Whistle Top Wholeman wife Winch wind window witch wives woman