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. |
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Page 18
... seemed done with. But Mam did not look down at me, and her grip was tight and wrenching of my shoulder, as if I ought to be punished rather “I don't,” said Tatty. “Which stone is it, even?” than consoled. “You see .7” said Bee. Neither ...
... seemed done with. But Mam did not look down at me, and her grip was tight and wrenching of my shoulder, as if I ought to be punished rather “I don't,” said Tatty. “Which stone is it, even?” than consoled. “You see .7” said Bee. Neither ...
Page 20
... chest with its lid open against the wall. “Don't move anything,” said Gert. “It's right at the back here. Hold the clothes and blankets away so it doesn't catch on them." The back of the chest seemed to come away in ~20~
... chest with its lid open against the wall. “Don't move anything,” said Gert. “It's right at the back here. Hold the clothes and blankets away so it doesn't catch on them." The back of the chest seemed to come away in ~20~
Page 21
Margo Lanagan. The back of the chest seemed to come away in her hands. She pulled it up. Then she tipped it, and I saw the wire by which it had once hung on a wall, and the glass front reflecting the curtain edge with its bit of trapped ...
Margo Lanagan. The back of the chest seemed to come away in her hands. She pulled it up. Then she tipped it, and I saw the wire by which it had once hung on a wall, and the glass front reflecting the curtain edge with its bit of trapped ...
Page 23
... seemed to notice how high or heightened everything had gone, how the essence of things rushed and flapped in my heart. My sisters chattered among themselves as usual, cried at me to hurry along. When it came my turn to cross the ...
... seemed to notice how high or heightened everything had gone, how the essence of things rushed and flapped in my heart. My sisters chattered among themselves as usual, cried at me to hurry along. When it came my turn to cross the ...
Page 24
... seemed to my timid eyes to contain this ongoing event, though another, fresh'born, braver Misskaella be~ hind those eyes knew that cloud or clearness was nothing to the purposeful flaring. It would leap regardless, pushed on outward by ...
... seemed to my timid eyes to contain this ongoing event, though another, fresh'born, braver Misskaella be~ hind those eyes knew that cloud or clearness was nothing to the purposeful flaring. It would leap regardless, pushed on outward by ...
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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