The Sealwoman's Gift
the Zoe Ball book club novel of 17th century Iceland
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4.5 • 76 Ratings
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
'REMARKABLE' Sarah Perry | 'EXTRAORDINARILY IMMERSIVE' Guardian | 'EPIC' Zoe Ball Book Club | 'A REALLY, REALLY GOOD READ' BBC R2 Book Club' | 'LYRICAL' Stylist | 'POETIC' Daily Mail
1627. In a notorious historical event, pirates raided the coast of Iceland and abducted 400 people into slavery in Algiers. Among them a pastor, his wife, and their children.
In her acclaimed debut novel Sally Magnusson imagines what history does not record: the experience of Asta, the pastor's wife, as she faces her losses with the one thing left to her - the stories from home - and forges an ambiguous bond with the man who bought her. Uplifting, moving, and sharply witty, The Sealwoman's Gift speaks across centuries and oceans about loss, love, resilience and redemption.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWN | THE BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD | THE MCKITTERICK PRIZE | THE PAUL TORDAY MEMORIAL PRIZE | THE WAVERTON GOOD READ AWARD | A ZOE BALL ITV BOOK CLUB PICK
'Sally Magnusson has taken an amazing true event and created a brilliant first novel. It's an epic journey in every sense: although it's historical, it's incredibly relevant to our world today. We had to pick it' Zoe Ball Book Club
'Richly imagined and energetically told' Sunday Times
'The best sort of historical novel' Scotsman
'Compelling ' Good Housekeeping
'An accomplished and intelligent novel' Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, author of Why Did You Lie?
'Vivid and compelling' Adam Nichols, co-translator of The Travels of Reverend Ólafur Egilsson
Customer Reviews
Story telling at its best
A story, a rip roaring yarn, history, pirates, romance, tragedy. A story which has flavours of Robert Louis Stevenson. Not one of those books you read and forget because it is based in human tragedy and is bought provoking and emotive.
Fascinating story
I was held captivated by this book to the last page. The characters were fascinating and lived with you A brilliant read and one I would highly recommend.