Selkie - by Nataly Gruender (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Seven years ago, Quinn finally dared to transform from a seal into a human and took her first steps on land. As a selkie, she is both a daughter of land and sea. But when a human stole her pelt, he stole her freedom as well, forcing Quinn to become his wife and bear his children. As legend tells, capturing a selkie will bring you luck, and she became a coveted prize. Constrained to a life that was no longer her own, Quinn longed for nothing more than to find her pelt and seize her freedom. Then one day, her eldest daughter hands Quinn her pelt and without a second thought, Quinn snatches it and escapes to the sea. But she's no longer used to swimming and doesn't know where her herd has gone. And after an almost disastrous encounter with her former husband, leaving her severely injured, Quinn doesn't even have the strength to go searching. Instead, she finds herself taking shelter on a nearby island with a lighthouse and three lighthouse keepers. Quinn doesn't trust humans anymore and wants to stay hidden from the keepers. But she can't survive on her own either. Can she learn to trust these humans and shed her hatred of all humankind? Or will she give into her fears and accept the monstrous fate that others have bestowed upon her?"--

Book Synopsis

From the author of Medusa comes a beautiful and emotional story featuring a selkie: a mythological creature who can turn from a seal into a human.

Seven years ago, Quinn finally dared to transform from a seal into a human and took her first steps on land. As a selkie, she is both a daughter of land and sea. But when a human stole her pelt, he stole her freedom as well, forcing Quinn to become his wife and bear his children. As legend tells, capturing a selkie will bring you luck, and she became a coveted prize.

Constrained to a life that was no longer her own, Quinn longed for nothing more than to find her pelt and seize her freedom. Then one day, her eldest daughter hands Quinn her pelt and without a second thought, Quinn snatches it and escapes to the sea. But she's no longer used to swimming and doesn't know where her herd has gone. And after an almost disastrous encounter with her former husband, leaving her severely injured, Quinn doesn't have the strength to go searching.

Instead, she finds herself taking shelter on a nearby island with a lighthouse and three lighthouse keepers. Quinn doesn't trust humans anymore and wants to stay hidden from the keepers. But she can't survive on her own. Can she learn to trust these humans and shed her hatred of all humankind? Or will she give into her fears and accept the monstrous fate that others have bestowed upon her?

Review Quotes

"Nataly Gruender's upcoming novel is churning and hypnotic. As a disclaimer, I feel as though I've been waiting for this book since I was five years old and first encountered the legend of the Selkie from my parents' VHS tape of "The Secret of Rona Inish". The Selkie is one of the most allegorically complex and tragic expressions of womanhood, of nature, of the sea, of the beauty of wildness and what transpires when humanity attempts to forcibly domesticate it--that I can think of, and Gruender does this myth absolute justice. The supernatural hybrid is often a vehicle for that which cannot be so neatly and coherently labeled, and so fresh, queer fiction on the topic was long overdue! The delicate mixture of animal and human perspective throughout the tale, without the subjugation of either, is a stylistic triumph. Gruender crafts a masterful story which reckons with forgiveness in the midst of violation, and of the power of found family and forging community in unexpected places."--Elish Quin, author of Medea

"An enchanting tale about autonomy and trust. Toggling between past and present, Gruender uses mythology to show the best and worst of humanity. The result is sure to please readers looking for folkloric retellings outside of Greek mythology."--Publishers Weekly

"Luxurious and moving, Gruender artfully weaves together timelines and mythologies to build an unexpected love story about the beauty of finding a home and a family, when it feels like all is lost."--Lauren Kate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fallen series

"I absolutely loved it. Selkie is incredibly tender and heartfelt. Such a beautiful story, I could not put it down."--Hannah Lynn, author of Daughters of Olympus

"With Selkie, Nataly Gruender invites her readers on a deep dive into the mystical world of magic and maybe. Quinn's story is a charming tale of identity, second chances, and found family."--Lauren J.A. Bear, author of Mother of Rome

"Medusa by Nataly Gruender is an imaginative and thought-provoking retelling of the myth of Medusa. Gruender is not afraid to tackle the more challenging aspects of Greek mythology, resulting in a novel that is completely relevant to modern readers."--Laura Shepperson, author of Phaedra

"Medusa by Nataly Gruender is a deeply poetic retelling that brings you so close to the character of legend you feel yourself intwined with her. I felt her pain, I railed against the injustices committed against her, and I wept in pride when she turned a power that she feared into something she could claim for her own. It was beautiful and thought provoking. Gruender's lyrical and metaphoric lines made the seamless connection between a woman of legend to a woman of now. I'll be thinking about the evocative words for a long time after reading."--Hannah Nicole Maehrer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Assistant to the Villain

"Selkie is a tale told with compassion, but with ferocity under the surface. Nataly Gruender pulls us out to sea on an unforgettable journey that leaves us asking what it means to be home, and what it means to be free."--Kate Heartfield, author of The Valkyrie

"Gruender's ingenious debut brings new life to the story of Medusa. Gruender brings a truly new spin to Medusa's story, casting her as a tragic but resilient character who seeks to live on her own terms. This holds its own."--Publishers Weekly

"In MEDUSA, Nataly Gruender offers an evocative and sympathetic voice to one of history's most maligned and misunderstood mythic figures, the feared Gorgon, Medusa. Often dismissed as a vindictive and vengeful monster, in Gruender's hands, Medusa's story is fully told, one of a beautiful mortal woman that became a monstrous immortal legend; born of and victimized by gods, stigmatized by mortals and destined to fulfill a prophecy that is both her curse and her gift; a power that will sustain her rise in the wake of those who seek her fall. With profound dignity, grace and wit, Gruender's MEDUSA is a delightful addition to the pantheon mythic Greek retellings."--Aimee Gibbs, author of The Carnivale of Curiosities

"Nataly Gruender's subject in Medusa is not just the gorgon herself, but the social milieu of the gods, the relationship between mortal and immortal, and that eternal hobgoblin of the Greeks: fate. You might think you already know Medusa's story, and how it ends, but en route to its destination, Medusa tackles timely subject matter: sisterhood, men in positions of power abusing their privilege, and what it means to be beautiful or ugly in the gaze of others. Gruender accomplishes all of this with gripping sentences that will stop you in your tracks, or turn you to stone."--Phong Nguyen, author of Bronze Drum

"This vivid debut flips the script by transforming Medusa's curse into a source of power so she can meet fate on her own terms. A perfect read for mythology fans."--A.D. Rhine, author of Horses of Fire and Daughters of Bronze

Praise for Medusa-

About the Author

Nataly was born and raised in Arizona and found an escape from the desert heat through her library card. She studied English, Creative Writing, and Classics at the University of Arizona and is a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course. Giving in to the siren call of New York, Nataly booked it across the country, and when she's not working or writing she likes to pet other people's dogs and spend too much time in used bookstores. She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.