Best Novel Award THE CITY AND THE CITY by China Miéville. No wonder Sea Hearts was winner of a bunch of major awards including the Aurealis Best Fantasy Novel of the year and best YA novel (2012), West Australian Premiers Award (2013), CBCA book for older readers (2103) and Indies awards best Children’s and YA novel (2013). Best Novella Award Sea-hearts by Margo Lanagan. With themes that parallel contemporary issues in today’s world, Sea Hearts is an enthralling read that echoes in the mind long after the book is finished. I needed to know where Sea Hearts would end. There were times when the darkness in Sea Hearts was hard to bear but I couldn’t put the book down. But what secrets lie behind this apparent utopia? What is the cost of forcing creatures of the sea to live on land? Margo Lanagan weaves an extraordinary tale of desire and revenge. Bought on the strength of a Canberra Times review, this collection of tales about the sea wives of Rollrock Island was completely mesmerising Based on the legends of Selkies, women who emerge from seals bodies, marry. Reviewed in the United States on 21 April 2012.

A new nirvana is created in which sea women are the only females living in the fishing village of Rollrock, their children, only boys. On remote Rollrock Island, the sea-witch Misskaella discovers she can draw a girl from. 4.0 out of 5 stars Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan. A mesmerising selkie novel from multi-award winning, internationally acclaimed Australian author, Margo Lanagan - one of the most exciting voices in speculative. In Sea Hearts, the legend of seals who shed their skin and walk on land is brought to life through the longing of simple fishermen and Misskaella’s ability. We also get to go beneath the ocean and live as a seal for a while. In Sea Hearts, we feel what it is like to be outcast, but also to have special powers. Margo Lanagan’s way with words takes you into a world that wouldn’t seem possible without her at your side.