Tides

Starred review from August 5, 2013
Cornwell's auspicious debut weaves historical fantasy together with sensual romance. Multiple points of view—both human and otherworldly—act as tributaries, pooling into a larger stream and coalescing meaningfully. High school senior Noah and his sister, Lo, are spending the summer with their grandmother Gemm in a lighthouse keeper's cottage in the Isles of Shoals, which acts as a liminal place situated between dreams and waking life ("It was like living inside a story," says Gemm of growing up there). Noah and Lo are on the cusp of adulthood, both grappling with tangible concerns; Noah, studious perhaps to a fault, buries himself in a hard-won marine biology internship, and Lo sketches to distract herself from her bulimia. When Noah has a chance encounter with a gorgeous selkie named Mara, it leads to an unexpected love, the search for her missing sister, and risks for both of their families. Cornwell's themes of body image, abuse, and the danger and pleasure found in relationships of all kinds emerge organically through the book's visceral, disturbing, and often lovely imagery. Ages 12 – up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger.

April 15, 2013
In this debut, a contemporary teen arrives at New Hampshire's Isles of Shoals for a coveted summer internship and discovers the liminal boundary between fantasy and reality. Eager to begin his dream internship at the Marine Science Research Center on Appledore Island, Noah and his sister, Lo, are staying with their grandmother, Gemm, who lives on nearby White Island. Noah and Lo quickly realize Gemm and her friend Maebh are partners, while Gemm learns Lo is bulimic. Meanwhile, Noah meets an intriguing young woman named Mara, who spends a lot of time in the ocean. Attracted to each other, Noah and Mara tentatively become friends, which proves challenging after Mara reveals she and Maebh are selkies, living most of their lives as seals but with the ability to remove their skins and appear as humans. When a young selkie vanishes, Noah suspects the Research Center's director may be involved and risks his life trying to uncover the shocking truth. In addition to her sensitive portrayal of Gemm and Maebh's lifelong relationship and Noah and Mara's emerging romance, Cornwell successfully incorporates themes of same-sex relationships, eating disorders and ruthless scientific research into her novel. A haunting, atmospheric, intergenerational tale of the "inbetween," suffused with selkie lore. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

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October 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-Contemporary issues merge with Irish lore in this richly detailed, lyrical fantasy set off the coast of New England. The narrative, which revolves around mythic creatures called selkies, starts slowly but quickly gains momentum. Eighteen-year-old Noah Gallagher spends his summer with his grandmother and his bulimic sister, Lo, while working as a biology intern for a highly respected scientist. He falls in love with Mara, whom he learns is a selkie. Mara's Elder, Maebh, enjoys a long-standing relationship with his grandmother, and as such Gemm is aware of the selkie pod's secrets long before her grandchildren. Mara's younger sister was kidnapped five years earlier. Now her younger brother has been taken, and Noah is determined to help rescue them. Character development is complex, and the story builds suspense as Noah discovers the horrifying purpose of the abductions. Atmospheric details enhance the quality of the book. Subtle themes of turning weakness into strength are threaded throughout the story and ultimately create a nuanced debut novel. The book jacket mirrors Cornwell's visual imagery. An insightful and compelling work.-Magdaline Henderson-Diman, formerly at Bass Harbor Memorial Library, Bernard, ME

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2013
Grades 7-12 A contemporary setting and selkie folklore intertwine in this graceful debut novel. Noah Gallagher accepts a summer job on the Isle of Shoals, off the coast of New Hampshire, with his idol at the Marine Science Research Center. His younger sister, Lo, comes along, mainly to escape her intense parents and to continue to fight bulimia. They stay with their grandmother, Gemm, and come to realize that her partner, Maebh, is a selkie who sheds her seal skin to become human on shore. Not long after arriving, Noah meets Mara, also a selkie and a member of Maebh's pod, and they are immediately drawn to one another. But this novel's not all about love. Someone is stealing seal skins, and when a tragedy occurs, Cornwell ramps up the suspense as Noah and Lo set off on a dangerous mission to reveal the truthand save the selkies. The selkie lore is well described and seamlessly interweaves with the other themes of the novel, including same-sex relationships and callous scientific research. The narrative shimmers and haunts, and will appeal to readers who don't typically like fantasy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
Noah and his sister, Lo, discover their grandmother's sea tales are more than fantasy in this thoughtful blend of mythology and contemporary realism. What stands out is Cornwell's ability to make Grandmother Gemm's lesbian love affair, Lo's eating disorder, Noah's fascination with marine research, and interracial adoption all jibe with Selkie mythology and how questions about complex identities can infuse--and confuse--everyone.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)