“The narrative shimmers and haunts, and will appeal to readers who don’t typically like fantasy.”
Tides
An atmospheric and haunting reimagining of selkie folklore set in modern-day New England, Tides tells a multigenerational story of romance, magic, and family on the Isles of Shoals.
When high-school senior Noah Gallagher and his adopted teenage sister, Lo, go to live with their grandmother in her ramshackle island cottage for the summer, they don’t expect much in the way of adventure. Noah has landed a marine biology internship, and Lo wants to draw and paint, perhaps even to vanquish her struggles with bulimia. But then things take a dramatic turn for them both when Noah mistakenly tries to save a mysterious girl from drowning. This dreamlike, suspenseful story—deftly told from multiple points of view—dives deeply into selkie folklore while examining the fluid nature of love and family.
Praise for Tides:
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year
Tri-State Review Committee Book of Note
Bisexual Book Awards nominee
Teen Choice Book of the Year nominee
“☆ Cornwell’s auspicious debut weaves historical fantasy together with sensual romance . . . 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.”
“[A] graceful debut novel. . . . The narrative shimmers and haunts, and will appeal to readers who don’t typically like fantasy.”
“A haunting, atmospheric, intergenerational tale of the “inbetween,” suffused with selkie lore.”
“Cornwell seamlessly weaves together three distinctive narrative voices to tell a completely original story. . . [Tides] offers a valuable message of acceptance.”
“A satisfying mix of folktale, mystery, and family drama, this eerie story will leave readers with the distinct impression that Gemm’s island home has a bottomless supply of heartbreaking tales of love and loss.”
“Subtle themes of turning weakness into strength are threaded throughout the story and ultimately create a nuanced debut novel. . . .An insightful and compelling work.”
“Longing for the beyond vies with the deep bonds of love, home, and family in Betsy Cornwell’s dreamlike and heart-wrenching novel, and her fresh, delicate lyricism conveys her characters’ struggles with compelling power. A truly beautiful debut!”
“More than enough to make anyone’s heart melt—and also break . . . a fantastic read and one I would recommend for adults and teens alike.”
“Tides is a rich, taut, suspenseful, and funny exploration of two worlds, selkie and human. It’s full of mystery but it’s also so fully imagined that a reader can jump right in. Betsy Cornwell is a terrific new talent with a boundless imagination.”
“I loved this book. It reminded me of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater: a story of mythical creatures on an isolated island, told with gorgeous prose, and a bit of romance . . . masterfully told.”