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Song of the Selkies
Undercover in a foreign land, a princess discovers the secrets behind a generations-old enmity.
The youngest princess of Atìrse, Ceana always planned to marry for the good of her people and let love come later. With her sisters' marriages ensuring peace with the nearby human kingdoms, Ceana sets her sights on their last unallied the magical and reclusive selkies. The two peoples have experienced a wary peace for generations, and the time seems ripe for a deeper alliance that will benefit both kingdoms. The last thing Ceana expects is for Fionntan, king of the selkies, to take the proposal as a grave insult.
With relations between the two peoples suddenly precarious, Ceana is determined to set things right. Aided by her grandmother, she disguises herself as a selkie and travels to their hidden home of Emain Ablach, where she hopes to discover the reason behind King Fionntan's reaction. But the more she learns about the selkies, the more she uncovers long-kept secrets of her people — and her heritage — that shake the foundations of how she viewed the world. Her growing friendships with and affection for some of the selkie nobility, including King Fionntan himself, further complicate matters, especially as her admiration for the selkie king begins to blossom into something more. No relationship built on a lie can survive, but revealing her true identity as an Atìrsen princess will doom her efforts towards peace.
In order to bridge the divide between selkies and humans, Ceana will have to overcome generations of selkies' suspicion and reveal the insidious evil that's taken root in her homeland. But the greatest obstacle to her success may be her own heart.
Discover a magical new world in this Little Mermaid retelling from the author of Through a Shattered Glass and the Bastian Dennel, PI mysteries.
The youngest princess of Atìrse, Ceana always planned to marry for the good of her people and let love come later. With her sisters' marriages ensuring peace with the nearby human kingdoms, Ceana sets her sights on their last unallied the magical and reclusive selkies. The two peoples have experienced a wary peace for generations, and the time seems ripe for a deeper alliance that will benefit both kingdoms. The last thing Ceana expects is for Fionntan, king of the selkies, to take the proposal as a grave insult.
With relations between the two peoples suddenly precarious, Ceana is determined to set things right. Aided by her grandmother, she disguises herself as a selkie and travels to their hidden home of Emain Ablach, where she hopes to discover the reason behind King Fionntan's reaction. But the more she learns about the selkies, the more she uncovers long-kept secrets of her people — and her heritage — that shake the foundations of how she viewed the world. Her growing friendships with and affection for some of the selkie nobility, including King Fionntan himself, further complicate matters, especially as her admiration for the selkie king begins to blossom into something more. No relationship built on a lie can survive, but revealing her true identity as an Atìrsen princess will doom her efforts towards peace.
In order to bridge the divide between selkies and humans, Ceana will have to overcome generations of selkies' suspicion and reveal the insidious evil that's taken root in her homeland. But the greatest obstacle to her success may be her own heart.
Discover a magical new world in this Little Mermaid retelling from the author of Through a Shattered Glass and the Bastian Dennel, PI mysteries.
477 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 19, 2023
12 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Pennington
8 books154 followersSarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. Sarah’s first published work, Blood in the Snow, received a perfect score and Special Unicorn status in Rooglewood Press’s Five Poisoned Apples contest. Her sixth book, Through a Shattered Glass, won in the Novella category of the 2023 Realm Awards. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys fiber arts, baking, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list.
Sarah can be found online at sarahpenningtonauthor.com. She also blogs at Light and Shadows (tpssaralightshadows.wordpress.com) and Dreams and Dragons (dreams-dragons.blogspot.com).
Sarah can be found online at sarahpenningtonauthor.com. She also blogs at Light and Shadows (tpssaralightshadows.wordpress.com) and Dreams and Dragons (dreams-dragons.blogspot.com).
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July 20, 2024Well now that this is realm makers BOOK OF THE YEAR
December 29, 2023
second review September 2023:
logging this months late BUT yes the selkie-ness and the little mermaid retelling elements and the interweaving of faith and the selkie-ness and a story of seeking justice for systemic wrongs that's extra satisfying for being on a scale you don't really get to see in real life AND a slowburn romance with the most practical yet relatably clueless heroine you could wish for? SO GOOD. also did i mention the selkie-ness
original review August 2023:
Sarah gave me the opportunity to beta-read this and ohhhhhhh boy y'all this made my little selkie-fixated heart SO happy you have no idea
I'll save a final star rating (and the possibility of a fuller review) for once we have a final text but the forecast is looking amazing!
logging this months late BUT yes the selkie-ness and the little mermaid retelling elements and the interweaving of faith and the selkie-ness and a story of seeking justice for systemic wrongs that's extra satisfying for being on a scale you don't really get to see in real life AND a slowburn romance with the most practical yet relatably clueless heroine you could wish for? SO GOOD. also did i mention the selkie-ness
original review August 2023:
Sarah gave me the opportunity to beta-read this and ohhhhhhh boy y'all this made my little selkie-fixated heart SO happy you have no idea
I'll save a final star rating (and the possibility of a fuller review) for once we have a final text but the forecast is looking amazing!
September 26, 2023
Read my full review on my blog: https://penspagesandpulses.wordpress....
Sarah Pennington's Song of the Selkies is an extraordinary retelling of The Little Mermaid that made me want to step right into this gorgeous world!!! If you love fairy tale retellings, stories about discovering your roots, Christian themes, and slow-burn romance, you will love this book as much as I did!!!
Ceana wants to matter. She's known she was going to marry to benefit her country her whole life, so when her father tells her he doesn't expect that of her, she feels like she's failed her family. She decides to marry to benefit for her country, and ends up nearly starting a war in the process. Determined to make things right, she decides to learn the root of the conflict between her people and the selkies. Ceana is just such a relatable protagonist. I love how the author isn't afraid to give her protagonist flaws! I admire Ceana's determination to help her country, in spite of her fears. I love her great character arc and how she realizes that she had room for improvement.
Fionntan wants to keep his kingdom safe from humans intent on taking advantage of his people's weaknesses. He also works to make his kingdom a refuge for his people and ensure everyone has what they need. I love Fionntan so much. He is so sweet!!! I love how his life emulates what he believes in and how quick he is to help those in need. He is also so protecting and thinks of his needs last. He needs a big hug!!!
The setting of this book was just GORGEOUS!!! It felt very similar to the setting in the movie of Prince Caspian right when the Pevensies return to Narnia! I just want to live there forever!!!
I loved the genealogy aspect to this story!!! I really enjoyed the scene where Ceana gets to see the selkie version of a cemetery. I love researching my ancestors, so that scene was really special to me. Plus, I love cemeteries, so I love seeing the creative idea for how the selkies honor their fallen with the cemetery/Día de los muertos style ofrendas.
This book portrayed such sweet and realistic sister relationships!!! I LOVE books about sisters!!! I could definitely relate to the trio of selkie sisters trying to play matchmakers!!!
I LOVE the little differences between how the humans and selkies speak!!! Like the you vs. thou... it was so cool!!! I didn't know this until rather recently, but thou was actually the more intimate way of saying "you." And "you" was the formal and plural form. It just added a beautiful layer of juicy goodness to the book. There were a few cases were the subject-verb agreement was a little off with the "thou" pronoun, but I'll forgive it because it was just such an INCREDIBLY way of showing the relationship development between characters!!!
I loved the faith elements in this book!!! I really enjoyed seeing how the author showed how important God was to each of the characters! At various times throughout the book, characters pray and encourage each other to pray before making big decisions. It is just so beautiful and inspiring seeing how Sarah seamlessly wove these Christian themes into her book!!!
I LOVED Song of the Selkies!!! It was such an original take on the Little Mermaid fairy tale!!!
I received an ARC of this book from the author. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.
Sarah Pennington's Song of the Selkies is an extraordinary retelling of The Little Mermaid that made me want to step right into this gorgeous world!!! If you love fairy tale retellings, stories about discovering your roots, Christian themes, and slow-burn romance, you will love this book as much as I did!!!
Ceana wants to matter. She's known she was going to marry to benefit her country her whole life, so when her father tells her he doesn't expect that of her, she feels like she's failed her family. She decides to marry to benefit for her country, and ends up nearly starting a war in the process. Determined to make things right, she decides to learn the root of the conflict between her people and the selkies. Ceana is just such a relatable protagonist. I love how the author isn't afraid to give her protagonist flaws! I admire Ceana's determination to help her country, in spite of her fears. I love her great character arc and how she realizes that she had room for improvement.
Fionntan wants to keep his kingdom safe from humans intent on taking advantage of his people's weaknesses. He also works to make his kingdom a refuge for his people and ensure everyone has what they need. I love Fionntan so much. He is so sweet!!! I love how his life emulates what he believes in and how quick he is to help those in need. He is also so protecting and thinks of his needs last. He needs a big hug!!!
The setting of this book was just GORGEOUS!!! It felt very similar to the setting in the movie of Prince Caspian right when the Pevensies return to Narnia! I just want to live there forever!!!
I loved the genealogy aspect to this story!!! I really enjoyed the scene where Ceana gets to see the selkie version of a cemetery. I love researching my ancestors, so that scene was really special to me. Plus, I love cemeteries, so I love seeing the creative idea for how the selkies honor their fallen with the cemetery/Día de los muertos style ofrendas.
This book portrayed such sweet and realistic sister relationships!!! I LOVE books about sisters!!! I could definitely relate to the trio of selkie sisters trying to play matchmakers!!!
I LOVE the little differences between how the humans and selkies speak!!! Like the you vs. thou... it was so cool!!! I didn't know this until rather recently, but thou was actually the more intimate way of saying "you." And "you" was the formal and plural form. It just added a beautiful layer of juicy goodness to the book. There were a few cases were the subject-verb agreement was a little off with the "thou" pronoun, but I'll forgive it because it was just such an INCREDIBLY way of showing the relationship development between characters!!!
I loved the faith elements in this book!!! I really enjoyed seeing how the author showed how important God was to each of the characters! At various times throughout the book, characters pray and encourage each other to pray before making big decisions. It is just so beautiful and inspiring seeing how Sarah seamlessly wove these Christian themes into her book!!!
I LOVED Song of the Selkies!!! It was such an original take on the Little Mermaid fairy tale!!!
I received an ARC of this book from the author. My opinions are my own. A positive review was not required.
October 6, 2023
Song of the Selkies is a different Little Mermaid retelling. In this book, it's not the sea creature wanting legs it's the human girl going to the sea.
This is a beautifully written tale about understanding, doing the right thing, family, friendship, the importance of honesty, and love. I loved getting to know Pennington's Selkie lore; it felt historic and researched. Like you could open an old leather-bound book and find these events recounted within.
Ceana was a great protagonist, she left her world not for some childish crush but to bring peace to two races. And I really loved the way Pennington worked in the "give up your voice" part of The Little Mermaid story.
*The author shared an early review copy with me. All opinions are my own and are honestly given.*
This is a beautifully written tale about understanding, doing the right thing, family, friendship, the importance of honesty, and love. I loved getting to know Pennington's Selkie lore; it felt historic and researched. Like you could open an old leather-bound book and find these events recounted within.
Ceana was a great protagonist, she left her world not for some childish crush but to bring peace to two races. And I really loved the way Pennington worked in the "give up your voice" part of The Little Mermaid story.
*The author shared an early review copy with me. All opinions are my own and are honestly given.*
June 5, 2024
Magnificent! I don't often find indie books of such exceptional quality; not only is this one just as good as any traditionally published novel, it's better than most. The characters are wonderfully complex, the plotlines refreshingly unexpected, the storytelling deeply evocative. And best of all? Pennington has mastered Show-Don't-Tell! I read hundreds of books each year, and finding a gem like this is not only exciting but fairly rare. I will definitely be re-reading Song of the Selkies and can hardly wait for the sequel.
April 3, 2024
3.5 stars, a lovely take on "The Little Mermaid" and selkie mythology!
October 25, 2023
I have cudgeled my brain to try to think of any selkie books that I have read prior to this, and surprisingly I could only only come up with A STRANGER CAME TO SHORE by Mollie Hunter, and ironically in that book, the selkie was the BAD guy. So this was quite a fun read!
I really enjoyed the Irish-inspired world and the selkie lore introduced. I also liked how the world felt large and lived-in. I’m sure the author can get many stories out of the world she has created and the family she’s focused on. I enjoyed Ceana’s unique personality playing against type as a heroine who is disappointed she does not get an arranged marriage to help out her kingdom, and deciding to forge one for herself which sets her off on her journey.
It also had little hints of The Little Mermaid, but…backwards? That was fun. Another thing I enjoyed was the main character’s exploration of long kept secrets and learning about a different culture. This author does something I also want to do—ask the question “what does worship look like in another culture?”
If you, like me, cannot recall ever reading a selkie story and enjoy a friends to lovers slow burn, why not pick this fun cozy fantasy up?
I really enjoyed the Irish-inspired world and the selkie lore introduced. I also liked how the world felt large and lived-in. I’m sure the author can get many stories out of the world she has created and the family she’s focused on. I enjoyed Ceana’s unique personality playing against type as a heroine who is disappointed she does not get an arranged marriage to help out her kingdom, and deciding to forge one for herself which sets her off on her journey.
It also had little hints of The Little Mermaid, but…backwards? That was fun. Another thing I enjoyed was the main character’s exploration of long kept secrets and learning about a different culture. This author does something I also want to do—ask the question “what does worship look like in another culture?”
If you, like me, cannot recall ever reading a selkie story and enjoy a friends to lovers slow burn, why not pick this fun cozy fantasy up?
September 3, 2024
This begins in an original way with a confident girl who knows what she wants - a marriage alliance! No love match for her. But no one needs her to marry anyone. From this surprising beginning develops a story that has the reconciliation of two lands at its heart, along with a fight against slavers and a satisfying romance.
This is a well written, enjoyable read as reflected by its recent win as Realm book of the year. I hope more people discover this.
I do wonder if the cover is a bit confusing for potential readers? The vibe I get is contemporary romance which is not reflective of the content.
If you like fun clean romantic fantasy stories featuring a heroine risking herself to pursue noble goals, then this is for you.
This is a well written, enjoyable read as reflected by its recent win as Realm book of the year. I hope more people discover this.
I do wonder if the cover is a bit confusing for potential readers? The vibe I get is contemporary romance which is not reflective of the content.
If you like fun clean romantic fantasy stories featuring a heroine risking herself to pursue noble goals, then this is for you.
September 20, 2023
I laughed, I cried, I grinned like a mad woman!
Song of the Selkies is a story about intrigue, adventure, righting wrongs, love, family, hope, and faith.
The world and the characters are all so beautiful, I love each and every one, but the real beauty here is the story itself. It's a story that leaves the reader with a sense that miracles can happen, and sometimes, God uses the worst situations as a catalyst for positive change.
I highly recommend it!
Song of the Selkies is a story about intrigue, adventure, righting wrongs, love, family, hope, and faith.
The world and the characters are all so beautiful, I love each and every one, but the real beauty here is the story itself. It's a story that leaves the reader with a sense that miracles can happen, and sometimes, God uses the worst situations as a catalyst for positive change.
I highly recommend it!
September 19, 2023
It started a little slow, but the author clearly knows her world; there is so much description, from what things look like to the foods they are eating. Once I cleared the first few chapters and really got into it, I had to know how it turned out. An interesting twist on the usual Little Mermaid tale!
November 17, 2023
Great faith filled twist on the Little Mermaid.
I love the twist on a familiar tale in this book. Ceana is a human princess who infiltrates a selkie community, and discovers a secret heritage along the way. I loved her journey and I loved the selkie lore. This is now one of my favorite LM retellings.
I love the twist on a familiar tale in this book. Ceana is a human princess who infiltrates a selkie community, and discovers a secret heritage along the way. I loved her journey and I loved the selkie lore. This is now one of my favorite LM retellings.
April 10, 2025
Song of the Selkies: Full Review
***SPOILERS BELOW***
A hearty ✰✰✰✰✰. Completely deserving of a Realm Awards Book of the Year.
This book was a breath of fresh air for me.
The fantasy genre suffers from the bane of love at first sight and romance that is rarely healthy and often glorifies the crossing of biblical boundaries. One of my favorite elements of this book was the way the romance was handled. Though the blurb plays up the romantic element somewhat, in reality it’s very subtle right up until the climax.
What this book is really about is one girl’s quest to restore the relationship between selkies and humankind and righting the wrongs of history. It’s about duty, leadership, friendship, the bonds of family, in short a lot of things that are decidedly not romantic.
There’s a strong faith element as well, a belief system that is pretty much Christianity by another name and it is neatly woven into the story without being preachy or obnoxious.
Content wise it’s light:
-A few kisses, all of them brief
-Some danger and action but mainly at the climax and not gory
-Some fairy/selkie magic
-Mentions of people being forced into marriages they don’t want
-A reference or two to Atirse's pagan past and the gods worshiped in that time
So let's take a closer look, shall we?
Characters
Song of the Selkies blows it away in the character department.
We have Ceana: MC, loyal to her people, and completely oblivious to the fact that Fionntan is courting her.
-Ceana’s character had so many strong points. She was a strong female character, but she wasn’t a soldier. She never once donned armor or hefted a sword, but her courage was undeniable. She left her home and family behind to make peace and she risked everything to right the wrongs of the past.
-This is more of a plot thing, but I really appreciated how pretty much everyone around Ceana saw through her peasant girl cover story, but how she was still able to escape detection. It’s not good that she lied of course, but it was so much more realistic for how she based most of her lie in truth and people didn’t blindly swallow her cover story.
-Her actions had consequences. Like it says in the blurb, no relationship built on a lie can last. But therein is Ceana’s and the story’s strength. She doesn’t run from her mistakes. At the climax, halfway to home and safety, Ceana risks it all to go back and warn the selkies that Arran is coming, in spite of the danger and her selkie cloak almost giving out. That is strength, facing the consequences. Even better yet, Ceana still faces the pain of her mistakes. Her going back doesn’t absolve her of the consequences, but her courageous action means that when the truth is laid bare, people are quicker to forgive. I especially appreciated that Fionntan didn’t forgive her because he was in love with her, he forgave her because of her courage and he understood her actions. And Ceana didn’t try to make excuses. Healthy relationships are messy, but beautiful.
Which brings me to our next character: selkie, love interest, king extraordinaire, Fionntan.
-Again lots of positives here. Fionntan, and the selkie culture in general, exemplifies servant leadership. He’s devoted to his people, he leads by example, and he’s a canny when it comes to politics. He isn’t perfect, he’s hurt by Ceana’s lies, but he forgives her. He isn’t so stuck on the past between the humans and the selkies he can’t move forward.
-He’s not overly traumatized and whiny. Fionntan has his scars, but they don’t define him.
In the realm of the supporting cast we have again some really good characters:
-Onora: sister, crown princess and spymaster. And she has a pet cat. I wholeheartedly approve. Onora’s care for Ceana is touching and I loved her conversations with Ceana and the wisdom she provided when Ceana acted like falling in love with Fionntan was a catching disease.
-The Northwaves Sisters: The way they brought out the less formal side of Fionntan was excellent and their found family dynamic with Ceana was so sweet. And the scheming. XD Oh it made me laugh.
-The grandmother (who’s name is eluding me): a font of practical wisdom. I loved that the first thing she does when Ceana comes to her with her grand idea is to ask her ‘have you prayed about this yet?’ Something we can all take to heart.
-Arran: a villain who smacks strongly of Dolores Umbridge. Is there anything that makes you grind your teeth more? I would have liked to see him fleshed out a bit more, but I’m not sure there was room in the story for it and I liked how he was subtly set up from the beginning as the bad guy.
World
The world of Song of the Selkies was so rich. Visually, Pennington’s prose was lush and round and you got such a good mental image of the world she had created. While clearly celtic inspired, I found it easy to wrap my head around the world, with the slight exception of the names, though that’s more my inability to pronounce things correctly more than anything.
The faith element of this story was something I appreciated. It wasn’t in your face or pushy but it was there and I liked how Pennington wove it into the story without being preachy. The scene when Ceana was praying at the altar was solid and I liked how she went from praying about what she wanted to asking Deonadair if her plan was his will and if not, to show her what was. Again something to remember.
I’m not familiar with the selkies as a mythical race beyond the broad specifics, but their culture was really interesting and I loved the lore about selkie cloaks and how someone didn’t have to be full selkie to transform. Also Ceana losing her voice initially was a really cool callback to the original Little Mermaid fairytale.
The walkie-talkie torc. I know it’s a magic necklace but I think walkie-talkie torc is cooler.
Tropeflipping
One of the strongest points of this book for me was how Pennington turned the arranged marriage trope on its head. We so often see girls fleeing from an arranged marriage in fantasy and seeing marriage as a cage, but Pennington instead explores this trope from a very compelling angle: what happens when you want to have an arranged marriage and it doesn’t happen? Not only does this kickstart the plot and Ceana’s character arc in a unique and compelling way, it also gives the whole story a freshness that I really appreciated. I loved seeing how Ceana wanted to get married and how she was willing to put in the work to develop a good and loving relationship, even though she never ended up in an arranged marriage.
Overall, Song of the Selkies was an excellent read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Rare is it that I find little or no content, plot, or characters to critique in a book and I relished this read. I tip my hat to you, Miss Pennington. Exceptionally well done.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
A hearty ✰✰✰✰✰. Completely deserving of a Realm Awards Book of the Year.
This book was a breath of fresh air for me.
The fantasy genre suffers from the bane of love at first sight and romance that is rarely healthy and often glorifies the crossing of biblical boundaries. One of my favorite elements of this book was the way the romance was handled. Though the blurb plays up the romantic element somewhat, in reality it’s very subtle right up until the climax.
What this book is really about is one girl’s quest to restore the relationship between selkies and humankind and righting the wrongs of history. It’s about duty, leadership, friendship, the bonds of family, in short a lot of things that are decidedly not romantic.
There’s a strong faith element as well, a belief system that is pretty much Christianity by another name and it is neatly woven into the story without being preachy or obnoxious.
Content wise it’s light:
-A few kisses, all of them brief
-Some danger and action but mainly at the climax and not gory
-Some fairy/selkie magic
-Mentions of people being forced into marriages they don’t want
-A reference or two to Atirse's pagan past and the gods worshiped in that time
So let's take a closer look, shall we?
Characters
Song of the Selkies blows it away in the character department.
We have Ceana: MC, loyal to her people, and completely oblivious to the fact that Fionntan is courting her.
-Ceana’s character had so many strong points. She was a strong female character, but she wasn’t a soldier. She never once donned armor or hefted a sword, but her courage was undeniable. She left her home and family behind to make peace and she risked everything to right the wrongs of the past.
-This is more of a plot thing, but I really appreciated how pretty much everyone around Ceana saw through her peasant girl cover story, but how she was still able to escape detection. It’s not good that she lied of course, but it was so much more realistic for how she based most of her lie in truth and people didn’t blindly swallow her cover story.
-Her actions had consequences. Like it says in the blurb, no relationship built on a lie can last. But therein is Ceana’s and the story’s strength. She doesn’t run from her mistakes. At the climax, halfway to home and safety, Ceana risks it all to go back and warn the selkies that Arran is coming, in spite of the danger and her selkie cloak almost giving out. That is strength, facing the consequences. Even better yet, Ceana still faces the pain of her mistakes. Her going back doesn’t absolve her of the consequences, but her courageous action means that when the truth is laid bare, people are quicker to forgive. I especially appreciated that Fionntan didn’t forgive her because he was in love with her, he forgave her because of her courage and he understood her actions. And Ceana didn’t try to make excuses. Healthy relationships are messy, but beautiful.
Which brings me to our next character: selkie, love interest, king extraordinaire, Fionntan.
-Again lots of positives here. Fionntan, and the selkie culture in general, exemplifies servant leadership. He’s devoted to his people, he leads by example, and he’s a canny when it comes to politics. He isn’t perfect, he’s hurt by Ceana’s lies, but he forgives her. He isn’t so stuck on the past between the humans and the selkies he can’t move forward.
-He’s not overly traumatized and whiny. Fionntan has his scars, but they don’t define him.
In the realm of the supporting cast we have again some really good characters:
-Onora: sister, crown princess and spymaster. And she has a pet cat. I wholeheartedly approve. Onora’s care for Ceana is touching and I loved her conversations with Ceana and the wisdom she provided when Ceana acted like falling in love with Fionntan was a catching disease.
-The Northwaves Sisters: The way they brought out the less formal side of Fionntan was excellent and their found family dynamic with Ceana was so sweet. And the scheming. XD Oh it made me laugh.
-The grandmother (who’s name is eluding me): a font of practical wisdom. I loved that the first thing she does when Ceana comes to her with her grand idea is to ask her ‘have you prayed about this yet?’ Something we can all take to heart.
-Arran: a villain who smacks strongly of Dolores Umbridge. Is there anything that makes you grind your teeth more? I would have liked to see him fleshed out a bit more, but I’m not sure there was room in the story for it and I liked how he was subtly set up from the beginning as the bad guy.
World
The world of Song of the Selkies was so rich. Visually, Pennington’s prose was lush and round and you got such a good mental image of the world she had created. While clearly celtic inspired, I found it easy to wrap my head around the world, with the slight exception of the names, though that’s more my inability to pronounce things correctly more than anything.
The faith element of this story was something I appreciated. It wasn’t in your face or pushy but it was there and I liked how Pennington wove it into the story without being preachy. The scene when Ceana was praying at the altar was solid and I liked how she went from praying about what she wanted to asking Deonadair if her plan was his will and if not, to show her what was. Again something to remember.
I’m not familiar with the selkies as a mythical race beyond the broad specifics, but their culture was really interesting and I loved the lore about selkie cloaks and how someone didn’t have to be full selkie to transform. Also Ceana losing her voice initially was a really cool callback to the original Little Mermaid fairytale.
The walkie-talkie torc. I know it’s a magic necklace but I think walkie-talkie torc is cooler.
Tropeflipping
One of the strongest points of this book for me was how Pennington turned the arranged marriage trope on its head. We so often see girls fleeing from an arranged marriage in fantasy and seeing marriage as a cage, but Pennington instead explores this trope from a very compelling angle: what happens when you want to have an arranged marriage and it doesn’t happen? Not only does this kickstart the plot and Ceana’s character arc in a unique and compelling way, it also gives the whole story a freshness that I really appreciated. I loved seeing how Ceana wanted to get married and how she was willing to put in the work to develop a good and loving relationship, even though she never ended up in an arranged marriage.
Overall, Song of the Selkies was an excellent read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Rare is it that I find little or no content, plot, or characters to critique in a book and I relished this read. I tip my hat to you, Miss Pennington. Exceptionally well done.
February 7, 2025
Song of the Selkies is a thoroughly delightful book with a naive but courageous heroine and a wonderful male protagonist.
Princess Ceana has always known she will marry in order to strengthen an alliance, for that has been the duty of all her sisters. However, when the king and queen give Ceana a different choice, the option to choose her own fiance, she remembers the Selkie kingdom, whose alliance with Aterese is tenuous because of past wrongs. When King Fionntan coldly rejects Ceana's proposal, the human princess resolves to discover the reason for the rift between the human and selkie kingdom in order to make things right. Yet, some are determined to continue old practices, and Ceana might discover that her desires will land her and the selkies in dire peril.
Pennington's novel is immersive, and I loved the details of the selkie kingdom. It was refreshing to find a fantasy novel where the characters understood their duties to their kingdoms and were not easily swayed by infatuations. The love story that blossoms in Song of the Selkies is genuine. I also loved the depiction of the bond between sisters, both human and selkie sisters alike. King Fionntan was my favorite character, a truly wonderful leader of his people and a kind soul. Ceana, while she is naive at times, was very endearing and courageous. It was so neat to see how Pennington inverted the usual Little Mermaid scenario by having the human come to the sea instead of the usual practice.
The author's worldbuilding is wonderful with the subtle references to Christianity without being heavy-handed. I loved the depiction of Deonadair as well as the Shepherd's Path and the Gauid Naomh. Very clever references to the Trinity without overemphasis.
A story of finding the courage to trust, and a story of reconciliation and forgiveness. Thoroughly recommended.
God bless you all.
Princess Ceana has always known she will marry in order to strengthen an alliance, for that has been the duty of all her sisters. However, when the king and queen give Ceana a different choice, the option to choose her own fiance, she remembers the Selkie kingdom, whose alliance with Aterese is tenuous because of past wrongs. When King Fionntan coldly rejects Ceana's proposal, the human princess resolves to discover the reason for the rift between the human and selkie kingdom in order to make things right. Yet, some are determined to continue old practices, and Ceana might discover that her desires will land her and the selkies in dire peril.
Pennington's novel is immersive, and I loved the details of the selkie kingdom. It was refreshing to find a fantasy novel where the characters understood their duties to their kingdoms and were not easily swayed by infatuations. The love story that blossoms in Song of the Selkies is genuine. I also loved the depiction of the bond between sisters, both human and selkie sisters alike. King Fionntan was my favorite character, a truly wonderful leader of his people and a kind soul. Ceana, while she is naive at times, was very endearing and courageous. It was so neat to see how Pennington inverted the usual Little Mermaid scenario by having the human come to the sea instead of the usual practice.
The author's worldbuilding is wonderful with the subtle references to Christianity without being heavy-handed. I loved the depiction of Deonadair as well as the Shepherd's Path and the Gauid Naomh. Very clever references to the Trinity without overemphasis.
A story of finding the courage to trust, and a story of reconciliation and forgiveness. Thoroughly recommended.
God bless you all.
February 22, 2025
The Song of the Selkies is the first book I’ve read of Sarah Pennington, and I found the story quite delightful. I would classify the story primarily as a fantasy, with the romance being a smaller focus. The plot was innovative, and I enjoyed the history of the cultures and the different fantasy realms. The faith elements were also a nice touch, lending to a wholesome and clean atmosphere.
One of my favorite elements of the story was the reconciliation of the divided peoples based on misconceptions. It was only through communication and understanding that the two groups were able to unite despite their differences. I also enjoyed the length of the story, which is fairly long for most books of this genre, though I can see it being a little much for some.
There were a few times where I thought the emotions didn’t fully match the scene, but it was fairly minor and didn’t detract from the story. I would have enjoyed seeing more romance as well. There were points where the protagonist did not recognize things that as a reader it seemed obvious, like not believing the love interest was available when the cousin was quite clear that he was, or when the protagonist is attacked for seeing something she wasn’t supposed to but then waits for days to tell anyone. Particularly the latter event left me feeling a little frustrated, and so I would drop the rating slightly to maybe a 4.5, rounding up to a 5.
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read. This is a lengthy fantasy with some hints of a clean romance. The story is wholesome, encouraging, and with enjoyable spiritual elements. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
One of my favorite elements of the story was the reconciliation of the divided peoples based on misconceptions. It was only through communication and understanding that the two groups were able to unite despite their differences. I also enjoyed the length of the story, which is fairly long for most books of this genre, though I can see it being a little much for some.
There were a few times where I thought the emotions didn’t fully match the scene, but it was fairly minor and didn’t detract from the story. I would have enjoyed seeing more romance as well. There were points where the protagonist did not recognize things that as a reader it seemed obvious, like not believing the love interest was available when the cousin was quite clear that he was, or when the protagonist is attacked for seeing something she wasn’t supposed to but then waits for days to tell anyone. Particularly the latter event left me feeling a little frustrated, and so I would drop the rating slightly to maybe a 4.5, rounding up to a 5.
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read. This is a lengthy fantasy with some hints of a clean romance. The story is wholesome, encouraging, and with enjoyable spiritual elements. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
November 13, 2025
A most excellent selkie version of The Little Mermaid! I adored Ceana as a strong female character who wasn't a girl-boss warrior but a true representation of the strength of femininity. Fionntan was a true hero and King! Such a good love interest for us to fall in love with as readers. He was very "Aragorn"-coded. We need more like him in our fantasy romances. Each side character was fleshed out and endearing. And I loved how Ceana's actions had actual consequences and weren't just hand-waved away. She still got her happily-ever-after but she had to work for it and had good character growth.
The world was lush and the author did a wonderful job of making me want to go visit this world! Please give me more books in this world, Ms. Pennington! Please! I want Onora's story! I want Uaine's story! I want Maimeó's prequel story! I want Thrice-Great Uncle Diarmad's prequel story! I want it all!
Finally, though this is small and shows off just how nerdy I am, I LOVED the fact that Pennington knew her history of the English language with her usage of "thou" as the informal version of "you." My grammarian's hat is tipped to you, madam, and I will excuse the two typos I found in your book most heartily.
The world was lush and the author did a wonderful job of making me want to go visit this world! Please give me more books in this world, Ms. Pennington! Please! I want Onora's story! I want Uaine's story! I want Maimeó's prequel story! I want Thrice-Great Uncle Diarmad's prequel story! I want it all!
Finally, though this is small and shows off just how nerdy I am, I LOVED the fact that Pennington knew her history of the English language with her usage of "thou" as the informal version of "you." My grammarian's hat is tipped to you, madam, and I will excuse the two typos I found in your book most heartily.
Read
September 6, 2025This is billed as a retelling of "The Little Mermaid," but flipped. In this case, the girl lives on land and wants to marry a marine-dwelling king. But there are no mermaids and no witch and no curse or spell. Princess Ceana has always expected that her marriage would be arranged by her parents to make some alliance with a neighboring country -- just as has been done for her 6 older sisters. So, she is thrown for a loop when her parents tell her that she is free to marry whomever she chooses. She feels cheated; that somehow her marrying for love would not be as meaningful or useful as her sisters' marriage alliances. But there is one neighbor with whom they are not on friendly terms -- the Selkies (creatures who shape-shift between seals and humans). The Selkie king is insulted when a marriage alliance is proposed. Ceana is shocked and decides to go undercover to find out why. An intriguing, well-written story. A pronunciation guide and map would have been helpful.
August 8, 2024
I enjoyed so many aspects of this fantasy novel. Ceana is born to duty. The usual trope is a heroine trying to escape the imposed demand, but Ceana embraces it. This makes her journey harder, but far more rewarding. There is much for her and other characters to learn, intrigue to unravel, foes to be overcome, prisoners to be freed, and love to be discovered. The rich world-building and selkie magic is also fun. The pacing is comfortable for most of it and quite exciting for the last twenty percent.
Overall, a most enjoyable fantasy adventure.
Overall, a most enjoyable fantasy adventure.
October 27, 2024
Sigh religious overtones
It's a shame that so many wonderful romance authors feel the need to push their faith heavily in their stories. It really does lessen my enjoyment. That caveat aside, it was a lovely story. I'm not sure it really needed almost 500 pages, but there's at least nothing that immediately leaps out as so boring it obviously should have been cut. I'm not sure where this series will go next since all the other sisters are already married (unless I accidentally fell into a non-romance?!) but I look forward to finding out!
It's a shame that so many wonderful romance authors feel the need to push their faith heavily in their stories. It really does lessen my enjoyment. That caveat aside, it was a lovely story. I'm not sure it really needed almost 500 pages, but there's at least nothing that immediately leaps out as so boring it obviously should have been cut. I'm not sure where this series will go next since all the other sisters are already married (unless I accidentally fell into a non-romance?!) but I look forward to finding out!
December 4, 2025
Engaging and enthralling
I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the world building and characters. I was so sad when the book finished because the characters felt like friends. Though the ending itself was so beautiful and satisfying. I’m excited to see there is another book in this series so I’m off to read that one now.
I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the world building and characters. I was so sad when the book finished because the characters felt like friends. Though the ending itself was so beautiful and satisfying. I’m excited to see there is another book in this series so I’m off to read that one now.
January 5, 2025
Unique inverse Little Mermaid retelling
I loved the characters and the perspective. The world was fun and the seal cloaks were intriguing. Perfect read. And can't wait for next book.
I loved the characters and the perspective. The world was fun and the seal cloaks were intriguing. Perfect read. And can't wait for next book.
January 1, 2025
A swoony story featuring selkies, Celtic vibes, and an adorably romance that unfolds slowly but surely throughout the book.
September 1, 2025
This is the best retelling of the Little Mermaid I've ever read. It so creatively adapts the tale from its original form, this time turning the tables; it is not a mermaid princess who takes human form to win her true love, but a human princess who takes selkie form to repair a diplomatic blunder.
Ceana, our heroine, has admirable gumption, a refreshing trait in an FMC of this genre. She makes plans, consults wisdom to the best of her abilities, and then gets things done. I love her relationship with her family, and her compassion for those she meets on her journey. For the youngest princess in her damily, she certainly has the makings of a queen.
Fionntan, King of the Selkies and our hero for this book, is passionate and protective for the sake of his people, loyal and sweet to his loved ones, and wonderfully tender toward those who are in need. A swoonworthy hero indeed.
The slow building of relationship between
Sarah Pennington handles Faith very well in her books. Though her work so far has been primarily fairy tsle retelkings, there is always an element of Faith parallel to Christianity which both proudly overt and tastefully done. In this book, characters openly pray in a manner that feels genuine and not performative, as many written prayers often strike me in other fictional works.
Slight spoilers ahead-----This book touches on some serious and mature themes, including racial hatred amd traffiking. Drawing from legends of the vulnerability of Selkies connected to their seal coats, Pennington paints a picture of a society with much to fear and much to grieve. Again, I thought this was well-handled.
I recommend this book for fans of fantasy, fairy tales, romance
Ceana, our heroine, has admirable gumption, a refreshing trait in an FMC of this genre. She makes plans, consults wisdom to the best of her abilities, and then gets things done. I love her relationship with her family, and her compassion for those she meets on her journey. For the youngest princess in her damily, she certainly has the makings of a queen.
Fionntan, King of the Selkies and our hero for this book, is passionate and protective for the sake of his people, loyal and sweet to his loved ones, and wonderfully tender toward those who are in need. A swoonworthy hero indeed.
The slow building of relationship between
Sarah Pennington handles Faith very well in her books. Though her work so far has been primarily fairy tsle retelkings, there is always an element of Faith parallel to Christianity which both proudly overt and tastefully done. In this book, characters openly pray in a manner that feels genuine and not performative, as many written prayers often strike me in other fictional works.
Slight spoilers ahead-----This book touches on some serious and mature themes, including racial hatred amd traffiking. Drawing from legends of the vulnerability of Selkies connected to their seal coats, Pennington paints a picture of a society with much to fear and much to grieve. Again, I thought this was well-handled.
I recommend this book for fans of fantasy, fairy tales, romance
January 1, 2025
I am not a fairy-tale person as a rule, retelling or otherwise, but this one does a very nice job. It focuses on character, not plot, and those characters are worth knowing, even when I was frustrated by how slow the main character could be. She really didn't take a hint sometimes. That aside, she was a great MC, selfless, compassionate, and brave. The list of why I really liked her could go on and on.
A pleasant read all around, I think.
A pleasant read all around, I think.
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