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The Seawomen
Esta has known nothing but Eden's Isle her whole life. Raised by her grandmother, after a fire claimed her parents and scarred her face, she's instructed to piety, to deference, and acquiescence by a religious society that will not suffer anything else. Cut off from the moral iniquity of the mainland, the island believes it can stay free of the Seawomen - creatures from the water that came upon land to corrupt God's creation and Man. The inhabitants fear the water and believe the only way to remain virtuous is to never enter it, and for the women to conceive within 12 months of their appointed motheryear.
If they do not conceive, they're cast back into the ocean as a sacrifice in an act called the Untethering.
Esta witnesses such an act as a child. Her childhood growing up on the island is fraught with tension as she comes to the terms with the prohibitive malaise of the culture she finds herself in. Before long, she gets a taste of freedom and the potential of the world that is much larger than Eden's Isle. But she is bound, like many women before her, when she is married off and her motheryear is finally declared. Will she conceive a child in her loveless arranged marriage, or suffer the same fate of many women before her, and be Untethered?
The Seawomen is a debut novel crackling with imagination and love. It's about the choices we make and challenging the myths and ties that bind us.
If they do not conceive, they're cast back into the ocean as a sacrifice in an act called the Untethering.
Esta witnesses such an act as a child. Her childhood growing up on the island is fraught with tension as she comes to the terms with the prohibitive malaise of the culture she finds herself in. Before long, she gets a taste of freedom and the potential of the world that is much larger than Eden's Isle. But she is bound, like many women before her, when she is married off and her motheryear is finally declared. Will she conceive a child in her loveless arranged marriage, or suffer the same fate of many women before her, and be Untethered?
The Seawomen is a debut novel crackling with imagination and love. It's about the choices we make and challenging the myths and ties that bind us.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2022
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1884 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
July 15, 2022
In a Nutshell: An outstanding, if slow-paced, atmospheric dystopian fiction that depicts what control a misogynistic cult has over its island. Feminist, raw, provocative, brilliant for a debut work!
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
😍 The characters, whether good or evil, are sketched so well. Be it Father Jessop - the wolf in sheep’s clothing, Sarl - the grandma who has a dark secret, Esta – struggling between mind and heart, or the various other secondary characters, most come clearly-defined. The sole exception would be the “Eldermothers” – I feel they were in the backdrop but never get a full-fledged role to play.
😍 Quite a lot of the book feels so real. There are many religious cults that brainwash their followers using distorted belief systems. This story nails this attitude perfectly. There are also some fictitious verses written in biblical format, with ominous names like “Beginnings” or “Flesh”, giving you enough of a clue about what the next section will contain.
😍 The writing is just as atmospheric as the story deserves. It gave me the creeps!
😍 If I have to sum up the book in one word, it won’t be “religion” or “dystopia” but “corruption.” Every person, every idea, every thought in the book has various levels of corruption. The Biblical adage of “Let who is without sin cast the first stone” has been corrupted into “Let’s commit the sin but cast stones on others.” This leads to a dark read with hardly a few moments of respite from the gloom. I loved the match of the writing with the dismal levels of humanity present in the story.
😍 Though the story is slow-paced in the initial quarter or so, the content kept me hooked. The pace increases steadily throughout the book and the final section is just captivating!
😍 Luckily for me, despite that alluring cover, I didn’t go into this book expecting fantasy. While there are some fantastical elements, the prime feel of the book is dystopian, and it does perfect justice to this genre.
😍 The ending. Just perfect. It reveals enough to know how things will go ahead without going overboard into explanations and neatly tied arcs. It is the ending that ensured the story stayed in mind long after the last page.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😔 While I don’t mind foreshadowing in novels, I felt that the few instances of foreshadowing in this book spoiled my fun rather than intrigue me further. They felt almost like spoilers, which I hate with a vehemence.
😔 Esta’s voice needed more variation. While the book has her narration at various ages, she sounded the same to me throughout. There are clues to let us know whether she was 6 or 16, but as it’s a first person narration and not in flashback except for a couple of scenes, the voice should have matched the age.
😔 I think the cover creates very different expectations about the content of the book. I don’t want to go into spoilers but let’s just say it advertises something that isn’t the prime focus of the book.
All in all, despite the somewhat slow start, I relished this read. It held my attention from start to end, though there were many scenes that left me feeling claustrophobic. Much recommended, though it makes for very uncomfortable reading at times if you are a woman. I am definitely going to keep my eye out for future works by this young author.
4.5 stars. (I am going a little higher as this is an outstanding attempt for a debut and it captivated my attention all the way. For an established writer, I might have gone with 4.25 stars.)
Dear Chloe Timms, can we have a sequel please so that you-know-who gets their just desserts?
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Seawomen”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Esta stays with her grandmother Sarl on the ironically named Eden’s Isle, an island that is cut off from all other places by choice. “Lording” over this island is the fanatical Father Jessop along with his ministers. They use a contorted version of the Bible and preach values especially to the women inhabitants. Prime in their sermons is the warning to stay away from the sea and its monstrous residents, the seawomen, who can pollute the female residents and use them to create havoc on the island by corrupting men. Married women are expected to conceive within twelve months of their “motherhood year” and if they fail to do so, they are sacrificed to the sea in a brutal act called the Untethering. Esta witnesses one such untethering as a child and her zealot grandma doesn’t miss any opportunity to remind her why she needs to follow the “Great Book.’ But when Esta gets the taste of freedom during one of her childhood adventures, she isn’t able to let go the lure of the sea. What lies in store for a rebellious girl on an island where the women aren’t free in any sense of the word?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Esta.
Where the book worked for me:
😍 The characters, whether good or evil, are sketched so well. Be it Father Jessop - the wolf in sheep’s clothing, Sarl - the grandma who has a dark secret, Esta – struggling between mind and heart, or the various other secondary characters, most come clearly-defined. The sole exception would be the “Eldermothers” – I feel they were in the backdrop but never get a full-fledged role to play.
😍 Quite a lot of the book feels so real. There are many religious cults that brainwash their followers using distorted belief systems. This story nails this attitude perfectly. There are also some fictitious verses written in biblical format, with ominous names like “Beginnings” or “Flesh”, giving you enough of a clue about what the next section will contain.
😍 The writing is just as atmospheric as the story deserves. It gave me the creeps!
😍 If I have to sum up the book in one word, it won’t be “religion” or “dystopia” but “corruption.” Every person, every idea, every thought in the book has various levels of corruption. The Biblical adage of “Let who is without sin cast the first stone” has been corrupted into “Let’s commit the sin but cast stones on others.” This leads to a dark read with hardly a few moments of respite from the gloom. I loved the match of the writing with the dismal levels of humanity present in the story.
😍 Though the story is slow-paced in the initial quarter or so, the content kept me hooked. The pace increases steadily throughout the book and the final section is just captivating!
😍 Luckily for me, despite that alluring cover, I didn’t go into this book expecting fantasy. While there are some fantastical elements, the prime feel of the book is dystopian, and it does perfect justice to this genre.
😍 The ending. Just perfect. It reveals enough to know how things will go ahead without going overboard into explanations and neatly tied arcs. It is the ending that ensured the story stayed in mind long after the last page.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
😔 While I don’t mind foreshadowing in novels, I felt that the few instances of foreshadowing in this book spoiled my fun rather than intrigue me further. They felt almost like spoilers, which I hate with a vehemence.
😔 Esta’s voice needed more variation. While the book has her narration at various ages, she sounded the same to me throughout. There are clues to let us know whether she was 6 or 16, but as it’s a first person narration and not in flashback except for a couple of scenes, the voice should have matched the age.
😔 I think the cover creates very different expectations about the content of the book. I don’t want to go into spoilers but let’s just say it advertises something that isn’t the prime focus of the book.
All in all, despite the somewhat slow start, I relished this read. It held my attention from start to end, though there were many scenes that left me feeling claustrophobic. Much recommended, though it makes for very uncomfortable reading at times if you are a woman. I am definitely going to keep my eye out for future works by this young author.
4.5 stars. (I am going a little higher as this is an outstanding attempt for a debut and it captivated my attention all the way. For an established writer, I might have gone with 4.25 stars.)
Dear Chloe Timms, can we have a sequel please so that you-know-who gets their just desserts?
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Seawomen”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
February 2, 2022
What a brilliant debut novel! Chloe Timms' The Seawomen is intelligent, beautifully crafted, and hard to put down.
The story is set in a dystopian fictional island named Eden island, inhabited by a religious cult population. The common people are completely cut-off from everywhere else, following a twisted version of the Bible preached by generationally fanatic priests. They are kept in check with the fear of 'The Seawomen', creatures that can morally corrupt the women and call upon the wrath of God. The women's sole purpose is to bear children and look after the household. But, that's not all. Every woman is given a period of 12 months to conceive, failing to do so results in being drowned in the ocean. Not only that, the people here believe that every misfortune, from storm to sickness, is caused by some women coming under the influence of the Seawomen, and she is accordingly hunted and punished. In this place grows up the protagonist Esta. Orphaned as a child, she is brought up by her grandmother, one of the staunchest believers on the island. She slowly learns to question, yearn for freedom, uncovers the systemic corruption and tries to fight back. It is the story of her self-discovery.
The Seawomen reminded me a lot about The Handmaid's Tale, and I say it as a compliment. Things in this book are inspired by real-world events, be it corrupted religious leaders, witch-hunts, or the lack of autonomy for women. That makes it eerily relevant. Esta's journey from someone taught to believe without questions to seeking the truth is beautifully done, with its dilemma and guilt and the realizations of hope and dreams. The ending is perfect with the pitch of the story. I sincerely hope this book and Ms. Timms get the attention they deserve.
Highly recommended! 4.5 stars rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
The story is set in a dystopian fictional island named Eden island, inhabited by a religious cult population. The common people are completely cut-off from everywhere else, following a twisted version of the Bible preached by generationally fanatic priests. They are kept in check with the fear of 'The Seawomen', creatures that can morally corrupt the women and call upon the wrath of God. The women's sole purpose is to bear children and look after the household. But, that's not all. Every woman is given a period of 12 months to conceive, failing to do so results in being drowned in the ocean. Not only that, the people here believe that every misfortune, from storm to sickness, is caused by some women coming under the influence of the Seawomen, and she is accordingly hunted and punished. In this place grows up the protagonist Esta. Orphaned as a child, she is brought up by her grandmother, one of the staunchest believers on the island. She slowly learns to question, yearn for freedom, uncovers the systemic corruption and tries to fight back. It is the story of her self-discovery.
The Seawomen reminded me a lot about The Handmaid's Tale, and I say it as a compliment. Things in this book are inspired by real-world events, be it corrupted religious leaders, witch-hunts, or the lack of autonomy for women. That makes it eerily relevant. Esta's journey from someone taught to believe without questions to seeking the truth is beautifully done, with its dilemma and guilt and the realizations of hope and dreams. The ending is perfect with the pitch of the story. I sincerely hope this book and Ms. Timms get the attention they deserve.
Highly recommended! 4.5 stars rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
June 19, 2022
Publication Date: 14th June 2022
3.8 stars
One Liner: The pacing is off but worth reading
Eden’s Isle has been Esta’s home forever. Being raised by her overly strict and God-fearing grandmother suffocated and scared Esta. She lost her parents and got scarred (on the face) in the same fire accident when Esta was three.
She grew up fearing the seawomen and yearning to enter the water. Living on a small island with rules established for women to be virtuous and pious affected Esta in many ways. She witnesses the Untethering (women who cannot conceive are dropped back into the sea as a sacrifice).
Years pass, and Esta is married to a man decided by the Elders. Her motheryear has been decided by the Eldermothers. Can Esta conceive before the time is up, or will she be sacrificed to the sea? Is there any hope for the women on the tiny island who have to act according to the rules of the Elders?
The story comes from Esta in the first-person POV.
My Observations:
The setting of the cult island is as dark and depressing as the theme. Get into the book with the right expectations to feel the oppressive mood of the island.
The shift/ progress in Esta’s thoughts from her childhood to pre-teens to teenage is done well. However, she sounds the same at all ages. And she continues to sound more like a guest than a resident. Not to mention, she’s also more self-aware than other characters in the book.
The characterization of Sarl (Esta’s grandmother) and Father Jossops was spot on. Their presence was a constant thing in the book. Sometimes, I felt these two outshone Esta in characterization.
The tone is almost distanced and gets a little monotonous in the middle. It’s more like Esta is explaining things to the reader. The slow pacing doesn’t help either. Things start to happen after 75%.
There’s a bit of fantasy (if you can call it that) but nothing spectacular. This works for the story as it keeps things rooted in reality.
The theme isn’t that unique per se (witch trials, abuse by church heads, oppression of women, etc.). However, that doesn’t take anything away from the book. I won’t compare it with The Handmaid’s Tale because I haven’t read it yet (don’t judge me).
This book belongs to Esta. It doesn’t belong to the island or anyone else. The setting has been created for her, which means the closure comes only for Esta. There is no blanket ending.
The writing has a very YA feel to it until towards the end. This should work for older teens who don’t mind reading depressing and dark subjects.
Since this is a dystopian setting, suspension of belief is necessary. Some things seem farfetched, but the story demands them to be that way. Take it in stride.
The ending is the highlight of the book. I would’ve loved an epilogue, though. The Untethering chapter acts as a prologue, so it’s only fair to have an epilogue.
My major grouse with the book is the lack of mermaids. The entire plot is hinged on the seawomen, and we hardly get to see one. The tiny instances don’t count. I think I wanted more from the book, which left me a little dissatisfied.
To sum up, The Seawomen is a slow-paced dystopian drama with powerful evil characters. Looking forward to more releases by the author.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheSeawomen
3.8 stars
One Liner: The pacing is off but worth reading
Eden’s Isle has been Esta’s home forever. Being raised by her overly strict and God-fearing grandmother suffocated and scared Esta. She lost her parents and got scarred (on the face) in the same fire accident when Esta was three.
She grew up fearing the seawomen and yearning to enter the water. Living on a small island with rules established for women to be virtuous and pious affected Esta in many ways. She witnesses the Untethering (women who cannot conceive are dropped back into the sea as a sacrifice).
Years pass, and Esta is married to a man decided by the Elders. Her motheryear has been decided by the Eldermothers. Can Esta conceive before the time is up, or will she be sacrificed to the sea? Is there any hope for the women on the tiny island who have to act according to the rules of the Elders?
The story comes from Esta in the first-person POV.
My Observations:
The setting of the cult island is as dark and depressing as the theme. Get into the book with the right expectations to feel the oppressive mood of the island.
The shift/ progress in Esta’s thoughts from her childhood to pre-teens to teenage is done well. However, she sounds the same at all ages. And she continues to sound more like a guest than a resident. Not to mention, she’s also more self-aware than other characters in the book.
The characterization of Sarl (Esta’s grandmother) and Father Jossops was spot on. Their presence was a constant thing in the book. Sometimes, I felt these two outshone Esta in characterization.
The tone is almost distanced and gets a little monotonous in the middle. It’s more like Esta is explaining things to the reader. The slow pacing doesn’t help either. Things start to happen after 75%.
There’s a bit of fantasy (if you can call it that) but nothing spectacular. This works for the story as it keeps things rooted in reality.
The theme isn’t that unique per se (witch trials, abuse by church heads, oppression of women, etc.). However, that doesn’t take anything away from the book. I won’t compare it with The Handmaid’s Tale because I haven’t read it yet (don’t judge me).
This book belongs to Esta. It doesn’t belong to the island or anyone else. The setting has been created for her, which means the closure comes only for Esta. There is no blanket ending.
The writing has a very YA feel to it until towards the end. This should work for older teens who don’t mind reading depressing and dark subjects.
Since this is a dystopian setting, suspension of belief is necessary. Some things seem farfetched, but the story demands them to be that way. Take it in stride.
The ending is the highlight of the book. I would’ve loved an epilogue, though. The Untethering chapter acts as a prologue, so it’s only fair to have an epilogue.
My major grouse with the book is the lack of mermaids. The entire plot is hinged on the seawomen, and we hardly get to see one. The tiny instances don’t count. I think I wanted more from the book, which left me a little dissatisfied.
To sum up, The Seawomen is a slow-paced dystopian drama with powerful evil characters. Looking forward to more releases by the author.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheSeawomen
December 30, 2021
Fiercely feminist and utterly unique. Timms is a bold new talent. This is a story about oppression, the bonds that tie us - and the lies that break us. Suspenseful and intensely engaging, from Timms' lyrical writing to the genre-bending, unpredictable plot, you won't be able to put this one down.
March 27, 2022
What a wonderful cover!
This took me longer than I expected to read.
I was taken in straight away by the starting scenes, as I have a little fascination with cult novels. It then moved at a much slower pace and at some points the only thing holding my interest was the beautiful writing.
I liked the characters too, but I just wanted more from the plot than I was given.
This took me longer than I expected to read.
I was taken in straight away by the starting scenes, as I have a little fascination with cult novels. It then moved at a much slower pace and at some points the only thing holding my interest was the beautiful writing.
I liked the characters too, but I just wanted more from the plot than I was given.
December 5, 2021
If I could give this book more than five stars I would and I wouldn’t be surprised if it wins some awards.
Years ago a God fearing man ran from the advancing world and came upon an island where he encounters the Seawomen. As the years go by the islanders are taught the evilness of the sea and the Seawomen; with crops dying, floods and diseases spreading across the land when a woman is corrupted by them. Esta watches the Untethering believing these childless women have turned from God and that their death is justified; that is until she takes a step into the sea and finds the island isn’t what it seems.
This book was just incredible! I’m going to start with the writing style because that was what blew me away the most about this book. It’s a very hard style to execute and I’ve only ever read one author that pulled it off like this. It’s extremely hard to make daily life exciting but the author gives just enough of everything to make it hard to put the book down. I also liked the little hints that said the book was almost a memoir.
The plot was incredible. I love books about religion and ones that are historical, which this one sort of is. The whole concept of this island is so realistic, not just in the fact there are some islands with tribes on that haven’t integrated with the world, but also the metoprolol one too with our own fears trapping us. The corruption of religion is something we’ve seen in the past and present and the whole ‘women can only be corrupted by the sea’ reminded me of the witch trials and how a tiny thing could be the death of an innocent woman. I pray there’s a book two so we can see more of the Seawoman and also what happens on the island going forward.
The character development was incredible. Esta was always a curious character and the internal fighting she had with herself made the connection to her extremely easy to develop. I love the fact that even though the book is in first person we still get to see all these other storylines and the development of those characters too.
This book just blew me out of the water in every way and I’ve already told my mum it’s a must read for her when it comes out😂. This is one of those books that will stick with me throughout my life for the plot, writing and emotional turmoil I felt whilst reading it.
Thank you so, so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Years ago a God fearing man ran from the advancing world and came upon an island where he encounters the Seawomen. As the years go by the islanders are taught the evilness of the sea and the Seawomen; with crops dying, floods and diseases spreading across the land when a woman is corrupted by them. Esta watches the Untethering believing these childless women have turned from God and that their death is justified; that is until she takes a step into the sea and finds the island isn’t what it seems.
This book was just incredible! I’m going to start with the writing style because that was what blew me away the most about this book. It’s a very hard style to execute and I’ve only ever read one author that pulled it off like this. It’s extremely hard to make daily life exciting but the author gives just enough of everything to make it hard to put the book down. I also liked the little hints that said the book was almost a memoir.
The plot was incredible. I love books about religion and ones that are historical, which this one sort of is. The whole concept of this island is so realistic, not just in the fact there are some islands with tribes on that haven’t integrated with the world, but also the metoprolol one too with our own fears trapping us. The corruption of religion is something we’ve seen in the past and present and the whole ‘women can only be corrupted by the sea’ reminded me of the witch trials and how a tiny thing could be the death of an innocent woman. I pray there’s a book two so we can see more of the Seawoman and also what happens on the island going forward.
The character development was incredible. Esta was always a curious character and the internal fighting she had with herself made the connection to her extremely easy to develop. I love the fact that even though the book is in first person we still get to see all these other storylines and the development of those characters too.
This book just blew me out of the water in every way and I’ve already told my mum it’s a must read for her when it comes out😂. This is one of those books that will stick with me throughout my life for the plot, writing and emotional turmoil I felt whilst reading it.
Thank you so, so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2022
I’m a woman and a mother of two young girls.
Trying to strike a constant balance between teaching them kindness and that ‘no’ is a complete sentence, between finding joy in their autonomy and teaching them to be wary, all through the lens of a 33-year-old female experience is, frankly, debilitating.
I dread the day that I look into their eyes and see that knowing that all women share and all women recognise. I don’t know what to do about it. If there’s anything I can do about it. If this is simply a rite of passage for women and girls.
The Seawomen by Chloe Timms gave me a space to explore some of these disquieting concerns.
Esta is raised by her formidable grandmother on the remote, self-governed island of Eden. Eden’s citizens are bound by its stringent religious laws and customs. Frightening is the public consequences for any who are even perceived to be in transgression. And the accused are always women.
A woman must marry the man chosen for her. And she must conceive a child within her allocated motheryear. The island accepts any failure to conceive as a sure sign from God that she (not her husband, just she) has been corrupted by The Seawomen, mysterious sea-dwellers believed to entice Eden’s women into helping them take over the island for untold evils.
Condemned women are bound to boats and forsaken to drown in the sea in an act called The Untethering. Indulging in vanity, not praying enough and even gazing out to sea are judged as omens.
As Esta uncovers one shocking truth after another about the island, its piety, its patriarchy and the Seawomen themselves, she reckons with danger, internalised dogma and her own heart. In a battle between safety and freedom, Esta must decide what each is ultimately worth.
The Seawomen presents a timely conversation on true societal freedom, why women are centred as objects of control and what each of us overlooks in the name of keeping our places in our respective communities, however uncomfortable the realities of those places may be.
Through the characters of Barrett, Esta’s father and Ingram, Chloe Timms expertly highlights the plight that men also suffer at the hands of patriarchy. However, these are collateral shockwaves borne from the epicentre of devastation inflicted on individual women’s lives in the first place.
Timms shows us it doesn’t start with the worst acts of brutality imaginable. It starts with words and ideas unquestioned, nonsensical attitudes adopted uncritically, fear of being outcast from a group amplified and played upon.
It is frustrating to engage in public discourse around violence against women and girls to be met with “not all men” and “women are violent too”. The Seawomen is the perfect work to encourage defensive minds to peel back further layers.
The conversation is not intended to be accusatory (although it can feel that way when viewed through the lens of limited characters and intended maximum emotional impact on Twitter).
It is meant to encourage society to look for the proverbial Patient Zero. To ask why she is oppressed, by whom, what liberation looks like for her and what we can each individually do to contribute to that liberation. And, most importantly, why we should actually want that liberation to materialise.
The Seawomen uncomfortably reflects back to us our sorrowful complicity in our own oppression, contrastingly from both fearing the alternatives, and from being trained to win approval, reward and power from our oppressors, as seen through Esta, Mull and Norah, and the Eldermothers respectively.
This novel reminds us to get uncomfortable and examine our sources of information with a meticulous eye. Especially sources we have never thought to question and particularly their attitudes towards othered groups.
Which groups are being othered and why? What does our source stand to gain from retaining power over this group, be that economical, geographical or supposedly moral?
What becomes of the othered group when we accept the ideology of our source, lazily trusting them to have done the hard work on our behalf of connecting with the othered group before deciding they are a risk?
What visceral reactions do our bodies produce when we even consider the possibility of disagreeing with our source’s decrees?
The surveillance by which Father Jessop instructed the inhabitants to practice put me in mind of post-WWII Russia, the practices of which time we easily blanch at the thought of.
Yet we carry out and revel in witch huntings and figurative burnings every day, online and in real life. For what we say we don’t like, for what we say we do like, for who we love, for how we dress, for how we raise our children, for what we believe in. It always seems to be women offenders who never rise from the ashes that remain.
On Chloe Timms’s writing, I was enthralled from the off with the raw voice of child Etsa. She narrates the dystopia in that stark, matter-of-fact way only a child can, making the events all the more chilling. It reminded me a lot of Chrissie in Nancy Tucker’s The First Day of Spring.
We follow Esta over a number of years into early adulthood, and with that journey and the different anxieties jostling for her attention comes subtle changes in her narration style and word choices.
So subtle, in fact, that I didn’t realise how much she changes until I went back to the beginning to pick out my favourite quotes! I thought it was genius.
The Seawomen is an important work and I truly hope it is widely read. It asks us to examine who in society has power, how they liberate or oppress with that power, how our individual, everyday actions uphold that power, what it would cost us to topple it and whether we’re brave enough to pay that price.
Many thanks to Chloe Timms, Hodder Studio and Netgalley for the ARC.
Trying to strike a constant balance between teaching them kindness and that ‘no’ is a complete sentence, between finding joy in their autonomy and teaching them to be wary, all through the lens of a 33-year-old female experience is, frankly, debilitating.
I dread the day that I look into their eyes and see that knowing that all women share and all women recognise. I don’t know what to do about it. If there’s anything I can do about it. If this is simply a rite of passage for women and girls.
The Seawomen by Chloe Timms gave me a space to explore some of these disquieting concerns.
Esta is raised by her formidable grandmother on the remote, self-governed island of Eden. Eden’s citizens are bound by its stringent religious laws and customs. Frightening is the public consequences for any who are even perceived to be in transgression. And the accused are always women.
A woman must marry the man chosen for her. And she must conceive a child within her allocated motheryear. The island accepts any failure to conceive as a sure sign from God that she (not her husband, just she) has been corrupted by The Seawomen, mysterious sea-dwellers believed to entice Eden’s women into helping them take over the island for untold evils.
Condemned women are bound to boats and forsaken to drown in the sea in an act called The Untethering. Indulging in vanity, not praying enough and even gazing out to sea are judged as omens.
As Esta uncovers one shocking truth after another about the island, its piety, its patriarchy and the Seawomen themselves, she reckons with danger, internalised dogma and her own heart. In a battle between safety and freedom, Esta must decide what each is ultimately worth.
The Seawomen presents a timely conversation on true societal freedom, why women are centred as objects of control and what each of us overlooks in the name of keeping our places in our respective communities, however uncomfortable the realities of those places may be.
Through the characters of Barrett, Esta’s father and Ingram, Chloe Timms expertly highlights the plight that men also suffer at the hands of patriarchy. However, these are collateral shockwaves borne from the epicentre of devastation inflicted on individual women’s lives in the first place.
Timms shows us it doesn’t start with the worst acts of brutality imaginable. It starts with words and ideas unquestioned, nonsensical attitudes adopted uncritically, fear of being outcast from a group amplified and played upon.
It is frustrating to engage in public discourse around violence against women and girls to be met with “not all men” and “women are violent too”. The Seawomen is the perfect work to encourage defensive minds to peel back further layers.
The conversation is not intended to be accusatory (although it can feel that way when viewed through the lens of limited characters and intended maximum emotional impact on Twitter).
It is meant to encourage society to look for the proverbial Patient Zero. To ask why she is oppressed, by whom, what liberation looks like for her and what we can each individually do to contribute to that liberation. And, most importantly, why we should actually want that liberation to materialise.
The Seawomen uncomfortably reflects back to us our sorrowful complicity in our own oppression, contrastingly from both fearing the alternatives, and from being trained to win approval, reward and power from our oppressors, as seen through Esta, Mull and Norah, and the Eldermothers respectively.
This novel reminds us to get uncomfortable and examine our sources of information with a meticulous eye. Especially sources we have never thought to question and particularly their attitudes towards othered groups.
Which groups are being othered and why? What does our source stand to gain from retaining power over this group, be that economical, geographical or supposedly moral?
What becomes of the othered group when we accept the ideology of our source, lazily trusting them to have done the hard work on our behalf of connecting with the othered group before deciding they are a risk?
What visceral reactions do our bodies produce when we even consider the possibility of disagreeing with our source’s decrees?
The surveillance by which Father Jessop instructed the inhabitants to practice put me in mind of post-WWII Russia, the practices of which time we easily blanch at the thought of.
Yet we carry out and revel in witch huntings and figurative burnings every day, online and in real life. For what we say we don’t like, for what we say we do like, for who we love, for how we dress, for how we raise our children, for what we believe in. It always seems to be women offenders who never rise from the ashes that remain.
On Chloe Timms’s writing, I was enthralled from the off with the raw voice of child Etsa. She narrates the dystopia in that stark, matter-of-fact way only a child can, making the events all the more chilling. It reminded me a lot of Chrissie in Nancy Tucker’s The First Day of Spring.
We follow Esta over a number of years into early adulthood, and with that journey and the different anxieties jostling for her attention comes subtle changes in her narration style and word choices.
So subtle, in fact, that I didn’t realise how much she changes until I went back to the beginning to pick out my favourite quotes! I thought it was genius.
The Seawomen is an important work and I truly hope it is widely read. It asks us to examine who in society has power, how they liberate or oppress with that power, how our individual, everyday actions uphold that power, what it would cost us to topple it and whether we’re brave enough to pay that price.
Many thanks to Chloe Timms, Hodder Studio and Netgalley for the ARC.
dnf
January 25, 2026If you're keen to read about mermaids, look elsewhere. 😑
June 11, 2022
4.5 stars
Headlines:
Feminist, fantastical, fuming
Misogyny wrapped in religious abuse
Impeccable description, atmospheric
What a debut this book is. It was fresh, tense and the themes were dark and sad but it was a read that will stay with you and impact you. The story encapsulated the experiences of a young girl, Esta as she journeyed into adulthood. This island she resided on was set in a dystopian future but in a community that had removed themselves from the world to live in a bigoted, patriachial and abusive religious community, all about control.
This story evoked such an impressively described setting. I immediately began to imagine St Kilda or the Faroe Islands until later I realised the setting was more Shetlands or Orkney. The life this community lead was miserable and fearful...they were fearful of the seawomen. The sea was seen as evil to women and women were treated like potential witches of old.
How the story rolled out was unexpected, how Esta evolved as she grew was the kind of situation you couldn't look away from, willing her on, telling her to persevere and not capitulate. There were a few men that had moments of empathy and Bennett was just about the only reasonable man. The women were not a community because the men in power caused a divisive atmosphere.
The second half of the book had me glued to the page, hoping for Esta, wanting her free.
I highly recommend this book for all my feminist reading friends. It has everything, a touch of dystopia, a touch of fantasy and a bucket load of great writing.
Thank you to Hodder Studio for the review copy.
Headlines:
Feminist, fantastical, fuming
Misogyny wrapped in religious abuse
Impeccable description, atmospheric
What a debut this book is. It was fresh, tense and the themes were dark and sad but it was a read that will stay with you and impact you. The story encapsulated the experiences of a young girl, Esta as she journeyed into adulthood. This island she resided on was set in a dystopian future but in a community that had removed themselves from the world to live in a bigoted, patriachial and abusive religious community, all about control.
This story evoked such an impressively described setting. I immediately began to imagine St Kilda or the Faroe Islands until later I realised the setting was more Shetlands or Orkney. The life this community lead was miserable and fearful...they were fearful of the seawomen. The sea was seen as evil to women and women were treated like potential witches of old.
How the story rolled out was unexpected, how Esta evolved as she grew was the kind of situation you couldn't look away from, willing her on, telling her to persevere and not capitulate. There were a few men that had moments of empathy and Bennett was just about the only reasonable man. The women were not a community because the men in power caused a divisive atmosphere.
The second half of the book had me glued to the page, hoping for Esta, wanting her free.
I highly recommend this book for all my feminist reading friends. It has everything, a touch of dystopia, a touch of fantasy and a bucket load of great writing.
Thank you to Hodder Studio for the review copy.
April 12, 2022
This incredible book follows a young girl, Esta, as she is being raised by her grandma after her parents died. They live on Eden Island, a very dangerous place for young women, which is completely shut off from everywhere else. The island population believe that seawomen lurk in the oceans around their shores, and sadly for the girls, if they are not able to conceive a child within a set time of being married (or are acting strangely… that leaves me in trouble doesn’t it?!) they are considered to have been corrupted by the seawomen and are sentenced to death by drowning… OUCH.
The poor women on this island are under constant threat of not only the seawomen surrounding them, but the dickhead that is Father Jessop (we hate him ladies and gentlemen), this is very clearly a religious cult situation on the island and poor Esta starts to see her surroundings with clearer eyes, which of course in Father Dickhead’s eyes means she’s been corrupted and must be drowned.
This stunningly brilliant book is rich in world building that kept me captivated from start to finish, I could easily imagine being on that island with Esta as she tried to tear herself away from the society she’s always known, never to ask questions and to just believe what she is told. What an incredible debut from Chloe Timms, I look forward to her next book.
If you like the handmaid’s tale with a mermaid twist then this is the book for you!
Thank you so much to Kate at Hodder for sending me an arc in exchange for a review.
The poor women on this island are under constant threat of not only the seawomen surrounding them, but the dickhead that is Father Jessop (we hate him ladies and gentlemen), this is very clearly a religious cult situation on the island and poor Esta starts to see her surroundings with clearer eyes, which of course in Father Dickhead’s eyes means she’s been corrupted and must be drowned.
This stunningly brilliant book is rich in world building that kept me captivated from start to finish, I could easily imagine being on that island with Esta as she tried to tear herself away from the society she’s always known, never to ask questions and to just believe what she is told. What an incredible debut from Chloe Timms, I look forward to her next book.
If you like the handmaid’s tale with a mermaid twist then this is the book for you!
Thank you so much to Kate at Hodder for sending me an arc in exchange for a review.
August 13, 2022
The Seawomen is a perfect combination of beautiful words and compelling storytelling. It blends a strange and seemingly backwards world seamlessly with modern concerns. In that way, it's magical realism that requires surprisingly little suspension of disbelief, as the world is consistent and well-drawn despite all its strangeness.
What is this book about? Other reviewers have teased the story itself better than I could, but I'll say it's a book about the sea, about when surviving is no longer enough, about forbidden love. And it's a book about Esta. I wished above all for her freedom, in every sense of the word. I closed the book with a longing sigh.
Read it to enter a world and to leave a piece of yourself there, with her.
What is this book about? Other reviewers have teased the story itself better than I could, but I'll say it's a book about the sea, about when surviving is no longer enough, about forbidden love. And it's a book about Esta. I wished above all for her freedom, in every sense of the word. I closed the book with a longing sigh.
Read it to enter a world and to leave a piece of yourself there, with her.
June 15, 2022
3.8 stars
The Seawomen , by Chloe Timms is a fantastic dystopian feminist fiction. I really liked it, the cast was very interesting and i really found the characters very well developed. The story was so beautifully written, it was really nice reading it. I loved that the island was not only remote in the book but it also seemed really different from our world. And I really enjoyed it! Everything about this cult-like mysogynist society was so so so interesting, i was really hooked and the twists were so good.
I really loved this book and would totally recommend it.
The Seawomen , by Chloe Timms is a fantastic dystopian feminist fiction. I really liked it, the cast was very interesting and i really found the characters very well developed. The story was so beautifully written, it was really nice reading it. I loved that the island was not only remote in the book but it also seemed really different from our world. And I really enjoyed it! Everything about this cult-like mysogynist society was so so so interesting, i was really hooked and the twists were so good.
I really loved this book and would totally recommend it.
May 28, 2022
If Kirsty Logan is going to inspire, endorse and even “tutor” a dystopian tale isolation, oppression and mermaid-lore, you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to be excited for it. Luckily for me, The Seawomen delivered as one of the best summer-2022 releases I’ve had the pleasure of reading.
"Instead of answers, she gave me stories. That was how she boxed me up and sealed my mouth until all those questions had nicked my insides with tiny, invisible scars"
In an isolated island population, cut off from the outside world by treacherous seas, Esta is raised solely on the teachings of her community. Be pious, respect the village-elders, and stay away from the waters and the wicked Seawomen within. Do so, and God will reward you with prosperity and children within your “motheryear”. Fail to, and you risk being cast out to sea as a sacrifice to the Seawomen.
One day, an unexpected encounter by the waterside puts Esta in a dangerous position; questioning how much of her upbringing was gospel, and how much was lore.
The Seawomen drew me into its world from page one, and had me hooked from start to finish. It is in essence a familiar story that I’ve read before; one of female oppression, religious doctrine, and the destructive effects of unshakable tradition and superstition on an isolated community. Think The Crucible meets The Shape of Water, with the more modern “vibes” of Evie Wyld’s The Bass Rock and (fittingly) Kirsty Logans The Gloaming. Yet it’s the way in which it was told that elevates it. Chloe Timms beautiful writing brought to life the world of Eden before my eyes, drawing me in with its seemingly idyllic coastal beauty, before closing the net around me with its increasingly tense and claustrophobic atmosphere. Despite predicting many of the plot beats, I couldn’t pull myself away from the story. I was invested in Esta; from the dullness of her day-to-day life, to her journey to find the truth about her upbringing.
Despite its heavily dystopian (and fantastical!) elements, The Seawomen manages to be subtle, recognisable and relatable. Esta’s battle is one that has been fought (and will be fought) in many shapes and on many different scales. I was therefore extra pleased to see the author honour that subtlety and “realness” in the story’s ending, that felt fitting and satisfying in a way I wasn’t expecting it would.
Chloe Timms voice is a welcome addition to the canon of modern magical realism; one that expertly tells a memorable feminist story without falling into the trap of preaching the obvious. I genuinely hope we get to see more from her in the future.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Instead of answers, she gave me stories. That was how she boxed me up and sealed my mouth until all those questions had nicked my insides with tiny, invisible scars"
In an isolated island population, cut off from the outside world by treacherous seas, Esta is raised solely on the teachings of her community. Be pious, respect the village-elders, and stay away from the waters and the wicked Seawomen within. Do so, and God will reward you with prosperity and children within your “motheryear”. Fail to, and you risk being cast out to sea as a sacrifice to the Seawomen.
One day, an unexpected encounter by the waterside puts Esta in a dangerous position; questioning how much of her upbringing was gospel, and how much was lore.
The Seawomen drew me into its world from page one, and had me hooked from start to finish. It is in essence a familiar story that I’ve read before; one of female oppression, religious doctrine, and the destructive effects of unshakable tradition and superstition on an isolated community. Think The Crucible meets The Shape of Water, with the more modern “vibes” of Evie Wyld’s The Bass Rock and (fittingly) Kirsty Logans The Gloaming. Yet it’s the way in which it was told that elevates it. Chloe Timms beautiful writing brought to life the world of Eden before my eyes, drawing me in with its seemingly idyllic coastal beauty, before closing the net around me with its increasingly tense and claustrophobic atmosphere. Despite predicting many of the plot beats, I couldn’t pull myself away from the story. I was invested in Esta; from the dullness of her day-to-day life, to her journey to find the truth about her upbringing.
Despite its heavily dystopian (and fantastical!) elements, The Seawomen manages to be subtle, recognisable and relatable. Esta’s battle is one that has been fought (and will be fought) in many shapes and on many different scales. I was therefore extra pleased to see the author honour that subtlety and “realness” in the story’s ending, that felt fitting and satisfying in a way I wasn’t expecting it would.
Chloe Timms voice is a welcome addition to the canon of modern magical realism; one that expertly tells a memorable feminist story without falling into the trap of preaching the obvious. I genuinely hope we get to see more from her in the future.
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2022
The Untethering; a ritual in which a woman who has been proven beyond-doubt that she is tainted and lost, a woman who has bonded with those who watch from the sea, waiting for man to turn to temptation and taste the fruit of the corrupt, is cast out from society and gifted to the very beings bent on seeing the world crumble….
Esta bears witness to such an unspeakable fate and is determined this shall never happen to her. Ever. She cannot let this happen to her or those she loves.
Esta has known very little but Eden’s Isle her whole life. Raised by her superstitious grandmother, after a fire claimed her parents and scarred her face as a child, Esta faces a life full of piety, dread, ridicule and following the rules set by others all in the name of fearing God which spreads all over the island and instilled by the religious society. The island is governed by the ever-encroaching fear of the unknown of the greater outside world with its evils and peoples already lost to the whims of sin.
Women on the island are controlled, married off and must conceive within twelve months if they are to escape the scrutiny and to fulfil their purpose within their mother year. Should they fail, they are marked as cursed and fall victim to the Untethering leaving loved ones behind to cope alone.
Will Esta be able to deliver such a high order, or will someone finally break her resolve and show her there is more to life than being commanded to such a fate?
Set against a bleak, yet beautiful backdrop of an island isolated from modern day, this story of male oppression weighs heavy on you as you uncover the dark secrets it holds with a protagonist you can’t help but route for as she struggles to keep her head above water in this stark and haunting debut.
Esta bears witness to such an unspeakable fate and is determined this shall never happen to her. Ever. She cannot let this happen to her or those she loves.
Esta has known very little but Eden’s Isle her whole life. Raised by her superstitious grandmother, after a fire claimed her parents and scarred her face as a child, Esta faces a life full of piety, dread, ridicule and following the rules set by others all in the name of fearing God which spreads all over the island and instilled by the religious society. The island is governed by the ever-encroaching fear of the unknown of the greater outside world with its evils and peoples already lost to the whims of sin.
Women on the island are controlled, married off and must conceive within twelve months if they are to escape the scrutiny and to fulfil their purpose within their mother year. Should they fail, they are marked as cursed and fall victim to the Untethering leaving loved ones behind to cope alone.
Will Esta be able to deliver such a high order, or will someone finally break her resolve and show her there is more to life than being commanded to such a fate?
Set against a bleak, yet beautiful backdrop of an island isolated from modern day, this story of male oppression weighs heavy on you as you uncover the dark secrets it holds with a protagonist you can’t help but route for as she struggles to keep her head above water in this stark and haunting debut.
December 12, 2021
Wow! Margaret Atwood, Chloe Timms is coming for your crown.
While reading this book, I could hear the gasps of Chloe’s agent and editor when they read it for the first time. Their wonder at the sheer beauty of the writing, the clarity of the island of Eden, the lore, the characters. They knew they had something special in their hands. A work of dazzling skill and a compelling story for the ages. If this book doesn’t get onto the Women’s Prize long list, then there’s something wrong with the world.
Can you tell I loved it?
It’s the story of Esta as she grows up on the island of Eden. A fitting name for an island where women are the source of evil, who must be cowed and controlled, who are reduced to the usefulness of their reproductive organs. Women who are threatened with talk of The Seawomen coming to corrupt them, the source of any misfortune that befalls the community. But as Esta grows up, she meets Cal who is from the sea, and she begins to question everything she’s believed.
This is such a powerful allegory for our times on so many levels. I’m simply in awe of the skill. A beautiful mixture of magic, dystopia, folklore and literary fiction. Cannot recommend this beautiful novel enough.
While reading this book, I could hear the gasps of Chloe’s agent and editor when they read it for the first time. Their wonder at the sheer beauty of the writing, the clarity of the island of Eden, the lore, the characters. They knew they had something special in their hands. A work of dazzling skill and a compelling story for the ages. If this book doesn’t get onto the Women’s Prize long list, then there’s something wrong with the world.
Can you tell I loved it?
It’s the story of Esta as she grows up on the island of Eden. A fitting name for an island where women are the source of evil, who must be cowed and controlled, who are reduced to the usefulness of their reproductive organs. Women who are threatened with talk of The Seawomen coming to corrupt them, the source of any misfortune that befalls the community. But as Esta grows up, she meets Cal who is from the sea, and she begins to question everything she’s believed.
This is such a powerful allegory for our times on so many levels. I’m simply in awe of the skill. A beautiful mixture of magic, dystopia, folklore and literary fiction. Cannot recommend this beautiful novel enough.
December 23, 2021
Wow! This may be my favourite read of the year. The tale of female oppression in the name of a religious faith gave me serious "crucible" vibes but with a fantasy feel. This story had me mesmerized and completely engulfed in the world. The characters were developed so well I could even imagine their smells. It was beautifully written and I wish there was a sequel. I will be thinking about this book a lot despite having finished it.
December 6, 2021
The Seawomen is quite simply magical. This genre-bending story of Esta, trapped on ‘the island’ as part of a truly sinister religious cult is so atmospheric and beautifully written it’s almost hypnotic. The cult itself is both dark and highly-believable in turns, and has shades of the church as portrayed in ‘Oranges are not the only fruit’ which is then mixed in with the mystical sea people to make a rich and fulfilling universe.
I’m a bit at a loss for what else to say except READ THIS BOOK.
I’m a bit at a loss for what else to say except READ THIS BOOK.
May 7, 2022
I’d like to thank NetGalley for the chance to read the E-arc of this book. Oh my goodness!!! I love mermaid books, it’s no secret but this one just blew me away! Dark, edge of my seat, sinister atmosphere and a strong, female lead questioning her norm, wanting to discover the world beyond. It was powerful, with great characters and evil villains! I loved it! I will be pre-ordering this book for sure!
December 29, 2021
Wow what a fantastic book ,I have read an early copy on NetGalley Uk where I requested a copy of the book after seeing the author post of her delight about the first reviews she was seeing
I love a dystopian novel and this one has it all ,a misogynist dystopian society set on an island and mermaids and mermen
I was quickly drawn into the story where I was initially unsure if the undersea creatures of their religion were fictional or true beings .It was clear from early on that women were being treated harshly by the ultra religious society but it takes a while for the underlying truths to be laid bare
Island living adds an additional claustrophobia to the story which adds a lot to the feel of the whole book
I’m not much of a fan of romance in novels but did find the relationship between the narrator and merman added an additional element to the story and was ultimately believable
I rather liked the ending of the book which had sufficient ambiguity to be unexpected
In summary I enjoyed this book and liked its uniqueness and individuality it will stay with me .
I love a dystopian novel and this one has it all ,a misogynist dystopian society set on an island and mermaids and mermen
I was quickly drawn into the story where I was initially unsure if the undersea creatures of their religion were fictional or true beings .It was clear from early on that women were being treated harshly by the ultra religious society but it takes a while for the underlying truths to be laid bare
Island living adds an additional claustrophobia to the story which adds a lot to the feel of the whole book
I’m not much of a fan of romance in novels but did find the relationship between the narrator and merman added an additional element to the story and was ultimately believable
I rather liked the ending of the book which had sufficient ambiguity to be unexpected
In summary I enjoyed this book and liked its uniqueness and individuality it will stay with me .
December 28, 2021
The Seawomen is something totally new in dystopian feminist fiction. Beautifully written with a convincing cast of characters, it's set on a remote island with a cult-like leadership. Although completely removed from our own world, it draws so many adept comparisons with it. Timms kept me guessing right to the end!
January 18, 2022
4.5 stars
Oh,this pulled me in from the first few pages,and I was rushing back to it every second I got.
It's dark,and grim,and horrifying and shocking and scary... and absolutely compulsive reading.
It's one I'm going to be buying for friends even if they don't like a bit of dystopian fiction (and what's wrong with them if they dont).
Possibly the best thing I've read this year.
Oh,this pulled me in from the first few pages,and I was rushing back to it every second I got.
It's dark,and grim,and horrifying and shocking and scary... and absolutely compulsive reading.
It's one I'm going to be buying for friends even if they don't like a bit of dystopian fiction (and what's wrong with them if they dont).
Possibly the best thing I've read this year.
December 13, 2021
This was such an enchanting read, it was so well written, with such well developed characters and a storyline that is both unusual and intriguing. It was susoenseful and unpredictable and at times almost lyrical. I really enjoyed this read and it will stay with me for a while.
March 3, 2022
Let me just tell you that I am lost for words. Absolutely speechless.
When I tell you that this book probably has everything you are looking for including mythical creatures, amazing characters, such a different plot, great writing, and thrilling cliffhangers. I mean exactly all of that.
First off, the plot is very different from what you would usually read. The first chapter already starts to capsize the reader in the Island that Chloe Timms had created, and the mystery unravels as the story moves on along with the main character, Esta who is just as fearless and incredible as she sounds. Her character had truly matured and developed greatly in the book and this had helped the plot move on, and the way that the plot was linked to how the character developed really gave a sense of realism to the story'.
Anyways, the Island seems kind of cultish, and they believe that if Women are not pregnant after their first year of marriage then their souls had been darkened by the grip of the seawomen herself, and so Father Jessop would take to cleansing the souls of these women who have went astray, capsized by the Seawoman's powers and fed by her thoughts.
Esta has grown in this Island, and slowly secrets unravel as she begins to grow, secrets about the Island and the people in it that captures her thoughts and shows her the true meaning of who Father Jessop truly is.
This book is not only a fantasy and mystery that will keep you on high end, holding on tight to a tightrope, but it also includes romance which completely enthralls the reader. And the author really tends to play with you feelings as the plot moves through as well as the mysteries that begin to unfold with the romance.
As for the characters, I really loved Esta! It was great to get her POV's from different ages as she began to grow up and her viewpoints began to change. Her character had developed significantly and it was interesting so see the story from her point of view written in third person!
This is truly a work of art and Chloe Timms will sail you right into a thrilling mystery that will keep your senses tingling.
When I tell you that this book probably has everything you are looking for including mythical creatures, amazing characters, such a different plot, great writing, and thrilling cliffhangers. I mean exactly all of that.
First off, the plot is very different from what you would usually read. The first chapter already starts to capsize the reader in the Island that Chloe Timms had created, and the mystery unravels as the story moves on along with the main character, Esta who is just as fearless and incredible as she sounds. Her character had truly matured and developed greatly in the book and this had helped the plot move on, and the way that the plot was linked to how the character developed really gave a sense of realism to the story'.
Anyways, the Island seems kind of cultish, and they believe that if Women are not pregnant after their first year of marriage then their souls had been darkened by the grip of the seawomen herself, and so Father Jessop would take to cleansing the souls of these women who have went astray, capsized by the Seawoman's powers and fed by her thoughts.
Esta has grown in this Island, and slowly secrets unravel as she begins to grow, secrets about the Island and the people in it that captures her thoughts and shows her the true meaning of who Father Jessop truly is.
This book is not only a fantasy and mystery that will keep you on high end, holding on tight to a tightrope, but it also includes romance which completely enthralls the reader. And the author really tends to play with you feelings as the plot moves through as well as the mysteries that begin to unfold with the romance.
As for the characters, I really loved Esta! It was great to get her POV's from different ages as she began to grow up and her viewpoints began to change. Her character had developed significantly and it was interesting so see the story from her point of view written in third person!
This is truly a work of art and Chloe Timms will sail you right into a thrilling mystery that will keep your senses tingling.
June 15, 2022
The Seawomen | Chloe Timms
Pub date: 14/06/22
Genre: Fantasy fiction, dystopian fiction, feminist fiction, women's fiction
The Seawomen us the debut standalone by author, Chloe Timms.
The story follows Esta who has grown up on Eden Isle, a patriarchal religious based society which is cut off from the mainland. The islanders are raised in constant fear of the Seawomen, who are thought to be responsible for all bad events or actions occurring on the island. Esta begins to question everything she has known and believed about the island regime and her past.
This type of book is not my usual choice but I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and intriguing premise. It took me a little while to get into the story (I'll confess I started and put it down again around 3 times before being fully hooked and continued). The story is told from third person POV and the prose is intelligent and mature. The themes are difficult to read and I found myself feeling angry at events and the treatment of the characters. For me this is a sign of a good story, when I feel emotionally invested and engaged in the characters outcomes.
There are some fantasy elements but this isn't the main focus. I'd describe this more as a feminist or women's fiction. It has similarities in themes to The Handmaid's Tale.
I enjoyed this debut and feel this author is going places. I'll be keeping an eye out for other books she writes.
Thank you to Chloe Timms, the publisher and Netgalley for granting me an ARC of this book.
Pub date: 14/06/22
Genre: Fantasy fiction, dystopian fiction, feminist fiction, women's fiction
The Seawomen us the debut standalone by author, Chloe Timms.
The story follows Esta who has grown up on Eden Isle, a patriarchal religious based society which is cut off from the mainland. The islanders are raised in constant fear of the Seawomen, who are thought to be responsible for all bad events or actions occurring on the island. Esta begins to question everything she has known and believed about the island regime and her past.
This type of book is not my usual choice but I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and intriguing premise. It took me a little while to get into the story (I'll confess I started and put it down again around 3 times before being fully hooked and continued). The story is told from third person POV and the prose is intelligent and mature. The themes are difficult to read and I found myself feeling angry at events and the treatment of the characters. For me this is a sign of a good story, when I feel emotionally invested and engaged in the characters outcomes.
There are some fantasy elements but this isn't the main focus. I'd describe this more as a feminist or women's fiction. It has similarities in themes to The Handmaid's Tale.
I enjoyed this debut and feel this author is going places. I'll be keeping an eye out for other books she writes.
Thank you to Chloe Timms, the publisher and Netgalley for granting me an ARC of this book.
January 28, 2024
Absolutely loved this debut. Kirsty Logan - who mentored the author - made the comparison of 'The Handmaid's Tale meets The Shape of Water' and this feels incredibly accurate. Would also add Logan's own novel 'The Gloaming' to the list of similar texts.
Esta is orphaned and scarred in a fire while still a toddler. She is subsequently raised by her grandmother in a deeply religious sect based on a remote island with a deep hatred and fear of outside influences. They are particularly wary of the Seawomen, who live beneath the waters surrounding their shores and who are considered to be a massively corrupting influence. The sect Esta lives under is extremely controlling of women - when they marry, they are designated a year in which to conceive a child, and if this does not come to pass they are deemed to be cursed and subjected to a practice known as 'Untethering' - namely they are placed in a boat and cast out to sea to be drowned as a sacrifice. Esta breaks the rules and wades into the water, and her life changes forever.
This novel is unashamedly feminist and feels incredibly timely too. It's gothic and engaging, and adds commentary on the corrupting influence of religion and the policing of women's bodies and rights. I struggled to put it down.
Esta is orphaned and scarred in a fire while still a toddler. She is subsequently raised by her grandmother in a deeply religious sect based on a remote island with a deep hatred and fear of outside influences. They are particularly wary of the Seawomen, who live beneath the waters surrounding their shores and who are considered to be a massively corrupting influence. The sect Esta lives under is extremely controlling of women - when they marry, they are designated a year in which to conceive a child, and if this does not come to pass they are deemed to be cursed and subjected to a practice known as 'Untethering' - namely they are placed in a boat and cast out to sea to be drowned as a sacrifice. Esta breaks the rules and wades into the water, and her life changes forever.
This novel is unashamedly feminist and feels incredibly timely too. It's gothic and engaging, and adds commentary on the corrupting influence of religion and the policing of women's bodies and rights. I struggled to put it down.
June 18, 2022
What I want to discuss in a review of ‘The Seawomen’ relies upon events from midway to the close of the novel, and so contains major spoilers.
On one hand, the fact that a novel broaches discussion of a same-sex relationship between women should be noted. However, what is the wisdom of comparing that lesbian relationship between Maddow and Rose to the central relationship between the female protagonist Esta and the male object of her desire, the merman Cal?
The novel forcefully claims that both relationships are equally doomed and unholy, and a blight upon the community. By doing so, the author eliminates the possibility for commentary upon the visibility of homosexual females, by - in actual fact - doing just what society does to us. That is, erasing or overwriting our experience in favour of heteronormativity. If the barriers erected in the way of a lesbian relationship are simply presented as a foil to inspire pity for the protagonist who suffers in her heterosexual relationship, is the author really making any statement at all about how marginalised and silenced lesbians are?
Publishers, librarians, reviewers, and readers should question the virtue of commending an author for simply glancing at female homosexuality. Why should we feel especially grateful just for showing up in a text; just for gleaning a mere mention?
Furthermore, I was enraged by the conflation of the lesbian character with the archetype of 'bad mother', who leaves her child behind to run away with her partner. This presentation of lesbians as unmotherly, barren, and unwomanly is anything but original, and I'm sorry to say that this novel appears to bolster the opinion that women in same-sex relationships are somehow the antipathy of femininity, a corruption of what it is to be female: i.e., fertile, maternal, and child-bearing, child-rearing.
‘The Seawomen’ undertakes no genuine exploration of Esta’s mother’s motives; Timms paints her lesbian character as one-dimensional, flat. There is a unique and vital opportunity here to investigate women’s experiences of homosexuality in an isolated, oppressively patriarchal society. In fact, in the absence of this investigation, I find it bizarre that Timms seemingly randomly assigns this sexuality to Esta’s mother. It’s absurdly arbitrary.
As an author from a marginalised minority group, an advocate for equality, accessibility and inclusion, I had expected more from Timms. She opens up a charged space to discuss the motives of a lesbian mother faced with the dissolution of her family and imposed heterosexual marriage, as well as the implications for her child. Yet instead of participating in this discourse, Timms has Maddow function solely as a foil for Esta, to throw into relief Esta’s heteronormativity and experience of the overdone motif of ‘forbidden [straight] love’.
The ultimate insult is that the author overwrites any significance or value added to Maddow’s experience by giving Esta the happy ending, where she is reunited with her straight paramour and lives, what looks like (by all accounts in the final words) a fulfilled life as a mother who can keep and raise her child in a peaceful and free community.
Is this novel's takeaway message supposed to be: STRAIGHT = GOOD, GETS TO BE A MOTHER; LESBIAN = BAD, CANNOT BE A MOTHER? Because it takes very little effort to read it as such. And if the author has even remotely left that open as a possible interpretation, then
this text is problematic in the extreme. For this reason, I have rounded down to one star as the minimum rating.
As I read 'The Seawomen' past 70%, I felt a little ashamed of myself for always being such a hopeful reader, eager to award that fifth star in a review, which I normally reserve for books that are ‘lesbian friendly’. And I would note that that is a shamefully small reserve of books; readerships shouldn’t be quick to assume that all novels labelled LGBTQ can be counted. Very rarely do any of the authors who slap on that populist label actually fairly represent lesbians in a realistic or normative manner. Often, lesbians won’t even get a mention amongst a cast of GBTQIA characters. Hence, my hopeful eagerness to award that ‘lesbian-friendly’ fifth review star matched with my awareness that a precious few books will reflect me and my genuine life experiences. Even in this age of ‘wokeness’, authors and publishers too often remain unaware or ignorant of the fact that they are compounding the worn-out ‘Dead Lesbian Syndrome’ narrative, or simply neglecting to feature any female homosexuality at all. Can you name three successful, well-promoted novels published in the last year that feature a lesbian relationship centrally and where the lesbians get a happy ending?
In my perfect world as a librarian and a reader, I wouldn’t have to interrogate every book where my sexuality was reflected, to see whether it was realistically done, or to question the motives and virtues of authors and publishers, because I would be able just to trust that I would get a fair deal - and not just in Sarah Waters or Emma Donoghue novels, or Virago publications, for instance, and their Lesbian Landmarks reading project.
I’d be really interested to hear what other lesbian readers think of this novel.
On one hand, the fact that a novel broaches discussion of a same-sex relationship between women should be noted. However, what is the wisdom of comparing that lesbian relationship between Maddow and Rose to the central relationship between the female protagonist Esta and the male object of her desire, the merman Cal?
‘I knew what forbidden love felt like. It drove me the way it had driven her.’
The novel forcefully claims that both relationships are equally doomed and unholy, and a blight upon the community. By doing so, the author eliminates the possibility for commentary upon the visibility of homosexual females, by - in actual fact - doing just what society does to us. That is, erasing or overwriting our experience in favour of heteronormativity. If the barriers erected in the way of a lesbian relationship are simply presented as a foil to inspire pity for the protagonist who suffers in her heterosexual relationship, is the author really making any statement at all about how marginalised and silenced lesbians are?
Publishers, librarians, reviewers, and readers should question the virtue of commending an author for simply glancing at female homosexuality. Why should we feel especially grateful just for showing up in a text; just for gleaning a mere mention?
Furthermore, I was enraged by the conflation of the lesbian character with the archetype of 'bad mother', who leaves her child behind to run away with her partner. This presentation of lesbians as unmotherly, barren, and unwomanly is anything but original, and I'm sorry to say that this novel appears to bolster the opinion that women in same-sex relationships are somehow the antipathy of femininity, a corruption of what it is to be female: i.e., fertile, maternal, and child-bearing, child-rearing.
‘The Seawomen’ undertakes no genuine exploration of Esta’s mother’s motives; Timms paints her lesbian character as one-dimensional, flat. There is a unique and vital opportunity here to investigate women’s experiences of homosexuality in an isolated, oppressively patriarchal society. In fact, in the absence of this investigation, I find it bizarre that Timms seemingly randomly assigns this sexuality to Esta’s mother. It’s absurdly arbitrary.
As an author from a marginalised minority group, an advocate for equality, accessibility and inclusion, I had expected more from Timms. She opens up a charged space to discuss the motives of a lesbian mother faced with the dissolution of her family and imposed heterosexual marriage, as well as the implications for her child. Yet instead of participating in this discourse, Timms has Maddow function solely as a foil for Esta, to throw into relief Esta’s heteronormativity and experience of the overdone motif of ‘forbidden [straight] love’.
The ultimate insult is that the author overwrites any significance or value added to Maddow’s experience by giving Esta the happy ending, where she is reunited with her straight paramour and lives, what looks like (by all accounts in the final words) a fulfilled life as a mother who can keep and raise her child in a peaceful and free community.
Is this novel's takeaway message supposed to be: STRAIGHT = GOOD, GETS TO BE A MOTHER; LESBIAN = BAD, CANNOT BE A MOTHER? Because it takes very little effort to read it as such. And if the author has even remotely left that open as a possible interpretation, then
this text is problematic in the extreme. For this reason, I have rounded down to one star as the minimum rating.
As I read 'The Seawomen' past 70%, I felt a little ashamed of myself for always being such a hopeful reader, eager to award that fifth star in a review, which I normally reserve for books that are ‘lesbian friendly’. And I would note that that is a shamefully small reserve of books; readerships shouldn’t be quick to assume that all novels labelled LGBTQ can be counted. Very rarely do any of the authors who slap on that populist label actually fairly represent lesbians in a realistic or normative manner. Often, lesbians won’t even get a mention amongst a cast of GBTQIA characters. Hence, my hopeful eagerness to award that ‘lesbian-friendly’ fifth review star matched with my awareness that a precious few books will reflect me and my genuine life experiences. Even in this age of ‘wokeness’, authors and publishers too often remain unaware or ignorant of the fact that they are compounding the worn-out ‘Dead Lesbian Syndrome’ narrative, or simply neglecting to feature any female homosexuality at all. Can you name three successful, well-promoted novels published in the last year that feature a lesbian relationship centrally and where the lesbians get a happy ending?
In my perfect world as a librarian and a reader, I wouldn’t have to interrogate every book where my sexuality was reflected, to see whether it was realistically done, or to question the motives and virtues of authors and publishers, because I would be able just to trust that I would get a fair deal - and not just in Sarah Waters or Emma Donoghue novels, or Virago publications, for instance, and their Lesbian Landmarks reading project.
I’d be really interested to hear what other lesbian readers think of this novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2026
dystopian, culty, feminist concepts with sexy merman bonus. i wish there was a sequel.
July 8, 2022
I knew I’d enjoy this before reading. The sea, a ultra religious cult, how can you not? Chloe Timms has written a masterpiece which grips you from page one. The writing itself is exquisite, beautifully detailed and each character distinct, it’s a joy. How I wish more books took their time to grow like this.
I loved the emergence of Cal, and how our brave and defiant Esta, an outsider on an island run by fear and repression, starts to question things.
Themes of power, want, fear and destiny colour this beautiful tale. Outstanding, thought provoking and chilling.
I loved the emergence of Cal, and how our brave and defiant Esta, an outsider on an island run by fear and repression, starts to question things.
Themes of power, want, fear and destiny colour this beautiful tale. Outstanding, thought provoking and chilling.
January 8, 2022
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for granting me an arc.
The first thing I thought when I started reading Seawomen was that this was a book on cults. In a way that's exactly what it is. The inhabitants live on an Island called Eden's Isle and they have lived there for so long that the original name of the island is now lost to history. There are no records, nothing to say who or what lived on the island before Esta's people first landed there. Led by Father Jessop the inhabitants of Eden's Isle are led to believe that they must remain pure, devoted to God and not give into the temptation of the Seawomen. Creatures who live in the sea and would seek to bring death and destruction to their island.
The island is a highly misogynistic place to live. The men lead and the women are expected to do their part and breed children once the Eldermothers declare them fit to be mothers. In truth, the women are the ones to watch for, the ones who are more likely to give into temptation. If a calamity befalls the island it is the work of the Seawomen and whichever woman on the island whom they have enchanted. Once the woman is found it often leads to a process called the Untethering. A brutal act in which the woman is tied down and cast out to sea to drown. Esta's grandmother forces her to watch each one, to show her what happens to the faithless.
Despite all this Esta is still drawn to the sea in a way she can't describe and one fateful night, chased by a group of boys, she finds herself drowning in the very sea she's drawn to. What shocks her the most is when she's saved not by a seawoman, but a seaman called Cal. A budding ill-fated romance begins to form, which turns Esta's and Cal's whole lives upside down as they struggle to find a way to be together in a world where his very existence is taboo.
The first thing I thought when I started reading Seawomen was that this was a book on cults. In a way that's exactly what it is. The inhabitants live on an Island called Eden's Isle and they have lived there for so long that the original name of the island is now lost to history. There are no records, nothing to say who or what lived on the island before Esta's people first landed there. Led by Father Jessop the inhabitants of Eden's Isle are led to believe that they must remain pure, devoted to God and not give into the temptation of the Seawomen. Creatures who live in the sea and would seek to bring death and destruction to their island.
The island is a highly misogynistic place to live. The men lead and the women are expected to do their part and breed children once the Eldermothers declare them fit to be mothers. In truth, the women are the ones to watch for, the ones who are more likely to give into temptation. If a calamity befalls the island it is the work of the Seawomen and whichever woman on the island whom they have enchanted. Once the woman is found it often leads to a process called the Untethering. A brutal act in which the woman is tied down and cast out to sea to drown. Esta's grandmother forces her to watch each one, to show her what happens to the faithless.
Despite all this Esta is still drawn to the sea in a way she can't describe and one fateful night, chased by a group of boys, she finds herself drowning in the very sea she's drawn to. What shocks her the most is when she's saved not by a seawoman, but a seaman called Cal. A budding ill-fated romance begins to form, which turns Esta's and Cal's whole lives upside down as they struggle to find a way to be together in a world where his very existence is taboo.
May 8, 2022
A very Margaret Atwood-esque story about a young woman trying to escape from a dystopian island society where women are oppressed by men and treated as baby making machines, a la Handmaid's Tale. But with added merpeople.
I enjoyed it and really wanted to give it four stars, but it felt a bit rushed towards the end and didn't quite make it across the line for me - so 3.5.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.
I enjoyed it and really wanted to give it four stars, but it felt a bit rushed towards the end and didn't quite make it across the line for me - so 3.5.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.
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