My Heart is The Tempest

by Sacha Rosel

Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest and including direct citations from the play, My heart is The Tempest is a dark reimagining of witch Sycorax, here portrayed as a 12-year old olive-skinned, black-haired human girl trapped in a land of cruel insect-like creatures who worship light and snow loathing everything deviating from their personal truth ̶ including her, deemed to be a threat to their infallible world. After unconsciously awakening her grandmother Miranda to life, Sycorax slowly comes to realize that the land she has always yearned for actually existed in the past, before being erased from everybody’s memory. Now, thanks to Miranda’s help, Sycorax can make that land erupt again, but she will have to learn how to welcome darkness first.

With an accessible but richly visual and lyrical style, My heart is The Tempest is a dark tale of self-discovery focusing on an anti-heroine figure learning how to face a world of light made of terror and violence and embracing her hidden powers thus becoming a conscious instrument of darkness. The novella is also meant to be the first of a dark fantasy trilogy, each volume representing a different stage of life, from teenage years (Volume One) to adulthood (Volume Two) and old age (Volume Three), focusing on the themes of rage, vengeance, forgiveness and reconciliation.

126 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2022

About the author

Novelist, blogger, film and book reviewer, Sacha Rosel is the author of My heart is The Tempest, a dark fantasy novella inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest and planned to be the first part of a trilogy. She has a summa cum laude degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures majoring in English and a Master’s degree in Oriental Languages and Civilizations majoring in Chinese. She writes both in English and in Italian, mainly focusing on a combination of literary fiction and fantasy, with a touch of horror and elements inspired by Chinese culture. She has been an English-to-Italian fiction translator (titles translated include the War of Warcraft - The War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard Knaak). She writes film and book reviews for Thriller Magazine.it, mainly in Italian but occasionally in English too and has her own personal blog in English, where she publishes her own impressions on books, records and occasionally on TV series too.

Reviews

[Raffaella Tamba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sacha Rosel has a summa cum laude four year degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures majoring in English and an MA degree in Oriental Languages and Civilizations majoring in Chinese. She has worked as an English-to-Italian fiction translator and writes both in English and Italian. She has published two novels in Italian combining fantastical and scifi elements with a gothic touch. Part of a trilogy exploring the three main phases of life – youth, adulthood and old age – My Heart is The Tempest is her debut dark fantasy novel in English, and a very unusual retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Starting from the title itself, the book takes inspiration from one of the most evocative plays by Shakespeare, cherished by many for its fantastical and dreamlike atmosphere (Beethoven is said to have been one of the admirers of The Tempest’s spiritual restlessness, his Piano Sonata #17 Op. 31 No.2 named after Shakespeare’s play precisely for this reason). Each chapter of the novel also takes its title from Shakespeare, as many other sentences included in the story. Teeming with poetical references and a symbolic imagery tinged with animism, My Heart is The Tempest is characterised by a ritualistic-like atmosphere. Inspired by archetypical symbols taken from northern mythology and German fairy tales, Rosel creates a story revolving around the theme of racism. At a glance, the divide between the ruling race, the Nivealians, and the ruled one, the Valley of Moss descendants (among them teenage girl and protagonist Sycorax), may seem based on physical differences only, the former being ice white-skinned, white-eyed and white-haired, the latter being olive-skinned, black-eyed and black-haired. Yet, we slowly come to understand the boundary dividing the two races is actually based on intolerance and most of all on the fear of those who are different, unknown, incomprehensible, and thus Other. Consequently, the Valley of Moss descendants are seen as an enemy who needs to be controlled, marginalized, possibly erased.
As time goes by, the set of rules established by Nivealians has become more and more suffocating, so no Valley of Moss descendant currently knows how to fight back - until twelve-year-old Sycorax deliberately decides to break away from her people and their blind obedience, turning her physical otherness into something different. Proudly walking her furious walk among the “creatures of bright”, fully determined to show herself for who she really is, Sycorax defies the Nivealians’ disgusted (and terrified) gaze. Among them, stands Tliyel, son of Niveal’s supreme ruler, Lord Eysteinn, and thus himself future ruler of Niveal: “Such eyes were too fierce to be acceptable, too intense to be stopped, but stop them he would”, he thinks while looking at Sycorax because, as his ancestors taught him in hatred and utter lack of rationality, there can be no mercy for those who cannot abide to the sacred rules of Niveal.
The dichotomy between those who tend to comply to the rules and those who try to defy them is clearly shown in some dialogue sequences between Sycorax and her mother Kheba on the one hand and Eysteinn and his father Lord Kraumayok on the other. For instance, Kheba wants Sycorax to accept reality for what it is, which implies accepting any rule because “that’s what life is about”. And yet, “Life should be a thing of wonder, not a thing of despair!” Sycorax objects, refusing to accept things she can’t and won’t understand, because she wants change and believes change to be possible. Conversely, Sycorax’s rage and determination in changing reality finds its sinister reverse in Lord Kraumayok’s ruthless reasoning. Though deceased, his towering presence is still vivid in Eysteinn’s memory, haunting him with the inevitable cruelty of Niveal’s laws. To Lord Kraumayok, reality is about setting clear boundaries between one population and the other, with no coexistence whatsoever: “Light is what makes the world go round. Darkness is the enemy. You don’t befriend the enemy”, he replies to his son’s emotional protests. While Kheba firmly embraces subjugation in exchange for survival, Eysteinn seems reluctant to accept his father’s words, wondering why the Valley of Moss descendants shouldn’t participate fully in Niveal’s society.
A cry against racial and class discrimination, My Heart is the Tempest is first and foremost a novel exploring the iniquities of a social system based on the deliberate elimination of minorities by constantly undermining their dignity and hope for a better life – something which sadly reminds us of our real world, characterised as it is by a recrudescence of nationalism equally originating from primal fear, leaving no room for change nor liberation.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Heart is The Tempest
Note: I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review (no spoilers).

The writing style is opulently visual and deeply introspective. The imagery was detailed yet well-paced, and above all consistent throughout the entire story. I was happy just to read pages upon pages of the descriptions alone. The plot was easy to follow and uncomplicated, and as such gave plenty of space for the writing style to shine. The author did a wonderful job of crystallizing detailed visuals of the setting while tying equally visualizable metaphors to present the characters’ more abstract internal worlds. From beginning to end, I enjoyed the subversion seen far too often in media that light/white automatically symbolizes "good" and darkness automatically symbolizes "evil." I thought the story did a wonderful job of flipping that trope on its head for a fresh exploration into the multiple dimensions of both its morally gray protagonist, antagonist(s), and side characters.

I deeply appreciated the thought-provoking tone of the story, which was extremely articulate and lent itself well to the distant third-person omniscient point of view. The non-judgmental, yet highly observant tone of the narration provided an avenue for the readers to understand the reasons behind a diverse cast of characters’ actions (or lack thereof), and, as readers, form their own opinions of the characters.

As for the characters, they were all well-rounded and as a result, effortlessly distinguishable. I could tell they were crafted with care. I was most impressed that the author managed to show an incredible amount of three-dimensionality of all the characters in an efficient number of pages, something that I have noticed that, from a writer’s standpoint, is not easy to execute well. The characters, from protagonist to antagonists to relevant side characters, all beheld a fascinating depth, motivation, and some form of struggles. A common thematic examination focuses on how characters approach their current reality, whether by questioning, rebelling, surviving, accepting, submitting, or dominating it (to name a few ways), and these many facets are gracefully presented through the different character arcs.

The author doesn’t shy away from exploring difficult emotions through the characters’ actions and thoughts, without ever falling into the trap of sounding preachy. Some prominent examinations included grief, wrath, vengeance, prejudice, distaste, and cowardice, all of which gave me a lot to think about in terms of the story’s themes, and appealed significantly to my reading taste. Of note, I particularly loved the description of Sycorax’s “wrath walk” (relatable), and Eysteinn’s negative opinion of his own son, despite being unsavory, illustrated with unflinchingly honest observation. The transformations of many characters were executed so masterfully, with incredible attention to both the characters’ outer and inner worlds during major turning points.

Overall, this is a story that provokes a lot of thought and takes readers on an atmospheric reading experience with its immersive mood and flowing transitions between concrete imagery and abstract visuals. I would recommend this book to readers who are well versed in fantasy and enjoy reading highly formal diction. Individuals who enjoy contemplating the deep inner psychological workings of the characters, like I did, might also like this story's examinations.

[Sapha Burnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An imaginative & fanciful read, which breaks expectations by the way pre-adolescent Sycorax defies the cultural expectations of her fictitious world. Sacha Rosel creates a new mythology based on the essences of Western and Eastern traditions, with frigid creatures so alien and others utterly human, but intricately fascinating.

Release expectations when reading My Heart is The Tempest. No oracle can dictate what to expect. Tempest is both coming-of-age and the ending of one, a thorough beginning to a trilogy which can only be firmly understood once all three pieces are in their place. While we don’t have parts two or three yet, Rosel’s gorgeous prose keeps me waiting for Sycorax’s next journey. A brilliant and sometimes arresting origin for the adult, who never gave up on fantasy with depth.

[Jeyran Main · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘My Heart is the Tempest’ is a dark fantasy. It begins with Niveal, a land of snow and Sycorax, a 12-year-old who is different and is struggling to fit in her world. The color of her eyes and hair isn’t like others, so she is a target. Above all, even so young, her demeanour is beautifully drawn as she attempts to change her situation and live a better life. Her connection with Ariel, who finds her appealing, is also enduring.

I enjoyed reading this book and thought it was well put together. The dynamic of the tale and its descriptive writing was admirable. I was hooked on the concept and found it complex enough to want to know more.

I recommend this book to those who like integrated storylines.

[Emma Goldman-Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sacha Rosel's My Heart is The Tempest is a fantastical book of imagination. Rosel creates a complex landscape using many senses to offer up a feast for the mind. In some ways it's a coming of age tale of a young woman outsider learning who she is and how she can might be able to summon the world we need, an inclusive one, against all odds. In other ways it's a dark and violent story about power and its misuse. Rosel's powers of description are astounding. The book is the first of a trilogy, and I look forward to the next two.

I must say also that I know the author and am acknowledged in the book.

[Peter Graarup Westergaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythology has enormous importance for ancient as well as contemporary literature. Often literature borrows from already existing mythology within different cultures, but in rare cases, literature also invents and creates a new mythology, perhaps by distorting or blending existing mythology. Sacha Rosel’s YA imaginative dark fantasy novel “My Heart is The Tempest” is an example of this where new mythology is both invented and re-used in a unique way.

Sacha Rosel’s novel, ”My Heart is The Tempest”, is the first, very interesting volume of a trilogy published by Vræyda Literary Press in Canada. It is written in English, even though its author is Italian by descent. The book is meant for a world audience, and in particular young people, but everybody can get a great reading experience from the book.

As one can probably guess, “My Heart is the Tempest” has many references to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and the play is sort of the background text, much of the mythology and imagery is slightly twisted Shakespearean. “My Heart is the Tempest” also bears resemblance to Ursula K. Le Guin and Robert Graves in their different myth adaptations in novels and by the way of retelling mythology. Yet there is also something new about the book which gives the reader a sort of strange aerial feeling. Without a doubt, “My Heart is the Tempest” is a work that stands on its own.

We follow the young 12-year-old protagonist, Sycorax. She is also originally a character in Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest” whom we never see or meet directly in the play. We are only told about her. In Shakespeare’s version, Sycorax is narrated as a vicious witch who has had a fatal destiny. She has been banished from her home because of a pregnancy to the island where The Tempest takes place. In that sense, the story of Sycorax is a story of women's destiny and “My Heart is the Tempest” is the feminist version of one of the untold stories of one of Shakespeare’s less famous characters. However, “My Heart is the Tempest” can be read without knowing Shakespeare’s original story.

12-year-old Sycorax is growing up and is on her path to individuation in a dreamlike setting, the reader follows her serious entanglements while participating in the strange spiritual world of flowers and cruel insect-like creatures where she is trapped. Yet through awakening her dead grandmother, Miranda, she manages to leave parts of this strange dystopia behind. As one can probably hear, “My Heart is The Tempest” also has resemblances to such famous novels as “The Maze Runner” and even “The Hunger Games”. As a reader, you get a similar story of being trapped and being a young outsider, as you find in these famous dystopian YA novels.

“My Heart is the Tempest” is also about awakening and coming to terms with a difficult past and upbringing. It is a story of a young girl realizing a dark truth, but the story is not rounded off or finished. This reader looks forward to reading about what happens afterwards for Sycorax and her strange friends in an outstanding and impressive mythological setting.