On Silver Tides

I absolutely LOVED reading this book. The fantasy world that Bishop has created is intricate, unique and yet felt somehow instinctively familiar, as though already part of our folktales. Her prose is simple yet beautiful and her characters richly imagined. The plot is fast-paced with some heart stopping twists towards the end that I genuinely didn't see coming. There are darker themes and real threat, which is why I imagine it's being published as YA but Teen or 11+ would be more accurate. One of the themes is that of accepting that you won't always know what is right or wrong, that sometimes you have to make the best choice or the decision that is in good faith and that there aren't always assurances. Characters in the story, both young and old, have to live with the consequences of their decisions and actions, to find forgiveness and understanding for them if they can. It's perhaps this, more than the plot content, that will make it more suited for teenage readers starting to make their own big decisions in life, and to see the adults around them as fallible. I could read tales of Kelda, her family and their watery world endlessly- I need a sequel at the very least!

What a delightful book. I loved being immersed in the world that the author brought to life, loved the people, the story - everything! And now we know the truth behind the Loch Ness Monster!