Molly Knox Ostertag's "THE GIRL FROM THE SEA"
Book review by Dennis D. McDonald
This unusual coming of age tale in graphic novel form is a combination of fantasy, first love, coming out, and environmental activism.
A 15 year old girl lives with her mom on a somewhat isolated island, one where the usual conflict exists between the inhabitants’ desire for normalcy and the need for tourist dollars. The girl runs with a pack of local girls who somewhat stereotypically vary in niceness and demographics.
The girl is unhappy for a variety of reasons. One day she is rescued from drowning by a girl selkie, a being who transitions back-and-forth between being human and being a seal. The selkie learns to live as a human on dry land, the two become inseparable, they fall in love, and the girl and her mom embrace the gay relationship.
The story then takes a somewhat heavy handed turn into a conflict involving environmentalism at the same time the selkie/girl feels tugged to return to the sea in her true form as a seal.
I found this unusual book to be very relatable, charming, and - surprisingly - emotionally quite human despite the fantasy elements.
The illustrations, characters, and coloring are beautiful. The graphic style uniquely captures realism, tenderness, and whimsy. Recommended if you are looking for an unusual tale!
Review copyright (c) 2022 by Dennis D. McDonald
