In the grand filthy old town of 1817 St. John’s, sodden depths of brutality rub up against beauty, courage, and hope. Valentine’s grandparents have arranged a marriage for her in London. But Valentine has a restless spirit, and has never felt entirely “girl.” Soon, they are dressed in sailor’s clothes, clinging to the spars of a schooner crewed by misfits, including a Jamaican ex-naval officer who unknowingly captures Valentine’s heart. The schooner is bound for Orkney, homeland of Valentine’s unknown father. There, they encounter mystical seal people, selkies. The schooner returns home with a passenger: a beautiful and mysterious dark-eyed woman. Valentine knows, now, that pretending to be straightforwardly female is no longer possible. But in city on the verge of starvation, locked in ice, and swept by firesconflagrations Valentine is certain were set by a cruel merchant son, husband-to-be of their sweet best friendwhat hope do they have? And who, or what, are those little chattering strangers who hitched a ride across the Atlantic?

In the dramatic prequel to her acclaimed novel Urchin, Kate Story again brilliantly fuses historical fiction and folklore. She brings both St. John’s and Orkney vividly to life. Her language is rich, her characters compelling, and her story unforgettable.