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Celtic Knot
Selkie Dreams
Belfast, 1895. Haunted by her mother's death, Máire McNair is lured by the selkie myth to the promise of the Alaskan wilds to fulfill her dream of finding acceptance. Cunning and determination get her there in the guise of teaching at the Tlingit Indian mission. But Alaska proves more complex and difficult than she imagined, and the hope that this new place would transform her is elusive as ever. The censorious Mrs. Paxson, the wife of the trading post manager, constantly finds fault with Máire's efforts to instruct the native children. She has her own plans and Máire is in the way. Will Máire be able to forge her own way and make a success of her teaching? And what should she do about the handsome yet moody Lieutenant Green who is aggressively courting her? Natsilane is the Tlingit erstwhile mission protégé. Troubled and disaffected, he finds himself battling Máire's naive views and prejudices as he seeks to regain his own cultural identity by resuming a traditional lifestyle that draws from the Tlingit myth. But he cannot escape his past with the mission, nor can he or Máire escape the mutual attraction they feel. In a world that permits no rule breakers, will the power of myths trump all?
386 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2012
About the author
Kristin Gleeson
29 books112 followersUSA Today Bestselling author, Kristin Gleeson is originally from Philadelphia but has lived in West Cork in Ireland for a number of years where she plays the harp and sings, in addition to painting the beautiful landscape around her. She holds a Masters in Library Science and a Ph.D. in history, and for a time was an administrator of a large archives, library and museum in America and also worked as a public librarian in America and Ireland. She has won numerous awards for her writing
Myths and other folk tales have always fascinated her and she combined her love of these tales with her harp playing and performed as a professional harper/storyteller at events in Britain, America and Ireland.
She has also written history freelance and published articles and essays in reference works and academic books.
Myths and other folk tales have always fascinated her and she combined her love of these tales with her harp playing and performed as a professional harper/storyteller at events in Britain, America and Ireland.
She has also written history freelance and published articles and essays in reference works and academic books.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 12, 2014
After a lot of consideration I gave this book 4 stars, but it's really more like 3 1/2. There were aspects that I absolutely loved, but the ending was a let down.
What I loved was the combination of Celtic and Tlingit (First Nations or Native American) Mythology. The leading character Máire, has been brought up to believe that her mother was a Selkie. When her widowed father attempts to marry her off to a much older business partner, Máire accepts a job teaching in an Alaskan Tlingit mission as a way to escape. However rather than imposing Christianity on her pupils, she tells them the Celtic myths of her homeland. This as well as the fact that she herself develops a deep reverence for Tlingit mythology and culture enables her to win over and make friends with many of the Tlingit.The blending of cultures and mythology worked beautifully.
The ending however, which all take place suddenly in the last 2 pages, was very abrupt and confusing. However reading others reviews, maybe the ending was meant to be open for a sequel. Nevertheless the wonderful blending of myths and cultures was 5 stars but the ending was 1 star. It was kind of like watching someone build a beautiful sculpture then take a sledge hammer and break it apart in front of you.
What I loved was the combination of Celtic and Tlingit (First Nations or Native American) Mythology. The leading character Máire, has been brought up to believe that her mother was a Selkie. When her widowed father attempts to marry her off to a much older business partner, Máire accepts a job teaching in an Alaskan Tlingit mission as a way to escape. However rather than imposing Christianity on her pupils, she tells them the Celtic myths of her homeland. This as well as the fact that she herself develops a deep reverence for Tlingit mythology and culture enables her to win over and make friends with many of the Tlingit.The blending of cultures and mythology worked beautifully.
The ending however, which all take place suddenly in the last 2 pages, was very abrupt and confusing. However reading others reviews, maybe the ending was meant to be open for a sequel. Nevertheless the wonderful blending of myths and cultures was 5 stars but the ending was 1 star. It was kind of like watching someone build a beautiful sculpture then take a sledge hammer and break it apart in front of you.
August 13, 2012
3.5 stars actually. Original review posted at Layers of Thought.
A historical novel set in England and Alaska during Victorian times. It has Native Alaskan mythology with a bit from the British Isles woven through it.
About: Marie is a young woman who has grown up without her mum. Living with her wealthy father in England, the household’s cook tells Marie stories that lead her to believe that her mum was a selkie – a mythological creature that is seal in the ocean and human on land. It becomes a key belief for Marie and draws her to the sea.
When Marie’s father, decides to marry Marie off to a much older and overweight widow, Marie barely escapes by pretending to want to help in the efforts to Christianize the native population at a small mission in Alaska. It is after all close to the sea. Full of hope and wishing to connect with her selkie heritage, she arrives in Alaska to live with a very devout woman, who controls her every move and her kind husband who has an understanding for the Native Alaskan culture.
As the outpost’s teacher, Marie is asked to help the local children learn and become Christian with strict bible quoting lessons. However Marie has other ideas about how to teach the Natives and finds that she feels connected more to them than with her own people.
Thoughts: This was an engrossing historical novel that has mythology from two cultures embedded in it. I truly enjoy stories that contain myth, and with this particular novel one can almost consider it as having a slight speculative edge. Apparently the author has done some in-depth research into Native Alaskan heritage, so the novel has given a glimpse into a not very well know culture and created an intriguing subject mater to learn about.
Set during in the late 1800’s, when women had very little say about what they could do with their lives and were required to live within strict rules of conduct, our main character had to use indirect manipulations to evade things like her planned marriage. She goes even further to violate the cultural mores of the time but I will not spoil this dramatic story for you. But because Marie is a heroine who dares to go against these required behaviors, with consequences, it gives the story a feminist flavor.
I enjoyed Selkie Dreams with its romance, mythological core and its absolute drop-off-a-cliff shocker of an ending. I was completely blown away. It’s a 3.5 stars in my opinion and recommended for those who like strong female leads, reading about different cultures, stories set in Victorian times, and historical fiction with a touch of romance.
A historical novel set in England and Alaska during Victorian times. It has Native Alaskan mythology with a bit from the British Isles woven through it.
About: Marie is a young woman who has grown up without her mum. Living with her wealthy father in England, the household’s cook tells Marie stories that lead her to believe that her mum was a selkie – a mythological creature that is seal in the ocean and human on land. It becomes a key belief for Marie and draws her to the sea.
When Marie’s father, decides to marry Marie off to a much older and overweight widow, Marie barely escapes by pretending to want to help in the efforts to Christianize the native population at a small mission in Alaska. It is after all close to the sea. Full of hope and wishing to connect with her selkie heritage, she arrives in Alaska to live with a very devout woman, who controls her every move and her kind husband who has an understanding for the Native Alaskan culture.
As the outpost’s teacher, Marie is asked to help the local children learn and become Christian with strict bible quoting lessons. However Marie has other ideas about how to teach the Natives and finds that she feels connected more to them than with her own people.
Thoughts: This was an engrossing historical novel that has mythology from two cultures embedded in it. I truly enjoy stories that contain myth, and with this particular novel one can almost consider it as having a slight speculative edge. Apparently the author has done some in-depth research into Native Alaskan heritage, so the novel has given a glimpse into a not very well know culture and created an intriguing subject mater to learn about.
Set during in the late 1800’s, when women had very little say about what they could do with their lives and were required to live within strict rules of conduct, our main character had to use indirect manipulations to evade things like her planned marriage. She goes even further to violate the cultural mores of the time but I will not spoil this dramatic story for you. But because Marie is a heroine who dares to go against these required behaviors, with consequences, it gives the story a feminist flavor.
I enjoyed Selkie Dreams with its romance, mythological core and its absolute drop-off-a-cliff shocker of an ending. I was completely blown away. It’s a 3.5 stars in my opinion and recommended for those who like strong female leads, reading about different cultures, stories set in Victorian times, and historical fiction with a touch of romance.
September 3, 2012
Rating: 3½ stars
I've read several books lately that have left me with mixed feelings, and SELKIE DREAMS is one of them. Overall, I thought this was a well-written story set in a unique time and place. The protagonist is Máire is a lost soul desperate to escape a bad situation in her life. She grew up in Belfast without a mother, raised instead by a cold and distant father. The family cook told her stories about her mother being a selkie, returning to the sea shortly after Máire was born. It's because of these tales that she felt a spiritual bond with seals. After learning about the seals living along the coast of Alaska, she feels drawn to this wild, far away place. Máire takes a job in Alaska as a teacher in the Tlingit Mission.
It's clear that the author did her homework on native Alaskans and the work of missionaries in the late 1800s. I felt like it was a realistic portrayal of both sides. Neither group was romanticized or vilified. It was interesting to read about the struggles of the Tlingit people as they tried to learn about Christianity and the ways of the white people, while trying to hold on to their traditional customs. I still can't get over the arrogance of missionaries in changing the names of Tlingit children to Christian names. Even Máire's own name was deemed inappropriate, and it was changed to something more "proper" for mission work.
I loved Máire's character. She embraced the Tlingit people and was drawn to their way of life. You could see her discovering her true self and finding a place to belong as the months went by.
Even though the story moved at a slow pace for most of the book, I still enjoyed it - until the last page! The ending was, I don't know. I didn't like it. It was abrupt and incomplete, and left me feeling confused. I read and reread the last page six times, and I'm still shaking my head. Now, I've read many other reviews of this book, and I think only one other person mentioned the ending, so maybe it's just me!
So, if I can eventually make sense of and peace with the conclusion, I would recommend SELKIE DREAMS to historical fiction buffs interested in Celtic myths, Native Americans and colonization in Alaska. Thank you to Knox Robinson Publishing for providing me with a review copy of this book.
I've read several books lately that have left me with mixed feelings, and SELKIE DREAMS is one of them. Overall, I thought this was a well-written story set in a unique time and place. The protagonist is Máire is a lost soul desperate to escape a bad situation in her life. She grew up in Belfast without a mother, raised instead by a cold and distant father. The family cook told her stories about her mother being a selkie, returning to the sea shortly after Máire was born. It's because of these tales that she felt a spiritual bond with seals. After learning about the seals living along the coast of Alaska, she feels drawn to this wild, far away place. Máire takes a job in Alaska as a teacher in the Tlingit Mission.
It's clear that the author did her homework on native Alaskans and the work of missionaries in the late 1800s. I felt like it was a realistic portrayal of both sides. Neither group was romanticized or vilified. It was interesting to read about the struggles of the Tlingit people as they tried to learn about Christianity and the ways of the white people, while trying to hold on to their traditional customs. I still can't get over the arrogance of missionaries in changing the names of Tlingit children to Christian names. Even Máire's own name was deemed inappropriate, and it was changed to something more "proper" for mission work.
I loved Máire's character. She embraced the Tlingit people and was drawn to their way of life. You could see her discovering her true self and finding a place to belong as the months went by.
Even though the story moved at a slow pace for most of the book, I still enjoyed it - until the last page! The ending was, I don't know. I didn't like it. It was abrupt and incomplete, and left me feeling confused. I read and reread the last page six times, and I'm still shaking my head. Now, I've read many other reviews of this book, and I think only one other person mentioned the ending, so maybe it's just me!
So, if I can eventually make sense of and peace with the conclusion, I would recommend SELKIE DREAMS to historical fiction buffs interested in Celtic myths, Native Americans and colonization in Alaska. Thank you to Knox Robinson Publishing for providing me with a review copy of this book.
June 9, 2012
It's when I read books about the harsh clash between missionaries and those they seek to convert that I realize just how judgmental, harsh, and brutal colonialism is. Selkie Dreams by Kristin Gleeson is one of those kind of books.
Máire, an innocent young woman of Ireland, lives with her father, their cook, and two maids. Her mother is long gone, reportedly a selkie (seal-woman) who had been trapped on land for seven years and went back to the sea shortly after Máire's death. In order to escape an event that would definitely make Máire's future a bleak one, she signs up to teach children in faraway Alaska.
What made this book so interesting to me is how familiar and strange the Tlingit people were. They had oral story traditions that were not all that different from those I've studied of Irish origin, and I think that is what made this book work so well. In addition, Kristin Gleeson spent time working in a national archives library documenting artifacts and information about the Tlingits and assisted the Tlingits in recovering "their land and their past" in Alaska. This information was all taken from Ms. Gleeson's biography on her website, which I highly encourage you to visit as there is more information there on her other writings.
Máire was a character I was hugely sympathetic too. The connection and relationships she formed with the Tlingits, coupled with the beautifully narrated description of their traditions and way of living, made for a story that was rich in both subject matter as well as language. My only complaint? An ending that had me screaming with frustration. Will there be more, Ms. Gleeson? Because I need to know!
Máire, an innocent young woman of Ireland, lives with her father, their cook, and two maids. Her mother is long gone, reportedly a selkie (seal-woman) who had been trapped on land for seven years and went back to the sea shortly after Máire's death. In order to escape an event that would definitely make Máire's future a bleak one, she signs up to teach children in faraway Alaska.
What made this book so interesting to me is how familiar and strange the Tlingit people were. They had oral story traditions that were not all that different from those I've studied of Irish origin, and I think that is what made this book work so well. In addition, Kristin Gleeson spent time working in a national archives library documenting artifacts and information about the Tlingits and assisted the Tlingits in recovering "their land and their past" in Alaska. This information was all taken from Ms. Gleeson's biography on her website, which I highly encourage you to visit as there is more information there on her other writings.
Máire was a character I was hugely sympathetic too. The connection and relationships she formed with the Tlingits, coupled with the beautifully narrated description of their traditions and way of living, made for a story that was rich in both subject matter as well as language. My only complaint? An ending that had me screaming with frustration. Will there be more, Ms. Gleeson? Because I need to know!
February 14, 2018
Wonderful story but abrupt ending. What could’ve been a mini-series just ends in one page. I enjoyed the story and history but was complete let down by such an abrupt ending.
Also, I’m not sure if it was a bad digital form that I read but punctuation, spelling, word arrangement was off throughout the book.
Also, I’m not sure if it was a bad digital form that I read but punctuation, spelling, word arrangement was off throughout the book.
February 15, 2017
Actually, I really quite enjoyed this book, despite the fact that it needed final tight editing - missing words/punctuation. Then I got to the final page and WHAT?!!! A trick and rather mean ending. So disappointed.
September 6, 2020
Selkie Dreams.
I loved this story. Here is a magical story weaver with the ability to grab you and whip you through the ages to leave your heart pounding for more. Perfect antidote to the mind numbing Covid incarceration. Welcome to the world of Kristin Gleeson.
I loved this story. Here is a magical story weaver with the ability to grab you and whip you through the ages to leave your heart pounding for more. Perfect antidote to the mind numbing Covid incarceration. Welcome to the world of Kristin Gleeson.
June 30, 2022
An interesting story but a disappointing finish.
September 4, 2022
Fluctuating between rounding up or down 2.5 stars. I was drawn to the concept of this book, but the author really needed both a copy editor and proofreader. The ending felt abrupt and forced.
June 10, 2012
Maire was an only child whose mother died when she was a mere babe. Her father was a strict parent, but he had Cook raise Maire which was wonderful for them both. Cook had no children of her own and doted on Maire. Maire was a curious young lady and always wondered about her mother. There were tales that she had been a Selkie and needed to return to the sea...Maire overheard other stories as well. Since Maire always wondered what happened to her mother, she spent a great deal of time at the seashore looking for her.
Maire's home life was strict, and her father was trying to get her married off to an older man. Maire wasn't in favor of this match and was thrilled when the church offered passage to Alaska to work with the Missions. It was a hard sale to get her father to allow her to travel so far from Belfast, but in the end, she was allowed to become part of the Mission and made the long boat trip. The only hindrance was Mrs. Paxson...she was always there telling Maire what to do and when to do it, and she also made Maire change her name to Martha....she hated that name. This part of Maire's relationship never changed.....Mrs. Paxson was always in charge.
As Maire got settled in at the mission with Mrs. Paxson, she was very surprised at the comments made by the other folks and felt uncomfortable, but the connection she felt toward the land and sea was a comfort to her. She became close with some of the Indians, but others rebuked her.
This book is superbly written. The characters jumped out at you with all their colorful clothing and personalities because of the great detail and beautiful writing of the author. The author gives striking descriptions of the landscapes as well. You will be able to easily visualize everything. You will get a detailed account into how the people of Alaska lived in their villages and clans. You will learn a lot about their culture, and some of what you don't want to learn.
You will fall in love with Maire for her innocence and her attempt to make something out of herself other than becoming a wife to an older man which her father thought was the best thing that could happen to his daughter. The customs of the villages Maire needed to become used to were puzzling...especially concerning the ways the Indians solved problems and how they didn't want their children to attend school. You will enjoy Maire's adventures and hardships and feel what she feels when she knows she doesn't fit in and especially when she does things that are totally against the principles of the clans. Her Selkie Dreams get her into trouble at one point and follow her through until the end.
The book was very informative and fascinating in terms of learning about a different culture and their customs, but it got cumbersome as it continued on and on. I enjoyed the book for most part, but am rating it a 4/5 because of the length. It also is not the type of book I normally read, but I am glad I read it.
Maire's home life was strict, and her father was trying to get her married off to an older man. Maire wasn't in favor of this match and was thrilled when the church offered passage to Alaska to work with the Missions. It was a hard sale to get her father to allow her to travel so far from Belfast, but in the end, she was allowed to become part of the Mission and made the long boat trip. The only hindrance was Mrs. Paxson...she was always there telling Maire what to do and when to do it, and she also made Maire change her name to Martha....she hated that name. This part of Maire's relationship never changed.....Mrs. Paxson was always in charge.
As Maire got settled in at the mission with Mrs. Paxson, she was very surprised at the comments made by the other folks and felt uncomfortable, but the connection she felt toward the land and sea was a comfort to her. She became close with some of the Indians, but others rebuked her.
This book is superbly written. The characters jumped out at you with all their colorful clothing and personalities because of the great detail and beautiful writing of the author. The author gives striking descriptions of the landscapes as well. You will be able to easily visualize everything. You will get a detailed account into how the people of Alaska lived in their villages and clans. You will learn a lot about their culture, and some of what you don't want to learn.
You will fall in love with Maire for her innocence and her attempt to make something out of herself other than becoming a wife to an older man which her father thought was the best thing that could happen to his daughter. The customs of the villages Maire needed to become used to were puzzling...especially concerning the ways the Indians solved problems and how they didn't want their children to attend school. You will enjoy Maire's adventures and hardships and feel what she feels when she knows she doesn't fit in and especially when she does things that are totally against the principles of the clans. Her Selkie Dreams get her into trouble at one point and follow her through until the end.
The book was very informative and fascinating in terms of learning about a different culture and their customs, but it got cumbersome as it continued on and on. I enjoyed the book for most part, but am rating it a 4/5 because of the length. It also is not the type of book I normally read, but I am glad I read it.
January 16, 2016
This is a wonderful story that is beautifully written! I really felt like I was transported to first Belfast then Alaska (I have always wanted to go to Alaska! LOL). This story, although fiction felt very real to me. The history and traditions of the early Alaskan people were clearly described here. This book is both interesting and fascinating.
"It is a Deer Ceremony because deer are peaceful," Joseph said. 'After each side has agreed to the gifts to be given, they will have men pretend to be deer, to show peaceful behavior."
"Tlingits do not usually say people's names everywhere and all the time. Names are full of power, full of meaning. When a child is first born, it is weak and the people believe that the spirits in heaven would take the child back, if they knew the child's real name. Later, there are other enemies. You do not always want an enemy to know your power, they might use it against you."
So why only a 4 star rating instead of 5? The beginning of this is real slow, but it pick up once she got to Alaska. Also - This book was not really about Selkies except for the first few pages and a few mentions through the book and then again at the end. Some people expecting a story about Selkies might be disappointed. I was hesitant to read this book at first because I did think it was about Selkies so I was kind of glad that it didn't take over the story. This was more historical fiction about the Alaskan people.
The character development is excellent! I fell in love with Máire, Natsilane, Sarah, and Rebecca as well as all the other Alaskan people. However, I despised Mrs. Paxson. What a self centered, rude, controlling person she was. She was clearly not there to help them, to teach them, or to teach them about God. She was there to control them, change them, and rule over them. She also took it upon herself to judge people and even try to inflict punishment on them. In a very strange and twisted way it reminded me of "Island of the Sequined Love Nun" - I know, I know, you're thinking, huh? But, trust me you have to read both to understand.
All in all I really did love this beautiful story and could not stop reading the last 2/3 of this book.
I know that parts of this will stay with me a long time.
"It is a Deer Ceremony because deer are peaceful," Joseph said. 'After each side has agreed to the gifts to be given, they will have men pretend to be deer, to show peaceful behavior."
"Tlingits do not usually say people's names everywhere and all the time. Names are full of power, full of meaning. When a child is first born, it is weak and the people believe that the spirits in heaven would take the child back, if they knew the child's real name. Later, there are other enemies. You do not always want an enemy to know your power, they might use it against you."
So why only a 4 star rating instead of 5? The beginning of this is real slow, but it pick up once she got to Alaska. Also - This book was not really about Selkies except for the first few pages and a few mentions through the book and then again at the end. Some people expecting a story about Selkies might be disappointed. I was hesitant to read this book at first because I did think it was about Selkies so I was kind of glad that it didn't take over the story. This was more historical fiction about the Alaskan people.
The character development is excellent! I fell in love with Máire, Natsilane, Sarah, and Rebecca as well as all the other Alaskan people. However, I despised Mrs. Paxson. What a self centered, rude, controlling person she was. She was clearly not there to help them, to teach them, or to teach them about God. She was there to control them, change them, and rule over them. She also took it upon herself to judge people and even try to inflict punishment on them. In a very strange and twisted way it reminded me of "Island of the Sequined Love Nun" - I know, I know, you're thinking, huh? But, trust me you have to read both to understand.
All in all I really did love this beautiful story and could not stop reading the last 2/3 of this book.
I know that parts of this will stay with me a long time.
August 16, 2012
There is nothing more wonderful on a sunny British afternoon, than relaxing in the back garden with an excellent book. And ‘Selkie Dreams’ is just that: an excellent book.
This beautifully written novel is the love story of Máire, an Irish girl who travels to Alaska to escape an unwanted marriage and the claustrophobic atmosphere of Protestant Belfast. Here she meets Natsilane, an enigmatic native man who has spurned his American education and the attempts of the missionaries to ‘civilise’ him, and returned to the traditions of his people.
From the moment Máire is carried ashore to her new home by Natsilane, the narrative – and the passion – soars to lyrical heights: ‘Just before the boat could go no further, a man from the group moved towards them, parting the fish that thronged the water.’
The quiet, but determined, young girl from Belfast becomes engrossed in the rhythm, sights, music and stories of the Tlingit tribes and the beautiful landscape and wildlife that surround her. The reader is carried along with her in her journey of discovery, desperately hoping that somehow, despite their cultural and religious differences, Máire and her sensual lover will find happiness.
‘The seals appeared again at the inlet, attracted by the fish that gathered in the weir. Máire was glad they’d returned and went to feed them to lure them from the weir. They came to her begging for the fish she dangled in her hand…She talked then sang and then patted their heads. She gave each one a secret name…
Natsilane caught her at it once, but only shook his head and walked away. She was certain she saw a shadow of a smile.
In the days that followed Máire found a small pile of fish by her basket, ready for the seals.’
Kristin Gleeson leaves us with a memorable and poignant love story and a vision of a wonderful culture, unique in my experience of literature.
This beautifully written novel is the love story of Máire, an Irish girl who travels to Alaska to escape an unwanted marriage and the claustrophobic atmosphere of Protestant Belfast. Here she meets Natsilane, an enigmatic native man who has spurned his American education and the attempts of the missionaries to ‘civilise’ him, and returned to the traditions of his people.
From the moment Máire is carried ashore to her new home by Natsilane, the narrative – and the passion – soars to lyrical heights: ‘Just before the boat could go no further, a man from the group moved towards them, parting the fish that thronged the water.’
The quiet, but determined, young girl from Belfast becomes engrossed in the rhythm, sights, music and stories of the Tlingit tribes and the beautiful landscape and wildlife that surround her. The reader is carried along with her in her journey of discovery, desperately hoping that somehow, despite their cultural and religious differences, Máire and her sensual lover will find happiness.
‘The seals appeared again at the inlet, attracted by the fish that gathered in the weir. Máire was glad they’d returned and went to feed them to lure them from the weir. They came to her begging for the fish she dangled in her hand…She talked then sang and then patted their heads. She gave each one a secret name…
Natsilane caught her at it once, but only shook his head and walked away. She was certain she saw a shadow of a smile.
In the days that followed Máire found a small pile of fish by her basket, ready for the seals.’
Kristin Gleeson leaves us with a memorable and poignant love story and a vision of a wonderful culture, unique in my experience of literature.
March 10, 2014
The selkie myths and stories abound in Ireland and Scotland and represent seals who shed their skins to take on human form. Eventually, the selkies seek out their seal skin to return to the sea and leave their earthly loves to mourn for them. Reading this book was akin to holding a large sea shell up to one's ear and imagining the sounds of a soothing sea. The story is about a young Protestant girl, Maire, from 1880s Ireland who has grown up without her mother, whom she believes is a Selkie. Cook has cast a spell upon Maire with her storytelling of Selkies and her mother. Maire feels her mother's presence and longs to see her again. She is more at home with the servants in her father's house than with all of her father's church and missionary friends.She is melancholic and artful in thought, with a wild spirit that sits tamely within her awaiting freedom. Eventually, she decides that her key to liberation and possibly finding her mother again is in becoming a missionary to the Tlingit Indian mission in Alaska. Maire strides cautiously and dangerously between two worlds, i.e. the tame world of Protestant missionaries and the natural, mythic, and sensuous culture of the natives. Ever steady on this path, she eventually loses her balance and is no longer able to stay on the course set out for her. In her fall, she tumbles into her real self, into love, and in the end her selkie dreams are realized. This was a pleasant book to read and I found myself eager to return to it each evening, as if I was being rocked gently on the sea. Although there is the pitch and toss of a stormy plot, it unfolds gently through the author's use of gentle description. I was surprised by the ending and perhaps perplexed by it and even ambivalent about it. Nevertheless, it did not diminish my pleasure in reading this delightful novel.
November 17, 2014
I was privileged to read an original manuscript of this enchanting tale when the book first aired on one of the Harper Collins Publisher websites. It’s a mixing of two cultures, one sensual and wild, the other intellectual and suffocating. Unlike other books of legend where we see a man weeping into the sea and inadvertently summoning a Selkie princess, this is a unique story that will undoubtedly leave a residue of magic in your heart.
Gleeson casts a little girl whose mother is a Selkie. She has seal blood pulsing through her veins like music, and loves to hear the stories Cook tells. We can see the Selkies curling and twisting on midsummer nights and dancing on two feet on the sea shore. There’s a melancholic tone to the writing as Maire grows up, distancing herself from the mother she loved and lost, and the suffocating politics of the Christian missionaries. The tuneful air of a fiddle and the awakening of the fiddler is the turning point, and she must make a choice before it’s too late.
The effortless weaving of Maire’s past and present, and her strongest desire to go back to the roaring sea is beautifully told. The dialogue is to die for―so easy to hear the soft Irish burr of little Maire’s voice as a child and the thicker tones of the tinker when she is a young woman. Maire is a mix of reason and cunning, and she must uncover the secrets of her past to understand her present.
For those of us who spent many a magical holiday swimming in the cold waters off the coast of the Shetland and Orkney Islands, it’s certainly not hard to believe in the Selkies. You’ll never look at a moonlit beach in quite the same way.
Gleeson casts a little girl whose mother is a Selkie. She has seal blood pulsing through her veins like music, and loves to hear the stories Cook tells. We can see the Selkies curling and twisting on midsummer nights and dancing on two feet on the sea shore. There’s a melancholic tone to the writing as Maire grows up, distancing herself from the mother she loved and lost, and the suffocating politics of the Christian missionaries. The tuneful air of a fiddle and the awakening of the fiddler is the turning point, and she must make a choice before it’s too late.
The effortless weaving of Maire’s past and present, and her strongest desire to go back to the roaring sea is beautifully told. The dialogue is to die for―so easy to hear the soft Irish burr of little Maire’s voice as a child and the thicker tones of the tinker when she is a young woman. Maire is a mix of reason and cunning, and she must uncover the secrets of her past to understand her present.
For those of us who spent many a magical holiday swimming in the cold waters off the coast of the Shetland and Orkney Islands, it’s certainly not hard to believe in the Selkies. You’ll never look at a moonlit beach in quite the same way.
April 24, 2012
Hauntingly beautiful, a book that takes you into 19th century Alaska from the viewpoint of a reluctant young Irish missionary, who cannot accept the colonial view of the native Americans she is supposed to teach, convert and of course patronise. When Maire throws off her corsets, she is abandoning more than physical constraints, showing once again the rebellious nature that Cook told her had come from her selkie mother. Maire’s search for her mother is a thread throughout the story and her selkie dreams mingle with the new-found legends of the Tlingit people, in a mythical world that co-exists with everyday eating and working. Sensuality and myth are opposed by puritan religion and racism, leaving us in no doubt that the only chance of romance lies with the Tlingits, or rather one particular americanised Tlingit, Natsilane, whose passionate commitment to his own society’s beliefs is at odds with his growing feelings for Maire. A classic cross-cultural love affair, where both culture expect arranged marriages, within their own societies and of their own social class.
The author’s touch is so light that the reader doesn’t think about the period at all; you live it. Every detail brings the story and the characters to life, always leaving room for the imagination to read into what’s not said as well as what is. The story-telling is as assured as the period knowledge and makes ‘Selkie Dreams’ live in your mind long after you’ve put the book down.
The author’s touch is so light that the reader doesn’t think about the period at all; you live it. Every detail brings the story and the characters to life, always leaving room for the imagination to read into what’s not said as well as what is. The story-telling is as assured as the period knowledge and makes ‘Selkie Dreams’ live in your mind long after you’ve put the book down.
January 17, 2012
'I don’t know if Selkie Dreams is the first novel to combine the story of a lonely nineteenth century Belfast childhood, a Presbyterian mission in Alaska, and the life and culture of the Alaskan native people, the Tlingit, that the mission serves, but I do know that this is a beautifully calibrated and vivid and interesting historical novel about love and death in the North American wilderness, that the characters are fascinating, that the evocation of the natural world and the social customs and practices of Tlingit is assured and convincing, and that the story, albeit melancholy, is unfailingly engaging. I wish it well.'
--- Carlo Gebler, author of 'The Siege of Derry'
--- Carlo Gebler, author of 'The Siege of Derry'
April 18, 2017
A truly beautiful story, a little slow and stilted to start with, but gaining in pace as the story unfolds. Once in Alaska the tale really takes wings. The portrayal of the native peoples of alaska is colouful, detailed and so interesting. The effect of over zealous Christian missionaries on native populations is extremely well drawn.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is well outlined in other comments.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is well outlined in other comments.
July 7, 2012
The gentle pace of this novel is in keeping with its setting and location, it also enables the reader to appreciate the underlying theme and the beauty of the prose.
December 11, 2012
A good story, well told for the most part, with a lovely sense of cultural differences and history. The ending is a real shocker, though. Very metaphorical, I am sure, but shocking even so.
January 7, 2014
A novel of subtle ambition.
January 7, 2016
Good book, but the ending was rushed and ridiculous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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