The Brides of Rollrock Island

The Brides of Rollrock Island is by Margo Lanagan.

Rollrock island is a lonely rock of gulls and waves, blunt fishermen and their homely wives. Life is hard for the families who must wring a poor living from the stormy seas. But Rollrock is also a place of magic - the scary, salty-real sort of magic that changes lives forever. Down on the windswept beach, where the seals lie in herds, the outcast sea witch Misskaella casts her spells - and brings forth girls from the sea - girls with long, pale limbs and faces of haunting innocence and loveliness - the most enchantingly lovely girls the fishermen of Rollrock have ever seen.

But magic always has its price. A fisherman may have and hold a sea bride, and tell himself that he is her master. But from his first look into those wide, questioning, liquid eyes, he will be just as transformed as she is. He will be equally ensnared. And in the end the witch will always have her payment.

The Breakdown:
1.  This will probably be one of my shortest reviews ever due to how bored I was with this book.  It felt like it took me forever to read, and I honestly struggled with finishing it, but I am no quitter.   The book is told from the perspective of several different characters and their stories don't exactly make the whole very cohesive.

2. I honestly hated the characters of Misskaella and Dominic.  They booth had some really horrible traits. Misskaella was a very bitter and vindictive woman, and Dominic was just so easily swayed.

3.  I will say that the ending was not terrible, but it took way to long to get there.

To Read or Not to Read:
Skip it