Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

Book Review

Rima Devereaux

Luce Léon is the daughter of an eighteenth-century Breton ship-owner who one day rescues a drowning man from shipwreck. A love triangle ensues between Luce, the rescued man Morgan, who is the son of another wealthy ship-owning family, and Samuel, an English smuggler and friend of Luce. But this beautifully written story is much more than a historical novel. The sea beckons to Luce, revealing an identity that is bound up with its creatures and its magic, and setting her on a path to unexpected revelations and a totally new destiny that overturns everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.

Upon a Starlit Tide is a richly detailed and vivid historical novel that is fully embedded in the world of eighteenth-century highlife and lowlife in Saint-Malo. But at the same time, it is shot through with Breton legends and folktales about creatures of the Fae Folk, such as groac’hs, jetins and lutines, who are a reality in the story. It is the sea that lies behind many of these tales, almost like another protagonist. We hear that it is dangerous to rescue a soul that the sea has already claimed, that the shades of drowned sailors can rise and come ashore to seek vengeance on the one responsible for their deaths, and that the magical Fae-imbued storm-stone is what forms the very walls and houses of Saint-Malo, lending it protection. Over and above this aspect of the novel, it draws deeply on ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Cinderella’, and weaves elements of these tales into the plot.

A theme treated in the novel that is common in fantasy is that of the danger posed by humans to the world of the Fae Folk, but the way this is played out in Luce’s life story is captivating and original. Another theme is that of the interplay between rich and poor in society, with an implied criticism of the highlife of balls and matchmaking. The latter is shown to be hollow compared with the depth of life offered by the sea, the creatures who are close to it, and the humans who show it the respect it deserves.

I especially appreciated the interaction between the historical side and the fantasy elements, both of which are well researched and full of background detail, and felt that they combined into a seamlessly woven story.

In summary, I recommend this book for fans of Naomi Novik and other writers who use folktale powerfully in their work, for those looking for a historical romance with something extra, and for those who enjoy tales about the sea.