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The Seawomen are taught to be the evils of the deep surrounding Eden's Isle, but in time Esta finds out the real evil is in the hearts of men in this magical, debut novel by Chloe Timms.
They say wickedness lies in the sea.
To touch the water - to even look at it - will stir up the sin that naturally lives in the heart of each woman. The only path to salvation is obedience, marriage and motherhood. Those women on the isle of Eden who fail in their duty will be cast back into the dark water, without mercy.
But the sea calls to Esta. It always has.
When danger forces Esta beyond the shallows, she uncovers a different world. One of freedom and power. It sets her on a course to uncover a secret sunk beneath the waves and the truth that will tear Eden apart.
The Seawomen is a fiercely written and timely feminist novel, at once gothic, fantastical and truly unforgettable, for fans of Margaret Atwood and Kiran Millwood Hargrave.
'A gripping tale of love and bravery' SOPHIE WARD, author or The Schoolhouse
'Unsettling and lushly written' KIRSTY LOGAN, author of Now She is Witch
'A powerful, enchanting novel' ANNA BAILEY, author of Tall Bones
'Mesmerising and moving' SUSANNAH WISE, author of The Fragile Earth
Beautifully written ... a great concept, brilliantly executed, and it is essential reading for dystopian fiction fans
If you're looking for your next Handmaid's Tale-esque fix, this is it
Timms unmasks organised religion as a gleaming fa ade for misogynistic cults, and explores how easily whispered rumours can spiral into mass hysteria. Bonus points for her shockingly nasty villain, Father Jessop - SFX
An unsettling and lushly-written reimagining of witch trials, exploring fertility, control and how what we believe can save us - or destroy us. The Handmaid's Tale meets The Shape of Water
A gripping tale of love and bravery; The Seawomen immerses you in its watery world.
This book sucked me under and held me in its gorgeous, terrifying embrace. It's a rare treat to read a story so gripping told in such beautiful prose. Dive in and don't look back.
Richly atmospheric, powerful and provocative. A raw and beautiful coming of age story.
I read this beautiful novel in a fever dream, its sweeping prose carrying me away like a boat out at sea. Chloe Timms has written an extraordinary tale of one woman's desire for freedom, for love. Mesmerising and moving, I couldn't put it down.
Chloe Timms is a writer from the Kent coast. After a career in teaching, Chloe studied for an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Kent and won a scholarship for the Faber Academy where she completed their six-month novel writing course. Chloe is passionate about disability rights, having been diagnosed with the condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy at 18 months old, and has campaigned on a number of crucial issues. The Seawomen is her first novel.