REVIEW: Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods
The latest novel from Australian author Kell Woods, Upon a Starlit Tide, is a standalone historical fantasy inspired by classic fairy tales. It is a dark and captivating tale, in the same way the stories from which Wood takes inspiration are. The conventions of some of these fairy tales seeping into Upon a Starlit Tide gives Woods’ novel a comfortable sense of familiarity, and even though this is an original story, it is very easy to slip into this world and enjoy the storytelling from the get-go. Particularly if, like me, you have always preferred the Hans Christian Anderson or Brothers Grimm tales to other, more popular versions.
As Upon a Starlit Tide is a standalone novel, there is no requirement to have read Wood’s earlier book, After the Forest. However, that tale of what happens to Hansel and Gretel once they escape the forest was an equally good story with the same writing style; if you like one, I’d bet on you enjoying the other, too. I read After the Forest because of the opinion of the GdM team member who called it ‘a powerhouse debut’ and grabbed Upon a Starlit Tide for the same reason. Woods writes complex characters and deals with some tough themes in a skilled and nuanced way. I already thought she was a standout author after reading After the Forest, and Upon a Starlit Tide has cemented that opinion for me.
Upon a Starlit Tide takes place in Saint-Malo, Brittany, in 1758, and focuses on Lucinde Leon, the youngest and most treasured daughter of a wealthy former captain turned ship owner. Lucinde is not like her sisters, she doesn’t yearn for a good marriage or care for fashionable dresses and the latest gossip. Luce has always thought there is something more out there, just out of reach. The closest she gets to catching that feeling is being taught to sail by her best friend Samuel, a smuggler. The waves have always called to Luce, and the sea feels like a comforting companion to her. Unsurprising then that one morning after a storm, she doesn’t hesitate to dive into the rough waters to rescue a drowning man heedless of the risk to herself or the consequences of taking something that the sea has laid claim to.
As I said, Upon a Starlit Tide is a very easy to read novel. There are a lot of similarities to the classic fairy tales that I love, so this novel will appeal enormously to others who enjoy this style. Woods has brought in the darker psychological elements from this type of tale, of things that lurk beneath or are just out of sight in the dark, and blended them up with some of the dark parts of humanity, the casual cruelty of some men and their greedy, sadistic, brutality. There are a lot of folktale retellings and fairy tale-inspired stories out there, but Woods’ original Upon a Starlit Tide is one of the better ones I have read. Although it feels familiar, the plot is never predictable, and I immensely enjoyed Woods’ mix of history and fantasy. The two genres are balanced throughout the novel, making Upon a Starlit Tide feel utterly immersive.
Upon a Starlit Tide was a compelling and fascinating novel. The darker parts of the story are mixed with lighter moments – with Luce’s joy, her friendships, and her changing relationships with those around her. Some of these are bittersweet, and the reader will grieve Luce’s losses and celebrate her successes. Woods’ vivid writing will sweep you off on an adventure you will never forget, it is a magical story of self discovery in the best way. Thank you to Kell Woods and the team at Titan Books for sending Grimdark Magazine an ARC of Upon a Starlit Tide to be able to provide this review.
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