The Lady of the Sea

by Branka Valcic

On an island steeped with tradition there is one story that has been told for generations: the story of the Lady of the Sea. Grandma Antica, the village healer, shares the story with Mareta, an island girl whose name means a wave. Although Mareta loves hearing the story about the Lady of the Sea, something about the story doesn’t feel quite right to her. When a series of omens leads Mareta’s family to make a drastic change, Mareta loses her home, her purpose, and her self-identity. Following omens of her own and learning to trust her intuition, Mareta searches for herself and the true story of the Lady of the Sea.

Genres: Fiction

195 pages, ebook

First published June 6, 2015

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This haunting fable contained all the elements of the sea: it rolled gently, hinted at wild nature, stormy tragedy, built a haunting story of lost love, and embodied a coming-of-age character arc. We follow the young islander, Mareta, as she uncovers the truth about her birth, destiny, and the feared Lady of the Sea. The story only lulled in a few moments, which actually help to create a quiet, oceanic tone. I wasn't familiar with many Lady of the Sea myths, but the narration felt deeply feminine and touched on the ghostly aspects of unrequited romance, suffering, misunderstanding, and the ultimate triumph of love and understanding.

[Ruth Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a real page-turner. The author beautifully evokes the different 'worlds' of Mareta, not least her inner world, as she moves though different states of turmoil to finding herself, and her peace within. The author's close connections to the sea, and in particular to the island archipelagos of the Croatian Adriatic, are evident from the detailed and sensuous descriptions of Skolj (Mareta's island home). Mareta's story engages the reader from the start and, like every good story, leaves the reader feeling a little bereft as the final page is turned.

[Lovro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spend most of my summers sailing on the Adriatic Sea and this is one of those books that perfectly captures the essence, the sounds and the tastes of being on the Adriatic Sea, surrounded by its natural and spiritual beauty. If you have already been to the Croatian Adriatic, you can revisit your journey through the pages of this book. If you are planning your first or next Croatian adventure, you can get into the local folklore ahead of your journey.

[MT · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lady of the Sea is an enchanting symphony for the senses! The scent of sage and lavender mixes with that of a freshly cooked brudet, a fish stew, while the wind and the sea create melodies, from a soft breeze and gentle waves to thunderous storms and crashing waves… Within all this, the novel weaves legend and reality of life in an alluring tale of self-discovery. Totally awesome!

[Vesna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lady of the Sea is a world in itself, not only because its content, characters and atmoshpere are so deeply engrossing, but also because it is written as the true art of the word. Like a beautiful peace of music or a beautiful painting, this book speaks to our artistic sense. If you like the beauty of words, as well as a good plot, I suggest you read The Lady of the Sea.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the imagery of this book.

[Zeljka Fuchs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read few books a week navigating through the numerous books offered online and this is the first book that I am writing a review for. It is easy to read, but also has literary value. It combines the reality of life with magic and while I read the book I became Mareta, the main character, in a very similar way as I became Harry Potter more than a decade ago. To be able to engage a reader so completely is a rare quality in an author and I would strongly recommend you to read The Lady of the Sea!

[Cyril Patrick Feerick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read full beautiful descriptions that make the scenes come alive. Author Branka Valcic tells the story of a girl named Mareta and her search for "The Lady of the Sea". Our heroine is just a normal girl who finds herself in extraordinary circumstances. With clever dialogue, this story has plenty of promise for more. I think the author made the correct move on the conclusion of the book. I look forward to more books from this author.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book is like sensing: you can see the turquoise sea, you can hear the waves, you can taste its salty water, you can smell its scent, you can touch it... but above all you can feel a lot of love and devotion that have been put in this story. This book has been a real page turner to me, I can't wait to read Branka's next novel!