The Hollow Sea

by Annie Kirby

When Scottie realises she will never become a mother, she leaves her life behind and flees to the storm-lashed Hebridean archipelago of St Hia. The islands are dangerous. Many have been lost to the ferocious tides known as the Hollow Sea, and folklore tells that St Hia was once the home of a witch named Thordis - outcast for her inability to bear children, and driven to a terrible act . . . The islanders warn newcomers against examining the past, but Scottie can't look away from Thordis' story. Could St Hia's history hold the key to Scottie's future?

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Magical Realism, Contemporary, Audiobook, Nature

384 pages, Hardcover

Published August 18, 2022

Reviews

[bookishcharli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully mysterious book is one that’s going to stay with me for a long time to come. The writing was fabulous, I felt like I knew the characters on an intimate level and were connected with them, the dual timeline was executed perfectly, and did I mentioned it has mermaids? One of the things I loved the most is that the author writes this is such a way that she leaves it up to the reader to believe whether or not the merpeople were real, and yes, I did chose to believe they were. PERFECTION.

My only critique? I would have liked to explore the mythology side of it a bit more, but that’s a want not a need. It doesn’t make the book shine any less.

Thank you to @michaeljbooks for sending me a proof in exchange for my honest review.

[Catherine McLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It was an interesting story. I sometimes struggled to get to reading it and other times was sucked in completely. Part story, part myth/legend, part saga. Part tragedy, part self-help, part grief manual, part acceptance and contentment. I feel like this book will stick with me but not in the ways books usually do. I am really waffling between 3 and 4 stars for this.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysterious and strange at times, I was often not quite sure what was going on, how the threads of the story joined.
Beautifully written , and very atmospheric.
Just the right amount of folklore, to make it feel magical.
I alternated between slowing right down to make the story last longer, and speeding through chapters, to discover the answe to so many questions.

Super.

[Corina · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is absolute and utter chaos. And repetitive beyond the point of annoying. The "plot" is discarded towards the end with little fuss and no particular sense. So the plot is not the plot, it is a decoy to introduce a surfeit of mythology and seemingly fantastic creatures which have absolutely no role to play after all. There are entire useless chapters which have little to no importance for the evolution of the story, but also parts of the story which should have been developed instead. The book seems to never have been edited by a professional. It's just a chaotic first draft sent to print. It should have been 3 separate short stories (a self-help book, a fantastic fic and tourism guide), but instead, everything is just mixed senselessly. While presenting a real, sad perspective, the nail is hit over the head so often that it becomes boring and irritating. The character in the book has had a hard life, but she is so extremely distraught about everything all the time, so caught by her own suffering, that soon any reader can see she is just selfish beyond repair. Whether it is her maternal state, her relationship, her job, the people she meets, the stories they tell, the stories they don't tell, how they dress, what they eat or drink, what she eats, or drinks or wears, the fact that she is adopted, everything is stressful for her in the extreme, continuously. And the way she behaves towards the people around her is key to her personality - she doesn't care about anyone at all, her suffering is eternally central, queen of the human suffering, the most suffering a suffering can be. She treats her adopting mother abominably, her husband, her friends, everyone around is just mistreated. She desperately wants to be a mother, but she cannot appreciate any of the three mothers she had. Not to mention that some of the mothers in this novel are very cold and brusque with the children, really painful to read. But don't get it wrong, it's not a coming of age, she never changes, she never evolves, she is never sorry. But she forgives herself easily enough and continues to be exactly like in the beginning of the book.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natašine odporúčania sú vždy 10/10! ❤️

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute thing of beauty, Annie’s writing and the theme of water reminded me of early Patrick Gale as the characters were so beautifully drawn. The language and emotional pull is both immersive and like warmth rushing over you. I felt at home with this book. Very highly recommended and I look forward to reading Annie’s next book.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I went into this book blind, not really knowing anything about it other than a quick glance at the blurb online, so I had no pre-conceived ideas about what I was about to read.

The format, the writing style is unlike anything I’ve read before. The narrative is so beautiful. I don’t like the sea or open water and at times this book explains why I am scared of it. It’s like an untameable animals, but Annie Kirby also makes it sound like this gorgeous magical creature

I did find the flitting back and forth between characters and time periods a little confusing at first, and I did have to take them as separate stories until I had a good grasp of them, and then I could see how they all fit together, and I ended up loving their link.

It’s not a fantasy novel as such, but there are elements and hints of magic, which was a nice mix with this very accomplished novel (fantasy generally doesn’t get a lot of serious reviews, it’s often seen as a bit frivolous, which I think is undeserved).

It was going forward and backwards in time which I found fascinating. It’s not obvious, and I’m worried that I’ve made that up, but I read it as the present time was telling the story going forward, and the past was telling it backwards.

The weather has such a human quality to it, even when it’s calm, it’s like a coiled spring ready to snap, but when it gets angry, it holds all the power. The way Annie has managed to depict several storms in such different ways is amazing. Surely, once you’ve read one storm scene, you’ve read them all, but this book gives them their own characteristics.

Not everything is black and white. A lot is left up to the reader to decide, which makes the read a bit different to everyone. It leaves some things open, but gives the reader all they could possibly want. You don’t feel short changed that it’s left unfinished.

There is quite a lot of folklore in this and I’m in two minds. I like myths and legends so I would have liked a bit more of that, but you don’t want to stray into complete fantasy territory, as that would have ruined the majesty of the narrative, which is so perfect.

The characters past and present are so well described, it’s like you know them. And you go on this journey together. I love how powerful the female characters were; I would compare the women to the storm, they have this magic and power and inner strength.

This is Annie Kirby’s debut novel and I can already see the promise she has and I’m looking forward to any further stories she writes.

[Daphne Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of atmospheric writing and yearnings, this tells the stories of two women and how they are connected.
Thordis lived on the Island of Bride with her fisherman husband. When she cannot give him a child, he and the islanders accuse her of being a witch, and he abandons her to marry another.
Scottie and her husband Jasminder, are trying for a baby. They are on the IVF cycle of hope and disappointment. Scottie decides that enough is enough, and she makes plans to join a Seal counting group in the North Atlantic waters. Scottie is intrigued by an island she saw on line, St Hia, it reminds her of previous memories, that she doesn’t know much about, due to being adopted at the age of eight.
When Scottie reaches the island, memories begin to be recovered, and a deep and unsettling story is uncovered.
The issue of childlessness and infertility are raised, but very sympathetically. On the islands Myths and Legends are exposed and there are explanations and reconciliations. Missing childhood memories, bravery and deceptions are to be applauded in this story.
A very sensitive piece of writing, all wrapped up in the romance of small Scottish islands. The peace and isolation are indeed wonderful and so central to this novel. Folklore collides with modern day fact and knowledge, but it is beautiful. A gorgeous debut .
My thanks toNetgalley and Michael Joseph UK, for my advance digital copy in exchange for my honest review. A five star read.

[Helen Salsbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a mesmerising story, permeated throughout by the sea – its rhythms, its scent, its salt, its lore – which gives voice to what it means to be childless not-by-choice. Written with consummate skill and elegant prose, its canvas is vast, as three interweaving viewpoints come together to create one compelling and emotionally rich story. It’s an exploration of identity and loss against a backdrop of societal norms: both those of an unnamed Southern England seaside town and those of the beautiful and harsh environment of the archipelago of St Hia, a place still caught up in the traditions and prejudices of an earlier age, a place where incomers may never fit.

The emotional landscape was as powerfully drawn as the actual landscape, and when the two of them intertwined, as they frequently did, it brought a depth which resonated far beyond the novel’s final page.

Full Disclosure:
I was given a proof copy of this novel to review for The Writing Literary Blog. You can read the whole review here: https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-an...

[Sarah Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way that this beautiful novel manages to combine naturalistic fiction with the magical and fantasy elements in a way that they intertwine seamlessly and the magical becomes believable and real .You are never fully clear whether the mermaid and merman elements of the story are imaginary or real ,the author allows you to make your own decision .
The setting on a remote British island is evocative and strongly anchors the book with the sense of place vital to the book’s heart .i would have loved to have read this book staring out to sea but instead I was probably as far from the ocean that you can get .The book transported me so well that I felt I could hear the gulls and smell the brine
The people in the story are described in such detail that you feel you know them and I was invested early on in discovering their story.
I loved the way the book was structured with the book flipping between past and present ,it was always clear to me which time the chapter was set in
The author has a clear voice and reading their prose was enjoyable
I would recommend the book to those who like a literary novel with a sprinkling of magical mythology

[Toni Umar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A definite five star read for me, I thoroughly recommend this very thought provoking and beautiful novel. Set in different timelines it follows the stories of two strong and wonderful women, Scottie and Thordis. Many themes are explored including fertility, community expectations and perceptions, family, relationships, memories, trust and the ocean, to name just a few. The writing style is lyrical and the author has a way with words that transports the reader to the setting - I could almost feel the sand Andy astray the salt water! The story kept me totally captivated and I was truly sorry when it came to an end. Thank you to author Annie a Kirby for sharing your incredible words, you are truly inspiring.

[Loree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated by this novel from the very start! The writing itself is truly exquisite, with interweaving storylines that kept me gripped the whole way through. I loved the mystery shrouding Scottie's past and the dreamlike way much of this part of the story unfolds. I loved the sense of discovery when a key piece of the puzzle fell into place. And I loved the sensual writing - I could smell the sea and feel its movement. The Hollow Sea is a brilliant debut, and will stay with me long after I've brushed the sand out of my hair.

[Sara SR · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get behind the multiple POVs. They all felt too superficial and it was a bit too obvious how they would come together. Beautiful cover and I loves the mythology angle but the execution was nto my cup of tea.

[Sarah Geffke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Irgendwie sind da zu viele Dinge die mir unklar und unaufgeklärt geblieben sind. Ansonsten runde Story.

[shesellsseashells · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7

[Sara Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hollow Sea is an atmospheric journey through our main character’s forgotten past and finding her origins. It’s told from the perspective of different women, in a nonlinear way and at first it can be somewhat overwhelming, but you quickly overcome this and it gets you hooked on the story and how the lives and memories of these women are connected. An incredibly mysterious tale of love, motherhood, grief and most of all, self-discovery. There is a mystical tone throughout the book, intertwining fantasy, folklore and real life elements, complemented with a lyrical writing which perfectly adds up to the overall mysterious quality of this novel. I highly recommend this debut novel by Annie Kirby and will keep an eye out for her works in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley & Michael Joseph UK for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Jennie Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning novel weaving mythology with real life in a gorgeous meditation on belonging, marriage and motherhood. The setting of these remote islands, surrounded by the Hollow Sea, is both inspired and beautifully drawn and Scottie, the protagonist is vulnerable and strong in equal measure. Highly recommend.

[Charlie Fannon-Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started strong but soon became a bit of a drag to read. It was very predictable which ruined any suspense and was slightly dull in parts.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a beautifully written, completely emotive book. Full of intrigue, mystery, heartache - and wow, my heart DID ache at times, like it was being wrenched out of my chest as the tale gradually unfolded via the differing women. I loved the subtlety of the mythology, though personal preference would have been for that to have been explored further.

The ending was perfect - without posting a spoiler, it didn't go down the predictable way which I was really glad of.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atmospheric, riveting, complex, magical. I could go on listing adjectives because it's hard to classify this book as it seems that any and all help to define it.
There's sorrow and there's magic. I loved the characters, the setting, and the excellent storytelling.
And loved this story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Hollow Sea" by Annie Kirby is an upcoming pick for one of my online book clubs. It was published in the U.K. two years ago; it's finally become more widely available, including here in North America. (I even found a paperback copy in my local bookstore!)

"The Hollow Sea" tells the story(ies) of three women (actually four). The main character, who narrates her parts of the story, is Scottie, who is trying to come to terms with childlessness after one fertility treatment after another fails. She's haunted by the photo of a remote island in the North Atlantic that she spots on a website. When the opportunity arises to do some volunteer work in the area, she jumps at the chance, abandoning her bewildered husband, their three remaining embryos and their life together.

There's also Charlotte, adopted as a child by an infertile couple, Helen and Phil. And finally, there is Thora (Thordis), who lives in a cottage on a remote island in the North Atlantic with the child she calls "Fairy" but whose name, we eventually learn, is Susan. Gradually, these three storylines begin to connect, secrets are revealed and longstanding mysteries are (eventually) resolved.

This book reminded me in some ways of "The Metal Heart" by Caroline Lea, which our group read and discussed in January 2023. It contains elements of mythology/fairy tales, which are generally not my thing. Timelines shift back and forth between the present and the past in all three storylines, which can sometimes make the overall story a little difficult to follow. I will admit I found the ending just slightly dissatisfying (for reasons I don't want to outline here, because, spoilers!).

But the writing is beautiful, the story is compelling and kept me turning the pages -- and every word related to infertility, loss and childlessness is bang-on accurate.

A solid 4 stars.

Content warning: Along with the triggers you might expect when adoption/loss/infertility/childlessness is part of the story, there's also a blackfish/whale hunt that may be difficult reading for some. There is also some domestic abuse in the story.

[Nataša · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5*

Magický realizmus takmer vo svojej plnej kráse.

[Aria Harlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I found it way more emotive than I thought it would be. It was really well written with a compelling storyline and well devekloped characters that I took to my heart. This was a heart wrenching book and I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scottie and her husband are desperate to start a family but the emotional effects of failed IVF attempts have left Scottie exhausted and in need of a new beginning. Leaving her bewildered husband behind, Scottie travels to the remote island of St Hia to take part in the annual seal count and it is in this isolated place where Scottie starts to learn more about herself and the secrets of her past.

Running alongside Scottie's story, we go back in time to meet Thordis, who left her Norwegian home to marry a fisherman and live with him on the remote island of Bride. Thordis also yearns for a child and it is this parallel which pulls all the shapes of this fascinating story together.

Mesmerising, lyrical and utterly enchanting The Hollow Sea pulled me in as tenderly as the tides which crash around these isolated islands. Sensitively described with a wonderfully creative edginess both Scottie and Thordis have their flaws but it is these very differences which binds their stories together and the result is something quite, quite special.

The myths and legends of our islands are passed down the generations and become entrenched in the very fabric of our lives and in the ebb and flo of the tides which dominate our coastline. And in quietly exploring what it means to be as one with this atmospheric landscape, Scottie and Thordis, each have their own deep connection to the wild beauty of the place they need to call home but which, for many reasons, they flounder, and lost and alone with their thoughts.

The Hollow Sea is a special story which will stay with me for a long time. It's a perfect autumnal afternoon sort of read.

[Nicky Maunder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m going to start off with a content warning (which are potential spoilers). There’s some topics in here that some readers might want to know about - check out at the end for more information.

I loved the look of this one - it’s bit of a grown up fairy tale with mystery thrown in. I will admit the first half took me a while to get into it. The story takes you to different timelines and you follow our two characters - Scottie (Charlotte) as she’s struggling with her own fertility problems whilst trying find out her past and Thora/Thordis as her life slowly unfolds following her now ex-husband starting the family she always wanted. With these characters there’s also multiple timelines, so your perspective is always unclear.

I found these early flashes to the past disjointed and confusing (they’re also not linear). But once I started to understand it, and Scottie’s and Thordis’ stories, it did pull me in. I was desperate to know how they were connected - one of their main connections is their grief and heartbreak over their struggles to bear children.

When the fairytale part of the story kicked in and revealed itself, I was even more desperate to know how the story ends. But overall, it still felt a bit disjointed. A good debut and Kirby is an author I’ll be looking out for in the future.

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⚠️Content warning/potential spoilers: there’s the main theme of infertility, IVF and miscarriage with detail of the impact on those affected, there’s some detail of domestic abuse (physical and mental) and attempted assault ⚠️

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

After several failed rounds of IVF, Scottie ups sticks to a remote Scottish island where she discovers her past.

A triple narrative weaves together present-day Scottie, her young self as adopted Charlotte, and the folkloric Thordis.

This is an important novel about infertility, by an author childless not by choice. Told for two out of the three narratives in the first person, it only partly succeeds in developing the main character. Perhaps a case of being too close to the subject? Secondary characters get little more than a sketch. This said, husband, Jasminder, is a saint.

Most books with an infertile woman character paint an unhinged child-snatching, witch. Kirby addresses this issue head-on in the third narrative of Thordis. Initially surfacing only in Scottie’s dreams, the narrative takes on more substance the closer Scottie comes to discovering her origins.

In avoiding the cliché of drawing the unwillingly childless woman as the lunatic villain of the piece., Kirby's approach is refreshing. It is to be hoped The Hollow Sea will lay the witch to rest.

[Margaret Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

My last read of 2022 was this mesmerising novel that has stayed with me into this new year.

It deals with loss and grief and childlessness, but also travel and adventure. A mix of the fairy tale with the very real. Well worth reading.

[Shahira8826 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel for an honest review. It is set to be published in August 2022.

"The Hollow Sea" by Annie Kirby is a very interesting debut novel mixing mystery and psychological drama, with just a touch of fantasy.
I loved the concept of superimposing the "hollow sea" to Scottie's desperate search for motherhood. I also loved the author's sheer imaginativeness, making up a whole new species of shapeshifters, and creating their own unique lore and folk tales from scratch.
The one thing that didn't sit well with me was the structure of the narrative, following 3 different storylines at once: one in the present, moving forward; one in the past, also moving forward; and one more in the past, moving backward for some reason. Thordis' storyline starting from the ending and gradually going back from there was not only boring to read - because I already knew what would happen - but also spoiled the surprise for the big reveal in the ending of Scottie's storyline (the one in the present). I have no idea why the author would choose to spoil her own ending like this!
Furthermore, there are some elements that I found simply too far-fetched. No, I'm not talking about the magical realism parts--I was fine with those. I'm talking about how even the old, experienced fishermen from the South of the archipelago are scared of navigating the hollow sea, with its currents and whirlpools and multitude of sunken shipwrecks, and then suddenly Scottie - a complete beginner to all things seafaring - just does some long-distance course of seamanship over the internet, takes a skipper's qualification and... voilà, just like that, she's ready to be better at this than the people who've been doing it all their life. That was completely unbelievable.
I also struggle to believe anyone would be so mean and uncaring as to break up with their spouse of so many years over the phone, especially after going through all the struggles and heartbreak that Scottie and her husband went through together. That part really made me hate Scottie!
Overall, this novel was an entertaining read and a very promising debut, despite some flaws, and I would definitely read the author's next works, either set in the same universe or not.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[OldBird · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable, twisty, mythology-infused magical realist mystery of a woman looking for her lost past all while trying to deal with her turbulent present and potential lost futures. Very much a tale of motherhood and self-discovery, it keeps a slow and steady pace as it reveals intertwined stories of women facing hard choices and dealing with emotions (and trigger warning: domestic abuse) that push them to make difficult decisions.

While I wasn't overly a fan of how it kept some aspects nebulous and vague, not least the reveals towards the end (our questions feel both answered and... not? Is Scottie actually a fin/mer person? I'd thought that Thora's story was just that: a story, something created by Scottie when she felt she couldn't sculpt out of pieces of legends and evidence she could get hold of... Book group discussion points?) and I'm never too keen on stories so strongly about how motherhood and children (or lack of) defines a female character, this one balanced the emotions rather well.

There's nothing over the top or eye-rolly about how our main characters of Scottie and Thora react to their "status", and their perspectives were remarkably realist rather than feeling like trope-laden caricatures of what an aspiring mother who struggles to conceive is often depicted as in media. I appreciated the low-key nature of the drama surrounding their lives, even when it came to difficult topics such as relationship breakdown with both partners and parents.

It could feel a bit slow to me at times as it swapped between stories and timelines, but each poetic chapter fed into the next in a way that meant even if I felt like skimming here and there when scenes became uncomfortable for me I didn't feel lost about what was going on. Those chapter ends were also very strong hooks, leading through each of the intertwined narratives.

Overall while it wasn't exactly what I'd expected or my usual type of book (the blurb doesn't mention the motherhood/mother-daughter bond aspect), it was an interesting blend of domestic drama, mysterious mythology, and what happens when a broken life is slowly pieced back together. I'd recommend this to people looking for a female-centric story of love and loss who don't mind a little dark magical realist whimsy, and would definitely try more from this author in future.

[NoMo Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel interleaves narratives that float through time, blending fiction and folklore, as well as loss and salvation. Focused around the character of Scottie, we meet her amidst gruelling IVF treatment. But Scottie comes to the realisation that she can't continue. She leaves her husband and home to volunteer in the northern islands of St Hia. In addition to her need for escape, Scottie is equally trying to find herself, as she was adopted as a child. Something in St Hia triggers a feeling of a long lost home.

This moment of choosing if/when to stop trying for a child is an under-represented transition point in fiction, which is puzzling considering it's such rich material for exploring human emotion - turning points, inner conflict, pathways from one life to another. But Annie Kirby captures that moment brilliantly. Scottie's flight to the islands is an aptly symbolic representation of how we become stranded from all that was once familiar when we become childless, and instead we're thrown into unknown waters.

Interwoven with Scottie's journey, another storyline centres around Thordis, a mysterious woman from a past version of the islands, demonised as a witch by the locals. Thordis is a mother to a girl who also has a magical element to her, but it becomes increasingly clear that all is not as it seems between the two of them. As Scottie starts to unravel the mystery of what happened to Thordis, the threads of her own story start to weave together.

This is a novel that conjures up sensitive topics, but they have been written with compassion by an author who is childless herself. Whilst many readers won't have such personal connections to the storyline as non-mothers do, Annie's writing offers everyone the chance to empathise with us, and witness the strength women like Scottie show in overcoming our situation.