Page Count 432
Publication date July 2020/ Publisher Cornerstone
Synopsis
Born covered in the feathers of a bird, and kept hidden in a crumbling house full of secrets, Marea has always known she was different, but never known why. And so to find answers, she goes in search of the father she has never met.
The hunt leads her to the City of Murmurs, a place of mermaids and mystery, where jars of swirling mist are carried through the streets by the broken-hearted.
And Marea will never forget what she learns there
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Review
Right from the start Cartwright’s writing is truly magical. The descriptive world building had me falling head over heels instantly and I was elated to discover this is consistent throughout the novel. The imagery written into each page is beautiful and had me returning to Feathertide at every given opportunity.
Written in the past tense from first person POV we follow Marea’s life from the day she was born. Using a child as the narrator gives the book an innocent, naive tone which heightened the wonder I felt as a reader when discovering such a fantastical world.
Feathertide revolves around themes of motherhood, self discovery and individuality. As Marea searches for her father and the origin of her feathers she encounters the varying attitudes of curiosity, acceptance and cruelty dealt by others when confronted with diversity; a fitting topic for the world of today.
I adored every single character in this book. It was a refreshing escape to read about a world full of love and compassion. The women in Feathertide are all kind and supportive, even Sorren who we are led to fear at first. This gave the book a comforting quality I don’t often find in my usual choice of reads.
Packed with magic, mermaids, birds and dreams, Feathertide is a fantastic debut from Cartwright. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future work. I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers, bisexual rep, and strong female characters.
A real feel-good story.
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