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"In Sea-Salt Tears"
by
Seanan McGuire
It is part of the October Daye #5.1, October Day #0.5 series and is a urban fantasy in eBook edition that was published by the author on August 23, 2012 and has 24 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses, One Salt Sea, Discount Armageddon, Home Improvement: Undead Edition, “Never Shines the Sun”, Chimes at Midnight, Indexing, The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination, Half-Off Ragnarok, Midway Relics and Dying Breeds, Games Creatures Play, The Winter Long, Sparrow Hill Road, The InCryptid Prequels, Pocket Apocalypse, Black as Blood, Blocked, White as a Raven's Wing, The Ghosts of Bourbon Street, IM, "Good Girls Go to Heaven", A Red Rose Chain, "Full of Briars", Reflections, Once Broken Faith, "Dreams and Slumbers", Shadowed Souls, Chaos Choreography, Magic For Nothing, Indigo, Every Heart a Doorway, Down Among the Sticks and Bones, The Brightest Fell, "Of Things Unknown", Beneath the Sugar Sky, Night and Silence, "Suffer a Sea-change", The Girl in the Green Silk Gown, "The Recitation of the Most Holy and Harrowing Pilgrimage of Mindy and Also Mork", Tricks for Free, That Ain't Witchcraft, "The Measure of a Monster", The Unkindest Tide, "Hope is Swift", Come Tumbling Down, Imaginary Numbers, "Follow the Lady", In an Absent Dream, "The Fixed Stars", "Forbid the Sea", "No Sooner Met", Across the Green Grass Fields, A Killing Frost, "Shine in Pearl", When Sorrows Come, "And with Reveling", "Singing the Comic-Con Blues”, "Candles and Starlight", "Such Dangerous Seas", Sleep No More
Download this 2013 Hugo Award-nominated short story, “In Sea Salt Tears“, from Seanan McGuire’s website.
It’s 1972 and this story takes place well before Rosemary and Rue, 1, which ensures it as 0.5 chronologically in the October Daye urban fantasy series, however, McGuire does recommend reading this after One Salt Sea, 5, making it 5.1 in the series. Decisions, decisions…
My Take
A tale of love and regret…of remorse of all kinds.
This is a split from the October Daye series and still features the Luidaeg as a side character even though it’s all about her. It’s a poignant tale that confirms betrayal by loved ones as the greatest perfidy of all.
Bittersweet with ache and love, with a dip into the life of the Selkies. Their bargain for their lives. (For more on Selkies, Roane, and the Luidaeg, read One Salt Sea).
This was so poetic…
“Then her mouth found its way between my legs, and ah, I didn’t care what happened next. The tide was coming in, and I was coming with it.”
Oh, Annie’s tale about her parents is so sad
I’m with Tempe. Considering the limitations of the skins and what Liz’s mother reveals to Liz, why do they bring their children up to believe this is the be-all-and-end-all of life? As for what we do learn about Liz’s mother, why even give her daughter that choice?
Although, that last line…it does make sense of her mother’s ultimate choice.
The Story
It begins in 1972 with a bonfire of pain as those not chosen seek solace among themselves. Where Liz meets Annie and a friendship of years grows into so much more.
It’s a moment of decision. Of second best. Of truths.
The Characters
Liz Ryan, Mathias, Colin, and Tempe are those we meet around the fire. Daisy is the first to receive her skin in this story.
Annabel Lee is a Roane who must hold to tradition.
Diva is Liz’s daughter. The four Selkie clans in the area are the Ryans (Liz has just become their head), Chases (Isla Chase is their head), O’Connells (Joan O’Connell is their head), and Anthonys (Claude Anthony is their head).
The Cover and Title
The cover is a sea and sky of bright blues in the dawn hours as a lone woman walks the water’s edge on the beach.
The title is sadly accurate, the beginning and end are what this story is about. It’s the central word that pinpoints most specifically whose tears will fall…on both sides, it will be “In Sea-Salt Tears”.
