by Cassandra Khaw
First sentence: “You can make a life out of saving seals from the altar.”
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Release date: March 30, 2027
Review copy pilfered off the ARC shelves at work.
Content: There are some uncomfortable moments and a little bit of violence. It will be in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore.

The animal-wives call her Sister Hound or Sister Hunt. Her job is to save them – the selkies, the foxes, the crane wives – from the men who take their skins and bind them. And she’s very good at it. What she’s not good at is parenting, so when a baby selkie is left on her door – whom she somewhat affectionately names Pest – she has no idea what to do with it. This unravels a story of desire and want, and the ultimate sacrifices we make for our children.

It’s a slim story – I did wish there was more meat to it – but I really liked it. I liked the characters and the way that Sister Hound interacted with both the animal wives and the other humans. It was cozy, but it also had a little bite to it. And I loved the fierce independence at the core of the story.

Maybe I ought to go find more books by Khaw; I really enjoyed her writing.