Skin of the Sea

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

This is the story of a great love - a love that will threaten worlds and anger Gods.

This is a story that will change history.

Simidele is one of the Mami Wata, mermaids duty-bound to collect the souls of those who die at sea and bless their journeys back home to the Supreme Creator.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard a slave ship, Simi saves his life, going against an ancient decree and bringing terrible danger to the mami wata.

Now Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends - a journey of vengeful gods, treacherous lands and legendary creatures. If she fails, she risks not just the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

An epic love story infused with West African mythology. For fans of The Gilded Ones, Children of Blood and Bone and Circe, this book is a powerful new imagining of one of history's darkest stories, told through the eyes of a bold and unforgettable heroine.

© Natasha Bowen 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Critics Review

  • One of the most epic and original fantasies I’ve read in a long time. Natasha Bowen has crafted a world full of heart and imagination.

    Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing

  • The most engrossing, thought-provoking, beautiful novel…knocks your socks off and leaves you wanting more.

    Namina Forna, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Ones

  • Bursting with innovative inspiration…A divine debut that explores the glories of West African myth, religion, and history

    Kirkus

  • A compelling, moving YA fairytale, richly woven with west African mythology

    The Guardian

  • A triumph of storytelling.

    Kalynn Bayron, bestselling author of Cinderella is Dead

  • A dazzling debut . . . Bowen relays a story as lushly described as it is cinematic, centering a brave headstrong protagonist coming into her own power in an age of change

    Publisher's Weekly

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