A fantastic adventure story, brilliantly written.
This is the brilliant sequel to Catherine Doyle’s first book The Storm-Keeper’s Island, which won the ‘Books are My Bag’ Readers Award. The author has woven her own love of and memories of Arranmore, her grandparents’ home on an island off the west coast of Ireland, with Irish mythology and fantasy to create the next thrilling instalment in a quartet of books planned for the Storm-Keeper’s Island.
The book has everything one could wish for in an adventure story – excitement, suspense, fear, comedy, tragedy plus, of course, a dash of myth and magic. Young Fionn Boyle, chosen by the magical island to be the next Storm-Keeper just six months earlier, is struggling to use and control his powers against the thousands of Soulstalkers who have come to the island to raise the wicked Morrigan, the shape-shifting goddess of death. She haunts Fionn’s dreams with threats to destroy everyone on the island at the winter solstice.
Central to the story are the magical candles which, when lit, transport Fionn to past events which provide direction and understanding in the present. As he is building his knowledge, we see his grandfather doing the opposite as his memory fades and he forgets more and more. This emotional and poignant side to the tale is beautifully portrayed – without being ‘mushy’ as my great nephew (aged 12) tends to describe anything to do with feelings. Here again we see Doyle’s immense talent in telling a fully rounded story.
This is also evident with the inclusion of Tara and Fionn’s mother in this second book. While initially we are told the children are sent away to the island because Evie was ill, we find out that there is much more to Evie than we thought. The characters develop into more rounded individuals and the dynamics between them – especially within the family and between Fionn, Sam and Shelby – have a greater focus in this second book.
The memories of the Storm-Keeper and his family and of the islanders, both fantastic and real; these are all woven into the narrative. At the same time he not only has to deal with his erratic, often absent powers, but also with no one believing him about the looming threat from the sea. Fionn knows he must find a way to bring the merrows, sea creatures who will battle the Soulstalkers, but he doesn’t know where to look for them or how to call them.
The stakes are much higher this time around and the adventure will have readers on the edge of their seats and champing at the bit for the third book in the series.
Reviewed by Jan Kershaw
Distributed by: Bloomsbury Australia
Released: September 2019
RRP: $14.99
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