Periwinkle lives with her mother in a poor fishing village on an
island. Her father, a fisherman, was lost to the sea and only his boat
came back.
Every evening the fifteen-year-
old girl returns from her tiring and
unrewarding work
at the inn, only to find her mother in the same state:
cut off from the real world, absorbed in daydreams, talking about a
realm under the sea. This seems to be a figment of her imagination or
perhaps her unability to cope with herhusband`s death, but soon Peri finds out that there is more to it.
An old woman had introduced her to
magic, but she has disappeared and
left her magical utensils behind. The girl decides to move into her
house so that she can be by herself.
One day she meets
young prince Kir who came to seek the old woman`s
aid. Kir has an overwhelming
desire to live in the realm under the sea.
He doesn`t really belong to this world and desperately wants to find
his real home.
Peri promises to send the sea a message from him and performs magic
hoping to break the sea`s hold on the people close to her. Suddenly a
gigantic red sea dragon emerges and observes her curiously. Peri can
see that it is bound by a
golden chain. She doesn`t know whether the
creature is benevolent or evil, wrongly imprisoned or serving a
punishment.
The
fishermen have also seen this and desire the golden chain. However it is made of magic and only by magic can it be undone.
Soon the village is swarming with shady people who are supposed to
help: clairvoyants, witches, second-rate wizards and crooks.
Peri meets
Lyo, a young wizard who tries to undo the magic and then has to hide
from the angry villagers. Strange things happen on the sea with the
fishermen in danger of being lured away by the mermaids...
This involving tale has a quiet charm and features a resourceful
heroine with endearing imperfections. The characters are faced with
loss, yearning, having to let go but also encounter friendship and love.
McKillip`s language is very visual- it makes you feel transported to the sea.
The mood is at first melancholy, then hopeful, buoyant and life-affirming.
Although rather simple, the story is marvelously atmospheric and sensitively toldand shows the magic of human emotions.
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