top of page

Review of "the Girl from the Sea"

Writer's picture: Karina RodriguezKarina Rodriguez


"The love of a selkie is something special."

The graphic novel, "the Girl from the Sea," by Molly Knox Ostertag is about a closeted lesbian teenage girl named Morgan who meets a girl named, Keltie, who shape-shifts from a human to a seal. This story discusses everything from self discovery, acceptance, tense friendships, and learning to let go of the one that you love most. Before getting into the plot of the graphic novel, I want to talk about how beautiful the pictures in this story are. I am not an avid graphic novel reader but this story perfectly combines with images and creates an incredibly meaningful and powerful story that makes it easy to read through quickly. From start to finish, this story only took me about twenty-five minutes to finish because I found myself incredibly invested in the characters and was desperate to find out what was going to happen next. Even though I finished it quickly, I tried to make it a point to take in each image because the artwork is nothin short of extraordinary. As far as the plot goes, Morgan is faced with her wanting to leave her hometown when she goes to college because she is desperate to be herself which she feels like she cannot do in her hometown. This along with her parents' recent divorce causes her to become more and more distanced from her friends and family sending her into a deep sense of isolation. The beginning of the book starts with her crying at the edge of a cliff when she falls in and is saved by no other than, Keltie. Keltie and her then share a kiss that Morgan believes to be a dream but is surprised to realize actually happened which she finds out when Keltie comes into her life and re-introduces herself. Morgan is then faced with having to confront her feelings for Keltie amidst the rising tensions between her, her family, and her friends. One thing that is important to note about this story is that while it does explore the trials of being a closeted teenager, Morgan is not faced with a lot of backlash once she does come out to her family. I find this important to note because I appreciate when there is literature out there that allows people to see that coming out does not always end in prejudice and backlash. I particularly think this is meaningful because this graphic novel is Young Adult and could potentially help young adults who are struggling with their sexuality to feel comfortable coming out to their friends and family and ultimately accepting themselves. Without spoiling the end of the book, Morgan is met with some heartbreak in this story that leads to some further self-discovery and acceptance of who she is as an individual. While this along with the aspect of her coming out is incredibly appropriate for young adults to read, I also would like to note that as an adult this story is enjoyable and meaningful. It is definitely a story that left me with deep admiration and thoughts about the characters and what they went through even in my adulthood. I will openly say that this is a story that I will hold close to my heart for a very long time and that I definitely plan on picking up again soon. I urge you, no matter your age, sexuality, gender, or situation to read this book as I truly believe it will leave you feeling content and with a message that will resound for the rest of your life.

26 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Subscribe here to get my latest posts

Thanks for submitting! You can find me here at karinaelizareads.com and on instagram as book.lady_

© 2023 by The Book Lover. Proudly created with Wix.com

  • Instagram
bottom of page