The Seawomen is dark, thought provoking and unsettling.
Esta lives on an island where women and girls are kept away from the water. If they stray too close, the seawomen will corrupt them, forcing them to do terrible things to the god-fearing people of Eden. When Esta dares to dream of a life unrestricted by the boundaries of her island and the controlling, cult-like leaders, she is thrown into a world of danger and secrets that threaten not just her, but all life on Eden.
Eden is an island of secrets and control, where girls aren't allowed to so much as look at the sea and their behaviour is so tightly controlled that any small misfortune on the island is blamed on women.
This novel offers an interesting, modern twist on witch trials. The concept of motheryears (where a young married woman is told she is ready to have a child - and expected to do so within 12 months, or be declared an agent of the seawomen) is reminiscent of (and as chilling as) the Handmaidens Tale. This novel also one to read if you like Kiran Millwood Hargrave's The Mercies.
Tension runs high throughout and kept me on the edge of my seat. The Seawomen is filled with an atmosphere of suspicion and fear.
It is a beautifully written story of longing, for the sea and for escape, for the ability to make your own choices.