The ‘Animal Kinship’ panel at OGOM Company of Wolves included some discussion of the ‘Selkie’ or shapeshifting seal. This elusive creature was discussed in Peter Le Couteur’s paper ‘Sealskins: Finns, Seal Wives, and Mythmaking’. We were rather excited to receive this proposal I remember. Folklore involving selkies can be traced to the Orkney Islands and there are many sightings of selkie folk to draw upon and even poems commemorating them. This research paper whetted my interest (pardon the pun) and so I was thrilled to see a mention of the selkie in Scott Westerfeld’s novel Afterworlds:
“What about a selkie?” Coleman suggested. “YA hasn’t had many selkies.”
“What the hell is a selkie?” Oscar asked…
…”It’s a magical seal you fall in love with,” Darcy explained.
“Just think of it as a portmanteau,” Coleman said. “Combining ‘seal’ and ‘sexy.’”
Oscar raised an eyebrow. “I don’t see the appeal.” (page 57)
The novel is gently satirizing the appeal of romance involving such shapeshifters and this extract is cited in Genre Guide: Paranormal Romances for Teens . There are some tentative definitions of the PR genre (I tend to use Roz Kaveney and Alison Waller then develop their ideas via Fred Botting) on this site and another list of YA Gothic romances. At least three of the books I choose for Generation Dead appear in this list: Shiver, Twilight and The Iron King (the most so far). The novel Raised by Wolves is also mentioned and I am researching animal parented children in literature and the idea of wolf children for the Company of Wolves book (deadline for papers pending people). No doubt Kaja has already read this one…..
Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn’t mean that she’s averse to breaking a rule or two
Scott Westerfeld’s vampire novel Peeps is very good; Afterlives looks interesting too–it’s gone in my basket along with Raised by Wolves!
As it happens, I’m just about to begin what looks like a very promising YA paranormal romance with selkies–and a witch, too! (Praised by Marcus Sedgwick). It’s Margo Lanagan’s The Brides of Rollrock Island:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1849921121?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
Where do Roz Kaveney and Alison Waller’s definitions appear, Sam?
I love selkies and I am sad that they don’t figure more in supernatural fiction. The imagery of skins and transformation lends itself to some very interesting possibilities about identity.
I have read ‘Raised by Wolves’ yet because it’s not at my local library and, in a bid to save money, I’m trying to limit the number of new books I buy. But I really want to read it so I am keeping an eye on the catalogue.
Victoria Amador has made me aware of this selkie film, The Secret of Roan Inish; it looks lovely.
I know what you mean about over-buying, Kaja, but this film (and Raised by Wolves) seems to have fallen accidentally into my Amazon basket. Why don’t you address the gap and write one, Kaja? I’m enjoying The Brides of Rollrock Island very much.
And here’s a children’s selkie novel, Mollie Hunter’s A Stranger came Ashore–this looks good and has been well-reviewed:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stranger-Came-Ashore-Kelpies-Classic/dp/0863158838/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453329500&sr=1-1&keywords=a+stranger+came+ashore
Oh all this selkie material is great. I need to catch up! I use Roz Kaveney on dark fantasy or PR romance from the Cambridge Companion and Alison Waller on fantastic realism from ‘Constructing Adolescence’. That article ‘P. is for paranormal’ provides insight from the publisher’s perspective too and is quite accessible for students. Does your novel have any nice pics of Selkies? I was looking for some images…