The Lady of the Sea

“The Lady of the Sea is a heartfelt triumph of a novel, as much a meditation on mending damaged family ties as it is a chronicle of one young woman’s search for the truth behind the mythology of a curse. Branka Valcic imagines the Island of Školj so vibrantly that it transforms, alongside its rich cast of inhabitants, into a character in its own right. The captivating journey at the heart of the story will leave readers entranced by the alluring voice of the Lady of the Sea as she beckons Mareta from across the waves.”
—Daniel Burgess, Editor, NY Book Editors

On an island steeped with tradition there is one story that has been told for generations: the story of the Lady of the Sea. Grandma Antica, the village healer, shares the story with Mareta, an island girl whose name means a wave. Mareta spends her time diving, fishing, and collecting objects from the sea, weaving them into collages. Although Mareta loves hearing the story about the Lady of the Sea, something about the story doesn’t feel quite right to her. When a series of omens leads Mareta’s family to make a drastic change, Mareta loses her home, her purpose, and her self-identity. Following omens of her own and learning to trust her intuition, Mareta searches for herself and the true story of the Lady of the Sea.