But all that changes when Darius meets Sohrab, a Bahá’í boy, in Yazd. When he arrives in Iran, learning to play the Persian card game Rook, socializing, and celebrating Nowruz with a family he had never properly met before is all overwhelming and leaves Darius wondering if he’ll ever truly belong anywhere. He’s mocked for his name and nerdy interests at Chapel Hill High School in Portland, Oregon, and doesn’t speak enough Farsi to communicate with his Iranian relatives either. Iranian on his mother’s side and white American on his father’s side, Darius never quite fits in. When Darius’ grandfather becomes terminally ill, Darius, along with his parents and younger sister, travels to Iran for the first time in his life. In addition to her sensitive portrayal of Gemm and Maebh’s lifelong relationship and Noah and Mara’s emerging romance, Cornwell successfully incorporates themes of same-sex relationships, eating disorders and ruthless scientific research into her novel.Ī haunting, atmospheric, intergenerational tale of the “inbetween,” suffused with selkie lore.ĭarius Kellner suffers from depression, bullying by high school jocks, and a father who seems to always be disappointed in him. When a young selkie vanishes, Noah suspects the Research Center’s director may be involved and risks his life trying to uncover the shocking truth. Attracted to each other, Noah and Mara tentatively become friends, which proves challenging after Mara reveals she and Maebh are selkies, living most of their lives as seals but with the ability to remove their skins and appear as humans. Meanwhile, Noah meets an intriguing young woman named Mara, who spends a lot of time in the ocean. Noah and Lo quickly realize Gemm and her friend Maebh are partners, while Gemm learns Lo is bulimic.

In this debut, a contemporary teen arrives at New Hampshire’s Isles of Shoals for a coveted summer internship and discovers the liminal boundary between fantasy and reality.Įager to begin his dream internship at the Marine Science Research Center on Appledore Island, Noah and his sister, Lo, are staying with their grandmother, Gemm, who lives on nearby White Island.

Tides by Betsy Cornwell