The Bell at Sealey Head

One of my favorite books growing up was The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip. When I saw The Bell at Sealey Head, I knew I had to pick it up immediately.

McKillip weaves a fairy tale that is part Jane Austen in setting, part Brothers Grimm in plot. A sleepy fishing village marks sunset with the tolling of a mysterious unseen bell. The inhabitants simply attribute the bell to an old story of a sunken fishing boat and don’t give it a second thought–until a mysterious scholar comes to town and begins asking questions.

With a mix of characters from bookish Judd, the innkeeper’s son, to Gwyneth, the local merchant’s imaginative daughter (back from school and all grown up), to Princess Ysabo, who exists only within the walls of Aislinn House, McKillip uses a varied cast of characters in this telling of a budding romance as well as the unfolding of the mystery of Aislinn House.

The Bell at Sealey Head involves magic and parallel worlds, perfect for those who enjoy “old school” fairy tales and fables. The most simple action (the tolling of a bell, in this case) can lead to extraordinary discoveries.