Sealwoman's Gift

The Sealwoman's Gift is a remarkable feat of imagination, described as 'uplifting, moving, and sharply witty'.

Set in 1627, this novel recounts a notorious historical event where pirates raided the coast of Iceland and abducted 400 people into slavery in Algiers. Among them were a pastor, his wife, and their children.

Sally Magnusson imagines what history does not record: the experience of Asta, the pastor's wife. She faces her losses with the one thing left to her - the stories from home - while forging an ambiguous bond with the man who bought her.

• SHORTLISTED FOR:
• The HWA Debut Crown
• The Best First Novel Award
• The McKitterick Prize
• The Paul Torday Memorial Prize
• The Waverton Good Read Award

This book was also selected as a Zoe Ball ITV Book Club Pick.

'Sally Magnusson has taken an amazing true event and created a brilliant first novel. It's an epic journey in every sense: although it's historical, it's incredibly relevant to our world today.' - Zoe Ball Book Club.

• 'A powerful tale of Barbary pirates ... richly imagined and energetically told' - Sunday Times.

• 'An extraordinarily immersive read ... examining themes of motherhood, identity, exile and freedom' - Guardian.

• 'Fascinating ... a really, really good read' - BBC R2 Book Club.

• 'The best sort of historical novel' - Scotsman.