If you didn't already know it, Margo Lanagan is an extraordinary talent, and Sea-Hearts or The Brides of Rollrock Island only goes to prove this yet again. As someone who published the original 'Sea-Hearts' novella, one of the things that struck me is how artfully Margo turns the reader's perception of Miskaella the sea-witch on its head. In the novella, Miskaella is a woman to be feared, at the full height of her powers and her devilry with the inhabitants of Rollrock. There is some hint of past slights that are being repaid. In the novel, Miskaella is transformed - even though the novella section remains intact - into a fully-rounded character whose actions, even if they can't be forgiven, can at least be understood. Here is a woman who hides a deep wound.

The whole novel is beautifully written, with spare and evocative prose that keeps you there in the instant, seeing the events, the people and the topography of Rollrock very clearly indeed. I left the novel wanting more stories of that strange island and its people. 'Sea-Hearts' won the World Fantasy Award in the novella category. Sea-Hearts the novel is a strong contender for this year's awards.