The Changeling Sea

A story of two enchanted half-brothers and the girl who restores them to their rightful realms. The King loved both his Queen and a woman of file sea. His Queen died, leaving him with a newborn son. The woman of the sea also bore a son, but she grew angry with the King and exchanged the two half-brothers - leaving the human one in the shape of a vast sea serpent, and her own son on shore with a relentless yearning for the sea. Meanwhile, Peri is an orphaned fisherman's daughter; she hates the sea for stealing her father, yet it is her magic that finally calls the serpent-prince to shore; and it is she to whom the dark sea-son turns for comfort. When the magician Lyo is lured by the promise of payment if he carl remove the gold chain from the neck of the serpent for the greedy townsmen, he also unravels the brothers' true identities; the King and his son are reunited, and the Queen takes her son to the sea. McKillip is a master storyteller; her tale rings as true as if it were being told from memory. Each character and action is essential; there is an inevitable feeling of rightness when it turns out that Peri is not going to fall in love with either prince but rather with Lyo. Lovely, warm writing, with a skillful admixture of symbols suggesting grief and death, love and coming-of-age. (Kirkus Reviews)