Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: October Daye #5.1
Received: Free on Seanan McGuire’s Website
Rating:

In Sea-Salt Tears is one of Seanan McGuire’s short stories, and it fits into place among her October Daye series. You can find this short on Seanan McGuire’s blog, and download it for free. Hope you enjoy it!

In Sea-Salt Tears was written to fit in between One Salt Sea, and Ashes of Honor. Though if you’re doing a chronological read through, this one comes before all of that was ever said or done.

Before the Sea Witch ever met Toby Daye, she fell in love. And she had her heartbroken. This is the tale of Elizabeth Ryan, and how she fell in love with the Sea Witch, her Annie, and then broke her heart in favor of the sea.

“We know that, while we may love the ocean, the ocean doesn’t love us. The ocean is incapable of loving us, no matter how sweetly she loves the Marrow and the Cetacea and the Roane.”

In Sea-Salt Tears was an emotional read, to put it mildly. Fans of October Daye are well aware that these events must have transpired, but knowing and seeing are two completely different things. It’s hard to believe that the Sea Witch was capable of loving a Selkie, given all the pain they caused her. And yet, it makes complete sense at the same time.

This short story was beautifully written. It was written as a love story, or perhaps a Dear John letter. It was written in a poetic fashion that only Seanan McGuire could pull off. After all, this was the story of how the Sea Witch’s heart was broken.

I think I loved everything about this story. From the buildup to all of the pain and turmoil Elizabeth went through. It was impossible not to feel for her, even as we all saw her make that one fateful decision.

This short story did another amazing thing; it reminded readers of the humanity of the Sea Witch, aka Annie. It’s so easy to forget that she acts human around people other than Toby and her friends. But she does, even if she’s less inclined to do so then she had once been.

I’m so far behind on reading all of the short stories from this series. But slowly I’m going to make a dent in them. And if this short story is anything to go by, I’m going to love every minute of catching up.