Hatchards

(Hardback)

by Kay Medway

Salka: The Lady of the Lake—the first book for adults by Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry series—is a beautiful retelling of a Welsh myth. Initially written as an opera cantata called The Faerie Bride by the author, it was later transformed into the haunting novel it is today. I escaped and relaxed while reading the short, dreamy chapters, some only a few sentences long. These chapters let fifteen different character voices breathe, from the titular character, Salka, to her shepherd-boy husband and love, his mother, his friends, and the girl he once knew, with her unrequited love for him. The writing has a poetic style, exploring themes of suspicion, fear, longing, and prejudice.

(Hardback)

by Charlotte at Coventry

Absolutely enchanting! A cantata turned novel that felt in every sense of the word other-worldly. Francesca Simon's experience as an opera librettist is evident. You can almost hear the music swelling beneath the surface of this captivating story. A truly beautiful and unforgettable read.

(Hardback)

by Jess at Waterstones Picadilly

This was a really fun mythological retelling told from so many different perspectives! Francesca Simon and composer Gavin Higgins developed the original Welsh legend of Llyn y Fan Fach into a cantanta. Simon then turned the cantanta into this novel, making Salka a short and fast paced retelling of this myth. The short chapters flitting between many different characters meant that reading the book had a particular rhythm, as though you can almost feel the cantanta trying to peek through! The chapters delve into the thoughts of the entire village, and with some of the chapters only being a couple of sentences, it made for an incredibly addictive read. I mean it when I say everyone gets their own time in the spotlight - even the family dog! It was a very interesting narrative device that gave the book its own unique feel. The only side effect of having many perspectives is that there isn't a lot of third person description to set the scene, which did make the story feel a bit surface-level. Although, it almost felt like I was snooping through the village's diary entries, which was an interesting reading experience. I will say, the fast paced nature of the book sort of turned into feeling a bit too fast or even rushed towards the end, and I was left wanting a little bit more of everything. However I can understand that this isn't meant to be a sweeping epic, just a short, quirky, rhythmic retelling of an ancient myth.

(Hardback)

by amongst the bookstacks

(ARC via NetGalley & Belinda Audio - thank you!) What an utterly enchanting little gem. Salka: Lady of the Lake feels like being dropped into a dream- cold mist on your cheeks, lake water whispering at your ankles, and a whole village watching from the shadows, waiting to decide whether you belong. Francesca Simon gives us a folk tale retelling that’s both feather-light in pace and heavy with meaning, and I loved it. This is myth retold with teeth: an insular community suspicious of the Other, a love that flares bright but can’t quite survive the weight of human fear, and a faerie woman whose very nature is treated as an offence. Simon explores how quickly a village can turn on someone who doesn’t fit the mould, how love is sometimes not enough to bridge a world built on prejudice, and how grief echoes differently depending on where you stand. It’s tender, sharp, and quietly devastating. And the audiobook? Sublime. Fifteen POV, narrators slipping seamlessly between voices, accents, and moods. It’s such a rare joy when an audiobook actually honours the language it’s using, and hearing the Welsh names pronounced correctly felt like a blessing. The structure is daring - tiny chapters, some only a breath long - but the cast pulls it off with grace. It’s theatrical, intimate, and perfectly suited to the story’s folkloric bones. A beautifully wrought tragedy with a beating heart, a sense of place you can taste on the air, and an emotional arc that lands exactly where it should. 4.25 out of 5 from me. I’ll be thinking about Salka’s voice in the water for a while.

This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.

(Hardback)

by Kinga Kaluzna

I managed to receive and early bookseller copy of this work, and I was absolutely stunned by the execution of this Myth retelling. It’s such a beautiful story that shows exactly how people’s fears and worries project on to outsiders and the fallout of forgetting in the end we are all one. It was such a simple yet complex story and I couldn’t help but admire how beautifully it was structured and told. Definitely recommend this eye opening interpretation bathed in faerie charm