Surf and Turf

February 6, 2014 7:48 PM

What's this literary novel about a woman falling in love with a sea creature?

What the person remembers:

It came out about 20 years ago

It was a British author

It might have been nominated for the Booker prize?

It was a female author, possibly named Rachel

There is a scene where the woman stands on the shore and the creature comes out of the sea


...any thoughts?

posted by exceptinsects to Writing & Language (6 answers total)

Does it have anything to do with the Selkie Folk myth? Selkie folk are Scottish/Irish people who put on seal skin and went into the sea (or vice versa, not sure which)
posted by TwoWordReview at 7:59 PM on February 6, 2014

The Secret of Roan Inish was a 1994 movie based on a book by Rosalie K. Fry called The Secret of Ron Mor Skerry.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:10 PM on February 6, 2014

Best answer: Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
posted by drdanger at 8:41 PM on February 6, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Nthing Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls - he is like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, named Larry. First published in 1982.
posted by Ink-stained wretch at 8:48 PM on February 6, 2014

In the off (and slim chance) that it is not Mrs. Caliban, could it be A.S.Byatt's Possession? It was published in 1990, won the Booker Prize and incorporates the selkie myth as part of the story.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 6:59 AM on February 7, 2014

Response by poster: That was it! Thank you, you are geniuses!
posted by exceptinsects at 12:40 AM on February 8, 2014