Book Review: The Storyteller by the Sea by Phyllida Shrimpton

Rating: 3.75⭐

As the story begins, we meet thirty-four-year-old Melody, a resident of the community of Shelly in Exmouth on the southern English coast. Melody has spent her whole life in her family home, a bungalow named “Spindrift”. After the demise of her mother Flora and younger brother Milo who was born with a developmental disability, she now lives alone, surrounded by the familiarity of the sea and the coastal community and memories of her family. She still spends her time collecting her “treasures”- flotsam and jetsam from the seashore - and making up stories about her finds as she had been doing since she was a child to entertain Milo. But her days in her childhood home are about to come to an end once her lease is up and the community is razed to the ground to allow for a new development. Melody must figure out how to move on and decide on what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Complicating matters further is a secret she discovered among her late mother’s belongings – a reality that would irrevocably impact her relationship with her dear cousin Juliana with whom she shares a close bond. The narrative follows her as she navigates the challenges life throws her way and faces losing the only home she knew, her relationship with her cousin, and a budding romance with a childhood crush.

The Storyteller by the Sea by Phyllida Shrimpton is a beautifully written story that revolves around themes of love, grief, community, family and belongingness. The narrative is presented in the first-person narrative format from Melody’s perspective. The present-day timeline is set in the late 1980s, and we get to know more about her childhood and family history with chapters set in multiple past timelines interspersed throughout the narrative. I loved the description of the coastal community and thought the emotional bond between each of her friends and family members was described with much sensitivity, especially her bond with Milo. I felt that the story became a tad convoluted as the narrative progressed but not so much as to detract from the overall reading experience. I enjoyed following Melody’s journey but thought certain aspects of her life could have been explored in more depth, allowing for better character development and personal growth. I would have also loved it if more of her ”stories” had been woven into the narrative. However, overall, I thought this was a moving story that would strike a chord in your heart.

This was my first time reading this author and I hope to explore more of her work.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.