In 1793, 15-year-old Finnish-born Eleni is taken in by a kindly matriarch on the Scottish island of Mull after her father’s ship is lost off the coast. Eleni had escaped the disaster after warnings from sea creatures. She blossoms, catches the eye of the island’s lustful young scion and eventually reunites with her childhood love—all while communing (a gift arising from having been born at twilight) with solicitous phantasms from Finnish and Scottish folklore. Romantic and supernatural elements abound, and these—in addition to the unusual locales—should appeal. Warner describes in an afterword her admiration for the history, culture and folklore of both countries. This isn’t a successful or convincing meshing of realism and fantasy, however, and the supernatural episodes may strike readers as childish. Factor in predictable, corny plot details, some stock characters and information about laundry practices that few young readers will find compelling. (glossary with pronunciation guide for Finnish and Scottish words and names) (Fiction. 12-15)
