Skysong (C A Wright, Pantera)

C A Wright’s debut novel, Skysong, is inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale ‘The Nightingale’. Oriane is the latest in a long line of skylarks: women who transform into birds each morning to summon the dawn with their song. Curiosity about the wider world brings a sudden end to Oriane’s sheltered seclusion, leaving her vulnerable to harm by those who would use her power for their own purposes, but also open to the possibility of true connection. It is Andala, a woman Oriane tentatively befriends, who emerges as the novel’s most emotionally complex and engaging character. Wright’s tale is only loosely connected to its source material, such that the resonant weight of mythology and folktale that makes some other retellings so compelling is sometimes lacking here. This approach does allow Wright to infuse her version with some refreshingly modern elements, including discussions of mental illness—a topic rarely acknowledged in fantasy novels. Although I found the plot dragged at times, the story’s traditional plot structure—beginning ‘one bright, bluebell day’ and continuing chronologically—is well-suited to the fairytale genre, as is the lilting cadence of Wright’s prose. Skysong will appeal to those who enjoy stories in which women’s relationships and fairytales intersect, such as Melissa Ashley’s The Bee and the Orange Tree. Its mild content and young protagonist also make it appropriate for young adult readers.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Megan Koch is a writer and bookseller based in Adelaide. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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