The Castaway and the Witch

<p>After her boat capsizes Nine-year old Nefele is washed up on the Floating Forest an infamous mythical prison-island holding onto her father's corpse and with little chance to survive in the wild. It appears miraculous that a herd of native elks guide her to a tree house filled with all she needs to survive as well as plenty of books.</p><p></p><p>As the years pass Nefele gradually loses her identity to the secrets of the Floating Forest but the transition is interrupted by the arrival of a second castaway. Nefele must choose between the witch she wishes to be straight out of a fairytale and the real living person she actually is.</p><p></p><p>Inspired by the mythical prison island Aeaea <em>The Castaway and the Witch </em>combines coming of age and romance with a dream-like storyline filled with symbolism and insight.</p><p></p><p><strong>Praise for <em>The Castaway and the Witch:</em></strong></p><p></p><p>A haunting and thought-provoking twist on the fairytale narrative. Must we be only what others have foretold and experienced? Or can we make our own stories flawed and complex as we are...</p><p><strong>-- Shauna Lawless author of the critically acclaimed <em>Gael Song</em> series.</strong></p><p></p><p>Captivating from the first page this is a story about growing up and growing wise a book-love story as harrowing as it is tender. With a touch of Piranesi an undercurrent of fairy tales and an ancestry of Greek myth <em>The Castaway and the Witch</em> is a beautiful deeply moving book. </p><p><strong>-- Natalia Theodoridou Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author of <em>Sour Cherry</em></strong></p><p></p><p>A moving tale of families lost and magic found an exploration of the power of enchantment and the enchantments of power - with the poetic register of a timeless fable and an island so vivid you'll want to wander its woods (and befriend the animals!).</p><p><strong>-- Rose Biggin author of <em>The Belladonna Invitation</em></strong></p><p></p><p><em>The Castaway and the Witch </em>is a wild recursive fable of heartache transformation reclamation and distortion. It casts a magical web that catches you in its unsettling whimsy even as it drags you further into its darker depths.</p><p><strong>-- T.L. Bodine author of <em>Neverest </em>and <em>River of Souls</em></strong></p><p></p><p>As thoughtful as it is beguiling set in an island that is both prison and promised sanctuary Papadopoulou's <em>The Castaway and the Witch </em>is one of those stories you'll want to return to again and again. Its true spell is revealed slowly in layers laden with lost folklore hidden truths and tragedies-a powerful tale about choosing which parts of the lore to claim as your own and where to pen a brave new start.</p><p><strong>-- Danai Christopoulou author of <em>Vile Lady Villains</em></strong></p>