New Book: ‘Daughter of the Sea’ by Catrin Ormestad

Catrin Ormestad’s new novel, Daughter of the Sea, is published today.

Tamara lives on the secluded island of Örskär, among jagged cliffs and wild creatures. A reclusive outcast, Tamara has closed herself off from the rest of the world, content with keeping the wounded birds she rehabilitates as her company. Occasionally, she ventures farther out into the Baltic Sea, to the Bellona lighthouse where her grandfather lives. It is the only place where she truly finds solace from the anger she carries toward the world, herself, and most of all, the secret she harbors deep within. 

When Roman arrives on the island, brought along by Tamara’s father, Oscar, after a few months together at sea, he finds himself drawn into Tamara’s orbit. He sees beyond the anger she has guarded herself with; she is deeply sensitive and remarkably intelligent. Tamara’s fierce empathy for the creatures in her care fascinates Roman, and she feels like the first breath of fresh air he’s had in years. 

Tamara herself initially writes Roman off, but when they find common ground over a wounded eagle, they form a tentative companionship. Amid stolen glances and lingering touches during their weeks spent together, two battered souls collide. However, the outside world beckons, as does the call from the sea, pulling them both into a storm of emotions as tumultuous and unpredictable as the waves themselves.  

Daughter of the Sea is as much a love story as it is a homage to the beauty of nature. In this subdued and exquisite novel reminiscent of Where the Crawdads Sing, Catrin Ormestad unveils both the beauty and the fractures in humanity, mirrored by the unruly wildlife and stormy seas of the Swedish archipelago. 

Daughter of the Sea is published by Bazar today, August 13th, 2026.