Skrimsli by Nicola Davies: Review

Skrimsli, Nicola Davies’s prequel to The Song That Sings Us, explores the backstory of Skrimsli, the tiger sea captain from her debut. As in the previous novel, Skrimsli combines an adventure tale filled with heart with deeper themes of friendship, solidarity, and fighting back against environmental destruction, the author’s vivid writing conveying her deep love of nature.

However, the worldbuilding and mythology of Skrimsli are richer and more complex than in the first book. The lead characters – a band of outcasts trying to escape from a cruel circus – are also more fleshed out, each with their own unique motivations, flaws, and character arcs. Skrimsli is a mesmerising hero with a powerful voice. His evolution from wild animal to someone trapped between the human and animal world is believable and skilfully written. Davies also does a great job at balancing epic quests (averting a civil war, saving a village, returning a queen to her throne) with more personal themes of self-acceptance, found family, and finding the courage to speak out.

The cast of villains are somewhat lacking in depth, and their dialogue is a little cliched. However, the way the politicians and businessmen profiteer off of the Automators’ destruction of nature is truly chilling, and will hit uncomfortably close to home for readers who are concerned with the real-life climate crisis.

Overall, Skrimsli will delight readers with its vibrant writing, its message of hope, and its engaging world filled with heroic animals, journeys, and high-stakes battles.

Anna Benn