Heard great things about this on a BBC 4 Radio programme.
'Sally Magnusson has taken an amazing true event and created a brilliant first novel. It's an epic journey in every sense: although it's historical, it's incredibly relevant to our world today. We had to pick it' Zoe Ball Book Club
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Picked up this particular copy for a special release occasion — the Scottish Connection book table at the International BookCrossing Convention, June 2023 in Falkirk, Scotland.
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1627. In a notorious historical event, pirates raided the coast of Iceland and abducted 400 people into slavery in Algiers. Among them a pastor, his wife, and their children.

In her acclaimed debut novel Sally Magnusson imagines what history does not record: the experience of Asta, the pastor's wife, as she faces her losses with the one thing left to her - the stories from home - and forges an ambiguous bond with the man who bought her. Uplifting, moving, and sharply witty, The Sealwoman's Gift speaks across centuries and oceans about loss, love, resilience and redemption.
From: fantasticfiction.com

THE SEALWOMAN'S GIFT by SALLY MAGNUSSON (2018) | ISBN: 1473638984 / 9781473638983 | Publisher: TWO ROADS, an imprint of John Murray Press, An Hachette UK company (6/1/2018) (364 Pages)

I ran out of time to prepare this book for release at the International BookCrossing Convention mentioned above. In fact, entirely mislaid an entire bag of books, and this was one of them. So instead, this is to be released at the Post-BookCrossing Convention MeetUp in Edinburgh at BIBLOS at the Chambers St / Nicholson St, junction.
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This second copy of this I've gifted though the first I've bookcrossed. I've not read it yet. Planning chasing up another copy to read!

Rainbow3 arrived at Bilbos with a bag of books! What? I couldn't even fit a postcard into my luggage. But this one looks tempting. Lovely cover. I took it.
But now in my hotel room, I see it is written in the present tense. A historical event, 1627. No, please, what is the past tense for? Not sure I want to read it. I'll take it on the train tomorrow. Maybe I'll forget it there.

My second attempt at reading as I found it hard to concentrate on the train.
Turkish invaders led by Murat Reis who is actually of Dutch ancestry have plundered Heimaey (Westman islands, Iceland), killed some and captured many, taking them to Algiers on an overcrowded ship where Asta has just given birth to a son. An old woman who says she was a seal who lost her skin and is known for telling the future has passed on a secret to Asta.

Just wondering, why is the author called Sally Magnusson and not Sally Magnusdottir? (we have just had an explanation about Icelandic patronyms). Oh well, she is Scottish though her father was Icelandic, Magnus Magnusson (the name is familiar). Edit: and so it should be, I have a copy of his book Icelandic Sagas, which I have not read yet. I will have to remedy that.

Pleasantly surprised! This is an excellent book, historical fact skilfully embroidered with imaginative fiction.
At one point, Asta (pron. Owsta) is torn apart by a dilemma: should she stay or should she go... Did she make the right decision?

A very interesting period of history; I knew nothing about this Turkish attack on Iceland or that so many Europeans had been enslaved in North Africa.

Further travels for the Sealwoman who is going to Paris with me

Et le voilà sur mon étagère, merci pour le voyage...