This storyline for The Scorpio Races comes from the author's fascination with the myths about water horses--fierce meat-eating horses that emerge from the sea. They are dangerous and barely tamable creatures, but the locals on the fictional island of Thisby attempt it every year for their annual races. Sean and Kate (aka Puck) are both entrants in the races, and the story revolves around their lives as they prepare for the dangerous event. Brave and stubborn, Puck is an orphan struggling to hold what's left of her family together, and she encounters deep-seated sexism when she throws her hat in for a race a woman has never entered before. Sean has a gift with the animals that may or may not have to do with magic, and he is locked in a no-win battle with the jealous son of his boss at the stables. The emerging relationship between Puck and Sean is tentative and sweet, and ultimately quite strong. A major theme in the book is about finding your own happiness, and how it may not always present itself in ways that one expects. Horse-lovers will enjoy the real horses and the capall uisce (pronounced CAPple ISHka), though sensitive readers should be prepared for violence and death, both human and equine. The animals are dramatic, but the real story here is about people, relationships, and dreams on an isolated coastal island.
