Upon a Starlit Tide

by Kell Woods · 2025

First published 2025 · 432 pages · English

6 quotes ★ 4.19 (7,644) Fantasy

Quotes from the Book

A woman knows her own truth. It’s a gift she is born with that, like so much else, is quickly stolen by the world. By priests with their talk of sin and wickedness and shame, by men who learned long ago how best to use women for their own pleasure and advantage. Instead of speaking from their hearts, their souls, women are told to heed their father, their husband, their God. Instead of choosing their own path, they are told to obey. Even so, their souls always know the truth. Always. Do not be afraid to give yours voice.

To bear witness to the fury of the sea, to have your life held entirely in its hands—to live or die depending on its whim—must be terrifying, indeed.

Whoever decided that women were bad luck at sea clearly never sailed with you.

Aggie said she liked to think her great-grandfather love his wife enough to let her return to the sea, had she wished it." Tears spilled down Samuel's cheeks. "I love you enough, Luce.

Do you intend to repeat everything I say, Mademoiselle?” “No” “Well, that is a relief. It would be a rather one-sided conversation, otherwise. It is often the way of young women, I find. But you… I feel as though you might actually have something to say.

I’ll never stop again. I swear it.” He was the one thieving kisses now, taking Luce’s heart, her soul along with them. “I’m yours Luce. Yours.

Did you know?

The novel is set in the real walled corsair city of Saint-Malo, Brittany, in 1758.
It weaves together elements of "The Little Mermaid" and "Cinderella" into an original story.
Woods drew on the classic tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm rather than popular modern retellings.
It is a standalone novel, separate from her debut "After the Forest."
The book won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Reviewers compared Woods's writing to that of Naomi Novik and Juliet Marillier.

About Kell Woods

Kell Woods is an Australian historical fantasy author who writes fairy-tale retellings blending history and folklore. She studied English literature, creative writing, and librarianship, and lives near the sea with her family. Her debut, "After the Forest," was a Sunday Times bestseller.

More about the author →

About the book

"Upon a Starlit Tide" is a standalone historical fantasy set in Saint-Malo, Brittany, in 1758. It follows Lucinde "Luce" Léon, the adopted youngest daughter of a wealthy shipowner, who chafes against a life of balls and arranged marriage and instead longs for the sea, secretly learning to sail from Samuel, an English smuggler. When she rescues a drowning man from a storm, the act draws her into a world of faerie magic, dark secrets, and a heritage tied to the sea itself.

Kell Woods braids together the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, drawing in particular on "The Little Mermaid" and "Cinderella" to fashion an original story of love, power, and betrayal. Beyond its romance and adventure, the novel explores freedom and the constraints placed on women, the cost of sacrifice for love, and humanity's capacity for both cruelty and tenderness, set against a vividly rendered eighteenth-century coast.

The book was well received, winning the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel and being shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel. Reviewers praised Woods's atmospheric writing and complex characterization, comparing her work to that of Naomi Novik and Juliet Marillier, and it was named to BookPage's best fantasy of the year list.

Key characters

Lucinde "Luce" LéonAdopted youngest daughter of a shipowner who longs for the sea
SamuelEnglish smuggler and Luce's friend who teaches her to sail
CharlotteLuce's stepsister, resentful of their father's favoritism, who matures over the story
VeroniqueLuce's stepsister, focused on parties and a good marriage
Jean-Baptiste LéonWealthy shipowner and patriarch who adopted Luce

Book details

First published: 2025
Length: 432 pages
Reading time: 8 hours
Author: Kell Woods
Genre: Fantasy
Goodreads rating: 4.19 (8k ratings)

Critical reception

Won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
Named to BookPage's best fantasy books of the year.
Reviewers praised its atmospheric prose and complex characters, comparing Woods to Naomi Novik and Juliet Marillier.