X-Book

The Hollow Sea

Click Buy to Log in and see personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

A mesmerising literary debut interwoven with mythology and legend

When Scottie realises that she may never become a mother, she makes the heart-breaking decision to flee to the remote North Atlantic archipelago of St Hia.

Lashed by storms and far from the mainland, the islands are dangerous. Many have been lost to the ferocious tides known as the Hollow Sea - and local folklore warns that St Hia was once the home of a witch. Her name was Thordis, and when she was unable to provide her husband with a child, she was driven to a terrible act...

The islanders warn newcomers against examining the past, but Scottie can't look away from the mystery of what happened to Thordis.

Could it be that St Hia's troubled history holds the key to Scottie's future?

© Annie Kirby 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Critics Review

A bold, magical story about the letting go of long-held hope and building a different future
Jo Browning Wroe, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Terrible Kindness
Deftly structured and set against a wild, myth-inspired backdrop, the novel explores grief and violence, freedom and redemption. It's a majestic work of the imagination, with writing that shimmers before the reader, underpinned by a howling, fearless story. I loved it and woke up thinking about it
Rosie Andrews, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Leviathan
An atmospheric tale shot through with folklore. Annie Kirby's writing shimmers as she weaves together the threads of Scottie's forgotten past and her journey to face a future where she won't be the mother she always hoped to be. Beautiful & hopeful
Kate Sawyer, Costa-shortlised author of The Stranding
A beautifully written, heart-rending atmospheric novel of finding what makes one whole
Melissa Fu, author of Peach Blossom Spring
This mesmerising tale has just the right amount of folklore to be magical
Good Housekeeping
An incredibly beautiful story, shot through with shimmering myth, sorrow and hope
Polly Crosby, author of The Illustrated Child
One of those rare novels that combines a page-turning story with language to savour. A beguiling and beautiful tale about motherhood, nature and art, The Hollow Sea celebrates the many different ways we might create and nurture.
Emma Sweeney, author of Owl Song at Dawn
A thoughtful, beautiful gem of a story and I loved it
Rebecca F. John, Costa-shortlisted author of The Haunting of Henry Twist
A stunning debut, part myth and part touching story of infertility and motherhood. I was swept away on a stormy sea and didn't want it to end. Delicious storytelling
Julie Owen Moylan, author of That Green Eyed Girl
A poetic tale
Prima
Author Annie Kirby
Narrator Fran Burgoyne
Duration 10 hours and 26 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781405951869
Format Audiobook
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Genre Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Traditional stories, myths and fairy tales
Availability AU, GB, IE, US

More from the same

Narrator

About xigxag

xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK’s only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.

There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at £8.99. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from £3.99. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.

Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.

Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.