Molly Knox Ostertag has been on my radar as a comics artist for a few years now and I'm glad to have finally gotten to one of her works. The Girl From the Sea was a wonderful coming-of-age romance between a closeted teen in a small town, Megan and Keltie, a selkie fighting to save her rookery.

What first captured me about this graphic novel was its art. The warm colours, done by colorist Maarta Laiho, were bursting with delightful summery vibes. Molly Knox Ostertag's illustrations and especially her character design were also wonderful. From plus-sized selkies to drop-dead gorgeous outfits Ostertag's style overall really appealed to me.

Ostertag also nailed the coming-of-age romance in this book. Megan and Keltie's romance was filled with the bubbly newness of teenage first love that made it endlessly charming to see unfold. There was the predictable messiness of friendship and family that balanced the narrative. And the stratifying bittersweet ending tied the story together well.

The Girl From the Sea was a delightful outing from Ostertag. It's a well-rendered beautifully illustrated story I would easily recommend to lovers of selkies and summer romance.