Henry-Jones reflects the before-and-after shifts in her characters with subtle repetitions and reversals: “She is Min. She is not Min.” Darcy and Min’s coming-of-age is enriched and complicated by friendship with Theo, a feral boy who washed up on Seannay with webbed hands and no known past. The islanders suspect he’s a selkie, half-human, half-seal, and a mainland writer comes to investigate.

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Among the large cast of precisely drawn characters are women with links to the islands’ witchcraft and Father Lee, a villainous priest whose sly control of his congregation keeps the witch trials alive. The red and yellow sandstone kirk and its dungeon, modelled on Orkney’s St Magnus Cathedral, dominates the town. Religion, superstition and science, male violence and female nurturing clash as the novel reaches its operatic climax.

Salt and Skin is leavened with joy and humour. One of the most endearing characters is the earth-bound, ordinary Tristan, an archaeologist who works and banters with Luda in the council office. He bangs away at his computer, mutters to himself and grimaces at every sip of coffee. This made me laugh: “Luda has come to the conclusion that he doesn’t actually like coffee, but isn’t ready to admit it to himself.”

Domestic life, work, love and sex carry on against the melodrama of worsening storms, beaching whales and human tragedy. Henry-Jones blends past and present, reality and magic into a compelling story loud with warning voices for our time.

Salt and Skin by Eliza Henry-Jones is published by Ultimo Press, $32.99.

Eliza Henry-Jones is a guest at Melbourne Writers Festival (mwf.com.au). The Age is a festival partner.

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