The Girl from the Sea: A Graphic Novel

Keltie is a selkie, a mythological seal-woman whose ability to shift between forms shapes both her identity and her role in the story. She appears roughly Morgan’s age, but her body and bearing immediately set her apart. Keltie has a compact, strong build that reflects a life shaped by the tides. Her physical confidence contrasts sharply with Morgan’s tense, inward posture. Her long, wavy blond hair reinforces her wild, free-spirited energy, suggesting someone who belongs as much to the ocean as to the land.

Keltie spends most of her life as a seal, a generational trait shared with other selkies, including Earl, who hints at the long lineage of selkies around the island. Every seven years, she can loosen her seal-skin enough to appear human, though she must remain in the water. Morgan’s kiss, however, binds her fully to the land, giving her a level of transformation she has never experienced before.

As a character, Keltie serves as a clear foil to Morgan. Where Morgan is rigid, careful, and boxed in, Keltie is exuberant, open, and guided by instinct. She says what she feels, expresses affection without hesitation, and approaches human customs with a guileless curiosity. Even their approaches to conflict reveal their differences. Morgan seeks conversation and compromise, while Keltie speaks her mind impulsively. By voicing her disgust with the tour boat to Serena, she undermines her own cause, alienating the one person who could help her. When Serena refuses to help, Keltie further demonstrates her impulsiveness by trying to wreck the boat.

However, Keltie’s impulsivity is matched by her capacity for accountability. When her actions endanger everyone, she admits her mistake and takes action to fix it. She also confesses that she needed Morgan’s kiss in order to remain on land to help the seals, a motive she initially hides for fear that Morgan will not believe her feelings are real. Most strikingly, although she does not particularly like Serena, she takes responsibility for the accident that caused Serena’s fall into the sea. Knowing that only her seal form can save her, Keltie willingly puts on her seal-skin, accepting that this choice will trap her in the ocean, away from Morgan, for another seven years.

This willingness to sacrifice her own desires for others’ sake highlights Keltie’s emotional depth and moral clarity. She embodies transformation not only through her mythic shifting but through her growth: She learns that love requires honesty, accountability, and courage. Through her actions, Keltie becomes a catalyst for Morgan’s own transformation, showing how authenticity and responsibility can reshape not only the self but the relationships around it.

Each member of Morgan’s friend group, Serena Boisseau, Lizzie, and Jules, initially appears to fit a familiar archetype of teen girlhood: Serena as the stylish “girly one,” Jules as the jokester, and Lizzie as “the sweetest person ever” (48). The artwork reinforces these impressions: Serena is polished and trendy; Jules is tall and relaxed with bright red hair; and Lizzie’s facial expressions convey her empathy for others. Collectively, the group functions as Morgan’s emotional anchor, even when they struggle to reach her.

Much like the Kwon family, Morgan’s friends sincerely want to support her but cannot do so when she doesn’t communicate openly with them. As Morgan withdraws into secrecy, they worry collectively in a separate chat, aware that she is navigating a painful year due to her parents’ recent separation. They sense something is wrong but grow frustrated as Morgan keeps them at arm’s length.

Serena’s role is especially central. She makes the most effort to keep Morgan included, sending separate reminders and reaching out when Morgan stops responding. Her hurt runs the deepest because she believes they share a uniquely close bond. At the same time, Serena faces her own quiet loneliness as her parents repurpose her birthday party for publicity, ignoring her discomfort with large crowds. When Morgan pulls away without an explanation, Serena feels abandoned by one of the few people she trusts. Her sharp words during their confrontation stem from her longing to reconnect with Morgan.

Lizzie expresses her concern differently. She misreads Keltie’s sudden appearances as signs of danger, believing Keltie is stalking Morgan, and she seeks help from Serena and Jules to protect Morgan. Even Aiden confides in her about Morgan’s behavior. However, the moment Morgan tells the truth, Lizzie’s fear transforms instantly into excitement, “You’re having a SECRET SUMMER ROMANCE” (172). Her reaction shows how fully she accepts Morgan once she finally shares her real life with them.

Together, the friend group illustrates the novel’s broader theme of identity and transformation. When Morgan chooses honesty, even imperfectly, her friendships not only survive but begin to deepen, proving that authentic connection thrives on being seen, not on blending in.