MN Reads has covered a lot of different genres since its inception. However, this might be a first: mythological dark monster romance.
The Kraken's Castaway, a 2025 publication by Cassandra Medcalf, tells the story of how one woman's Lake Superior vacation with her best friend turns into a forbidden relationship with a cursed shape-shifting Viking.
Woven into the plot are many explicit scenes of sexual encounters, however, the book is driven by characters with relatable wants and desires; in other words, the content between the covers is more than just sexual fantasy. In The Kraken's Castaway, Medcalf subtly addresses themes of body positivity and acceptance. For the author, writing about this topic was important to the overall story.
"I love writing plus-sized women being worshipped by their partners," said Medcalf. "As a plus-sized women myself, it's something that I've struggled with my whole life... another huge [component] of monster stories... the idea that no matter how grotesque or how disgusting you feel - your outside body - you are worthy of love and there is someone who will still adore and cherish you. Not in spite of, but because of what you look like and because of who you are."
The Kraken's Castaway is available locally at Zenith Bookstore and at Fitger's, as well as through online retailers. More about Cassandra Medcalf's work can be found on her website.
Minnesota Reads is produced at The North 103.3 with funding provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
