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avacadosocks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Homophobia
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Sexual assault, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood
kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really liked this! I’ve always found selkies to be a fascinating yet disturbing concept; this book takes that concept and fleshes it out in such a romantic, compelling way.
Jean was funny, determined, stubborn, foolhardy- I love love loved her commitment to safe births and the general wellbeing of the women in her town, even if they didn’t always pay her the same respect. midwifery is possibly the most impressive set of skills in the world
Muirin was lovely. Downtrodden, but never defeated, and always looking to carve out her piece of happiness regardless of Tobias or anyone else.
The romance was sweet and paced just right. I definitely want to buy this in print!
Jean was funny, determined, stubborn, foolhardy- I love love loved her commitment to safe births and the general wellbeing of the women in her town, even if they didn’t always pay her the same respect. midwifery is possibly the most impressive set of skills in the world
Muirin was lovely. Downtrodden, but never defeated, and always looking to carve out her piece of happiness regardless of Tobias or anyone else.
The romance was sweet and paced just right. I definitely want to buy this in print!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Murder, Death, Rape, and Sexual assault
doomham's review
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Homophobia, and Animal death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
sproutedpages's review
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A Sweet Sting of Salt is a work of queer historical fiction set in coastal Nova Scotia in the 1830’s, and retells the Scottish folktale, “The Selkie Wife,” as well as Selkie folklore more generally. While this does mean that one of the greatest mysteries at the heart of the novel is known to readers familiar with the folklore, it is not known to the protagonist Jean, a midwife, who wakes late in the night to find her neighbor’s new wife, Muirín, distraught and in labor at the edge of the salt marshes on her property.
Sutherland’s writing in A Sweet Sting of Salt is atmospheric and evocative, with a thematic emphasis on longing (from the topics for discussion at the end: longing for the sea, longing for home, longing for family, longing for a place to belong). Though initially slow in pace, there is a foreboding undercurrent to the narrative that helps to keep the novel engaging.
Jean and Muirín are both characterized quite well (as are the secondary and tertiary characters), which makes it easy to empathize with their individual choices, and to yearn for their pairing alongside them. However, Jean’s reaction to the moment of reveal did feel somewhat out-of-character, and at odds with what would be expected for a member of a seemingly superstitious fishing village (particularly given that Jean mentions knowledge of Selkie folklore). Even so, A Sweet Sting of Salt has a cathartic resolution (especially for Muirín) and a very sweet epilogue.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House/Dell, and author Rose Sutherland for providing me with an advanced digital copy of A Sweet Sing of Salt to review. All opinions within this review are voluntarily given and entirely my own.
Sutherland’s writing in A Sweet Sting of Salt is atmospheric and evocative, with a thematic emphasis on longing (from the topics for discussion at the end: longing for the sea, longing for home, longing for family, longing for a place to belong). Though initially slow in pace, there is a foreboding undercurrent to the narrative that helps to keep the novel engaging.
Jean and Muirín are both characterized quite well (as are the secondary and tertiary characters), which makes it easy to empathize with their individual choices, and to yearn for their pairing alongside them. However, Jean’s reaction to the moment of reveal did feel somewhat out-of-character, and at odds with what would be expected for a member of a seemingly superstitious fishing village (particularly given that Jean mentions knowledge of Selkie folklore). Even so, A Sweet Sting of Salt has a cathartic resolution (especially for Muirín) and a very sweet epilogue.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House/Dell, and author Rose Sutherland for providing me with an advanced digital copy of A Sweet Sing of Salt to review. All opinions within this review are voluntarily given and entirely my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Confinement
Moderate: Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent, Suicide, and Sexual assault
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