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alesiam's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Murder and Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death
passivemoon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Murder
kappafrog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I've always wanted to write a historical queer
I adored Muirin! I'm a Gaelic speaker and was impressed that Sutherland got the genitive right on ròin. I would have liked to see more Gaelic in the book, but at least its presence was always there and not something that was treated as an afterthought. I also appreciated the inclusion of the Native characters. I'm not sure why Sutherland only named the Mikmaq in the acknowledgements and just used "Native" throughout the book, but I appreciated this as a more realistic spectrum of the types of people in 19th century Nova Scotia than some books would try to portray.
Of course, I absolutely loved the romance between Jean and Muirin. My heart ached for both of them, and I really felt the sense of frustration Jean had with having so few options for helping a woman in a bad situation in this place and time. The writing style of the book is not overly flowery, but I really appreciated the way Sutherland wrote her characters, making them feel very much like real people, and there were also some beautiful passages about the natural world of their surroundings. Sutherland was also very effective at creating a sense of dread with the escalating actions of the antagonist.
My only real plot qualm came late in the book:
What a wonderful book! I highly recommend it. It totally absorbed me while I was reading it. I'm looking forward to seeing what else this author has in store!
Graphic: Death, Lesbophobia, Murder, Outing, Stalking, Death of parent, Confinement, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Biphobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicide, Medical content, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Excrement, Miscarriage, Alcohol, and Colonisation
sapphic_alpaca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Outing, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Confinement, Medical content, Murder, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Death, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Rape and Infidelity
marym2215's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I absolutely loved this book. This captivating debut seamlessly blended folklore, fantasy, and a tender love story centered around selkies, something I knew nothing about going into the book. Set against the windswept shores of Nova Scotia, the atmospheric backdrop enhanced the story’s mystery, romance, and gothic allure. I just wanted to be there with them! The palpable angst and deeply tender romance between Muirin and Jean had me swooning throughout the majority of the book. It was so easy to root for them as their characters leapt off the page, especially Jean’s strong will, drive, and resilience. While the pacing was a bit slower than my normal read, I was still swept away by the story, setting, and character development. I also really loved the author’s note at the end of the book. Whether you know anything about selkie folklore or not, I would highly recommend this book if you are looking to read a love story amidst a backdrop of mystery and gothic vibes. I am definitely looking forward to Sutherland’s future novels!
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an electronic ARC of A Sweet Sting of Salt in return for my honest review.
Graphic: Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Animal death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Minor: Rape and Death of parent
kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition
- 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
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!
Graphic: Kidnapping and Pregnancy
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Murder, Death, Rape, and Sexual assault
kaitie_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This one deserves all of the stars.
This book was absolutely gorgeous. Rooted in Scottish folklore and based on the tale of "The Selkie Wife" this debut was absolutely mesmerizing. There is beautiful scene setting, page-turning suspense, amazing romantic tension, wonderful dialogue and also lgbtq representation contained within the pages of this sapphic love story and folklore retelling.
Part historical fiction, part fantasy romance, the story follows Jean, a midwife who has worked hard to reinstate her value to the community after being slandered for her choices in love. Afraid of making connections in her community, everything changes when she comes upon a laboring mother in need on a stormy night. Sensing that there is something dubious occurring, she forms a friendship with the woman and takes her under her wing.
If you love historical fiction with a little bit of a fairytale story included, I'd highly recommend this book. I loved the coastal vibe and Nova Scotia setting. The descriptive scenes and Jean's relationship with her natural setting is beautiful. I also love how the author reflects on nature and ties what's happening in the natural world into the occurences in our protagonist's story.
I always rate a book highly if it invokes an emotional response, and this story absolutely does.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Moderate: Violence, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Murder, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual violence
caseythereader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Cursing, Animal death, Blood, Death, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Lesbophobia
Minor: Rape and Homophobia
itsapaxycab's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was a beautiful book. I love any historical fiction book with queer people at the forefront, and learning about the different ways people might have navigated those difficulties. The story was lovely, and the ending warmed my heart.
Graphic: Homophobia and Murder
Minor: Suicide