A review by bookishlybecca
The Blue Salt Road by Joanne M. Harris

4.0

This ended up being a much better read than I was expecting it to be!

I currently work at my local public library and, therefore, see and handle hundreds of books every week. Many don't overly appeal to me, but when this beautiful book passed through my hands, it caught my attention. Its cover is foiled and dustjacket-less, and the title instantly intrigued me too. So much so that I did something I very rarely do - I decided to read this book without really knowing anything about it. I merely skimmed the brief summary on the back before checking it out and taking it home with me. I started reading it that night, and though it took me a few pages to get used to the writing style and story, I was soon hooked and fully immersed within the intriguing world and mystery of the plot.

Thoughts:
1. This book is quite short and it's made an even quicker read by the fact that it's split into parts, which are then further split into several short chapters. I basically read it in two sittings and never found myself bored or wanting to put the book down. Joanne's writing is quite beautiful at times, but it's also fairly easy to read as well. All of this made for a super-fast reading experience, which I always find very satisfying.
2. The plot was both extremely interesting and entertaining for me. I always enjoy reading fairytales, but this one had a dark whimsy and mystery to it that had me particularly enthralled the entire way through. I thoroughly enjoyed where the story ended up and I didn't completely guess where it was going either, which I appreciated.
3. The characters didn't overly stand out to me, and I wouldn't say I overly liked any of them either. This definitely isn't a character-driven story. Joanne tended to focus on the plot and environment more than the characters themselves. We didn't learn all that much about any of them or dive overly deeply into any of their thought processes. I did enjoy the generational and familial aspects of the story though.
4. I can't not mention the absolutely gorgeous cover design, and the interior illustrations and endpapers! They really added to the story and helped me picture certain characters or scenes better. I'll definitely be checking out more of Bonnie Helen Hawkins work in the near future, as I adore her art style and the detail she puts into her drawings. <3
5. One final, small comment: This book reminded me both of how much I love animals (particularly sea life) and nature, and how devastating and cruel it is when any of that precious flora and fauna is destroyed or marred. Particularly when it's done purposefully, by us selfish humans. It honestly breaks my heart to think of how much damage we've done to this beautiful planet we live on, and I'm glad we're finally starting to try to make amends for all the damage that's been done over the last century or two. Whaling is a barbaric practice and I know I'm not the only one who's beyond happy that it's no longer a common occurrence in our modern society. <333Whales!