Scan barcode
bloomed's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“For so long I have lived like the woman in the parable, looking back to see whatever ruins lay behind me. If I had remained at Sailors Beach and had a child with Jude, if I had married him, as I once imagined I would, my bridal train would have been made of salt and sand.”
no plot, just vibes, but in a really beautiful way! this might be in my top 5 for 2023; it was a great, quick read.
the prose was light and delicate without ever tipping over into sounding floral, and the actual content was really beautiful. the main character was relatable in the best way, but she was still a flawed, nuanced person. i really enjoyed how nostalgic the story seemed, too. the relationships (between the main character and jude, but also between everybody else, especially the main character and her mother) were really lovely and had a realistic push-pull to them that made them tangible—honestly, if someone handed me this book and told me it was a memoir, i’d probably believe them!
the story got a little bit heavy toward the end, so be mindful of content warnings, etc. nothing ever feels like it’s being injected for shock value, though, which is a huge plus.
the prose was light and delicate without ever tipping over into sounding floral, and the actual content was really beautiful. the main character was relatable in the best way, but she was still a flawed, nuanced person. i really enjoyed how nostalgic the story seemed, too. the relationships (between the main character and jude, but also between everybody else, especially the main character and her mother) were really lovely and had a realistic push-pull to them that made them tangible—honestly, if someone handed me this book and told me it was a memoir, i’d probably believe them!
the story got a little bit heavy toward the end, so be mindful of content warnings, etc. nothing ever feels like it’s being injected for shock value, though, which is a huge plus.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy and Abortion
Moderate: Animal death
allisonz6's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Blood, Abortion, Medical content, Alcohol, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, and Animal death
beanie_bob's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Reading Around The World (6/199): Australia
Thirst for Salt is like a synthesis of “The Glass Essay" by Anne Carson and "The Crane Wife" by CJ Hauser, mixed, horrifyingly, with the themes of my diary (and maybe the diaries of all introspective, sensitive girl-women).
This novel is about love and how it endures.
I thought the quotation-less dialogue was a well used device and that it forced me to accept the story through the memories of the narrator. It’s her account, her feeling, of how everything happened. I don’t think she’s an unreliable narrator, no more than anyone else remembering their life, but the world is tinted by her emotions and experiences.
Gorgeous writing. I was a little surprised to find out Sailor’s Beach isn’t a real place. Lucas writes of it as if she’s walked the wet sand, smelled the salt air, and passed the Old House all her life.
The end was really difficult for me to read through. Please heed the content warnings.
Thirst for Salt is like a synthesis of “The Glass Essay" by Anne Carson and "The Crane Wife" by CJ Hauser, mixed, horrifyingly, with the themes of my diary (and maybe the diaries of all introspective, sensitive girl-women).
This novel is about love and how it endures.
I thought the quotation-less dialogue was a well used device and that it forced me to accept the story through the memories of the narrator. It’s her account, her feeling, of how everything happened. I don’t think she’s an unreliable narrator, no more than anyone else remembering their life, but the world is tinted by her emotions and experiences.
Gorgeous writing. I was a little surprised to find out Sailor’s Beach isn’t a real place. Lucas writes of it as if she’s walked the wet sand, smelled the salt air, and passed the Old House all her life.
The end was really difficult for me to read through. Please heed the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Abortion, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Animal death and Alcohol
rly's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Abortion
apmreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thirst for Salt follows a 37-year-old woman recalling her 24th year as she gets entangled in a relationship with a 42-year-old man. I thought the ways this book navigated relationships--both romantic and parent-child--were beautifully done. It was understated, but packed a punch. I loved the descriptive writing and the ways places were painted on the page. This character-driven novel doesn't feel overly pretentious the way other books like this can feel. Everyone has their own flaws, but I didn't hate them. It was a lovely exploration of love--how our life experiences shape how we give, receive, and perceive it--and the ways that our main character handles her first "grown-up" relationship. This was also my first book in a long time that didn't have quotation marks, so that was a little weird. Lol.
At times, the book failed to hold my interest so that's why it only got four stars for me. But another book to add to the Sad Girl Lit Fit category! I loved it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tin House for the eARC! This title publishes March 7, 2023.
At times, the book failed to hold my interest so that's why it only got four stars for me. But another book to add to the Sad Girl Lit Fit category! I loved it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tin House for the eARC! This title publishes March 7, 2023.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Abortion, and Abandonment
Moderate: Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity
More...