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rebeccameyrink's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
This is the story of five generations of Cuban women and a Salvadoran mother and daughter who’s lives intersect with the Cuban family.
Generational, family stories are some of my favourite stories and this was no exception. Truthfully, this story tore me apart a little bit but left me feeling hopeful as well. This story covers themes of womanhood and immigration and addiction in a way that feels so naturally intertwined with the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Addiction
Moderate: Misogyny and Murder
Minor: Cancer
happiestwhenreading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“And I am sorry I had nothing else to offer, Ana. That there are no real rules to govern why some are born in turmoil and others never know a single day in which the next seems an ill-considered bet. It’s all lottery, Ana, all chance. It’s the flick of a coin, and we are born.“
As one of my most highly anticipated reads of Spring 2021, I preordered this one and screamed when I saw its gorgeous cover in person!
There’s a lot happening in this story – a story of five generations of Cuban women which spans from 1866 in Camagüey to present-day Miami, a Salvadorian immigrant and her daughter, Ana, who are deported to Mexico, and lots of characters and timeline jumps. Honestly, it sounds more confusing than it truly is (and the physical book provides a family tree which really helped me keep things straight), but for all that’s happening it shocked me that this book was only around 200 pages!
I loved Garcia’s writing and there were particular parts of the book that I liked more than others. Each chapter almost felt like a short story, and while the stories are all connected, it also made the overall impression feel disjointed and clunky. I was hoping for more, but this was an impressive debut and I’ll be curious how Garcia’s craft develops.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
Minor: Misogyny
spalmon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
bookforthought's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Of Women and Salt was the perfect read around International Women's Day. Following five generations of Cuban women and a Salvadorean mother and daughter, this book takes us on a journey across space and time to witness the strength and tenacity of women who choose to keep fighting against all odds.
These women are the only protagonists here, their voices (often silenced in their daily life) rising prominently to shine a light on their truths, their struggles, their pain, and their hopes for a better future. The men in their lives lurk in the background, their viewpoint unimportant and their main contribution being bringing pain and tears - or being conspicuously absent. The women finally take centre stage and reclaim what is theirs, even if only for short stretches. The book's nonlinear narration, in fact, means that it often reads more like a series of short stories or vignettes linked by a common thread.
Don't let this book's size fool you: despite being quite short, it is packed with content and material for reflections. It also takes some dark turns, and I found I often had to stop to give myself time to absorb what I'd just read and digest some of the harder themes. Covering everything from domestic violence to drug abuse, sexual violence and the harsh reality of a modern-day US immigration detention centre, Of Women and Salt is as far as from a light read as possible. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed it, in its own way.
The writing was beautiful and lyrical, and it quickly drew me in. The characters were complex and portrayed excellently, even if we only spent a limited time with each of them. The thing I struggled with most was the non-linear narration, but that's something I know I often find hard to follow. Each time/location change was clearly marked at the beginning of the new section, but I still found I often had to go back to remind myself how far in the future or in the past we had moved compared to what had come before.
Overall, this is a powerful book and a really strong debut from the author, and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future. Of Women and Salt takes an honest look at the harsh reality of life for many women, restoring their voices and their dignity, and certainly made me wish for the day when for women everywhere stories like this will be just that - stories.
I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Murder, and Suicide
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