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shelfimprovement's review against another edition
3.0
Josephine is one of very few black women in the field of marine biology. She's also the product of a troubled family -- both her father and her brother are alcoholics. Everything about her life has set her up for solitude and she's okay with that: she herself states that she's not sure she has enough love to give. It's not an uncommon response to the kinds of family troubles that Joseie has experienced -- distance yourself from people and they can't hurt you the way others have hurt you in the past. As the book opens, Josie is picking her brother up from his second stint in rehab. Josie intends to hand responsibility for her brother off to her mother in Cleveland then head back to her job and husband in Massachusetts. Southgate then swings the narration into the past, giving the reader insight into Josie's childhood, her parents' troubled marriage, and and the berth of her brother's disease before examining how those events affect present-day Josie's behavior.
Unfortunately, the characters never really grew beyond two dimensions for me and I wasn't a fan of Southgate's shifting narrative. The book was mostly told from Josie's point of view, first-person, but then it would switch to her brother or her parents for a chapter before going back to Josie as an omniscient narrator describing them. I get that Southgate was trying to present a broader perspective, but it really only took me out of the story. The first time she switched, Southgate set it up for us by having Josie announce that she was taking on her mother's voice, imagining what might have been said and reconstructing events -- it felt like reading the Warnings Meant to Avoid Lawsuits at the beginning of memoirs and it just didn't work for me.
I give Southgate credit for writing about middle-class African Americans and for addressing addiction in an honest, frank way, but Josie just didn't resonate with me the way I had hoped.
Unfortunately, the characters never really grew beyond two dimensions for me and I wasn't a fan of Southgate's shifting narrative. The book was mostly told from Josie's point of view, first-person, but then it would switch to her brother or her parents for a chapter before going back to Josie as an omniscient narrator describing them. I get that Southgate was trying to present a broader perspective, but it really only took me out of the story. The first time she switched, Southgate set it up for us by having Josie announce that she was taking on her mother's voice, imagining what might have been said and reconstructing events -- it felt like reading the Warnings Meant to Avoid Lawsuits at the beginning of memoirs and it just didn't work for me.
I give Southgate credit for writing about middle-class African Americans and for addressing addiction in an honest, frank way, but Josie just didn't resonate with me the way I had hoped.
meaganchurch's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, the story engaged me from the start and was a quick read. But I struggled with the first person narrator throughout she knew too much from other people's perspectives and it became distracting at times.
niaforrester's review against another edition
5.0
This is the kind of book I most love to read. Just amazing on all fronts. The plot unfolds mostly in the emotional lives of the characters, all of whom live with sadness and regret. The word that I would use to describe this book, if I had just one word, would be "mournful". Martha Southgate did an incredible job of showing the corrosive effect that addiction can have on families, individuals and the love between a man and woman. I felt Josie's struggle as she tried to live a life that rose above the scars of growing up with an alcoholic father; and later, her struggle to distance herself from a brother, Tick, whose life is plagued by the same demons and who seems hell-bent on self-destruction.
I loved the quiet way in which Southgate shows that Josie's determination to disconnect from her dysfunctional past only leads to further disconnectedness in her present, and in her marriage. I ached for Josie because she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge her pain, enough to even truly feel it. And her being drawn to the silent weightlessness of being underwater I understood perfectly, even though its not a feeling I can relate to.
But because the book was so incredibly sad, I'll need a fair amount of recuperation time before I attempt to read more of this author's work.
I loved the quiet way in which Southgate shows that Josie's determination to disconnect from her dysfunctional past only leads to further disconnectedness in her present, and in her marriage. I ached for Josie because she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge her pain, enough to even truly feel it. And her being drawn to the silent weightlessness of being underwater I understood perfectly, even though its not a feeling I can relate to.
But because the book was so incredibly sad, I'll need a fair amount of recuperation time before I attempt to read more of this author's work.
elibriggs's review against another edition
3.0
good portrait of an african american family and their struggles told through the daughter's POV.
samsanator's review against another edition
5.0
My friend, Amanda, gave me an advance copy of The Tast of Salt a little while back, and I picked it up shortly thereafter because the cover looked pretty and I didn't have anything else to read. I am so glad I did. In this novel, Martha Southgate has woven an incredible tale of addiction and romance, family and friendship. She deals with issues of race and gender and relationships in a way that strikes true at the heart.
Josie Henderson is the only black scientist working with marine mammals in Woods Hole, Mass. She and her husband, David, a white man, work there at the same institution. Quickly after beginning her story, we get the sense that she is running from a dark family secret. Born and raised in Cleveland, we find that she has both a father and a brother that suffer from alcoholism. In Woods Hole, however, she has run so far from these issues that she rarely speaks of them to anyone, including her husband.
Woods Hole hires another black scientist, Ben, shortly after Josie makes a visit home to see her brother, who has just been released from rehab for the second time. Upon meeting Ben, Josie feels an instant connection, and decides she can trust him with her family's secrets. As you can imagine, this causes quite a divide between her and David. Soon, her brother comes to live with her because he can't seem to stay clean, and tragedy strikes. We watch as everything Josie knew to be true slowly and steadily unravels, changing her view of the world.
Martha Southgate has the unique ability to weave a story so bold and beautiful that it is impossible to put down. The story of Josie's family swells and recedes just like the tide of the ocean Josie holds so dear. The story is so delicately crafted that you find yourself excited and devastated with Josie at every turn, and you close the book after the last page truly changed.
I would highly recommend The Taste of Salt. The tentative release date is 9/13/2011, so pick up your copy soon.
Josie Henderson is the only black scientist working with marine mammals in Woods Hole, Mass. She and her husband, David, a white man, work there at the same institution. Quickly after beginning her story, we get the sense that she is running from a dark family secret. Born and raised in Cleveland, we find that she has both a father and a brother that suffer from alcoholism. In Woods Hole, however, she has run so far from these issues that she rarely speaks of them to anyone, including her husband.
Woods Hole hires another black scientist, Ben, shortly after Josie makes a visit home to see her brother, who has just been released from rehab for the second time. Upon meeting Ben, Josie feels an instant connection, and decides she can trust him with her family's secrets. As you can imagine, this causes quite a divide between her and David. Soon, her brother comes to live with her because he can't seem to stay clean, and tragedy strikes. We watch as everything Josie knew to be true slowly and steadily unravels, changing her view of the world.
Martha Southgate has the unique ability to weave a story so bold and beautiful that it is impossible to put down. The story of Josie's family swells and recedes just like the tide of the ocean Josie holds so dear. The story is so delicately crafted that you find yourself excited and devastated with Josie at every turn, and you close the book after the last page truly changed.
I would highly recommend The Taste of Salt. The tentative release date is 9/13/2011, so pick up your copy soon.
serenaac's review against another edition
3.0
The Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate is the tumultuous tale of Josie Henderson and her family. Josie is a successful scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, but the journey that helped her achieve her dream was wrought with sadness and anger. Her brother “Tick,” once her ally against their alcoholic father, has just emerged from another stint in rehab and seeking her help, which brings to the forefront everything Josie has tried to push aside and avoid.
The narrative begins in Josie’s point of view and then shifts to that of her mother, her father, her brother, and her husband Daniel. Southgate is trying to tell a well-rounded story about heartbreak and disappointment, but readers may find the additional points of view unnecessary. Even without the other perspectives, Josie’s voice is solid enough to carry the entire story.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/11/the-taste-of-salt-by-martha-southgate.html
The narrative begins in Josie’s point of view and then shifts to that of her mother, her father, her brother, and her husband Daniel. Southgate is trying to tell a well-rounded story about heartbreak and disappointment, but readers may find the additional points of view unnecessary. Even without the other perspectives, Josie’s voice is solid enough to carry the entire story.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/11/the-taste-of-salt-by-martha-southgate.html
divad785's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️ out of 5 ⭐️
The Taste of Salt deals with the generational curse of addiction and how its destruction leads to the demise of a family. Southgate beautifully illustrates the life of an addict from the addict’s perspective to their spouse’s point of view to even seeing its destruction from their children’s eyes.
The story speaks in many voices. We hear from Josie first who is the daughter and sister of an addict. Josie tells us of her childhood with an addict, her close relationship with her brother, & her marriage to a white man that is based on business and convenience. Josie is also a marine biologist and I enjoyed how Southgate highlights this career by showing people of color in this role. The story then shifts and we hear from Edmund better known as Tick who happens to be Josie’s brother. He is also an addict. He has done another stint in rehab and is barely hanging on. He has a trainer position with the Cleveland Cavaliers post LeBron and his job is even willing to work with him, but the demands of his addiction are too much for him.
What I loved is how Southgate gave an insight to how addictions can destroy a family, a marriage, a person. She truly gave a wonderful depiction of this from the beginning to the end and even showed how it can be a generational curse on a family.
What I didn’t care for so much was the constant repeating of LeBron James not being a part of the Cleveland Cavaliers team and at times the book was slow in the beginning when leading up to the character development. Also to hear Josie “code switch” it never seemed authentic. It seemed fake when she switched back and forth from her “educated” voice to her “hometown” Cleveland voice. It gave off as if the author was trying her best to write as if she were “from the hood” but never experienced it a day in her life. It didn’t seem authentic at times.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I felt as if the ending left a lot on the table for reflection and pause. As if to say with addictions, the story never truly ends. You are always healing and taking it one day at a time.
The Taste of Salt deals with the generational curse of addiction and how its destruction leads to the demise of a family. Southgate beautifully illustrates the life of an addict from the addict’s perspective to their spouse’s point of view to even seeing its destruction from their children’s eyes.
The story speaks in many voices. We hear from Josie first who is the daughter and sister of an addict. Josie tells us of her childhood with an addict, her close relationship with her brother, & her marriage to a white man that is based on business and convenience. Josie is also a marine biologist and I enjoyed how Southgate highlights this career by showing people of color in this role. The story then shifts and we hear from Edmund better known as Tick who happens to be Josie’s brother. He is also an addict. He has done another stint in rehab and is barely hanging on. He has a trainer position with the Cleveland Cavaliers post LeBron and his job is even willing to work with him, but the demands of his addiction are too much for him.
What I loved is how Southgate gave an insight to how addictions can destroy a family, a marriage, a person. She truly gave a wonderful depiction of this from the beginning to the end and even showed how it can be a generational curse on a family.
What I didn’t care for so much was the constant repeating of LeBron James not being a part of the Cleveland Cavaliers team and at times the book was slow in the beginning when leading up to the character development. Also to hear Josie “code switch” it never seemed authentic. It seemed fake when she switched back and forth from her “educated” voice to her “hometown” Cleveland voice. It gave off as if the author was trying her best to write as if she were “from the hood” but never experienced it a day in her life. It didn’t seem authentic at times.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I felt as if the ending left a lot on the table for reflection and pause. As if to say with addictions, the story never truly ends. You are always healing and taking it one day at a time.
erindillman's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely a surprise, a nice treat with a cup of tea in the morning.
ninetalevixen's review against another edition
3.0
Vivid narrative with dynamic characters who represent minorities, but I wasn't a huge fan of the narrative style and the plot seemed to drag.
bookishnik's review against another edition
3.0
Josie Henderson, a young African American, has become the woman she always dreamed of becoming. She is a marine biologist and lives a quiet life with her husband in a small town in Massachusetts. However, she harbors insecurities originating from her upbringing back in Cleveland. This story explores alcoholism and drug addition and how it impacts the addict and their loved ones. The author misses the mark on integrating the multiple point of views into this novel. I have read many novels with expertly delivered multiple third person narratives, but this one was a first person narrative in which the protagonist also tells the story from the other characters viewpoint. Fail! However, I did really like this story and how all the characters are flawed and there is no happy ending. Such is life.