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isnt_it_pretty's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Animal death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Outing, Homophobia, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Violence, Rape, and Suicide
avacadosocks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Confinement and Homophobia
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Sexual assault, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood
ivi_reads_books's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I didn't feel the romantic connection between the main characters but liked the insight into the life of a midwife in the 19s
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Kidnapping
Minor: Violence, Confinement, Blood, Outing, Grief, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Stalking
kimzeyk's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The writing was ok, I really wish authors (and editors!) would do more to understand how English learners actually talk. Fine if you want to show that the native language uses a different word order, but someone who still puts the subject at the end of the sentence could not use sophisticated verb tenses like “Should not have come, you .” It made me think of Yoda the whole time.
I appreciated the effort to use an LGBTQ perspective, but that also felt unrealistic - a lot of time is devoted to the MC’s ostracism due to a previous lesbian relationship, but by the end of the book, nobody bats an eye?
Moderate: Confinement, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping
Minor: Rape
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
sproutedpages's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Sutherland’s writing in A Sweet Sting of Salt is atmospheric and evocative, with a thematic emphasis on longing (from the topics for discussion at the end: longing for the sea, longing for home, longing for family, longing for a place to belong). Though initially slow in pace, there is a foreboding undercurrent to the narrative that helps to keep the novel engaging.
Jean and Muirín are both characterized quite well (as are the secondary and tertiary characters), which makes it easy to empathize with their individual choices, and to yearn for their pairing alongside them. However, Jean’s reaction to the moment of reveal did feel somewhat out-of-character, and at odds with what would be expected for a member of a seemingly superstitious fishing village (particularly given that Jean mentions knowledge of Selkie folklore). Even so, A Sweet Sting of Salt has a cathartic resolution (especially for Muirín) and a very sweet epilogue.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House/Dell, and author Rose Sutherland for providing me with an advanced digital copy of A Sweet Sing of Salt to review. All opinions within this review are voluntarily given and entirely my own.
Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Confinement
Moderate: Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent, Suicide, and Sexual assault
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
kimwritesstuff's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Jean meets Muirin while Muirin is in labor outside in a storm. Muirin basically ends up on Jean's doorstep while fleeing. After Jean helps her deliver a healthy son, Jean can sense something isn't right, but can't get answers to her questions because Muirin doesn't speak English. When Muirin's husband, Tobias, shows up, Jean doubles down and insists Muirin stay with her while recovering from birth. Tobias relents, only wanting what's best for his son and his wife. Over the course of a week, Jean watches Muirin blossom into motherhood and helps her learn English.
When Tobias comes to get Muirin and their son, Muirin closes up. Jean realizes Tobias is what's wrong in the picture. From there, a beautiful gothic love story unfolds. The author did her research and included some historical events and included indigenous people in the story. I love when authors take care with their characters and history. This story is just so full of detail, I felt the longing and I felt the isolation.
This was a good story built on longing and the power of women; there could have been more awareness in the main character and a quicker reveal of magical elements. Overall, a good read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Dell Books.
Graphic: Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Animal death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Confinement
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
alreads13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Stalking, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Confinement, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Minor: Death of parent