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sophievigeant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Addiction, Violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Racism
jewlzruwe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Domestic abuse, War, Violence, and Sexual violence
alyssagirardi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Cancer and Child abuse
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Author: Gabriela Garcia
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: March 30 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Poetic • Heartbreaking • Powerful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Jeanette is battling the grips of addiction, and is endlessly determined to learn more about her family's history. When on a whim Jeanette takes in the daughter of a neighbor detained by ICE, her mother, Carmen, is resistant. Carmen continues to wrestle with the trauma of displacement, her complicated relationship with her own mother, and raising a wayward daughter. In a quest to understand, Jeanette travels to Cuba to visit her grandmother and discovers a host of secrets from the past.
Spanning 19th century cigar factories to modern detention centers, from Cuba to Mexico, Of Women and Salt is a kaleidoscopic portrait of betrayal that have shaped the lives of these women.
💭 T H O U G H T S
In 2021 I decided to make my way through the GMA book club selections. Of Women and Salt was one I knew I wanted to prioritize. Maybe I was drawn to the historical aspect and/or the beautiful cover, but I knew little more than that going in. And I definitely didn't know it was so short.
What immediately struck me was Gabriela Garcia's spellbinding language. This novel is beautifully written, with so much emotion captured in the words. The non-linear structure, seeming more like a collection of short stories, was different but worked perfectly in this narrative even though it took me awhile to figure out who was who (thank goodness for the family trees at the beginning). Featuring three generation of Cuban/Cuban-American women, each fully fleshed out and equally flawed, and exploring themes of motherhood, intergenerational trauma, addiction, abuse, immigration and oppression.
I enjoyed this generational saga, and the historical interconnectedness of the characters is something I gravitate towards in books. I appreciated how the ending came full circle in a satisfying way.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• literary fiction lovers
• readers looking for an immigration story
• fans of generational sagas
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"I believe family is whoever we point to. I did not just have you. You did not simply happen to me. I chose. I saw the possibilities and I chose and I would not judge the woman who chooses differently. I decided I would be your mother and family and you would be of me."
"We are more than we think we are. There was always more."
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Drug use, Violence, Murder, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Misogyny, and Pedophilia
Minor: Cancer
overdosebookish_baker_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Violence, War, Death, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Blood, Racial slurs, Confinement, and Racism
sophee_568's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Racism
savannahtrice's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Murder, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Incest, and Injury/Injury detail
sydneypj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse
theonlybaillie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Mental illness, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Murder, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Cursing, Gun violence, and Misogyny
Minor: Chronic illness, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
samkennedy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Racism, War, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Murder