hanna's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
just like the characters in this book, i, too, don't know what the fuck is going on anymore
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Miscarriage and Murder
Minor: Suicide
gracelikesorcas's review
4.0
3.5/5 A dark retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses? Sign me up!! Barbie movies made me realize I will devour any fairytale retelling. But this one was VERY loosely based on the dancing… in fact, the dancing is really just there for the first little bit!
Though a little slow to start, this story was great. 12(ish) sisters, a stepmother, and a cursed island? Perfect fairytale elements. Plus the little bit of “locked room” mystery was very nice—I loved the setting of Highmoor and the spookiness surrounding it. Annaleigh was a fantastic narrator though she really should have been more bothered about being “cursed” than she seemed to be in the book.
But I WISH there was MORE of the dark spooky fairytale-gone-wrong that we get in the last third of the book! The narrative really ramps up as things start to shift and twist (without giving too much away!) and you’re left thinking “woah, what just happened?” I suppose it couldn’t really get TOO dark because it’s YA, but I wanted more horror-ish elements. Plus there were a few plot holes and seeming inconsistencies with character (what was up with Ortun being so indifferent towards his daughters?) that bugged me.
Also, don’t read this book for any semblance of fairy-tale romance. It seemed a little out of place to me in a dark fairytale retelling.
But…overall a good read if you want to transport yourself into a whole different world!
Though a little slow to start, this story was great. 12(ish) sisters, a stepmother, and a cursed island? Perfect fairytale elements. Plus the little bit of “locked room” mystery was very nice—I loved the setting of Highmoor and the spookiness surrounding it. Annaleigh was a fantastic narrator though she really should have been more bothered about being “cursed” than she seemed to be in the book.
But I WISH there was MORE of the dark spooky fairytale-gone-wrong that we get in the last third of the book! The narrative really ramps up as things start to shift and twist (without giving too much away!) and you’re left thinking “woah, what just happened?” I suppose it couldn’t really get TOO dark because it’s YA, but I wanted more horror-ish elements. Plus there were a few plot holes and seeming inconsistencies with character (what was up with Ortun being so indifferent towards his daughters?) that bugged me.
Also, don’t read this book for any semblance of fairy-tale romance. It seemed a little out of place to me in a dark fairytale retelling.
But…overall a good read if you want to transport yourself into a whole different world!
samanthamurphy_redw01f's review
4.0
Check out my review for House of Salt and Sorrows on my blog (includes spoilers): https://redwolfsroom.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-enchanting-tale-of-house-of-salt.html
blancas's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
shannasbookshelf's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
"The rain came down harder, shrouding Highmoor in muddled grays. Great boulders at the bottom of the cliffs were tossed about by the raging sea like marbles in a little boy's pocket, their crashes blasting up the steep rocks and rivaling the thunder."
This was a fun book, and I'm glad I decided to give it another shot.I don't think I was really paying attention when I read this the first time around. I would definitely recommend this as a read. It's an amazing, unique retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses story. Additionally, many tellings of the 12 Dancing Princesses fit best within the spring and summer months. However, House of Salt and Sorrows fits amazingly into almost every season and month. There were a few moments where I was questioning Annaleigh's actions, especially with how they compared to her words (even more so near the end). However, it didn't bother me too much since it worked within the story and how the characters interacted with each other overall.
This was a fun book, and I'm glad I decided to give it another shot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body horror and Pregnancy
Despite this, I will say that it was a bit curious how Annaleigh kept relying on the men in her life - mainly Ortun (her dad), Fisher, and Cassius. However, it did make sense because she's probably, at most, in her late teens and not entirely sure how to handle the situation she was in. Additionally, her reliance on Fisher and Cassius seemed driven by the fact that her family - Ortun, Morella (stepmother), and her sisters - were not listening to her or her concerns. Fisher and Cassius appeared to be the only ones taking her concerns seriously.aleenmean's review
4.0
Probably closer to 3.5 stars. It could have used some editing to cut it down a bit and there were a couple of plot points that could have been tied together better, but this was an enjoyable read overall!
sunrae_booknook's review
5.0
This book wasn’t anything I was expecting and it made me love it even more for that. I thought I was getting pirates and sailing adventures. Where I got that from I have literally no idea. This book scared the ever loving crap out of me, and the ending has me crying but like in a good way? Either way, I loved it. Just don’t expect pirates. #cassiusisbae
alicat09's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars.
Whoa this was unexpected! So many twists and turns and a potentially unreliable narrator
Whoa this was unexpected! So many twists and turns and a potentially unreliable narrator
khanson_16's review
4.0
This book...... I have no words. I have never even written a review before, but here I am at 1 in the morning left completely speechless by this book. I am usually pretty good about guessing what will happen next or solving the mystery, but with this book I had no clue. Just when I thought I figured it out boom another curve ball. I legit read this book in less that two days. Should I have been using that time to study for my finals? Absolutely, but when I picked up this book I simply could not put it down. The only reason this is not 5 starts is because I feel like the end was rushed and it left me quite confused. I wish the author would have spent a little more time with the last few chapter instead of squishing it all together. Other than that it was an amazing read with a nice thrilling aspect and it is bound to keep you on your toes.