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A review by lauriereadslohf
Saltblood by T.C. Parker
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
oOOOOOh this book! I loved it so very much! It was so unique to me and it kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I don’t want to ruin it by telling you all about it so I’ll do my best not to do that. To be completely honest here, I was a little worried after I glanced at the blurb because I’m not really a huge fan of what it was saying. It was talking about prisons and conspiracies and, well, I didn’t think I would fall in love with the story but the best thing happened and I immediately did just that. I’m so thankful for my friends who put it on my radar with their positive reviews because it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year and I’d like everyone to give it a read.
We meet strangers Robin and Jack as they’re traveling to an island and we quickly learn they’re not on any kind of lavish vacation! Salt Island is enclosed beneath a wire mesh cage penning them in on all sides. Sounds very much like a prison island, eh? Yeah, that’s because it is even if they’re told it’s a “place to reflect”.
It’s all very mysterious and the reveals are doled out slowly. What is this island? Why are they here? What terrible things have these people done?!! And why aren’t they allowed to speak to the 100 or so locals still living on the island? What the heck is going on?
My overly dramatic notes are filled with “What is happening here?! I will perish from the suspense!!” But it is sort of true. Once this book gets its hooks in you, it will be hard to stop reading until you learn everything and you’ll have more questions with every page you turn. It read a wee bit like the best kind of Black Mirror episode. Greed and a mix of modern technology fucking things up blended with an ancient . . . well, I’m not going to tell you that part. I absolutely AM NOT.
It’s a horror novel so expect things to get bloody. There’s a pretty big warning sign right off the bat. They’re not allowed any outside communication with the world. That means no cell phones, no CB radios, no rabbit ears, no nothing! The island also smells very bad. Soon a dead body is found. They may or may not be seeing very strange beings wandering around in the shadows after darkness. Now imagine having no option to leave and being completely left in the dark about EVERYTHING. That’s the situation these people find themselves in and it gets terrifying rather quickly.
I enjoyed nearly everything here except the bit in my CW below and I can’t find anything to complain about - not that I was looking but you know I can be a picky witch sometimes (yikes, wish I weren’t like this but I am what I am). The author takes her time developing her characters, revealing their backstories, building the relationships and trust between them. The circumstances are wild but also completely believable. When the ahhhh!! oh-my-gods! things begin to happen you’re invested in these people and it’s too late to turn back!
There’s action, there’s adventure, there’s a terrifying ancient *nope still not saying* and an excellent cast of strong women who must bond together to outsmart the evil situation they’re stuck in. I recommend it with my whole heart or at least what’s left of it.
We meet strangers Robin and Jack as they’re traveling to an island and we quickly learn they’re not on any kind of lavish vacation! Salt Island is enclosed beneath a wire mesh cage penning them in on all sides. Sounds very much like a prison island, eh? Yeah, that’s because it is even if they’re told it’s a “place to reflect”.
It’s all very mysterious and the reveals are doled out slowly. What is this island? Why are they here? What terrible things have these people done?!! And why aren’t they allowed to speak to the 100 or so locals still living on the island? What the heck is going on?
My overly dramatic notes are filled with “What is happening here?! I will perish from the suspense!!” But it is sort of true. Once this book gets its hooks in you, it will be hard to stop reading until you learn everything and you’ll have more questions with every page you turn. It read a wee bit like the best kind of Black Mirror episode. Greed and a mix of modern technology fucking things up blended with an ancient . . . well, I’m not going to tell you that part. I absolutely AM NOT.
It’s a horror novel so expect things to get bloody. There’s a pretty big warning sign right off the bat. They’re not allowed any outside communication with the world. That means no cell phones, no CB radios, no rabbit ears, no nothing! The island also smells very bad. Soon a dead body is found. They may or may not be seeing very strange beings wandering around in the shadows after darkness. Now imagine having no option to leave and being completely left in the dark about EVERYTHING. That’s the situation these people find themselves in and it gets terrifying rather quickly.
I enjoyed nearly everything here except the bit in my CW below and I can’t find anything to complain about - not that I was looking but you know I can be a picky witch sometimes (yikes, wish I weren’t like this but I am what I am). The author takes her time developing her characters, revealing their backstories, building the relationships and trust between them. The circumstances are wild but also completely believable. When the ahhhh!! oh-my-gods! things begin to happen you’re invested in these people and it’s too late to turn back!
There’s action, there’s adventure, there’s a terrifying ancient *nope still not saying* and an excellent cast of strong women who must bond together to outsmart the evil situation they’re stuck in. I recommend it with my whole heart or at least what’s left of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death