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A review by paracosm
The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I quite liked this one. It follows three different story lines of three different black women who are all connected thanks to a water goddess names Ezili. There isn't so much of a plot.
The narration jumps between timelines, with small sections from the goddess pov. I love any fantasy that involves gods, so I of course enjoyed reading those parts. They managed to make the goddess inhumane enough to be interesting.
All three main characters lead difficult lives. The book never tries to minimize the horrors of what happens to them, but also isn't miserable all the time. I think one of the main objectives of the book is to present the stories of black women that otherwise would have been forgotten or vandalized to aid another narrative.
Mer and Jeanne are the ones who get the most screen time. I wished there were more chapters dedicated to Thais, I quite liked her.
The narration jumps between timelines, with small sections from the goddess pov. I love any fantasy that involves gods, so I of course enjoyed reading those parts. They managed to make the goddess inhumane enough to be interesting.
All three main characters lead difficult lives. The book never tries to minimize the horrors of what happens to them, but also isn't miserable all the time. I think one of the main objectives of the book is to present the stories of black women that otherwise would have been forgotten or vandalized to aid another narrative.
Mer and Jeanne are the ones who get the most screen time. I wished there were more chapters dedicated to Thais, I quite liked her.