A review by tfpjr492
Above the Salt by Katherine Vaz

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Above the Salt is a novel about immigrants from the Azores to 19th-century America. It includes themes of romantic love, devotion, and acts of kindness and generosity.

Romantic love is perhaps the major theme, because it involves the major characters, John and Maria. Young boy John first meets Maria in a garden on their native island, Madeira. John forms an immediate impression of Maria.

“. . . the girl was assertive in a way that did not befit Christian humility, and she wore pretty clothing and walked with too proud a spine, and her laugh was boisterous . . .”

John and Maria immigrate to America at different times, and their paths cross in Illinois. Maria is engaged to be married to an American. 

John and Maria profess their love for each other, but they proceed with different lives. Can their romance endure over the decades despite vast distances, social upheaval, family disagreements, and more? How does their lifelong romance contrast with the practicalities of their marriages? This novel is recommended for those readers, who enjoy sweeping life stories.


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