A review by mellabella
The Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate

3.0

Josie Henderson is a marine biologist. She is the only Black scientist (female or not) where she works at the Oceanographic Institute of MA. When she was little she was teased about "talking White" etc. by other Black kids. Little by little she removes herself from the company of other Black people. The college she attends, the man she marries. Her good looking, popular brother Tick is an alcoholic and (sometimes) drug user. Their father is an alcoholic. The Taste of Salt is about all their issues, and more. I wish a little more attention had been paid to Josie's mother. She's a nurse and the daughter of a doctor. The book opens with Tick leaving a facility and heading back to his mothers house and, his job. It ends with his death. In the middle Josie starts having an affair with a Black man who starts working with her. We hear from her husband Daniel. Their conflicting feelings about having children is one of the things driving a wedge between them. I couldn't put this book down. I wouldn't say that Josie is entirely likeable. But her, her familial and marital woes are all very real. I liked the fact that we heard from all the characters. We saw the parts that we played. It ended a little abruptly. But, I admire the fact that Martha Southgate didn't tie everything up with a neat little bow.