You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by njh_books
Saltblood by Francesca De Tores
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.25
Read for LN Book Club.
This book grew on me as I read it and I'd put it somewhere between 4-4.5 stars. It wasn't at all what I was expecting but I enjoyed it anyway.
That being said, it took me a while to really get into this book and for it to really grab my attention. The short scene cuts annoyed the hell out of me at the beginning. I didn't really see their point or use as I’m someone who likes a lot of detail in the books I read and description (but not Nathaniel Hawthorne describe a door for 2 pages level).
But midway through reading the book, I realized why the author does the short scene cuts and why they're so plentiful in the early ages of Mary's life and there's not as much description. It’s a clever way to show memory and tell a story. If you look over the whole book, the beginning is less detailed descriptions of people because Mary just can’t remember them. Towards the end/her present, the descriptions get better because it’s more recent and fresh in her own memory.
It was advertised as a very queer book and about Anne Bonny and Mary Read. While it is queer and Anne Bonny is a significant character, neither of those are the focus or often referenced in the book. Anne Bonny isn't even mentioned until p. 145. Gender identity is discussed quite often in the story (Mark vs. Mary, etc.) but sexuality (especially Mary's interest in women), isn't addressed until p. 204 and nothing happens between Mary and another woman until p.256.
I quite enjoyed Crow as a character and her constant companionship.
So many people Mary cared about or loved really haunted her, or perhaps sailed with her throughout the story. So many deaths and losses and yet they never really stopped. The jail scene at the end was heartbreaking but also freeing (also clever way for the author to explain Mary's end. I really enjoyed Mary's crow name and found it really fitting.
Book was recommended to me by the owner of Artemis Books in Aachen, where it was also purchased.
This book grew on me as I read it and I'd put it somewhere between 4-4.5 stars. It wasn't at all what I was expecting but I enjoyed it anyway.
That being said, it took me a while to really get into this book and for it to really grab my attention. The short scene cuts annoyed the hell out of me at the beginning. I didn't really see their point or use as I’m someone who likes a lot of detail in the books I read and description (but not Nathaniel Hawthorne describe a door for 2 pages level).
But midway through reading the book, I realized why the author does the short scene cuts and why they're so plentiful in the early ages of Mary's life and there's not as much description. It’s a clever way to show memory and tell a story. If you look over the whole book, the beginning is less detailed descriptions of people because Mary just can’t remember them. Towards the end/her present, the descriptions get better because it’s more recent and fresh in her own memory.
It was advertised as a very queer book and about Anne Bonny and Mary Read. While it is queer and Anne Bonny is a significant character, neither of those are the focus or often referenced in the book. Anne Bonny isn't even mentioned until p. 145. Gender identity is discussed quite often in the story (Mark vs. Mary, etc.) but sexuality (especially Mary's interest in women), isn't addressed until p. 204 and nothing happens between Mary and another woman until p.256.
I quite enjoyed Crow as a character and her constant companionship.
Book was recommended to me by the owner of Artemis Books in Aachen, where it was also purchased.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism