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A review by ninegladiolus
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Selkie Wife is one of my favourite folktales, so I had high hopes going into Rose Sutherland’s queer re-imagining of it with A Sweet Sting of Salt. This novel struck an excellent balance between capturing the spirit of the original while weaving in a fresh mythos all its own.
The period-appropriate misogyny and homophobia was present yet challenged, the romance was a whirlwind yet believable, and the narrative was unexpectedly heart-pounding and infused with the tension of a thriller in many places. Jean and Muirin are wonderful protagonists you can’t help but root for. A Sweet Sting of Salt is going in my toolkit for folks who want queer retellings without question.
Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
The period-appropriate misogyny and homophobia was present yet challenged, the romance was a whirlwind yet believable, and the narrative was unexpectedly heart-pounding and infused with the tension of a thriller in many places. Jean and Muirin are wonderful protagonists you can’t help but root for. A Sweet Sting of Salt is going in my toolkit for folks who want queer retellings without question.
Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.