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A review by anabel_unker
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland
5.0
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Content warnings: past suicide, parental death, murder, reference to martial rape, animal death, violence
A sapphic retelling of the Gaelic folktale The Selkie Wife, A SWEET STING OF SALT is the absolutely breathtaking story of Jean and Muirin. Despite several years (and difficult births) as the local midwife, Jean still remains a partial pariah after the scandal between her and a local man's daughter in her small Nova Scotia town. After working hard to recover her social standing, all Jean wants to do is live a quiet life and live in relative isolation on her family's land.
However, after coming home during a great storm, she discovers an obviously laboring woman trying to wade out into the choppy, and deadly, Atlantic ocean. After helping Muirin give birth, Jean begins to suspect things aren't exactly what they seem between the new mother and her husband, Tobias. Fearful for the first friend she's had in years, Jean begins to discover the murky truth hiding behind the pretty story Tobias has created.
A SWEET STING OF SALT is a beautiful and atmospheric story of love, betrayal, and community. Sutherland's debut has easily become one of my favorite reads of 2023 and I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoy history, slow burn romances and enchanting story telling!
Content warnings: past suicide, parental death, murder, reference to martial rape, animal death, violence
A sapphic retelling of the Gaelic folktale The Selkie Wife, A SWEET STING OF SALT is the absolutely breathtaking story of Jean and Muirin. Despite several years (and difficult births) as the local midwife, Jean still remains a partial pariah after the scandal between her and a local man's daughter in her small Nova Scotia town. After working hard to recover her social standing, all Jean wants to do is live a quiet life and live in relative isolation on her family's land.
However, after coming home during a great storm, she discovers an obviously laboring woman trying to wade out into the choppy, and deadly, Atlantic ocean. After helping Muirin give birth, Jean begins to suspect things aren't exactly what they seem between the new mother and her husband, Tobias. Fearful for the first friend she's had in years, Jean begins to discover the murky truth hiding behind the pretty story Tobias has created.
A SWEET STING OF SALT is a beautiful and atmospheric story of love, betrayal, and community. Sutherland's debut has easily become one of my favorite reads of 2023 and I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoy history, slow burn romances and enchanting story telling!