Book Review: House of Salt and Sorrows

Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows tells the story of the Thaumus family from the point of view of one of the twelve sisters, Annaleigh. At the beginning of the story, her mother and several of her sisters have already died, and the remaining sisters are burying another while trying to adjust to a new stepmother in the house. The circumstances around the most recent sister’s death are suspicious, and while there is talk of a family curse, Annaleigh attempts to uncover the truth about what really happened to her sister. During this, she deals with the competing feelings for her childhood friend, Fisher, and a mysterious newcomer to their island home, Cassius.

To be honest, my summary doesn’t even do justice to the rich, intertwined plot of this book. I loved it. It is mysterious, opulent, dark, romantic… It borrowed from fairy tales and Poe-esque plots and settings. It ticked so many boxes for me. I loved that I only figured out a few of the twists moments before they were revealed in the storyline, which means I was captivated but also satisfied throughout. I can’t wait to read the author’s other works. This book is entirely appropriate for upper grade advanced readers all the way through to adults, even though it is categorized as young adult. I’m a firm believer that just because the narrator is a teen doesn’t mean that teens will be the only readers who enjoy the story.

By the way, I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator did an excellent job creating the right characters and moods with her voice. I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Check it out from your library through the Libby app!