If there’s one genre I almost never read, it’s young adult. I don’t like it. The quality and depth of the writing (or lack thereof) just doesn’t appeal to me. There are books for young people that I love, like Something Wicked This Way Comes, or books featuring young protagonists, like Summer of Night, but they aren’t technically young adult literature. That said, there are always exceptions and I’ve found one in Erin A. Craig’s novel, House of Salt and Sorrows.
Even though it’s marketed as a Young Adult novel, I picked up the book because it’s touted as a Gothic tale and has received a lot of positive reviews. I figured I’d give it a try and I was very pleasantly surprised.
Note: I’m going to avoid plot spoilers, so feel free to keep reading. It won’t ruin the story!
Description
The story, influenced by The Twelve Dancing Princesses, centers on Annaleigh, one of what were – of course – twelve sisters. Four of her sisters have already died in very mysterious circumstances, fueling a local rumor that the family is cursed. In the midst of this trauma, Annaleigh and her remaining sisters find a way to spend each night out dancing, wearing out the soles of their slippers. But it isn’t long until she begins to question who – or what – is really dancing with them. Meanwhile, Annaleigh meets a mysterious stranger with his own secrets. The plot is unexpectedly complex and contains several twists that will keep you guessing up until the end.
World-Building
The world building in this tale is easily one of the most impressive aspects of the story. It’s definitely a fantasy tale and yet it is solidly grounded in a world to which readers can relate. Craig’s world is comprised of a series of islands with a comprehensive history of religious and magical beliefs. She demonstrates an ability to construct a world that feels truly real with a delicate balance between attention given to description versus plot.
As an example of her world, at the very beginning of the story, Annaleigh attends a funeral for her most-recently deceased sister, Eulalie. The High Mariner – a form of ocean-faring priest – places the thin coffin in a crypt where it won’t be long before the the salt water river that runs beneath the crypt will eat away at the bottom of the coffin. When it goes, the body is released and carried back out to the Salt. The people of her island are the People of the Salt and view themselves as belonging to the sea.
That sort of originality pervades the novel and fits into an extensive system that readers will long to experience for themselves.
Characters
Annaleigh and her sisters are interesting in ways that I enjoyed. They’re loving towards one another and yet fierce and opinionated when necessary. Their father is also uniquely believable – both devoted to his daughters and yet self-centered and impatient with them.
None of the characters are written with the level of depth and complexity that you’d expect in a very high-quality adult book. However, none of them are predictable and are a step above the typical writing in young adult fiction.
Is it Gothic?
But is the book Gothic? The question is both easier and harder to answer than usual. The challenge lies in understanding the expectations in Young Adult fiction.
Gothic fiction is Gothic because it puts forward an irrational theme: something generally psychological or spiritual that cannot be proved through reason or the five senses. This is notably missing from this novel, so at a purely objective level I would not call this story Gothic.
However, Young Adult novels are notoriously weak with respect to theme. Young Adult readers and writers will probably disagree with that, but if they were to study books such as Something Wicked This Way Comes or Carrion Comfort in which every part of the story contributes to a thematic proof, the differences would be readily apparent.
That said, the expectations for Young Adult fiction are different. Given that, Craig manages to craft a story with a number of dark twists and elements that will appeal to those who like both Gothic and Young Adult literature. Of course, I can’t tell you what most of these are, as it would give the story away!
Conclusion
Though I wouldn’t call this a Gothic novel, for a Young Adult story, the world building and plot complexities were impressive. If you like YA fiction, particularly with a darker note to it, you will love this story. Even if you don’t it’s worth a read. Craig is a good writer and her work is worth experiencing.