Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

House of Salt and Sorrows is the debut novel of Erin A. Craig, but don’t let that reduce your expectations. This novel is as intricate as it is disturbing – in all good ways. It’s a blend of fantasy and thriller in all the right proportions.

The novel follows Annaleigh, one of the Thaumas dozen. Or one of the remaining, we should say. These sisters are cursed, or at least that is what the townsfolk would like you to believe. The truth is infinitely more complex than that, however.

House of Salt and Sorrows is many things, including a fairy tale retelling. Do you remember the Twelve Dancing Princesses? It’s a tale that goes by many names and has been retold in many forms. But none quite like this one.

Writing

Erin A. Craig has a way with words. House of Salt and Sorrows was intricate and moving and, in many ways, flowed like a poem. It was beautiful and heartbreaking in the same breath – a tough balance, even on the best days.

House of Salt and Sorrows balances various emotions against the tale’s mystery. This novel could have easily dipped towards too depressing, but the intrigue of what was happening to the Thaumas girls altered the tone just enough.

The world created here was detailed and so full of depth that it felt alive. The sisters – and there were many – were all unique and had their personalities. As were all of the supporting characters. They made this tale feel all the more real, which also made the impacts bear that much more weight.

Development

House of Salt and Sorrows clocks in at a little over four hundred pages, but trust me when I say it went by in a heartbeat. In the end, I was left hoping there would be a sequel or at least other novels by Erin A. Craig for me to read.

This novel was paced perfectly. Something was always happening, whether it be Annaleigh working on her own investigations or a family event or disaster. There was always something to move the plot forward, driving us toward the daunting resolution.

What I especially loved about this novel was the breadcrumbs strewn around. By the time the conclusion (and thus dramatic revelation) came around, enough clues had been dropped that everything made total and complete sense.

Annaleigh was a fascinating character, as were many of the other characters in this novel. It was interesting to watch them change based on the information they had at hand. To watch them learn or to try and piece together what they were missing.

Conclusion

House of Salt and Sorrows built upon the foundation of the tale it’s based on and turned it into something more. There were times when this novel broke my heart. But there were times that I fell in love with it as well.

The intricacy and the nature of this retelling were a perfect combination. This novel was always bound to be darker – the original material and the name alone made that a given. But Erin A. Craig managed to exceed those expectations by weaving something extra into the tale.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

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