Wow, where to start with this amazing and unique novel. It’s the story of Luda, a grief-stricken widow and her children, brilliant but damaged 17-year-old Darcy and Min, his strong-willed younger sister. They arrive from Australia hoping that life on the Scottish Islands will heal them. Luda is a photo journalist and immediately finds herself on the outer with the locals after she submits a sensitive photo to the mainland papers. Theo, a foundling, soon befriends the exiled Managans and what unfolds is a story of witches, love, grief and belonging.
Salt and Skin is literary fiction with beautiful language but it drives along with the speed of a bestseller. The novel is hugely atmospheric with so much light and dark mirroring the deep pain in most of these characters. Grief is constantly present and evolving in this novel – all the characters are grieving something and the exploration is beautifully done and very compelling. The ending is a little unresolved but the book is too human and complex for a perfect, happy ending.
While initially I thought the history of the witches would be what I enjoyed most, I was soon totally invested in the characters, my heart ached for the children desperate for attention from their grieving, artistic mother. I was desperate to know where Theo, the foundling, came from. Would their ‘scars’ be healed? Would they all be happy? I very much enjoyed the journey to find out.
The creativity to take complex characters, a ‘dark’ story and to end up with a novel that shines with human connections and hope is a gift. I highly recommend this novel.
Reviewed by Nicola Skinstad
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