Song of the Saltings

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Every year on the island of Brack, a sacrifice is made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes. Once, it demanded children. It should have taken Lotta eight years ago, too. Instead, the monster claimed her pony, and their age-old tradition was altered.

Now 16, Lotta tends the Council’s sacrificial horses. She is both a folk hero and an object of suspicion to the other islanders. She tries to keep her distance from them, but they still whisper about her fate. They wonder if she is responsible for the changes stirring on Brack. Crops and animals are blighted. Uncanny weather plagues the community. The island hums beneath Lotta’s feet, and a song is threaded through her dreams. Lotta fears the Glimm is calling her back.

When she crosses paths with Moss — a boy once hidden from sacrifice — a bog rescue sparks a chain of events that forces them both to question the Council’s rule and the lore that binds their people. Two people alone cannot change tradition, though, and uncovering the island’s deepest secrets could cost both of them more than they’re willing to sacrifice. 

Song of the Saltings is atmospherically GORGEOUS, with beautiful writing that feels both mysterious and folkloric. I could feel the wind across the moors, smell the salt along the coast, hear the gulls screeching over the sea cliffs, and feel the island itself breathe. Its remote setting feels both intimate and a little like a disoriented homecoming — especially when faced with the ugly truths of a small community trapped in a web of lies.

I connected immediately with Lotta. She nearly died eight years ago and carries that knowledge like a weight. She is both strong and vulnerable, prickly and stubborn, and faces the trauma of her past with a resolute, terrified bravery.

Then there’s Moss. He’s not your classic male main character, which I loved. There’s an innocence about him. He sees beauty in the land that no one else does and possesses a strong sense of injustice. The world has not been kind to him, but he’s ready to push at the walls that have always hemmed him in. He’s not a character I imagine everyone will relate to, but his quieter, rebellious strength definitely resonated with me.

Overall, Song of the Saltings is the kind of story I wanted to savor but couldn’t keep myself from devouring. I fell in love with Brack and the horses as much as I fell for the characters. The story stayed sharp in my mind even days after I turned the last page, and it left me craving more from this world and the author.

Rate: Moderate, practically mild. There is 1 use of strong language, 2 uses of moderate language, 8 uses of mild language, and 2 uses of British profanity (bl-). Violence includes a history of child and animal sacrifices to a mythic creature. There is some blood. Brief, non-sexual nudity of a half-mythic figure is referenced in passing. Characters, including a same-sex couple, kiss. The story also explores the negative impacts of prejudice, fear, manipulation, and power.

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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.