4/5 Stars

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Rose Sutherland's A Sweet Sting of Salt. I typically read romantasy books, and while this does have both fantasy and romance parts in it, It felt like more of a Historical Fiction book to me. I thought this was a beautifully written story with selkies,

Our story follows Jean Langille, a young woman living in a small Nova Scotian town in the early 1800, serving as the only midwife for miles. One night, she hears a cry coming from outside, and goes to investigate. She encounters a pregnant woman in labor, and helps her, despite a language barrier. Thus begins our tale of mystery, love, and self-discovery. This was a beautiful debut novel for readers who love folklore.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sapphic historical fantasy based on the folktale of “The Selkie Wife.” It could also be considered fantasy romance, because Jean's relation to Muirin is central to the plot.

Unlike most traditional versions of "The Selkie Wife," this retelling highlights the disturbing aspects of the story. (It is, for example, much darker than the retelling of the story in The Secret of Roan Inish.) Tobias’s behavior, rooted in the original folk tale, also fits twenty-first century definitions of spousal abuse, starting with the way he isolates Muirin from her family and friends.

Because the story is clearly marketed as a retelling of “The Selkie Wife,” readers are likely to catch onto Muirin’s secret much faster than Jean herself does. There’s thus a level of dramatic irony, as we know exactly what Tobias is hiding and why Muirin needs it back.

What stands out most about the story is the beautifully describe but fiercely wild setting of the coast of Nova Scotia. The sea and the woods are both constant presences in the story. I don’t know if there’s such a thing as “seashore Gothic” or “Northwoods Gothic,” but if there is, this novel fits both categories. The mist, the snow, and the bitter cold all help add to the atmosphere of the novel.

Speaking as a college instructor, I could see A SWEET STING OF SALT fitting well into a literature class based on fairy tale retellings, or a class focused more generally on “twice told tales.” It has the much-prized quality of being both accessible to a wide range of readers and having enough depth and complexity to allow rewarding classroom discussions.

Trigger warnings for spousal abusive, homophobic bullying/harassment by antagonistic characters, animal death (off page), and scenes in which the leads are in physical danger.

Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC from Netgalley, but I am freely giving my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book. It was a twisted fairy tale that I am not familiar with, but I did enjoy this version. We meet Jean, a midwife in a small village who is somewhat of an outcast. While people trust her as a midwife, she has no friends other than her mentor and mentor's son. A cry awakens her one night, and she finds a woman in labor. The woman turns out to be her neighbor's wife, and they live even farther from the village than Jean, so much so that they are very isolated. Muirin speaks very little English, so it is challenging for Jean to communicate with her at first. As Jeans gets to know Muirin she knows something is wrong between Muirin and her husband, Tobias, but she isn't sure what. Even though she knows that she should keep out of their business, she just can't help herself and lands herself in hot water with Tobias. Jean just can't leave the situation alone and does her best to solve this mystery and rescue Muirin from what she is pretty sure is a bad home situation. However, Tobias wants her to stay out of their business and threatens Jean. Will Jean be able to figure out what is really going on? Or will Tobias make good on his threat, causing great harm to Jean?

I hated this book so much.

I hated Jean. Since the first moment Jean sees Muirin she's completely obsessed with her. The book tries to sell it as love. But it is obsession driven by curiosity, vengeance, and lust. Since the book is primarily about this relationship, since I couldn't see any relationship. It was Jean obsessed and Muirin "loving" Jean as a means of escape - it's pretty obvious from the start what's going on, and I didn't even know it was a retelling. It was excrutiating being in her head. Muirin could be an interesting character. But she is just a prop, this idealized version for Jean of a perfect woman (even when she criticizes Tobias for doing this, she does the exactly same thing). Tobias was such a weak villain.

I saw an SNL skit once criticizing how historical fiction movies about two women in love are always such a torment with them walking around, raining, and talking simbolicly whilst the husband is an abusive partner. This book is exactly that. I hated it so much

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

A Sweet Sting of Salt is a magical queer retelling of the Selkie Wife that stays true to the original story while at the same time coming across as wholly original. I loved the strong willed character of Jean and how even though she lived alone, she was well respected as a knowledgable midwife. Too many times the recluse is viewed in stories as a witch and I liked the change of pace for once. The author did a wonderful job of a slow burn reveal of Muirin and Tobias' true circumstances and the ending was completely satisfying.

My only complaint is that overall, the pacing of the book was a bit slow for me. I'm a mood reader though, so it should not stop anyone else from enjoying this wonderful LGBTQIA+ affirmative story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rose Sutherland, and Dell for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Sweet Sting of Salt is an impressive debut novel by Rose Sutherland. It is a retelling of the fairy tale The Selkie Wife set in 1830s Nova Scotia. We meet Jean who is the midwife of her small village. She mostly keeps to herself except for attending to her new mothers and seeing her mentor, Anneke. One night Jean is woken up by a strange sound and sees a woman, about to give birth, heading toward the sea. After Jean helps deliver Muirin's baby boy, everything in Jean's lonely world begins to change.

The story explores the lengths we will go to in order to protect the ones we love. Dark, yet hopeful, and feels very real despite the fantasy elements. A suspenseful, heartfelt, and beautifully written debut novel!

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with this ebook.

This was a beautifully written queer retelling of the selkie wife. It's slow paced tense and darkly atmospheric. I love the blending of historical fiction and fantasy, and this was seamlessly blended. I enjoyed the pacing of the book with the rising tension. You could clearly feel the danger and urgency of the situation.

The romance between Jean and Muirin was tender and really quite lovely. Rooting for them was easy as both characters seemed so vibrantly brought to life. Even if you aren't familiar with selkie lore, this is an excellent book to read. It's a wonderful love story with a bit of mystery and gothic vibes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This retelling/reworking of the selkie wife is so well done. The story unfolds slowly and creates a really moody atmosphere that drives the story. The rising tension and pacing create an almost locked room feel to the story that makes every encounter and danger more urgent. I love Jean's roll as the town midwife and her relationship to the town as an either revered or feared outsider. I will always read a queer retelling of a classic story and I was so happy to see this one not only hold up to the original tale in it's storytelling but adds a layer of interest and reality because lets be honest, there were plenty of queer people in the 1800s if you're willing to look for them.

I was really excited to read this book. The premise is really fun and it’s executed in a really interesting and entertaining way. The characters are well-written and fit the story. The plot develops in a satisfying and enjoyable way. Unfortunately, I had the hardest time staying engaged with this book. I found it really struggled with pacing at points and I lacked interest, despite the enjoyable plot. It was really lacking in energy through the first half of the story. Overall, I think this book’s high points were really high, but it did not fully soar.

There was something incredibly special about this Sapphic retelling of The Selkie Wife that blew me away. Aside from having a strong historical fantasy/gothic feel, it also has a very realistic approach, and the MC is relatable in her reactions. I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are well fleshed out and the writing is excellent.

*Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to PRH Audio for the gifted ALC*

God I love a sapphic retelling of a folktale and to choose one like The Selkie Wife was just a stroke of genius. As the story progresses, Jean evolved in my mind from that of a simple midwife to that of a shunned lesbian in a primitive village. She was willing to do anything to help Muirin, even if it meant being ostracized by her peers or worse. I loved how the narrator's voice for Muirin, it felt so enchanting and ooey gooey. The parallels of Jean to the vixen were beautiful and the foreshadowing was captivating. I just wish there had been some kind of twist!

{3.5 stars}

Thanks to Random House, Ballantine Books and Dell for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

Jean is a midwife living in a small fishing village in Nova Scotia in the early 1800’s. She lives alone after her father’s death in a cottage apart from the village. She is queer and a bit isolated after her activities were discovered. One night she is surprised when a mysterious woman ends up on her doorstep to give birth, seemingly in fear of her husband. The woman speaks no English but draws Jean in right away. Jean will do anything to free this woman from her husband.

This one starts off as historical fiction, but quickly turns into a bit of a fairytale. I loved the atmosphere, at times it reminded me of A Frozen River. But the pacing was really off for me. I wanted the reveal a bit earlier and then some more of life after the reveal. We get answers in the epilogue but it was the only part of the story that felt rushed.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph. Links provided.

In the midst of a howling storm, Jean, a solitary midwife, is awoken by a piercing cry that she could have sworn came from her dreams. But when the cries persist, she is compelled to brave the cold and discovers a young woman in labor at the edge of the water by her house. Muirin is soaked, scared, and can barely communicate with Jean. With no idea who the woman actually is, Jean suspects she might be the mysterious new bride of her neighbor up the hill, Tobias. Jean, typically resolved to keep out of others’ affairs, finds herself increasingly drawn into the lives of Muirin and Tobias, driven both by concern and a deepening affection for Muirin. As her involvement deepens, she uncovers disturbing secrets that pose dire risks to herself, Muirin, and the newborn. Faced with harrowing truths, Jean must navigate her treacherous emotional and ethical situations to save herself and the lives of those she has come to hold dear. This gripping tale weaves tension and emotion into a compelling narrative that explores the meaning of human connection and love.

I absolutely loved this book. This captivating debut seamlessly blended folklore, fantasy, and a tender love story centered around selkies, something I knew nothing about going into the book. Set against the windswept shores of Nova Scotia, the atmospheric backdrop enhanced the story’s mystery, romance, and gothic allure. I just wanted to be there with them! The palpable angst and deeply tender romance between Muirin and Jean had me swooning throughout the majority of the book. It was so easy to root for them as their characters leapt off the page, especially Jean’s strong will, drive, and resilience. While the pacing was a bit slower than my normal read, I was still swept away by the story, setting, and character development. I also really loved the author’s note at the end of the book. Whether you know anything about selkie folklore or not, I would highly recommend this book if you are looking to read a love story amidst a backdrop of mystery and gothic vibes. I am definitely looking forward to Sutherland’s future novels!

I haven’t read the original classic of The Selkie Wife, but I am familiar with it and have seen other versions of the tale over the years. If you want a real visual treat, I highly recommend watching the animated film Song of the Sea. The artwork and story are absolutely beautiful – you can also get a graphic novel version if you’d rather read it.

The author living in a Nova Scotian town very similar to where the story takes place lent the story a stunningly realistic atmosphere. One of my only writing complaints (and I can overlook it in this story) was the inclusion of modern curse words. It wasn’t common to see them in the story but when they were there it stuck out to me. While I don’t live alone the author truly captured how terrifying it can be to be isolated from others in a rural setting – especially when a person is threatening you and/or your livelihood. Definitely had chills throughout that portion of the story and kept me up to see how it resolved.

Jean is a midwife to her small town and has worked extremely hard to gain the respect of her peers. Her life revolves around helping others so it was no surprise that she answered the cries of Muirin outside her door on a bitterly cold and stormy night. She definitely bites off more than she realizes in assisting Muirin but doesn’t realize it until she experiences the atmosphere between husband and wife. The full scope of his treatment of Muirin got my rage up, but honestly, for the time period it fit. I can only imagine how many poor women experienced what she did back then. I loved how Jean and Muirin’s relationship grew organically (even if over a short time) and how it was looped back towards their history. One last thing that I loved that the author included was post-partum depression (it wasn’t called that then of course), the impact it had on Jean and how she (and her mentor) checked on the new mothers to make sure that they had everything that they needed.

I would like to thank Dell and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this sapphic retelling of The Selkie Wife – all opinions are my own. I find that I much prefer this story to the original and I enjoyed reading the author’s note & the interview questions. This book also includes discussion questions in the event it is read with a group. Rounded from 4.5 stars.

Having an interest in Selkie folkore made me want to read this book. Rose Sutherland is a new author for me.

Description:
Once a young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife, she’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe in this stunning queer reimagining of the classic folktale The Selkie Wife.

When a sharp cry wakes Jean in the middle of the night during a terrible tempest, she’s convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside and is shocked by what she discovers—a young woman in labor, already drenched to the bone in the freezing cold and barely able to speak a word of English.

Although Jean is the only midwife in the village and for miles around, she’s at a loss as to who this woman is or where she’s from; Jean can only assume she must be the new wife of the neighbor up the road, Tobias. And when Tobias does indeed arrive at her cabin in search of his wife, Muirin, Jean’s questions continue to grow. Why has he kept his wife’s pregnancy a secret? And why does Muirin’s open demeanor change completely the moment she’s in his presence?

Though Jean learned long ago that she should stay out of other people’s business, her growing concern—and growing feelings—for Muirin mean she can’t simply set her worries aside. But when the answers she finds are more harrowing than she ever could have imagined, she fears she may have endangered herself, Muirin, and the baby. Will she be able to put things right and save the woman she loves before it’s too late, or will someone have to pay for Jean’s actions with their life?

My Thoughts:
This is a queer retelling of the story The Selkie Wife. Sutherland has created virbrant characters and the story is captivating. Very sad in places. The love story is fraught with obstacles and makes for an interesting read. I found Muirin fascinating - where did she come from? How could she possibly handle the language barrier being so isolated? Was her husband a bad man or just struggling to make his marriage work? I loved the ending!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy.

3.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed the first 90% of the book, but the end lost me. However, this would be a good book for people who enjoy historical fiction and a little bit of magic and folklore.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

A sapphic tale of folklore and gothic atmosphere. Weaving old legends into a new narrative was done beautifully by Sutherland. The yearning and desire was so tangible I could taste it.

This book had a lovely feeling about it, really immersing you in the environment and feeling as though your sitting in the book experiencing everything with the characters. I think you know how lonely Jean is before she does, since she didn't notice it until Muirin went home with Tobias. You know something is wrong between Tobias and Muirin, but you don't know what exactly, although I had a very good guess. I also knew immediately what was up when she found Muirin in the very beginning of the book (I hadn't read the blurb.) It's well-written and evocative, however, I got tired of the repeats. Jean experiencing this, then Jean thinking about it, then Jean telling her mentor, Anneke, etc. etc. etc. It dragged the book down and made it hard to focus on the good parts. Overall, a good story, but too slow because of repetition.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

If you’re a fan of the story of the selkie wife and love a sapphic storyline, this book will definitely be for you! I always enjoy a good retelling, especially with a queer spin to the story.

In this book, we follow a young midwife who lives on the outskirts of her village and keeps to herself. She assists a woman who stumbles into her yard in the middle of the night with delivering her baby and then quickly becomes entangled with this woman’s life.

While I enjoyed the story, I did feel the MC’s internal monologues were a bit tedious at times and the story felt a bit slow. However, the magic behind this retelling was truly felt.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine | Dell for an E-ARC copy of this book!

I was drawn to this book on NetGalley because of the intriguing title, the stunning cover, and the fact that it was a queer retelling of the Selkie folktale, something which I'd never read before. And there is so much to enjoy about this book. This historical fiction novel set in early 1800s Nova Scotia, revels in the daily minutiae of its characters' lives, even more so than in the more fantastical aspects of the story. Which was a huge plus for me. I loved feeling like I knew the ins and outs of life in this small village - its economy, its weather, the dress and food, and social lives of this community. I also really enjoyed the midwifery aspects of Jean's life, and through her eyes, falling in love with Muirin, irrepressible in the face of hardship. While I don’t think it was the perfect book for me – it was a little too sweet and a little too gentle in spite of the darker aspects of the story – I love the fact that it is making space for queer joy in the world of historical fiction, and I think there will be many readers who will love this book wholeheartedly. I would recommend it to anyone who loves found family, folktales, or historical fiction that delights in the details.