Ring of Salt is a beautifully atmospheric story that blends folklore, family, and resilience in a way that feels timeless. Cornwell’s prose is lyrical without being heavy, making the magic and mystery of the setting come alive. I loved how the book balanced its darker, more haunting elements with moments of warmth and hope. The characters are richly drawn, each carrying their own secrets and strengths, which makes their journeys deeply satisfying. Lush, heartfelt, and just a little bit eerie, Ring of Salt is a story you’ll want to linger in.

This memoir was a masterpiece. I truly have no words for how beautiful this book was. Betsy Cornwell went through so much in her life, and she laid it all out in this memoir. My heart ached for her and everything that had happened to her. Yet at the same time she infused the entire story with so much hope and joy, and it warmed my heart. She reflected on her pain and came out happier for it some how, still so optimistic about the world. Just for that alone this deserves five stars. But Betsy Cornwell is also an amazing writer all around. Her prose was stunning, imbued with the essence of fairy tales and fables. She included so many references to her own work and other’s books, and very helpfully attached a reading list to the end that I will definitely be making my way through. And I would love to visit the Old Knitting Factory some day; it sounds like a paradise. So all of this is to say that this memoir is moving and emotional and inspiring and hopeful, and I think everyone should read it. I truly cannot recommend it enough.

I usually find it hard to rate memoirs are they are that persons feelings and experiences. However, I won't have any issue giving this one 5 stars. This is the most gut wrenching, honest memoir I've read to date. I unfortunately related to Betsy's story in more ways than I'd like to admit to. My ex husband was extremely abusive and I had to endure much of the same situations Betsy did. The raw truth to her story and how she struggled with finally asking for help is so relatable. I couldn't put this one down because I wanted to live through her pain and then know she got out. Single moms escaping abusive men are the strongest women out there. My mom was one of those women. She says it's her stubborn irish roots....maybe that's what Betsy has as well. I loved this and it will remain with me for quite some time.

I enjoy reading memoirs about places I'd love to go to, but I was honestly a bit hesitant to read a book that was also about a female who finds herself in an abusive relationship. Sometimes stories like this are about people who keep enduring the abuse, and while I have a lot of sympathy for anyone going through something like that, it's really difficult for me to find myself on that path with them through their written word. This book is not like that. .

Betsy Cornwell tells her story honestly, but in such a way that you can see the gradual decline in the way her husband treats her. He starts off as a caring, thoughtful partner and then declines in the way he behaves toward her until it's all insults. When her baby is quite young she gathers the courage to leave him and even finds herself homeless for a while. What I really loved is how she worked hard to get to a better place so her small family had a better life.

Interspersed with her husband issues is information about Ireland. She is one of those people that take the time to appreciate nature--and the bits about that were great. She has also immersed herself in several support groups that have been there for her as she has been there for them.

5 stars.

It's hard for me to read memoirs like this one because I could have written about many of the same experiences in my own life. This is about as honest and open a memoir about domestic abuse that I've ever read, while also sparing the reader from the more unsettling details. That is unless like me (and I pray you aren't like me), you've been there yourself; in that case, you'll be able to fill in the gaps.

Betsy's writing is beautiful, and at times it's so tense that I felt like I was reading a thriller. Her persistence is inspiring, but then also so is her descriptions of how often she wanted to give up. To be a single mother is a challenge; to be a single mother in a foreign country with an abusive ex-husband and no contact with an also abusive birth family feels impossible. And yet, she makes it.

What I particularly loved here was how often and freely she acknowledged other woman as the source of her survival. There's a very long list of women who likewise saved my life, and it was so wonderful to see her paying all these women their due. And then, of course, by the end of the book we have Betsy paying it forward.

5 stars. Protect yourself if this feels too close to home, but I'd highly recommend to many readers.

This memoir was both beautiful and completely propulsive. The author writes about her past abuse from her father and husband thoughtfully and gently for the reader, without shying away from the hardest parts. But it's not a story that lingers on the shock and awe of the cruelty of men (or the complicity of bystanders). Instead, the story focuses strength that comes with motherhood, as the authors young baby inspires her to leave her abusive home to save both her baby and herself. The book also highlights the power of community, ranging from a survivors group in Ireland to an online alumni group. It's amazing to see how the author found that becoming more vulnerable and asking for help opened up more support and safety for her -- and gave her the opportunity to give back by creating The Knitting Factory as a retreat for other single parents. The importance of stories (both the stories we read and the stories we tell about ourselves) is also a central theme of the book. The author is a young adult author of fairytale retellings and deftly weaves in analogous myths and legends to fit the stories from her life. Finally, the lyrical language - especially describing the landscape of Ireland are so beautiful it made me want to book a trip there as soon as possible. This book felt like a friend and a teacher at the same time. I loved reading it and know so many other readers will as well. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.