“We are born of the Salt, we live by the Salt, and to the Salt, we return.”
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House of Salt and Sorrows is a perfect read if you are looking for a standalone, set on an island with a large family, spooky elements, murder mystery, ghosts, curses, and something to creep you out completely.
I had seen the Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princesses movie when I was younger, so I already had a basic idea of what would happen, who the killer and the betrayer were. Because of that, my expectations were pretty low going into this story. Plus, I rarely read horror or creepy books.
Still, the author managed to scare the hell out of me, all while making me doubt every single character. It turned out to be an eerie, twisty, unexpectedly gripping, nightmarish tale.
“All the dreamers are castle-bound. At midnight’s stroke, we will unwind, Revealing fantasies soft or unkind. Show me debauched nightmares or sunniest daydreams. Come not as you are but as you wish to be seen.”
The writing was beautiful and did a great job of building an atmosphere filled with grief and unease. The first half of the book was relatively slow-paced, focused mainly on the sisters mourning and Annaleigh beginning to suspect that her sister’s death wasn’t accidental. Not much happened plot-wise during this part, but it created a heavy, emotional tone. The story really picks up in the second half, especially when the sisters start going to the mysterious balls. That’s when things get much more intriguing and creepy.
“All my life has been moonlight and the stars. I can smell the sunlight racing through your veins from across a room. Sunlight and heat and salt. Always the salt,”
I enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer was. Even though my first guess turned out to be correct, the author still made me question every single character along the way. That’s what made the book so fun for me.
“It shouldn’t matter what your parents did, just what you do as a person.”
The dynamic between the sisters was really well done. I especially loved Verity and the triplets, they stood out the most to me. Annaleigh’s relationship with her father and stepmother was also interesting, and very different from how it was portrayed in the Barbie movie version.
As for the romance, it felt a bit underwhelming. The introduction of the gods into the storyline, especially in connection to the killings, felt incomplete. In a murder mystery with multiple suspects, I personally prefer when the killer or conspirator turns out to be someone already familiar, rather than a new character introduced out of nowhere.
One thing I really appreciated was that there was something truly supernatural behind the nightmares, the enchanted ball dancing, and the grotesque drawings Verity (the youngest sister) made. It wasn’t just a mortal poisoning them to claim the Highmoor palace though, well, it comes close. The supernatural element gave the story an eerie edge. (Don’t worry, this isn’t a spoiler, you still won’t be able to guess the killer!) That said, I wish the supernatural aspects, especially the gods, ghosts, and curses had been explored more deeply to help the reader fully connect with that part of the story.
Still, as a standalone novel and a retelling, I was satisfied overall.
Loved the ending. Four frightening, ghostly stars for this one.