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The Salt House
*Real Simple “Best Books of June”
*Refinery29 “Best Beach Reads of 2017”
This gorgeously written, heartbreaking, yet hopeful debut set during a Maine summer traces the lives of a young family in the aftermath of tragedy.
In the coastal town of Alden, Maine, Hope and Jack Kelly have settled down to a life of wedded bliss. They have a beautiful family, a growing lobster business, and the Salt House—the dilapidated oceanfront cottage they’re renovating into their dream home. But tragedy strikes when their young daughter doesn’t wake up from her afternoon nap, taking her last breath without making a sound.
A year later, each member of the Kelly family navigates the world on their own private island of grief. Hope spends hours staring at her daughter’s ashes, unable to let go. Jack works to the point of exhaustion in an attempt to avoid his crumbling marriage. Their daughters, Jess and Kat, struggle to come to terms with the loss of their younger sister while watching their parents fall apart.
When Jack’s old rival, Ryland Finn, threatens his fishing territory, he ignites emotions that propel the Kelly family toward circumstances that will either tear them apart—or be the path to their family’s future.
Told in alternating voices, The Salt House is a layered, emotional portrait of marriage, family, friendship, and the complex intersections of love, grief, and hope.
*Refinery29 “Best Beach Reads of 2017”
This gorgeously written, heartbreaking, yet hopeful debut set during a Maine summer traces the lives of a young family in the aftermath of tragedy.
In the coastal town of Alden, Maine, Hope and Jack Kelly have settled down to a life of wedded bliss. They have a beautiful family, a growing lobster business, and the Salt House—the dilapidated oceanfront cottage they’re renovating into their dream home. But tragedy strikes when their young daughter doesn’t wake up from her afternoon nap, taking her last breath without making a sound.
A year later, each member of the Kelly family navigates the world on their own private island of grief. Hope spends hours staring at her daughter’s ashes, unable to let go. Jack works to the point of exhaustion in an attempt to avoid his crumbling marriage. Their daughters, Jess and Kat, struggle to come to terms with the loss of their younger sister while watching their parents fall apart.
When Jack’s old rival, Ryland Finn, threatens his fishing territory, he ignites emotions that propel the Kelly family toward circumstances that will either tear them apart—or be the path to their family’s future.
Told in alternating voices, The Salt House is a layered, emotional portrait of marriage, family, friendship, and the complex intersections of love, grief, and hope.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2017
435 people are currently reading
4805 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Duffy
7 books283 followersLisa Duffy is the author of This is Home and The Salt House, named by Real Simple as a Best Book of the Month upon its June release, as well as one of Bustle’s Best Debut Novels by Women in 2017, a She Reads Book Club selection and Refinery 29’s Best Beach Reads of 2017.
Lisa received her MFA in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts. Her short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and her writing can be found in numerous publications, including Writer’s Digest. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and three children.
Lisa received her MFA in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts. Her short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and her writing can be found in numerous publications, including Writer’s Digest. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 382 reviews
June 24, 2017
3.5 A family attempts to overcome their grief in the face of a terrible loss, the death of their youngest daughter. We hear from each of the family members; Jack, a lobster trapper, Hope, who cannot come to terms with how the death occured and her guilt, eldest daughter Jess, who is the keeper of secrets, including her burgeoning love for Alex and the youngest, at 8, trying to understand the things she overhears. Jack has some darkness in his past which will be reawakened when an old enemy shows up at a dinner party.
I loved the setting for this, coastal Maine and the salt house on the water, a house they were refurbishing when the tragedy stuck. The difficult and competitive life of those who need to make their living from the water. A clear and concise writing style,however, though hearing from each character gave us an overview of each character and how they were thinking, dealing with their grief, I also felt it kept me from fully engaging with them. I actually liked two of the secondary characters better, Boon and Hopes mother were the two that came alive in my mind.
This is a good, solid story and others may have better luck in connecting with these characters. This is, however, a poignant look at a family trying to stay together while facing the worst kind of adversity.
ARC from Netgalley.
I loved the setting for this, coastal Maine and the salt house on the water, a house they were refurbishing when the tragedy stuck. The difficult and competitive life of those who need to make their living from the water. A clear and concise writing style,however, though hearing from each character gave us an overview of each character and how they were thinking, dealing with their grief, I also felt it kept me from fully engaging with them. I actually liked two of the secondary characters better, Boon and Hopes mother were the two that came alive in my mind.
This is a good, solid story and others may have better luck in connecting with these characters. This is, however, a poignant look at a family trying to stay together while facing the worst kind of adversity.
ARC from Netgalley.
July 25, 2017
This story of a grief stricken family, dealing with the loss of their youngest child and baby sister is told in alternating first person narratives by each family member . They not only relate their feelings on the loss, they give us their views on their relationships with each other . It's hard to imagine unless you've experienced this kind of loss what it might be like. The entire family is impacted but what I connected with the most was who they were as individuals and as family before the tragedy. I caught glimpses of that throughout and then again with glimpses of hope at the end. The most genuine connection I made was with 8 year old Kat, who just wants her baby sister to be where she was happy and I felt most heartbroken for the mother, Hope, who seems the most overwhelmed by her grief. For me it lost stars because of the drama of an event from Jack's past and the melodrama of the teenage romance of the older daughter, Jess. The setting in coastal Maine was lovely and reminded me of trips from the past that I made there . Solid three stars .
I received an advanced copy of this book from Touchstone/Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss.
June 16, 2017
Set in the coastal town of Alden, Maine, this wonderful debut novel revolves around how one young family deals with life-shattering grief. It's told in the four alternating voices of the Kelly family: Jack, a hard-working lobster fisherman, the strong, silent type who doesn't easily share his feelings; Hope, his beautiful wife, a freelance writer who cannot now put pen to paper; Jess, their sixteen-year-old daughter, on the cusp of womanhood, and eight-year-old, irrepressible Kat, who doesn't really understand what is going on with her family.
A year has passed since baby Maddie died in her crib but the family has not been able to move on--in fact, things are devolving and the once-happy marriage seems to be falling apart. To make matters worse, Ryland Finn, an old enemy of Jack's, is back in town and wants his old lobster territory back--an area Jack needs to support his family and pay two mortgages: one on their home and one on the Salt House, their cottage.
Running through the story is a guilty secret from Jack's past that he keeps to himself. Hope begs him to tell her what it is but Jack can't bring himself to share: "Hope turned off the light, and there was darkness, overtaking me. A thick black oil spreading through my body, heavy and suffocating, making it difficult to breathe. I wondered if I had brought this year to us; if losing her was payback for my mistakes; the universe handing me what I deserved."
Jack is my favorite character. He wants so badly to fix things, to make it better for everyone. But the only way he knows how to do that is to work, work, work, pushing himself to exhaustion.
Jess's observation about her father and Kat: "They pushed away the things that bothered them and filled the space with movement. Always busy, always doing something, no time for sitting around mulling things over."
Jack's best friend and partner, Boon, calls him 'pigheaded and stubborn' when he won't let him help the Kellys out financially but Jack learned self-reliance from his father: "First you borrow, and then you beg" was his warning.
Grandma is visiting from Florida and adds a comic element to the story with her pithy sayings. But this once she is right on when she says: "So much of life is finding that balance. The balance of holding on and letting go." She thinks it is time for her daughter to let go: of her grief but more specifically, of Maddie's ashes, which are hidden in her closet. Isn't it time to move on? Maddie needs to realize she is not alone in her grief.
I look forward to reading more from this talented new author. Duffy has the ability to bring her characters to life, help the reader to understand their emotions, guilt, reactions and motivations. The voices are pretty distinctive--only on a few occasions, when picking up the book mid-chapter, did I have a moment of confusion about which character was speaking. The gorgeous Maine setting is worth experiencing too. Do a little arm-chair vacationing this summer and read this book!
*Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A year has passed since baby Maddie died in her crib but the family has not been able to move on--in fact, things are devolving and the once-happy marriage seems to be falling apart. To make matters worse, Ryland Finn, an old enemy of Jack's, is back in town and wants his old lobster territory back--an area Jack needs to support his family and pay two mortgages: one on their home and one on the Salt House, their cottage.
Running through the story is a guilty secret from Jack's past that he keeps to himself. Hope begs him to tell her what it is but Jack can't bring himself to share: "Hope turned off the light, and there was darkness, overtaking me. A thick black oil spreading through my body, heavy and suffocating, making it difficult to breathe. I wondered if I had brought this year to us; if losing her was payback for my mistakes; the universe handing me what I deserved."
Jack is my favorite character. He wants so badly to fix things, to make it better for everyone. But the only way he knows how to do that is to work, work, work, pushing himself to exhaustion.
Jess's observation about her father and Kat: "They pushed away the things that bothered them and filled the space with movement. Always busy, always doing something, no time for sitting around mulling things over."
Jack's best friend and partner, Boon, calls him 'pigheaded and stubborn' when he won't let him help the Kellys out financially but Jack learned self-reliance from his father: "First you borrow, and then you beg" was his warning.
Grandma is visiting from Florida and adds a comic element to the story with her pithy sayings. But this once she is right on when she says: "So much of life is finding that balance. The balance of holding on and letting go." She thinks it is time for her daughter to let go: of her grief but more specifically, of Maddie's ashes, which are hidden in her closet. Isn't it time to move on? Maddie needs to realize she is not alone in her grief.
I look forward to reading more from this talented new author. Duffy has the ability to bring her characters to life, help the reader to understand their emotions, guilt, reactions and motivations. The voices are pretty distinctive--only on a few occasions, when picking up the book mid-chapter, did I have a moment of confusion about which character was speaking. The gorgeous Maine setting is worth experiencing too. Do a little arm-chair vacationing this summer and read this book!
*Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2018
I enjoyed Lisa Duffy’s debut novel which takes place in a small coastal - lobster fishing town.
I’d love to visit ‘all’ the New England states one day...(haven’t been)...
This is a contemporary story about a family:
... the tragic loss of a toddler and how each family member is functioning and acting out.
... it’s also a coming of age for the teenage daughter.
The writing moves naturally -almost primitive- easy quick reading - but Lisa writes with warmth and a lot of heart. The story kept me engaged.
I cared about all the characters -
I especially adored Jess the teenage daughter and Alex - the ‘young guy’ she meets whose father she shares with Alex that he is a jerk - not knowing Alex was ‘the son’.
A bittersweet story of grief- love - hope - healing - family - community - friendships ...in a wonderful setting.
I simply ‘liked it’! 🙂
I’d love to visit ‘all’ the New England states one day...(haven’t been)...
This is a contemporary story about a family:
... the tragic loss of a toddler and how each family member is functioning and acting out.
... it’s also a coming of age for the teenage daughter.
The writing moves naturally -almost primitive- easy quick reading - but Lisa writes with warmth and a lot of heart. The story kept me engaged.
I cared about all the characters -
I especially adored Jess the teenage daughter and Alex - the ‘young guy’ she meets whose father she shares with Alex that he is a jerk - not knowing Alex was ‘the son’.
A bittersweet story of grief- love - hope - healing - family - community - friendships ...in a wonderful setting.
I simply ‘liked it’! 🙂
May 28, 2017
Lots of tears! Visit https://booknationbyjen.wordpress.com for all book reviews and recommendations.
In The Salt House, author Lisa Duffy masterfully takes us deep into the layers of emotions of the Kelly family as they work through feelings of guilt, responsibility and pain following a tragic family loss. After losing their baby, Hope is paralyzed with her grief; she is having trouble moving forward and is unable to return to work. She refuses to scatter the ashes and has been reluctant to continue with the renovation of The Salt House, the home the family loves and plans to move in to. Jack, a lobster fisherman, throws himself into his work on the boat, is rarely home with the family and is neglecting his health. Overcome with guilt, combined with the sorrow of losing a child, and the stress it put on the marriage, the Kelly family’s world starts to cave in. The daughters, Jess and Kat, are living and dealing with the loss of their baby sister in their own ways while baring the brunt of parental stress and disagreements at the same time they are trying to grow up. So well written from each person’s point of view, the characters dig deep to expose their pain, past and current, and their journey together sets an example for how families can rescue each other from debilitating hurt and grief by facing it head on with truth and honesty. I felt emotionally overwhelmed and shed many tears while I read The Salt House, a sign of a great book that really touched me, and when it ended I had feelings of renewal and hope for the future. At under 300 pages, this is a great book to pick up this summer…I loved it!
In The Salt House, author Lisa Duffy masterfully takes us deep into the layers of emotions of the Kelly family as they work through feelings of guilt, responsibility and pain following a tragic family loss. After losing their baby, Hope is paralyzed with her grief; she is having trouble moving forward and is unable to return to work. She refuses to scatter the ashes and has been reluctant to continue with the renovation of The Salt House, the home the family loves and plans to move in to. Jack, a lobster fisherman, throws himself into his work on the boat, is rarely home with the family and is neglecting his health. Overcome with guilt, combined with the sorrow of losing a child, and the stress it put on the marriage, the Kelly family’s world starts to cave in. The daughters, Jess and Kat, are living and dealing with the loss of their baby sister in their own ways while baring the brunt of parental stress and disagreements at the same time they are trying to grow up. So well written from each person’s point of view, the characters dig deep to expose their pain, past and current, and their journey together sets an example for how families can rescue each other from debilitating hurt and grief by facing it head on with truth and honesty. I felt emotionally overwhelmed and shed many tears while I read The Salt House, a sign of a great book that really touched me, and when it ended I had feelings of renewal and hope for the future. At under 300 pages, this is a great book to pick up this summer…I loved it!
September 12, 2017
Hope and Jack Kelly’s marriage has hit a speed bump. Hope has been depressed since the tragic death of their youngest daughter. She cannot move forward from her grief and is unable to continue her work as a writer. The family is struggling to pay their bills due to renovations on their second home named, “The Salt House”. They can’t seem to finish the construction which forces them to continue making payments for two homes.
Jack works as a lobsterman in Maine and is part owner of the business. Work has helped him avoid his grief and to ignore his marital problems. His two teenage daughters are in the background watching their parent’s marriage implode. Jack's feels threatened when his high school rival, Finn, moves back to town and makes claims to their family’s lobster business. The added stress begins to build and Jack lashes out at family and friends. His unresolved grief and hidden secrets are in need of an outlet.
The Salt House is an interesting perspective of how burying problems can lead to deep rooted consequences. This is portrayed very clearly as each family member of the Kelly household narrates a chapter from their perspectives. This is a debut novel by Lisa Duffy.
Jack works as a lobsterman in Maine and is part owner of the business. Work has helped him avoid his grief and to ignore his marital problems. His two teenage daughters are in the background watching their parent’s marriage implode. Jack's feels threatened when his high school rival, Finn, moves back to town and makes claims to their family’s lobster business. The added stress begins to build and Jack lashes out at family and friends. His unresolved grief and hidden secrets are in need of an outlet.
The Salt House is an interesting perspective of how burying problems can lead to deep rooted consequences. This is portrayed very clearly as each family member of the Kelly household narrates a chapter from their perspectives. This is a debut novel by Lisa Duffy.
June 3, 2017
Hope and Jack Kelly's life changes irrevocably when their young daughter, Maddie, doesn't wake up from her nap. Hope, working a few rooms away from Maddie's crib, is paralyzed by grief and unable to return her to freelance writing job or really, most portions of her life. Jack, meanwhile, throws himself into work to escape the pain: spending hours away from his family on his lobster boat. Maddie's two older sisters, Jess and Kat, are forced to deal with the loss of their sister while watching their parents fall apart. Young Kat is trying to make sense of it all, while teenage Jess struggles watching her parents argue constantly. Then Jack's childhood rival, Finn, returns to town: threatening Jack's fishing territory and sanity.
This is a raw, heartbreaking novel full of real emotion. It's honestly awful and a little gut-wrenching at times: it's so powerfully written that it made me want to hold my two young daughters extra close. The brutal reactions and grief of poor Hope and Jack are tough to read, as is watching their children struggle.
Duffy is an excellent writer: the book is quite well-done. The story unfolds a year after Maddie's death and is told in varying perspectives by each member of the Kelly family. She captures each of their voices perfectly, even young Kat, who may be the best of all.
There is certainly some drama in this novel, though it's mainly the story of two hurt people coping in their own (stubborn) way. My heart went out to Hope, and I quite liked her two daughters, but I found myself often frustrated with Jack, even though I recognized he was grieving. Even so, his stupidity and inability to communicate drove me a bit crazy at times.
This is a well-written story of family, grief, and love. It's not always an easy read, but it's a certainly a worthy one.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 06/13/2017.
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This is a raw, heartbreaking novel full of real emotion. It's honestly awful and a little gut-wrenching at times: it's so powerfully written that it made me want to hold my two young daughters extra close. The brutal reactions and grief of poor Hope and Jack are tough to read, as is watching their children struggle.
Duffy is an excellent writer: the book is quite well-done. The story unfolds a year after Maddie's death and is told in varying perspectives by each member of the Kelly family. She captures each of their voices perfectly, even young Kat, who may be the best of all.
There is certainly some drama in this novel, though it's mainly the story of two hurt people coping in their own (stubborn) way. My heart went out to Hope, and I quite liked her two daughters, but I found myself often frustrated with Jack, even though I recognized he was grieving. Even so, his stupidity and inability to communicate drove me a bit crazy at times.
This is a well-written story of family, grief, and love. It's not always an easy read, but it's a certainly a worthy one.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 06/13/2017.
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August 5, 2018
What I really enjoyed about this book the most, was the setting. The plot centered around the Atlantic Ocean, which is basically my very own front yard.
Along with my love and respect for the water and the commercial fishing
community, which is how my own family has made their living for generations. The Salt House, tells the story of a family, from a coastal town,struggling to navigate through their own personal grief of losing a family member, while trying to makes ends meet and find their way back to each other !!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars !!
Along with my love and respect for the water and the commercial fishing
community, which is how my own family has made their living for generations. The Salt House, tells the story of a family, from a coastal town,struggling to navigate through their own personal grief of losing a family member, while trying to makes ends meet and find their way back to each other !!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars !!
June 29, 2017
In a small coastal fishing town in Maine and family is attempting to cope with the death of their youngest family member, Maddie, who died in her crib. This book details the family's attempt to deal with their grief, heartbreak and to find a way to move on. This book is told through the family member's voices. Hope is the Mother who used to be a writer but has found that she cannot write anything since her daughter died. Jack is a lobster fisherman who throws himself into his work to help support his family - even more now that his wife is not working and their relationship has suffered since their daughter's death. Jess is a teenager watching her parent's relationship suffer while attempting to have one of her own. She finds herself drawn to the son of her father's rival. Kate is a young girl trying to make sense of her own grief and the grief of that of her family members.
A year has passed and Hope (her Mother) is having great difficulty moving on. She does not want to spread her daughter's ashes and does not want to return to the Salt House - a home her husband (Jack) inherited and they are fixing up. Hope spent the last days of her daughter's life at the Salt House with her and finds it difficult to return to where Maddie was conceived and spent her last day. She knows that this is affecting her marriage but feels stuck and does not know how to let go and continue her life. Jack is suffering in silence and works hard long hours not only as an escape but to take care of his family.
Their lives are further pushed to the brink, when Ryland Finn moves back to town and wants his old fishing grounds back. There is instant tension and hints dropped that past hurts/grievances/issues from their past have not been laid to rest but are festering beneath the surface waiting to explode and affect all of their lives. Jack has a secret that he does not want to share with Hope. Again, he keeps silent throwing himself into his work and doesn't want to take the advice of his best friend who wants desperately to help.
This book is about a family trying to move on after a heartbreaking loss. Saying goodbye to a loved one and letting go are hard. How does one let go and move on? What power do secrets have over our lives? How do your forgive your past mistakes?
This debut novel was very moving and emotional. This is a beautiful and poignant book about love, loss, hope, friendship, moving on, and grief. As a reader, I could feel the family's pain and loss. The characters (most of them)are likable and I rooted for them to find healing and peace a year after their loved one's death. Nothing in this book felt rushed. The length was perfect. I felt as if I was riding on their sea of grief with them. Love, loss, grief, guilt, moving on are difficult themes which were discussed with grace and care in this moving book.
I received a copy of this book from Touchstone and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
A year has passed and Hope (her Mother) is having great difficulty moving on. She does not want to spread her daughter's ashes and does not want to return to the Salt House - a home her husband (Jack) inherited and they are fixing up. Hope spent the last days of her daughter's life at the Salt House with her and finds it difficult to return to where Maddie was conceived and spent her last day. She knows that this is affecting her marriage but feels stuck and does not know how to let go and continue her life. Jack is suffering in silence and works hard long hours not only as an escape but to take care of his family.
Their lives are further pushed to the brink, when Ryland Finn moves back to town and wants his old fishing grounds back. There is instant tension and hints dropped that past hurts/grievances/issues from their past have not been laid to rest but are festering beneath the surface waiting to explode and affect all of their lives. Jack has a secret that he does not want to share with Hope. Again, he keeps silent throwing himself into his work and doesn't want to take the advice of his best friend who wants desperately to help.
This book is about a family trying to move on after a heartbreaking loss. Saying goodbye to a loved one and letting go are hard. How does one let go and move on? What power do secrets have over our lives? How do your forgive your past mistakes?
This debut novel was very moving and emotional. This is a beautiful and poignant book about love, loss, hope, friendship, moving on, and grief. As a reader, I could feel the family's pain and loss. The characters (most of them)are likable and I rooted for them to find healing and peace a year after their loved one's death. Nothing in this book felt rushed. The length was perfect. I felt as if I was riding on their sea of grief with them. Love, loss, grief, guilt, moving on are difficult themes which were discussed with grace and care in this moving book.
I received a copy of this book from Touchstone and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
September 11, 2017
I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
3 stars
I am usually a sucker for good family dramas, but for some reason, this one just didn’t suck me in. The book starts 1 year after the death of baby Maddie and is told in alternating viewpoints of each family member. I typically enjoy this format, but for whatever reason, I just wasn’t feeling it enough in this book.
Maybe because the book started 1 year post tragedy that I found it hard to connect with the characters or maybe they were just under developed, I’m not sure. But either way, I thought that this book skimmed the surface and wasn’t as deep and engaging as I had hoped. Being compared to Jodi Picoult in your summary is going to set some pretty high expectations and this one did not reach mine. There was just an overall lack of emotion and depth that I look for in a domestic drama.
It may sound like I didn’t I enjoy the book and that is simply not true. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t have finished it. But in the end, it wasn’t as enjoyable as I was hoping it to be, and that could just be on me.
3 stars
I am usually a sucker for good family dramas, but for some reason, this one just didn’t suck me in. The book starts 1 year after the death of baby Maddie and is told in alternating viewpoints of each family member. I typically enjoy this format, but for whatever reason, I just wasn’t feeling it enough in this book.
Maybe because the book started 1 year post tragedy that I found it hard to connect with the characters or maybe they were just under developed, I’m not sure. But either way, I thought that this book skimmed the surface and wasn’t as deep and engaging as I had hoped. Being compared to Jodi Picoult in your summary is going to set some pretty high expectations and this one did not reach mine. There was just an overall lack of emotion and depth that I look for in a domestic drama.
It may sound like I didn’t I enjoy the book and that is simply not true. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t have finished it. But in the end, it wasn’t as enjoyable as I was hoping it to be, and that could just be on me.
November 5, 2017
Yet another book about grief. I've been reading so many - and have another on the docket (but probably not this month) - I feel like I should do a recommendations video, probably.
While I read this book it felt like I had heavy weight sitting in the pit of my stomach. This one was tough for me because in this one the family is dealing with the death of their small toddler who died tragically during a nap. It's absolutely heart wrenching. As a parent, that just guts me. I have a *really* hard time with it, but thankfully the actual death isn't dwelled on too long. The grief, however, is the main point, so you're dealing with ALL of the aftermath. The book picks up a year after the death of their daughter and you switch between perspectives of each surviving member of the family. I think it was hardest to read from the mother's perspective because it's the one I relate to the most. And Lisa Duffy does a beautiful job of making her grief palpable. Really, though, this book is about the working through and coming back. It's about how a family knits itself back together after an unimaginable tragedy.
One thing I absolutely loved about the book was the setting. It takes place on a coastal town in Maine and the father in the family is a lobster fisherman. I mean...it doesn't get more picturesque than that. You can practically taste the salt in the air. It's wonderful.
I tend to like books that switch between perspectives, but in this case I am not sure it always worked for me. I kind of wish it would have maybe had two perspectives instead of four - just the mom and dad. Partly because I didn't entirely believe the voice of the 8 year old, sometimes the voice felt too mature to me? Also, I think the stories of the parents were more powerful, and switching between just those two would have made the story land more solidly for me. I didn't dislike Jess, the teenager's, story, but I also felt like, once again, it took away from those more powerful elements of the book. How losing and grieving for a child shakes a life - work, home, and especially marriage; and how this couple finds those things again.
I was debating between 3 and 4 stars for this one and I really don't know at this point. It's somewhere in between, I think. There was a lot I loved, but it wasn't perfect.
While I read this book it felt like I had heavy weight sitting in the pit of my stomach. This one was tough for me because in this one the family is dealing with the death of their small toddler who died tragically during a nap. It's absolutely heart wrenching. As a parent, that just guts me. I have a *really* hard time with it, but thankfully the actual death isn't dwelled on too long. The grief, however, is the main point, so you're dealing with ALL of the aftermath. The book picks up a year after the death of their daughter and you switch between perspectives of each surviving member of the family. I think it was hardest to read from the mother's perspective because it's the one I relate to the most. And Lisa Duffy does a beautiful job of making her grief palpable. Really, though, this book is about the working through and coming back. It's about how a family knits itself back together after an unimaginable tragedy.
One thing I absolutely loved about the book was the setting. It takes place on a coastal town in Maine and the father in the family is a lobster fisherman. I mean...it doesn't get more picturesque than that. You can practically taste the salt in the air. It's wonderful.
I tend to like books that switch between perspectives, but in this case I am not sure it always worked for me. I kind of wish it would have maybe had two perspectives instead of four - just the mom and dad. Partly because I didn't entirely believe the voice of the 8 year old, sometimes the voice felt too mature to me? Also, I think the stories of the parents were more powerful, and switching between just those two would have made the story land more solidly for me. I didn't dislike Jess, the teenager's, story, but I also felt like, once again, it took away from those more powerful elements of the book. How losing and grieving for a child shakes a life - work, home, and especially marriage; and how this couple finds those things again.
I was debating between 3 and 4 stars for this one and I really don't know at this point. It's somewhere in between, I think. There was a lot I loved, but it wasn't perfect.
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May 10, 2018Read on submission and absolutely loved! Total page turner with rich, real, salt-of-the-earth characters in a memorable setting.
June 21, 2017
Heartbreaking and hopeful, The Salt House drew me in and wouldn't let me stop reading until the very last word. The first half of the book had me aching with sadness for the Kelly's family horrific loss of their baby daughter (I had to take a short break from reading to process it), and the second half had me combining that sadness with awe for the perseverance and determination of this family in their quest to survive their grief.
The multiple narrators (all 4 members of the family had their own alternating chapters, both parents as well as their 8-year-old and 16-year-old daughters) fully immerse readers into the family's grief and attempts to cope, and give the story a richness that would not be possible if the story were told from only one perspective. The daughters, Jess and Kat, are refreshingly honest in their youthful take on the past year, while the parents, Hope and Jack, are achingly raw in their inability to return to life as normal.
Duffy's descriptions of the coastal Maine fishing town are absolutely beautiful, and reinforce my desires to visit this area of the US at some point in the not too distant future.
This book will stay with me for a long time, and I will recommend it to everyone I know. However, if you are a parent of a baby or young toddler, be aware that it made me eternally grateful that my children are past the age of Maddie in the story, as I don't know if I would be able to put my little one down for a nap again after reading this book. Grief is hard to read when you can't imagine yourself exactly in the shoes of the grieving, but almost unbearable when you can.
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a finished copy of this book for review - all opinions are my own.
The multiple narrators (all 4 members of the family had their own alternating chapters, both parents as well as their 8-year-old and 16-year-old daughters) fully immerse readers into the family's grief and attempts to cope, and give the story a richness that would not be possible if the story were told from only one perspective. The daughters, Jess and Kat, are refreshingly honest in their youthful take on the past year, while the parents, Hope and Jack, are achingly raw in their inability to return to life as normal.
Duffy's descriptions of the coastal Maine fishing town are absolutely beautiful, and reinforce my desires to visit this area of the US at some point in the not too distant future.
This book will stay with me for a long time, and I will recommend it to everyone I know. However, if you are a parent of a baby or young toddler, be aware that it made me eternally grateful that my children are past the age of Maddie in the story, as I don't know if I would be able to put my little one down for a nap again after reading this book. Grief is hard to read when you can't imagine yourself exactly in the shoes of the grieving, but almost unbearable when you can.
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a finished copy of this book for review - all opinions are my own.
July 30, 2017
A perfect summer read. The Kelly family are dealing with the after-math of grief after losing their youngest child along with current life that proceeds to move forward in all of its ups + downs during that following year. Emotional and gritty but also vibrant with love and faith. A memorable book!
April 16, 2018
This novel was so heartbreaking and sad, but was so full of love and hope.
Hope and Jack Kelly live in a coastal town in Maine. Hope is a writer and Jack is a fishermen. Tragedy strikes when their young daughter does not wake up from a nap one day. We see from each characters perspective how it affects their life and their individual struggles to come to terms with what has happened. Hope is unable to work and really function at all. Jack works himself to death, taking many risks out on an ocean that is unforgivable. Also, someone from Jack's past comes back and threatens to expose secrets and take their livelihood. Their daughters Jessica and Kat have their own struggles - Jessica watches her parents fall apart and begins a relationship with a boy and Kat thinks she can fix things for everyone.
This book was so emotional, layered with the different characters voices, a must read!
Hope and Jack Kelly live in a coastal town in Maine. Hope is a writer and Jack is a fishermen. Tragedy strikes when their young daughter does not wake up from a nap one day. We see from each characters perspective how it affects their life and their individual struggles to come to terms with what has happened. Hope is unable to work and really function at all. Jack works himself to death, taking many risks out on an ocean that is unforgivable. Also, someone from Jack's past comes back and threatens to expose secrets and take their livelihood. Their daughters Jessica and Kat have their own struggles - Jessica watches her parents fall apart and begins a relationship with a boy and Kat thinks she can fix things for everyone.
This book was so emotional, layered with the different characters voices, a must read!
May 22, 2017
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
“Am I one of your favorites, Hope?” Dad sometimes asked, his dark eyes drilling a hole into the back of Mom’s head. You got the sense he was holding his breath when he asked the question. It would get him a laugh and a hug, but over her shoulder, Dad wasn’t laughing. In those moments, if need had a face, it would’ve looked like Dad.
This is a heartbreaking story, about a terrible tragedy that rips every thread that keeps this family together. Everything was glorious between Hope, Jack Kelly and their three daughters. They were renovating The Salt House to create the perfect family home, their lobster business was finally thriving through their hard work and then their youngest child silently passes away through an accident that her mother Hope feels she could have, should have, prevented. The guilt is paralyzing, a monster that is devouring Hope and the rest of the family. Though time has passed, she can’t focus enough nor write a word, though her career was helping them financially. But how does a mother move on when she feels she too died in that horrific moment? How can she enjoy her beloved husband’s touch, allow herself a drop of joy, open herself to nurturing the children that remain when she can’t move past the loss?
And what of the husband and children? The husband now awash in his own silent grief, becoming angry with his helplessness, drowning himself in his job- desperate to keep his family from sinking? Someone has to earn the money, and he will do it, even if he dies in the process. It’s summer in Maine, but there isn’t much sunshine for Jess and Kat. Jess sees too much, not far from adulthood herself, and is angry at her mother’s emotional absence, determined to see her dad stop making excuses and blaming himself for her mother’s cold detachment. Kat doesn’t know the full story of what happened to her baby sister, nor her role in the tragedy, and Hope wants it to remain so. Jess wants to punish her mother, she wants to prod her to feel, because she isn’t the only one suffering. Young Kat can’t understand where exactly Maddie has gone, why there hasn’t been any sort of closure nor ceremony. Worse, she is being picked on by a boy and Jess wants to solve at least that problem for her kid sister, not realizing how her family is tied to his, nor that she is about to fall in love.
It is a summer of love and a little bit of madness. Who is Ryland Finn and why are there secrets between him and Jack? He is fast becoming a threat to the family’s business, and in a short time what was once a promising future has become a bleak horror show. Why can’t Hope bear to step foot into The Salt House, the dream home that once was the seed to their happy future? Why is it a year later the pain is still fresh, and no one is moving on? Secrets will out, and sometimes it takes nearly going over the edge before a family can find the pieces to put themselves back together.
Will they be able to find a new way to live after so much grief, tragedy? Or is this the end of the Kelly Family?
The girls will have your heart, the shifting perspectives is vital to the telling because any parent can relate to the horror of losing your child, the shame and guilt that while you were oblivious, wrapped in your work, your child suffered her last breath. To put yourself in the children’s shoes is different, because they seemed to lose their sweet sister and need to make sense of their grief but their parents are anchored to their pain and can’t see past their own loss. Everyone is aching but full of buckets of resentment. This story hurts, it’s too realistic, and that’s exactly why it’s beautiful. Some are too young to understand what’s happening around them and yet my well be the wisest ones to remember just what their little sister Maddie would have wanted. Don’t be fooled by the pretty summer cover, it’s not a light breezy read. It’s weighted with pain. Hold tight to those you love, because everything can change in a moment, and you can’t always see what’s dangerous until it’s too late. Wonderful.
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Touchstone
“Am I one of your favorites, Hope?” Dad sometimes asked, his dark eyes drilling a hole into the back of Mom’s head. You got the sense he was holding his breath when he asked the question. It would get him a laugh and a hug, but over her shoulder, Dad wasn’t laughing. In those moments, if need had a face, it would’ve looked like Dad.
This is a heartbreaking story, about a terrible tragedy that rips every thread that keeps this family together. Everything was glorious between Hope, Jack Kelly and their three daughters. They were renovating The Salt House to create the perfect family home, their lobster business was finally thriving through their hard work and then their youngest child silently passes away through an accident that her mother Hope feels she could have, should have, prevented. The guilt is paralyzing, a monster that is devouring Hope and the rest of the family. Though time has passed, she can’t focus enough nor write a word, though her career was helping them financially. But how does a mother move on when she feels she too died in that horrific moment? How can she enjoy her beloved husband’s touch, allow herself a drop of joy, open herself to nurturing the children that remain when she can’t move past the loss?
And what of the husband and children? The husband now awash in his own silent grief, becoming angry with his helplessness, drowning himself in his job- desperate to keep his family from sinking? Someone has to earn the money, and he will do it, even if he dies in the process. It’s summer in Maine, but there isn’t much sunshine for Jess and Kat. Jess sees too much, not far from adulthood herself, and is angry at her mother’s emotional absence, determined to see her dad stop making excuses and blaming himself for her mother’s cold detachment. Kat doesn’t know the full story of what happened to her baby sister, nor her role in the tragedy, and Hope wants it to remain so. Jess wants to punish her mother, she wants to prod her to feel, because she isn’t the only one suffering. Young Kat can’t understand where exactly Maddie has gone, why there hasn’t been any sort of closure nor ceremony. Worse, she is being picked on by a boy and Jess wants to solve at least that problem for her kid sister, not realizing how her family is tied to his, nor that she is about to fall in love.
It is a summer of love and a little bit of madness. Who is Ryland Finn and why are there secrets between him and Jack? He is fast becoming a threat to the family’s business, and in a short time what was once a promising future has become a bleak horror show. Why can’t Hope bear to step foot into The Salt House, the dream home that once was the seed to their happy future? Why is it a year later the pain is still fresh, and no one is moving on? Secrets will out, and sometimes it takes nearly going over the edge before a family can find the pieces to put themselves back together.
Will they be able to find a new way to live after so much grief, tragedy? Or is this the end of the Kelly Family?
The girls will have your heart, the shifting perspectives is vital to the telling because any parent can relate to the horror of losing your child, the shame and guilt that while you were oblivious, wrapped in your work, your child suffered her last breath. To put yourself in the children’s shoes is different, because they seemed to lose their sweet sister and need to make sense of their grief but their parents are anchored to their pain and can’t see past their own loss. Everyone is aching but full of buckets of resentment. This story hurts, it’s too realistic, and that’s exactly why it’s beautiful. Some are too young to understand what’s happening around them and yet my well be the wisest ones to remember just what their little sister Maddie would have wanted. Don’t be fooled by the pretty summer cover, it’s not a light breezy read. It’s weighted with pain. Hold tight to those you love, because everything can change in a moment, and you can’t always see what’s dangerous until it’s too late. Wonderful.
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Touchstone
June 9, 2017
4.5 stars.
There is something so honest about this book. While it doesn't have a plot that has you racing to the finish, it doesn't need one. It's about the characters, the Kelly family reeling in the year after the death of one of their own.
Told in alternating voices, each one fully developed, the story is mostly how they're healing and trying to process their grief. The writing is exquisite. And while it's heartbreaking, I also found the pages turning much quicker than I expected.
This is a novel that I will remember for a long time. While I couldn't empathize with this family's loss, I found each character to be completely relatable.
I cannot wait to read more of Lisa Duffy's work.
There is something so honest about this book. While it doesn't have a plot that has you racing to the finish, it doesn't need one. It's about the characters, the Kelly family reeling in the year after the death of one of their own.
Told in alternating voices, each one fully developed, the story is mostly how they're healing and trying to process their grief. The writing is exquisite. And while it's heartbreaking, I also found the pages turning much quicker than I expected.
This is a novel that I will remember for a long time. While I couldn't empathize with this family's loss, I found each character to be completely relatable.
I cannot wait to read more of Lisa Duffy's work.
June 12, 2017
Talk about an amazing debut! Lisa Duffy's THE SALT HOUSE is a beautifully written emotional read that follows the Kelly family as they deal with tragedy, their relationships, overcoming obstacles, and how they can come together. If I wasn't made of stone, this one probably would have gotten some tears (it's nothing against this book, I just don't cry).
In the coastal town of Alden, Maine, Hope and Jack Kelly have settled down to a life of wedded bliss. They have a beautiful family, a growing lobster business, and the Salt House—the dilapidated oceanfront cottage they’re renovating into their dream home. But tragedy strikes when their young daughter doesn’t wake up from her afternoon nap, taking her last breath without making a sound.
A year later, everyone in the family is still trying to cope with the loss of their daughter and sister. Hope cannot let go and spends most of her day staring at her daughter's ashes. Jack pours himself into his work and tries to avoid being at home and facing his marriage that's falling apart. Sisters, Jess and Kat, are struggling trying to accept the loss of their younger sister - all while trying to cope with their parents distancing from each other.
This is told in the different perspectives of the different family members. Duffy does an incredible job capturing their emotions - you feel for Hope, Jack, Jess, and Kat. A story about tragedy, heartbreak, love, grief, and hope. This is an emotional roller coaster and written so beautifully. I'm excited for more from Lisa Duffy and this is a knock out debut!
If you're a fan of Jodi Picoult and Lisa Genova, then this is the book for you!
I give this 5/5 stars!
A big thanks to Lisa Duffy and Touchstone Books for the copy in exchange for my honest review!
In the coastal town of Alden, Maine, Hope and Jack Kelly have settled down to a life of wedded bliss. They have a beautiful family, a growing lobster business, and the Salt House—the dilapidated oceanfront cottage they’re renovating into their dream home. But tragedy strikes when their young daughter doesn’t wake up from her afternoon nap, taking her last breath without making a sound.
A year later, everyone in the family is still trying to cope with the loss of their daughter and sister. Hope cannot let go and spends most of her day staring at her daughter's ashes. Jack pours himself into his work and tries to avoid being at home and facing his marriage that's falling apart. Sisters, Jess and Kat, are struggling trying to accept the loss of their younger sister - all while trying to cope with their parents distancing from each other.
This is told in the different perspectives of the different family members. Duffy does an incredible job capturing their emotions - you feel for Hope, Jack, Jess, and Kat. A story about tragedy, heartbreak, love, grief, and hope. This is an emotional roller coaster and written so beautifully. I'm excited for more from Lisa Duffy and this is a knock out debut!
If you're a fan of Jodi Picoult and Lisa Genova, then this is the book for you!
I give this 5/5 stars!
A big thanks to Lisa Duffy and Touchstone Books for the copy in exchange for my honest review!
June 22, 2017
LISA DUFFY! **shakes fist** how dare you make me feel so many feelings!
Uff, guys and gals.... debut novel, my ass. It feels like the author has been writing books since she came out of the womb. Lisa pulls us right into the Kelly family. A year after the unexpected death of their baby, Hope and Jack struggle to keep their marriage alive. They grieve in different ways and keep separate in how to move forward. Hope falls into a deep depression she's slowly coming out of and Jack works as much as he can to keep his mind off of anything and everything. When Jack's nemesis, Finn, comes back to town, Jack threatens to explode, affecting not only his health but his familial relationships as well. Jess and Finn's stepson getting involved does NOT help the situation. Not only does the author put us into Jack and Hope's mind space, she easily also puts us into their two other children's, Jess and Kat, thoughts and feelings. She voices every character with such conviction and warmth, you empathize and find yourself on a roller coaster of emotions from the first chapter to the last page.
I'm going to keep this short and sweet and just tell you to go out, or one-click, buy this novel NOW. An absolutely character driven novel about past grievances, new love, family and forgiveness, you won't regret taking a trip to Alden Maine.
5 buttery lobster rolls, all day long
Thank you to the author and Touchstone for this outstanding novel in return for my honest review.
Uff, guys and gals.... debut novel, my ass. It feels like the author has been writing books since she came out of the womb. Lisa pulls us right into the Kelly family. A year after the unexpected death of their baby, Hope and Jack struggle to keep their marriage alive. They grieve in different ways and keep separate in how to move forward. Hope falls into a deep depression she's slowly coming out of and Jack works as much as he can to keep his mind off of anything and everything. When Jack's nemesis, Finn, comes back to town, Jack threatens to explode, affecting not only his health but his familial relationships as well. Jess and Finn's stepson getting involved does NOT help the situation. Not only does the author put us into Jack and Hope's mind space, she easily also puts us into their two other children's, Jess and Kat, thoughts and feelings. She voices every character with such conviction and warmth, you empathize and find yourself on a roller coaster of emotions from the first chapter to the last page.
I'm going to keep this short and sweet and just tell you to go out, or one-click, buy this novel NOW. An absolutely character driven novel about past grievances, new love, family and forgiveness, you won't regret taking a trip to Alden Maine.
5 buttery lobster rolls, all day long
Thank you to the author and Touchstone for this outstanding novel in return for my honest review.
December 5, 2016
Lisa Duffy paints a realistic and heart-wrenching portrait of a family trying to move on from an unimaginable loss. Emotionally complex and as atmospheric as the rocky Maine shores where the story is set, THE SALT HOUSE reels you in and doesn't let go until the final, satisfying page.
November 12, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up
"the isolation of sorrow"
In a small Maine coastal town lives the Kelly family. Father Jack is a lobsterman. Mother Hope is a freelance writer for a parenting magazine. They have three two daughters. Jess is sixteen - Kat is eight.
Almost exactly one year ago, their third daughter, baby Maddie, passed away. The entire family is still reeling from their devastating loss. Each experiences their bereavement in their own individual ways. Each member of the Kelly family strive toward healing, but healing is slow to come...
The family were happy. They loved each other deeply and were in the process of renovating an old oceanfront dwelling called the 'Salt House'. They planned to move into this house when the renovations were completed. Now, still suffering, they are merely passing time. Living day by day with their sadness and unable to find solace from their loss.
The work of a lobsterman is arduous and exhausting. Jack works himself sick trying to pay the bills and the two mortgage payments. Hope, riddled with guilt and self-recrimination, is unable to write for "Parent Talk" magazine as she feels that she is unqualified to advise other parents - hypocritical almost.
Hope doesn't want to make love anymore... She has lost all interest in the "Salt House". She feels unable to face doing anything with Maddie's ashes. They reside in her closet wrapped in a baby blanket.
Jack and another lobsterman are feuding over 'territory'. This feud impacts all members of the family in individual ways. He goes out everyday, in all weathers, in his boat the "Hope Ann". When he finds that someone has opened his traps, he in enraged.
Teenaged Jess is fearful that her family is falling apart. She meets a handsome boy and falls in love for the first time. She tries to keep this a secret because her father doesn't approve of her dating.
Kat misses her little sister AND the loving family she once knew.
MY THOUGHTS
The publisher's blurb said that this was a "gorgeously written debut" and they didn't exaggerate! The novel is told via each family member’s perspective so we get an intimate look at what Jack, Hope, Jess and Kat are thinking and feeling. This gives the reader insight into how their grief is manifested and how each feels the loss in very different ways. It also shows how each family member strives to survive without Maddie and be there for each other.
The setting was well described. You can almost smell the salt tang of the air and hear the gulls wheeling above the lobster boat.
The characters were written with empathy and understanding. I liked them all - in particular the teenage Jess and the long-suffering Jack.
The story of the Kelly family was a heart-breaking one, yet quite realistic in many ways. I would definitely read another book by this debut author and look forward to doing so. Recommended to all readers of well written literary fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Touchstone via NetGalley.
"the isolation of sorrow"
In a small Maine coastal town lives the Kelly family. Father Jack is a lobsterman. Mother Hope is a freelance writer for a parenting magazine. They have three two daughters. Jess is sixteen - Kat is eight.
Almost exactly one year ago, their third daughter, baby Maddie, passed away. The entire family is still reeling from their devastating loss. Each experiences their bereavement in their own individual ways. Each member of the Kelly family strive toward healing, but healing is slow to come...
The family were happy. They loved each other deeply and were in the process of renovating an old oceanfront dwelling called the 'Salt House'. They planned to move into this house when the renovations were completed. Now, still suffering, they are merely passing time. Living day by day with their sadness and unable to find solace from their loss.
The work of a lobsterman is arduous and exhausting. Jack works himself sick trying to pay the bills and the two mortgage payments. Hope, riddled with guilt and self-recrimination, is unable to write for "Parent Talk" magazine as she feels that she is unqualified to advise other parents - hypocritical almost.
Hope doesn't want to make love anymore... She has lost all interest in the "Salt House". She feels unable to face doing anything with Maddie's ashes. They reside in her closet wrapped in a baby blanket.
Jack and another lobsterman are feuding over 'territory'. This feud impacts all members of the family in individual ways. He goes out everyday, in all weathers, in his boat the "Hope Ann". When he finds that someone has opened his traps, he in enraged.
Teenaged Jess is fearful that her family is falling apart. She meets a handsome boy and falls in love for the first time. She tries to keep this a secret because her father doesn't approve of her dating.
Kat misses her little sister AND the loving family she once knew.
MY THOUGHTS
The publisher's blurb said that this was a "gorgeously written debut" and they didn't exaggerate! The novel is told via each family member’s perspective so we get an intimate look at what Jack, Hope, Jess and Kat are thinking and feeling. This gives the reader insight into how their grief is manifested and how each feels the loss in very different ways. It also shows how each family member strives to survive without Maddie and be there for each other.
The setting was well described. You can almost smell the salt tang of the air and hear the gulls wheeling above the lobster boat.
The characters were written with empathy and understanding. I liked them all - in particular the teenage Jess and the long-suffering Jack.
The story of the Kelly family was a heart-breaking one, yet quite realistic in many ways. I would definitely read another book by this debut author and look forward to doing so. Recommended to all readers of well written literary fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Touchstone via NetGalley.
January 21, 2018
This is a look at a family who falls apart when tragedy strikes, and how they finally come back together. The setting is in Maine, and it seemed appropriate as I felt the cold and hard life of a waterman/lobsterman, as well as the decaying of a family. We meet them after the tragedy of a death and follow them while they try to glue the pieces back together. Told in 4 different voices we see how differently people grieve and view life events as well as how different our needs are.
The four voices worked for me, however I felt overall they were a bit shallow. I wanted more from them, more emotion. Perhaps the strongest voice was the youngest child, Kat. She was the most honest for me. I also loved the grandmother and found her fresh and real.
An enjoyable read, not one I will recall long after I have come to the end, but enjoyable none the less.
The four voices worked for me, however I felt overall they were a bit shallow. I wanted more from them, more emotion. Perhaps the strongest voice was the youngest child, Kat. She was the most honest for me. I also loved the grandmother and found her fresh and real.
An enjoyable read, not one I will recall long after I have come to the end, but enjoyable none the less.
September 3, 2017
Both the ocean side setting on the Maine waterfront, and the family drama easily captured my attention. Very readable, The Salt House weaves several themes as the plot unfolds. Grief, marital discord, financial pressure, and coming of age – they’re all there and are presented through chapters narrated by the various family members. It’s an effective technique and one which I usually enjoy. However, the depth of emotion was a bit lacking for me. Somehow, when one considers the strong currents at work here there should be more turmoil for the reader! A minor criticism, though, and I happily continued until the end. This novel calls to mind another one with a similar theme, The Grief of Others, by Leah Hager Cohen, which remains one of my all-time favorites.
June 12, 2017
Beautiful in every way. The writing, the story, the honesty of the emotions. The author perfectly captures the balance between heartbreak and hopefulness. Lisa Duffy is a brilliant new voice and I can barely wait to see what’s next for her.
June 15, 2017
The Salt House is one of the most gut-wrenching, heartbreaking novels that I have read in quite a long time, maybe if ever. I knew going into the story that it was about the loss of a young toddler, but the story emotionally overwhelmed me for so many reasons. I completely empathized and sympathized with the Kelly family, especially Hope and Jack as they dealt with the loss of their baby girl because I know much too well what it is like to be very close to someone who lost a child. A few years ago my sister-in-law lost a child at 26 weeks and as a family member, I was allowed to hold the baby before she passed away. I will never forget the tiny little weight of her against my body and her smell. Or my sister-in-law's overwhelming grief that was exactly like Hope's. Both Hope's reaction and Jack's were raw, powerful, and brutal but so real and absolutely honest. The realism hurts even if you have no personal situation to relate to but the realism makes the story all the more beautiful and convincing.
It is Hope's and Jack's reactions to Maddie's accidental death, as well as the struggles of their other two daughters Jess, age 16 and Kat, age 8 to deal with the loss of their baby sister and the stresses and changes in their parents that made this story a deserving albeit very difficult read. Duffy brilliantly writes the story from the point of view from all four members of the Duffy family, and it is each of their unique perspectives that really helps you understand what life is like for not only the family as a whole but each of them individually since they lost baby Maddie.
It was Hope who I most felt for and empathized with since she was so wrapped in guilt and was unable to move on from Maddie's death that she became emotionally absent from her husband and other two daughters. You could feel her pain so vividly that you just wanted to hold her and tell her she was not alone! You really wanted to tell her there were so many others like her who had been in her shoes and life does move on...slowly but surely. It was hard not to feel her overwhelming guilt that she had been busy writing for her parenting column while Maddie died in her crib, and understand why she couldn't let go of Maddie...the blame, despair, or her ashes. The blame is the hardest issue Hope deals with since it was always needling her thoughts and had her asking"what if"...
Jack's reaction may come across as harsh since he channels his grief in nonstop work, but he has no idea how to grieve, which the reader understands more fully at the book's end. Yes, it is a bit frustrating at times that he will not talk or share his feelings, but most men don't. Men often bury their grief, especially when they see their wives lost and drowning since they often don't know what to do when they are being constantly pushed away by their wives, so he puts all the blame for everything that has happened on his shoulders. With Hope no longer working and two mortgages to pay, one on their house in town and the other on their beloved Salt House cottage, working and providing for his family was also the only way he knew to be there and support his family. I liked Jack and understood his grief as a form of desperation and self-blame even when he acted stupid and too angry at times.
Jess and Kat just stole my heart. It was really hard to read how they were struggling with the loss of their sister but more so to read about their pain of seeing their parents fighting and the dramatic change in their family after growing up with almost perfect family dynamics. Jess was a great narrator, and her story is wonderful as she is so close to being an adult and sees so closely the problems between her parents in a way even they do not understand. She's angry with both her mother and father..Hope for her emotional absence and Jack for his self-blame. Kat is an adorable narrator and although she is still confused about Maddie's death since Hope refuses to scatter Maddie's ashes or have a ceremony, she understands her mother's needs and what would make Maddie the happiest. That part of the book (not to give away any spoilers) made me cry probably the hardest.
I would have given the book 5 stars except for the entire part with Ryland Finn, Jack's nemesis from his youth. Except for the fact that Finn's stepson and Jess fall in love, the whole Finn and Jack as enemies subplot was just drawn out and really added nothing to the story at all. It was like filler material that I could have done without. If it was meant to add action or drama to the story, it really did not.
Regardless, I loved Duffy's writing. It was wonderful, perfectly paced since this is not a book you want to rush through, and the main characters are lovely although imperfect. The Salt House is a heartbreaking, roller coaster emotional read, and tells how grief can devastate a family but also bring them back together stronger than before.
*Thank you, NetGalley, Touchstone, and Lisa Duffy for an ARC of this book to read in exchange for my honest and unbiased fair review. *
It is Hope's and Jack's reactions to Maddie's accidental death, as well as the struggles of their other two daughters Jess, age 16 and Kat, age 8 to deal with the loss of their baby sister and the stresses and changes in their parents that made this story a deserving albeit very difficult read. Duffy brilliantly writes the story from the point of view from all four members of the Duffy family, and it is each of their unique perspectives that really helps you understand what life is like for not only the family as a whole but each of them individually since they lost baby Maddie.
It was Hope who I most felt for and empathized with since she was so wrapped in guilt and was unable to move on from Maddie's death that she became emotionally absent from her husband and other two daughters. You could feel her pain so vividly that you just wanted to hold her and tell her she was not alone! You really wanted to tell her there were so many others like her who had been in her shoes and life does move on...slowly but surely. It was hard not to feel her overwhelming guilt that she had been busy writing for her parenting column while Maddie died in her crib, and understand why she couldn't let go of Maddie...the blame, despair, or her ashes. The blame is the hardest issue Hope deals with since it was always needling her thoughts and had her asking"what if"...
Jack's reaction may come across as harsh since he channels his grief in nonstop work, but he has no idea how to grieve, which the reader understands more fully at the book's end. Yes, it is a bit frustrating at times that he will not talk or share his feelings, but most men don't. Men often bury their grief, especially when they see their wives lost and drowning since they often don't know what to do when they are being constantly pushed away by their wives, so he puts all the blame for everything that has happened on his shoulders. With Hope no longer working and two mortgages to pay, one on their house in town and the other on their beloved Salt House cottage, working and providing for his family was also the only way he knew to be there and support his family. I liked Jack and understood his grief as a form of desperation and self-blame even when he acted stupid and too angry at times.
Jess and Kat just stole my heart. It was really hard to read how they were struggling with the loss of their sister but more so to read about their pain of seeing their parents fighting and the dramatic change in their family after growing up with almost perfect family dynamics. Jess was a great narrator, and her story is wonderful as she is so close to being an adult and sees so closely the problems between her parents in a way even they do not understand. She's angry with both her mother and father..Hope for her emotional absence and Jack for his self-blame. Kat is an adorable narrator and although she is still confused about Maddie's death since Hope refuses to scatter Maddie's ashes or have a ceremony, she understands her mother's needs and what would make Maddie the happiest. That part of the book (not to give away any spoilers) made me cry probably the hardest.
I would have given the book 5 stars except for the entire part with Ryland Finn, Jack's nemesis from his youth. Except for the fact that Finn's stepson and Jess fall in love, the whole Finn and Jack as enemies subplot was just drawn out and really added nothing to the story at all. It was like filler material that I could have done without. If it was meant to add action or drama to the story, it really did not.
Regardless, I loved Duffy's writing. It was wonderful, perfectly paced since this is not a book you want to rush through, and the main characters are lovely although imperfect. The Salt House is a heartbreaking, roller coaster emotional read, and tells how grief can devastate a family but also bring them back together stronger than before.
*Thank you, NetGalley, Touchstone, and Lisa Duffy for an ARC of this book to read in exchange for my honest and unbiased fair review. *
December 8, 2020
3.5 stars 🌟
July 18, 2017
I thought this was an amazing book by a first time author. Lisa Duffy tells the story of the Kelly family. At the beginning of the book we learn that the family hasn't been able to get their lives back on track since the death of their baby girl the year prior. The book is told in chapters by each member of the family. I really enjoyed being able to hear their stories told this way. I loved the characters of the Kelly family. Each character was so well written. The book takes places in Maine and we learn a lot about lobster fishing. I found this quite fascinating. They are times of raw grief throughout the book and it just feels so real and true to the characters. As the story evolves you really get a sense of the family and what it will take to resolve all the secrets, grief, and distance that now separates them from each other. I really think the author has done a great job with this book and hope to read more from her!
March 7, 2019
Utterly gorgeous down to the sentence level, this is the kind of the book that beckons you to stop and reread select paragraphs purely for the beauty of it. Lisa Duffy takes such expert care with every word that you instantly know you're in good hands with this storyteller--no small feat for a debut.
THE SALT HOUSE is a moving exploration of tragedy, grief and the ways in which we come together or move apart to heal. Chapters alternate point of view, and I especially enjoyed the perspectives of the young sisters, rendered with childlike authenticity and capturing the confusion and emotion of early loss and love. Highly recommended for those who enjoy character-driven novels bridging the gap between literary and commercial women's fiction. (Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review early.)
THE SALT HOUSE is a moving exploration of tragedy, grief and the ways in which we come together or move apart to heal. Chapters alternate point of view, and I especially enjoyed the perspectives of the young sisters, rendered with childlike authenticity and capturing the confusion and emotion of early loss and love. Highly recommended for those who enjoy character-driven novels bridging the gap between literary and commercial women's fiction. (Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review early.)
July 3, 2017
This story of a family dealing with grief is told eloquently, with beautiful prose and true, heartfelt emotions. It's been a year since tragedy touched the Kelly family, a loss that is still felt deeply by them all. I love that the story was told from all four points of view; the mother, Hope; the father, Jack; and their two daughters, Jess who is 16, and Kat, who is 7. Each point of view was so distinct, so unique, showing us how everyone handles loss differently, in their own way, in their own time. This is a story that anyone who has suffered a loss can relate to, but this book belongs to the Kellys. The author did an amazing job of digging deep into the psyches of this family, with believable characters, intense emotions, and a compelling story. I was especially moved by the chapters narrated by Kat, the 7-year-old, who doesn't truly understand, but knows enough to see how her family is in danger of falling apart; her sadness, her wisdom, and her confusion resonated deep in my heart. I wanted to wrap her in my arms...
The Salt House connected with me on a personal level, with sentiments and words that touched my soul, scenes that took my breath away, and characters that I will remember always.
The Salt House connected with me on a personal level, with sentiments and words that touched my soul, scenes that took my breath away, and characters that I will remember always.
December 2, 2020
Was on a hunt for a new author that writes similar stories as Lisa Genova to be obsessed with. My first book by Lisa Duffy, I did like it, found it to be a good, decent and emotional read but I didn't love it. Wasn't touched by the story but I will definitely read more by this author!
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