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Garden of Salt #1
Humility Garden
Her destiny was among the gods. In the land of Salt, the gods have ruled among the humans for centuries. Now a new movement has taken grip, denying the gods are masters and thrusting the world into chaos.
Young Humility Garden's only dream is to escape her squalid homeland. But the prophets envision a future that holds much more. She is about to embark on a journey that will teach her the secretive ways of the ghostiers, the language of the gods, and the power of eternal love. Amid countless enemies, in a wondrous realm of divine beauty and ruthless politics, Humility discovers that her fate and the fate of Salt are inextricably intertwined, and that together they may rise to new heights - or fall into the bitterest depths...
Young Humility Garden's only dream is to escape her squalid homeland. But the prophets envision a future that holds much more. She is about to embark on a journey that will teach her the secretive ways of the ghostiers, the language of the gods, and the power of eternal love. Amid countless enemies, in a wondrous realm of divine beauty and ruthless politics, Humility discovers that her fate and the fate of Salt are inextricably intertwined, and that together they may rise to new heights - or fall into the bitterest depths...
346 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 7, 2015
I'd need to read this book again to properly review it but I wanted to put somethings down here in response to some of the criticisms about this book.
I read this book when I was about 13, I think. Right around that age where you lose your innocence. I was beginning to understand what sexuality was and how much it was worth to other people. The idea that sexuality, especially youthful sexuality, is fetishized by society. That sounds cynical for 13, but I was beginning to model and not enjoying the experience very much -- something that conflicted enormously with the messages I was getting about how wonderful it was supposed be and why I was doing it in the first place. I was a pretty confused kid.
Anyway, I read this book and Humility's personal story resonated deeply with me. She is some country bumpkin, with no hope of escaping her very small experience except to piggyback upon the success of her cousin/betrothed. That success being his good looks, which she obviously has nothing to do with, but is allowed to come on the basis of their very complicated relationship that wavers between charity, friendship, and obligation. She is then thrust into this very adult world of which she has no understanding, where she is taught to be something like a courtesan but without the sex. An object of sexual desire, but at the same time chaste. And none of this is actually intended for her, but for her cousin. She is allowed to participate because the pantomime amuses the courtiers. She is a pig in lipstick, a joke.
Despite that, she excels in all the arts, and finds the whole thing exhilarating, and why not? Even if she can't be one of the chosen ones, she feels privileged to even be able to pretend to be part of a world where they are constantly told they are special. This is all until the more sinister and WTF aspects of the story take over and we learn the purpose of all this training. See, the courtesans don't serve men; they serve the gods. And the gods have found a way to crystallize those feelings of burgeoning sexuality and preserve them for others in the form of ghosts. On the night of their deflowering, you kill your chosen one at the height of their desire, pain, grief -- whichever flavor piques your interest -- and perform a small ceremony to trap something like their soul in a statue made of something like ice. The ghosts are then painted, to further bring out the emotionality of the piece, and then anyone can vicariously feel what the deceased felt just before they were killed simply by standing near it. The fact that they are young and beautiful makes it all the sweeter. Yes, uber fucked up. They take what they profess to admire and thoroughly desecrate it, in the name of the basest form of art -- and all this is treated as a matter of course.
And this is not even the main plot of the book, it's kind of an aside to sort of bring you into the world of Humility Garden, to give you some basis for what comes next. It also sets up the theme for the book. Everything in this world is evolved to the point to perversion because this society is old, and beginning to curl in on itself. There are heavy themes of a religious, political, and sexual nature running all throughout and none of them are good. Sure, there are a lot of books out there that take things to extremes, but one thing this author does not do is glorify any of it. You don't relish the sex, the murder, the power or anything else, not even a little bit because the sickness is so apparent. And when good things happen, which is rarely, you get to watch them be slowly crushed under the weight of everything wrong. Nothing good grows here for long, hence Garden of Salt.
In conclusion, not a happy book, but a good book. One that takes the problems in our society and re-imagines them in a world turned up to 11. An interesting read, and that's even before going into the amazing and bizarre fantasy elements.
I read this book when I was about 13, I think. Right around that age where you lose your innocence. I was beginning to understand what sexuality was and how much it was worth to other people. The idea that sexuality, especially youthful sexuality, is fetishized by society. That sounds cynical for 13, but I was beginning to model and not enjoying the experience very much -- something that conflicted enormously with the messages I was getting about how wonderful it was supposed be and why I was doing it in the first place. I was a pretty confused kid.
Anyway, I read this book and Humility's personal story resonated deeply with me. She is some country bumpkin, with no hope of escaping her very small experience except to piggyback upon the success of her cousin/betrothed. That success being his good looks, which she obviously has nothing to do with, but is allowed to come on the basis of their very complicated relationship that wavers between charity, friendship, and obligation. She is then thrust into this very adult world of which she has no understanding, where she is taught to be something like a courtesan but without the sex. An object of sexual desire, but at the same time chaste. And none of this is actually intended for her, but for her cousin. She is allowed to participate because the pantomime amuses the courtiers. She is a pig in lipstick, a joke.
Despite that, she excels in all the arts, and finds the whole thing exhilarating, and why not? Even if she can't be one of the chosen ones, she feels privileged to even be able to pretend to be part of a world where they are constantly told they are special. This is all until the more sinister and WTF aspects of the story take over and we learn the purpose of all this training. See, the courtesans don't serve men; they serve the gods. And the gods have found a way to crystallize those feelings of burgeoning sexuality and preserve them for others in the form of ghosts. On the night of their deflowering, you kill your chosen one at the height of their desire, pain, grief -- whichever flavor piques your interest -- and perform a small ceremony to trap something like their soul in a statue made of something like ice. The ghosts are then painted, to further bring out the emotionality of the piece, and then anyone can vicariously feel what the deceased felt just before they were killed simply by standing near it. The fact that they are young and beautiful makes it all the sweeter. Yes, uber fucked up. They take what they profess to admire and thoroughly desecrate it, in the name of the basest form of art -- and all this is treated as a matter of course.
And this is not even the main plot of the book, it's kind of an aside to sort of bring you into the world of Humility Garden, to give you some basis for what comes next. It also sets up the theme for the book. Everything in this world is evolved to the point to perversion because this society is old, and beginning to curl in on itself. There are heavy themes of a religious, political, and sexual nature running all throughout and none of them are good. Sure, there are a lot of books out there that take things to extremes, but one thing this author does not do is glorify any of it. You don't relish the sex, the murder, the power or anything else, not even a little bit because the sickness is so apparent. And when good things happen, which is rarely, you get to watch them be slowly crushed under the weight of everything wrong. Nothing good grows here for long, hence Garden of Salt.
In conclusion, not a happy book, but a good book. One that takes the problems in our society and re-imagines them in a world turned up to 11. An interesting read, and that's even before going into the amazing and bizarre fantasy elements.
February 8, 2015
I picked up Humility Garden because it was a) free and b)it sounded vaguely interesting.
I was subsequently proven wrong on both accounts.
Humility Gardens betrothed Beau is being taken away to the decaden capital city to be an eternal ghost(no idea) on account of his great beauty,and Humi asks if she can come with him so they go with Godsbrother Sensuality.
This book had a writing style that was like grasping fog.Occassionally you will bump into some piece of worldbuilding but its still a dim view so you cant connect the rest.
But much more than this the reason I decided to DNF this book was because did not want to find out more about this books world where young boys and girls are kept as sexual companions to some mystical persons and the female main character is offhandedly described as being used and submitting for sex one night with no emotional connection.
Persons chosen by the gods to be blessed and or special take advantage of young people for their own pleasures. Hmm why does this leave a bad taste in my mouth...can you guess?
Give me dark fantasies,bleak horror and glimpses into twisted minds but dont excpect me to continue reading a book where such things are met with indifference and acceptance.
I was subsequently proven wrong on both accounts.
Humility Gardens betrothed Beau is being taken away to the decaden capital city to be an eternal ghost(no idea) on account of his great beauty,and Humi asks if she can come with him so they go with Godsbrother Sensuality.
This book had a writing style that was like grasping fog.Occassionally you will bump into some piece of worldbuilding but its still a dim view so you cant connect the rest.
But much more than this the reason I decided to DNF this book was because did not want to find out more about this books world where young boys and girls are kept as sexual companions to some mystical persons and the female main character is offhandedly described as being used and submitting for sex one night with no emotional connection.
Persons chosen by the gods to be blessed and or special take advantage of young people for their own pleasures. Hmm why does this leave a bad taste in my mouth...can you guess?
Give me dark fantasies,bleak horror and glimpses into twisted minds but dont excpect me to continue reading a book where such things are met with indifference and acceptance.
May 3, 2015
This is a strange book, in a fantasy setting like none other I've encountered. A vivid, gorgeously written novel that takes place in a decadent culture characterized by cruel beauty. It ends on a cliffhanger, and I fully intend to buy the next book.
September 21, 2018
My thoughts on this book are conflicted. On the positive side the world and story has almost a dream-like quality about it, almost as if the book was based off of a dream itself that the writer had. Half way through the book the story really picks up and I couldn't put it down since I was dying to know what happened next. I think it would have a been good commentary on religion and sexuality if I had less confusion about the world and plot.
The cons are that the world building was half-formed and confusing. I never fully grasped the world that it was set in. Another problem was pacing, it felt like the book was a lot longer than 250 pages especially the beginning. Lastly the sexualization of children/young teens was disgusting and could have easily been implied without showing. I feel like it was meant to be social commentary of some kind but the way it was written just confused the message.
The cons are that the world building was half-formed and confusing. I never fully grasped the world that it was set in. Another problem was pacing, it felt like the book was a lot longer than 250 pages especially the beginning. Lastly the sexualization of children/young teens was disgusting and could have easily been implied without showing. I feel like it was meant to be social commentary of some kind but the way it was written just confused the message.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2011
Undoubtedly, it is ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS IN HISTORY. Rad it almost a decade ago and remained hooked ever since. Felicity Savage has created a World so rich, so blessed by the highest level of Inspiration, that most other Writers can NEVER even wish to accomplish. All those *considered* Greatest, are merely bugs by her feet.
I can blindly recite the words "Curiosity is our greatest flow. As a race, we gods have always been victims to it. Now our demise falls upon us, soft as snow, because we delved too far and uncovered the great irony, which we never should have known. Stunned by it, we let ourselves drift. And the current of time carries us downwards.
"Follow the birds, Humility".
Thus it follows, I do most highly recommend absolutely ANYONE to read it soon!!
I can blindly recite the words "Curiosity is our greatest flow. As a race, we gods have always been victims to it. Now our demise falls upon us, soft as snow, because we delved too far and uncovered the great irony, which we never should have known. Stunned by it, we let ourselves drift. And the current of time carries us downwards.
"Follow the birds, Humility".
Thus it follows, I do most highly recommend absolutely ANYONE to read it soon!!
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April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/1005344.html[return][return]I can't remember who recommended this to me or how; for a first novel, published when the author was only 20, it's pretty impressive, a portrayal of a viciously political city with interlocking dynamics of sex, species and death. It isn't as good, though, as Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel books which have a very similar setting, and although it ends with a massive cliff-hanger I am not in a huge rush to track down the sequel.
July 26, 2011
I really liked this 15 years ago, and still did 10 years ago, and just recent I read The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and was reminded of it, so now I need to reread it & see how it holds up.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews