Originally posted to I Should Read That

This is a spoiler-free review.

I’ve been in a big slump when it comes to YA fantasy – it has been absolute ages since I read the genre consistently. Despite this, I was totally drawn to The House of Salt and Sorrows (possibly due to that fantastic cover, look at it!) I didn’t know a huge amount about it before picking it up in the shop and was absolutely delighted by this fantastic fairy tale retelling.

The House of Salt and Sorrows is a retelling of my favourite fairy tale – the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Despite my love for this tale, I wasn’t entirely sold on the concept, as not a huge amount happens in that tale that could be turned into a full length novel. However, Craig expands on this book in such an inventive way, creating a spooky and atmospheric story of murder and madness. It is this atmosphere that I think makes this book worth reading -- it is so incredibly spooky and eerie. Annaleigh has horrifying visions and is haunted by her sisters after their gruesome deaths -- these scenes were so incredibly effective and added so much to the haunted atmosphere of the book.

I don’t think that the characters or the romance are particularly inventive in this book -- everyone is a pretty standard YA character. Annaleigh is interesting enough, she’s much more cautious than her sisters and is of an age where she feels truly caught between mourning her deceased sisters and wanting to live her life. She understands the implications of her family’s tragedies -- they struggle socially despite their power and the people they live among distrust and shun the family. However, I didn’t find anything particularly extraordinary or different about Annaleigh-- she’s not a hugely memorable character and didn't have that memorable spark. In addition, I didn’t find the romance or love interest particularly interesting either. They’re suit the story well and are used well within the plot, but I don’t think the characters are the most memorable thing about this book by a long shot.

Overall, I had an absolute blast reading The House of Salt and Sorrows. What it lacked in unique characters it more than made up for in terms of plot and atmosphere -- I really enjoyed Craig’s writing style and the horror elements in the book. The House of Salt and Sorrows is the perfect book for your October TBR!

CW: murder, suicide, some gore