House of Salt and Sorrows

 

House of Salt and Sorrows  

By Erin A. Craig  

House of Salt and Sorrows is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, a dark fairy tale by the Grim Brothers. It follows a girl named Annaleigh Thaumaus, one of 12 children. When the story starts, four of her sisters have died in tragic accidents. The first chapter is set at her sister Eulalie's funeral. Annaleigh lives on an island with her remaining siblings, her father, and her stepmother. She quickly meets a boy named Cassius and asks for his help in stopping more deaths from happening. Annaleigh starts seeing the ghosts of her sisters and discovers that they have been sneaking away to a magical land to go to dances. They seem not to be able to stop when they start. As the story goes on, she unravels the mystery of why her sisters keep dying. Annaleigh is very likable and is a strong female protagonist which can sometimes be hard to find.  Since there are some darker elements and descriptions of different kinds of death, readers should be informed of what they are about to read. These topics could be triggering for some, and educators and librarians have a responsibility to respect that. This book is a creative way to introduce readers to a fairy tale that is not very popular. Certain elements such as the romance between Cassius and Annaleigh could also draw readers in. Erin A. Craig has other books that are inspired by fairy tales, including a Rumpelstiltskin retelling. This book is a good introduction to her writing and could help readers discover a new favorite author. The characters are written well, the dialogue is engaging, and the book is fast-paced and enjoyable. This book would fit well in a Young Adult section at a Library, given that there was a warning about the content.  

BIBLIO: 2019, Penguin Random House, Ages14-18, $6.99-$19.99 

REVIEWER: Ella Frey  

FORMAT: Young Adult  

ISBN: 9781984831927