The Salt Letters
The Salt Letters by Christine Balint is a historical fiction novel published by W. W. Norton & Company in 2001. This first edition spans 189 pages and is presented in English. Set in 1854, the story follows Sarah as she escapes her home, embarking on a journey filled with uncertainty in a new colony. As she travels in steerage with other unmarried women, the confined space reveals deep secrets and personal struggles, all while Sarah grapples with her longing for her mother’s forgiveness and the memories of her cousin Richard.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of the challenges faced during the voyage, including the chaos of living conditions and the psychological toll of confinement. The narrative explores themes of longing and the haunting nature of untold stories, as Sarah’s experiences unfold against the backdrop of a world still ripe for discovery. Through Balint’s detailed storytelling, the novel captures the essence of a transformative period in history, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of human emotions and relationships amidst the trials of migration.
Official synopsis Publisher
It is 1854, and with the certainty of land behind her, Sarah flees her home for the uncertainties of life in the new colony. In steerage, she joins the other unmarried women, where the horrors of their close confinement bring an unraveling of secrets no one can control. Sarah endures, longing for her mother’s forgiveness and the sweetness of her cousin Richard’s breath. As she draws closer to her new land, she becomes increasingly haunted by her own tale and the letter home she cannot write. Moving between the voyage in which pigs run through flooded living quarters to the hallucinatory visions induced by heat and doldrums, Christine Balint’s astonishing debut novel brings us close to a time when the world was still a place to be discovered. Shortlisted for the Vogel Literary Award. “Dazzling…. A meticulous history and a beautifully crafted fiction…. Compelling reading.”–Brisbane Courier Mail
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