I really wanted to love this book. I loved the premise, I loved the first few chapters, and then I started to not love it quite so much.
The Sea is Salt and so am I tells the tale of three sixteen year olds, Harlow Prout, a determined headstrong girl, her best friend Ellis MacQueen, and his brother Tommy. After an impactful event, things start to change between the trio. New love is sparks, old bonds are tested, and secrets are revealed.
There was a lot about this book I did love. I loved the representation, both about mental illness and queer relationships. One of the main characters is bisexual and is portrayed dating both a girl and a boy through the course of the book. Mental illness is also dealt with in an incredibly impactful, thoughtful way. The atmosphere of the book is also phenomenally well done. The tertiary characters are still very well rounded and they feel like real people.
I didn't always love the main characters though, and perhaps this was the point. While I loved one of the main characters, the other two I found frustrating and didn't feel like they really got to be redeemed. There were also times I felt the pacing of the book dragged a bit, though it is possible I was simply overly tired while reading.
Overall I think Hartt's writing is thoughtful, beautiful, and impactful. This book wasn't entirely for me but there were parts I thoroughly enjoyed and I absolutely recommend giving it a try! Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it's not for you.
The Sea is Salt and so am I tells the tale of three sixteen year olds, Harlow Prout, a determined headstrong girl, her best friend Ellis MacQueen, and his brother Tommy. After an impactful event, things start to change between the trio. New love is sparks, old bonds are tested, and secrets are revealed.
There was a lot about this book I did love. I loved the representation, both about mental illness and queer relationships. One of the main characters is bisexual and is portrayed dating both a girl and a boy through the course of the book. Mental illness is also dealt with in an incredibly impactful, thoughtful way. The atmosphere of the book is also phenomenally well done. The tertiary characters are still very well rounded and they feel like real people.
I didn't always love the main characters though, and perhaps this was the point. While I loved one of the main characters, the other two I found frustrating and didn't feel like they really got to be redeemed. There were also times I felt the pacing of the book dragged a bit, though it is possible I was simply overly tired while reading.
Overall I think Hartt's writing is thoughtful, beautiful, and impactful. This book wasn't entirely for me but there were parts I thoroughly enjoyed and I absolutely recommend giving it a try! Just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it's not for you.