blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as Stones from the River.
jch2022's review against another edition
4.0
Hegi writes another emotionally compelling story about families and relationships. When 41 year old Julia finds herself pregnant and unmarried she decides to confront the emotional issues from her childhood regarding her parents divorce and her father's subsequent decline into alcoholism and abuse. She soon finds herself also trying to deal with the fact that her mother abandoned the children with their father and trying to find the truth about her mother was as a person rather than this idealized vision she holds of her from her childhood and finds much to add to her heartbreak as well as things that bring her comfort and strength for raising her own child.
The parts of the book that I enjoyed most were her remembrances of times in her childhood and how as an adult she learns to reconcile those memories with the actual facts of the situations that occurred.
The parts of the book that I enjoyed most were her remembrances of times in her childhood and how as an adult she learns to reconcile those memories with the actual facts of the situations that occurred.
laneamagya's review against another edition
4.0
Salt Dancers is the story of a woman coming to terms with her own history as an abused child before she gives birth to a child she never planned to have. Like most of Hegi's books, the novel is intensely emotional, and deals with questions of childhood, family, abandonment, loss, friendship . . . the biggies.
I love everything the woman writes, but I didn't like this one quite as much as I liked the novels set in Germany. I wanted a bit more of a story to surface connecting the protagonist and the father of her child. I wanted her brother to have a bit more to say for his decision to allow her to be abused for years. And Hegi wants us to want those things--I get that. I would just have liked a bit clearer of a pay off, I guess. But still, a very good book.
I love everything the woman writes, but I didn't like this one quite as much as I liked the novels set in Germany. I wanted a bit more of a story to surface connecting the protagonist and the father of her child. I wanted her brother to have a bit more to say for his decision to allow her to be abused for years. And Hegi wants us to want those things--I get that. I would just have liked a bit clearer of a pay off, I guess. But still, a very good book.
austen_to_zafon's review against another edition
3.0
Let's say Hegi had never written Stones From the River. I might have liked this book more. But SFTR is a hard act to follow and I found this book fell flat for me. It's too bad. Nonetheless, I'll continue to read what Hegi puts out because she is a superb writer and you never know when she might again reach the heights of SFTR.
xoxobunny's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
chovereads's review against another edition
4.0
This book has been sitting on my shelf for years. I don’t remember where I got it or why I purchased it. Every time I’ve moved (which has been many), this book made it with me because I kept thinking I’d get to it soon. This last move, however, I decided to part with it, thinking if I hadn’t read it by now, I never would. My stack of book donations ended up coming with me since any of the places I would donate books are still closed.
Due to quarantine, I pulled Salt Dancers from the donation pile and started it. I became quickly pulled in and absolutely marvel every time at how a book can be around for so long without my touching it, but the moment I finally do, it hits home. I found this to be a lovely read, deeply moved by the dynamics and childhood parental trauma the characters experienced. Julia’s grappling with how her father could be both the loving, helpful, protective and caring father at the same time as the abusive one was prevalent throughout the book. Trying to hold both pieces with one hand. Her longing for her mother and the coping mechanisms she used after her disappearance. Feeling estranged from her family. Very relatable. A bonus was the story taking place in the PNW. Not a huge fan of the way she writes dialogue.
Due to quarantine, I pulled Salt Dancers from the donation pile and started it. I became quickly pulled in and absolutely marvel every time at how a book can be around for so long without my touching it, but the moment I finally do, it hits home. I found this to be a lovely read, deeply moved by the dynamics and childhood parental trauma the characters experienced. Julia’s grappling with how her father could be both the loving, helpful, protective and caring father at the same time as the abusive one was prevalent throughout the book. Trying to hold both pieces with one hand. Her longing for her mother and the coping mechanisms she used after her disappearance. Feeling estranged from her family. Very relatable. A bonus was the story taking place in the PNW. Not a huge fan of the way she writes dialogue.