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A review by mirandatamsin
As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann
5.0
This book is hideous. The narrator, Jacob, is all kinds of messed up, the main romance is dysfunctional ( there's about 20 pages in the whole 530 page book where I remember both participants being happy), and the ending left me feeling as though my heart had shrivelled up.
Also: I lovedlovedloved it. As Meat Loves Salt is a slow-burn sort of novel, growing on you the more you read. The writing style is beautiful, and the historical detail and accuracy is super-impressive too- but what this story's really about is the CHARACTERISATION.
Oh my god. I honestly don't think I've ever read about characters that felt more real. The main characters especially - Jacob and Ferris - are so fleshy and 3 dimensional, I feel as if I know them like my brothers. I somehow hugely sympathised with both (even knowing how twisted Jacob was, I constantly found myself hoping he'd make the right choices and find good fortune).
I don't really know what else to say, other than that I cannot recommend this book more. As Meat Loves Salt will eat your heart out, and you will thank it. Or maybe you won't- maybe you'll hate it, and throw the book down and stop reading in disgust. That's the reaction I've seen from some reviewers. But, regardless of your opinion of it, this book will at least make you feel some serious emotion... Maybe even enough for you to need it and crave it and love it despite yourself, just as meat loves salt.
Edit 1/1/19 : I've lent this book out at the moment so I can't reread it, but even reading through the couple of quotes I can find on goodreads is enough to make me ache from my core. It's the sort of story that doesn't leave you. I've never read a book so utterly absorbing even after I've finished with it: I feel almost as if Jacob's story is my own past. Wow. I desperately want to reread.
Also: I lovedlovedloved it. As Meat Loves Salt is a slow-burn sort of novel, growing on you the more you read. The writing style is beautiful, and the historical detail and accuracy is super-impressive too- but what this story's really about is the CHARACTERISATION.
Oh my god. I honestly don't think I've ever read about characters that felt more real. The main characters especially - Jacob and Ferris - are so fleshy and 3 dimensional, I feel as if I know them like my brothers. I somehow hugely sympathised with both (even knowing how twisted Jacob was, I constantly found myself hoping he'd make the right choices and find good fortune).
I don't really know what else to say, other than that I cannot recommend this book more. As Meat Loves Salt will eat your heart out, and you will thank it. Or maybe you won't- maybe you'll hate it, and throw the book down and stop reading in disgust. That's the reaction I've seen from some reviewers. But, regardless of your opinion of it, this book will at least make you feel some serious emotion... Maybe even enough for you to need it and crave it and love it despite yourself, just as meat loves salt.
Edit 1/1/19 : I've lent this book out at the moment so I can't reread it, but even reading through the couple of quotes I can find on goodreads is enough to make me ache from my core. It's the sort of story that doesn't leave you. I've never read a book so utterly absorbing even after I've finished with it: I feel almost as if Jacob's story is my own past. Wow. I desperately want to reread.