I don’t often post book reviews. It’s not that I haven’t found books I like (quite the opposite). It’s usually because as soon as I finish one, I’m on to the next. But today is different.
Today is all about the Sisters of the Salt.
I first came across Erin A. Craig at the end of 2019 when I randomly picked up her debut novel, House of Salt and Sorrows, on sale at my local Barnes & Noble. I was first drawn in by the cover (yes, I judged a book by it’s cover). But after reading the blurb, I knew the book was going home with me. HOSAS is a dark retelling of a fairy tale – The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It was the last book I read that year, finishing it in one day. I absolutely LOVED it.
When Craig’s second book – Small Favors – came out, naturally I had to read it. SF is a retelling of the classic tale of Rumpelstiltskin. Again, I devoured it, although it had a much different tone and setting.
So when I learned her newest book would be a return to the Thaumas sisters from House of Salt and Sorrows, I immediately pre-ordered. But when I found out I was approved to receive an ARC through Net Galley, I literally did a dance. I couldn’t wait to dive back into the world of the Sisters of the Salt.
What is House of Roots and Ruin About?
After years of mysterious deaths and tragedy, Verity Thaumas has seen most of her older sisters, the ones who survived anyway, move away from the Thaumas estate of Highmoor and build lives of their own. Now, as she comes of age, an invitation for a commissioned painting gives the young artist the opportunity to start her own life. However, when the oldest Thaumas sister, Camille, forbids her to leave, Verity takes her future into her own hands not wanting to believe her sister’s warning. In fleeing home, however, she wonders whether she’ll ever truly escape her family’s past.
House of Roots and Ruin is an epic coming-of-age tale of adventure, love, mystery, and family secrets. In this follow-up to House of Salt and Sorrows, Erin A. Craig returns readers to the shores of Salaan to discover what has happened to the Thaumas sisters in the years following the tragic deaths of several of the sisters. HORAR moves beyond the island waters to the lush gardens of Bloem. In true gothic style, the setting features large estate houses and atmospheric landscapes, both of which hold power over young Verity. Before leaving her home at Highmoor, Verity learns the truth of her forgotten childhood, a truth that still unknowingly haunts her. Despite Camille’s protests, Verity accepts a commission from the Duchess of Bloem, Dauphine Laurent, to paint a portrait of her son, Alexander. She flees Highmoor alone and makes her way to Bloem. Within hours of arriving, the beautiful surroundings draw her in. So too does Alexander Laurent. As a young romance begins to bloom, Verity feels her childhood tragedies being left behind.
Over the coming weeks, Verity and Alexander begin work on the painting and spend time getting to know each other. Alexander shares the history of his own family as they explore the grounds and manor. As their relationship grows, Verity doesn’t want to believe anything sinister about the strange sights and sounds she begins experiencing. She soon must accept, however, that growing closer to Alexander brings a growing fear that the curse of her childhood may have followed her.
Beneath the Ground (and Story)
In House of Roots and Ruin, Erin A. Craig weaves together elements of gothic fantasy and mystery to create a magical world full of beauty and intrigue. As she comes of age, Verity leaves behind the dark shores of Highmoor in favor of lush gardens and flowers all around Bloem. With any good mystery, though, she soon realizes these plants and flowers hold power beyond their beauty. The backdrop of the gothic estate with the lavish gardens creates a unique setting for Verity to start her new life. The grand manor house provides a sense of familiarity to her own home, but the gardens give her a new sense of life and growth. Surrounded by plants and flowers of all shapes and colors, Verity is drawn to learn more about them from the Duke of Bloem, a noted botanist. But, just as her own family is connected to the sea, Verity learns the Laurent family’s connection to their lavish gardens runs deeper than what she sees at the surface.
Craig’s storytelling skills give readers twists and turns throughout the novel. Early in the story, she sets the stage for Verity to tell her own story after revealing what happened to the other Thaumas sisters following the end of House of Salt and Sorrows. As Verity leaves Highmoor, the story shifts to Bloam where readers experience a different landscape and new families. It becomes clear that Craig did her homework. She uses rich descriptions of the plant life within the estate to draw readers’ eyes to what Verity sees. And ultimately, the plants become a significant part of the Laurent family story, a story that Verity must unravel as her relationship with Alexander blooms.
Things To Think About
House of Roots and Ruins explores themes of family, trauma, ethics of genetic engineering, and disability. Throughout the novel, Craig utilizes these themes to push Verity to the brink as she seeks the truth of the Laurent family’s secrets. As a Young Adult novel, the book is geared towards teens and up. While some younger readers might enjoy it, I would suggest parents read first and judge for themselves if appropriate for their child(ren) under 12 years old. There are some scenes that are dark and graphic related to death and violence.
While I would highly recommend reading House of Salt and Sorrows first if you haven’t already done so, House of Roots and Ruin can be read on it’s own. There will be some elements of Verity’s life that won’t fully make sense without knowing her family’s story from the first book. But the overall story of HORAR stands on it’s own. (But really, do yourself a favor and read Salt first just because it’s amazing.)
Ratings and Raves
My Rating: 5/5 stars… or flowers I should say maybe
My rating is based on the overall story, narrative structure, creativity, and unputdownableness (that’s a word…I’m sure of it). If you are a fan of fairy tale retellings, dark fantasy, and/or gothic mystery, you need to invest time in all of Erin A. Craig’s books.
I want to thank Net Galley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read the ARC version of this novel. And thank you, Erin A. Craig for writing such awesome books! I already can’t wait for the next one!
I encourage you to check out all of Erin’s work on her website and sign up for her newsletter to learn more and get updates.
House of Roots and Ruin is out now! You can purchase it at all major retailers or your favorite independent book store.
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