Title: The Weight of Salt: A Gripping Story of Love and Courage (Angelina Pirrello Saga Book 1)
Author: Sandra Montanino
Publisher: Edwards Publishing; 1st edition
Published: January 13, 2021
Pages: 358
The Weight of Salt follows a Sicilian Italian family as they make their way through early 1900s America via the perspective of fifteen-year-old Angelina Pirello. In detail and filled with such emotion you’d think you were in the room, the author opens with Angelina watching her mother give birth for the seventh time. We are in Ybor, Florida, and the year is 1906.
The midwife is not very helpful, the baby is breached, and the doctor is delayed because of other patients since his wife won’t tell him that the Pirellos need assistance.
The reader’s exploration of Sicilian culture, religion, and family life begins with this event. Since the family is deeply Catholic, I sensed from the beginning that Angelina would be unique. She first rejects the idea that her infant brother (the one who passed away during birth) cannot enter paradise and will remain in limbo. The doctrine holds that everyone has Adam and Eve’s original sin, which must be washed away via baptism. However, unbaptized infants who pass away live in limbo and are not entitled to the gates of heaven.
Angelina is floored, and we see glimpses of her impending rebellion against tradition.
As fate would have it, she falls in love with someone her father, Domenico disapproves of. He then tries to give her an arranged marriage. Meanwhile, he is hiding college letters.
A lot is going on here, and there’s something in this book for everyone.
In the beginning, Angelina getting into a fight with the doctor’s wife (yes!) had me dying laughing. (Like, ma’am, why are you fighting this little girl?) For romance lovers, Angelina and Fabian will scratch that itch. For history buffs, there’s something in it for us too. Angelina learns the story of her parents and neighbors’ arrival at Ellis Island and how her neighbor’s family (not being wealthy) endured long lines and cruel examinations.
This book is lengthy, and you would want to savor it slowly. I enjoyed it mainly because it gave me a break from nonfiction, which I’ve been writing and reading a lot lately. (I’ve missed fiction!) It is complex, with numerous facets, themes, fully realized characters, and a masterfully structured narrative. Readers who prefer historical romance should definitely check it out, but historical fiction fans will also love it.
Ratings:
- Plot Movement / Strength: 5/5
- Entertainment Factor: 4/5
- Characterization: 5/5
- Authenticity / Believable: 4/5
- Thought Provoking: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5 / 5 stars
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