About the Book
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Authors:
- Hope Larson
- Rebecca Mock
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- White (Non-Specified)
Cover Story: Like the Wind
BFF Charm: Yay
Talky Talk: Precocious
Arty Art: Old School
Bonus Factor: Witches
Anti-Bonus Factor: Elder Abuse
Relationship Status: I’ll Be Watching
Content Warning: There are scenes of elder abuse in Salt Magic.
Cover Story: Like the Wind
As should be the case with a graphic novel, this cover nicely and accurately depicts the book’s main character and central antagonist. The colors are beautiful, too.
The Deal:
It’s 1919 and Vonceil Taggart—the youngest of the Taggart children—is mad at her older brother. He just returned from the war and asked his longtime love to marry him. You’d think Vonceil would be happy for their love, but instead she’s confused as to where the brother went who used to play with her and be her best friend. Then a stranger arrives, looking for Elber—a mysterious and glamorous woman who says she was a nurse in the war. She, too, isn’t happy when she finds out Elber’s engaged to be married, and puts a curse on the Taggart farm, turning their freshwater to salt. No one believes in the curse, however, except Vonciel. So it’s up to her to sort it all out.
BFF Charm: Yay
Vonceil is a spunky, wiser than hear years kiddo with a bit of childhood naivety. She’s not quite old enough to understand how war, and being 12 years older than a person, affects relationships. She wants dearly for her best friend to be the same as he was before he went away, but that’s not possible. Vonceil heads out on her quest to break the curse in part as a way to get back at her brother, but finds herself changed by the adventure nearly as much as war changed him. I like her a lot, and would definitely have wanted to be her friend if we were the same age. She’s got grit!
Swoonworthy Scale: 2
Although Vonceil doesn’t find love in this story, there’s another character who does. And while the way this character goes about finding and refinding that love is a bit sus, the well-meaning intentions behind her actions do have a fair bit of swoon.
Talky Talk: Precocious
Salt Magic is, at first, a story about a young girl who has to deal with her favorite older brother growing up. But it quickly turns into something else, a story about a young girl who has to do some growing up herself—to save her family’s farm and solve the problem that Elber brought upon them. It’s a sweet story with a slightly spooky feel—the witches, although they’re lovely and outwardly non-threatening, give off majorly sinister vibes—and I quickly found myself engrossed in the story and wanting to know more about the beautiful world Larson created for it. And rooting real hard for Vonceil to be successful.
Arty Art: Old School
Page via Margaret Ferguson Books
Mock did a great job at bringing 1919 Oklahoma to life, from the clothes the characters wear to the dust the horses kick up while running across the plains. Love the way she adds an innocence to the creepier panels, too.
Bonus Factor: Witches
The woman who curses the Taggart family farm is a salt witch, someone who can, obvs, control and turn things into salt. While trying to break the curse, Vonceil runs into (and afoul of) a sugar witch who can, obvs again, control sugar. It’s neat to think about all of the other witches that might exist in a world with these two in it.
Anti-Bonus Factor: Elder Abuse
It’s a small part of the larger story, but Vonceil’s great-uncle is abused and locked away by another family member. Said family member gets his comeuppance by the end, but it’s hard reading about such a kind person being so mistreated.
Relationship Status: I’ll Be Watching
We had an interesting time together, Book. You left me a bit unsettled, which isn’t always a good or bad thing. Overall, I think we could have something if we gave it some time. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Literary Matchmaking
Larson is also an illustrator, and she did the art for The Wrinkle in Time graphic adaptation.
Although not a graphic novel, Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book also has beautiful illustrations and a spooky theme.
Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces series also deals with middle grade-level curses and horror.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Margaret Ferguson Books, but got neither a private dance party with Tom Hiddleston nor money in exchange for this review. Salt Magic is available now.
