Salt Slow
Ratings36
Average rating3.9
The last two stories are somehow devastating while also going so hard, but everything else was a little too familiar.
i liked these stories but i'm starting to think that short story collections may not be for me lol
some of my favorite short stories ive ever read i started this book last year lol and i still think abt some of the ones i read then this many months later
This took me embarrassingly long to read, but it was one of my favorites. It's written densely, each word intentional and a bit unexpected to the point where it read like poetry: taken slowly and re-read to fully appreciate. Highly recommend if you liked Carmen Maria Machado's Her Body and Other Parties!
4.7:
What an absolute banger. I'm not usually inclined to go for anthologies, but I enjoyed Our Wives Under the Sea so freaking much, I had to get my hands on whatever of Julia's work was left, and this one? Whew.
There were definitely highs and lows, and because I didn't particularly like two of the stories—namely Granite and Smack—, it wouldn't feel right for me to give the full five stars. But make no mistake, the high points were HIGH.
I absolutely ADOREDThe Great Awake, incredible premise, made my bones chill just thinking of dealing with all that, and it was my favorite out of the lot; Mantis was a fantastic opener and tone setter, made me reminisce over my own high school experience. The Collectables was really fun but UGH I felt so bad for the delivery guy, he did nothing wrong!!
There was Stop Your Women's Ears With Wax, and like, I felt that. I lived that (minus all the gory violence, I suppose). The eponymous salt slow was insane, it gave me such a feeling of claustrophobia, and that ending? Yikes (affectionate). I felt a wicked sense of satisfaction at the bite-the-creep's-hand-off bit in Formerly Feral, and I liked the stepmom so much. And Cassandra After was sorta sweet, in a macabre way.
Granite and Smack were... okay. They weren't bad, but with Granite I guess I was expecting something different, something grand like a cult or whatever, and so I didn't really vibe with the ending. Frankly, I don't think I quite got it and I didn't care for the characters. And Nicola in Smack was a spoiled rich brat. I don't have the patience for that.
I had a great time with this little collection overall, though, hence the 4.7. I fell in love with all the sapphic ladies, really felt at home with the general atmosphere, so Julia, babe, please, if you could hurry up and share a lil something else, I'll take literally anything pretty please I'll raise from my grave just for u ♡
This little book has a lot to offer. Nine short stories all with a shade of the Gothic or the macabre about them as they explore different comings, goings and phases in women's lives. All are well-written, clever and engaging. These are stories that can make you ache with feeling.
There are romantic relationships - queer and straight - that are fraught with difficulties, pain and loss. There are sisterly relationships; both affirming and fractious. There is a hint of the monstrous in each story, which seems to make each one evermore human.
The missing star between 4 and 5 is simply because some of the stories didn't hit 5/5 for me, personally, and you should definitely read salt slow for yourself as they may resonate with you perfectly.