Song of the Saltings
By Rachael King
Review by Alex A
Song of the Saltings is the latest YA novel from Ōtautahi author Rachael King. The writing is lyrical and evocative, with a sense of quiet unease that sits just under the surface of the story, occasionally rearing its ghastly head. Nature and the natural world is a recurring theme, as well as oppression and natural justice.
Set on the fictitious island of Brack, village life is tough and unforgiving. There is no contact with the outside world, and the time period is ambiguous with a late-1800s lean. The gap between classes is stark, and the village follows a puritanical religion that emphasises tithing to the Council. They worship the Glimm: a fierce, god-like creature who haunts the salt marshes near the village. Each year, it requires a sacrifice to ensure a bountiful harvest.
Protagonist Lotta, 16, is a local girl of notoriety. When Lotta meets Moss, a hideling boy, on the marshes one day, she discovers she has a power that she doesn’t understand. But dark forces are at work, and the Council is determined to suppress any hint of transgression. Soon Lotta and Moss will discover long-buried secrets about the place they have grown up in and have to decide how far they’re willing to go to expose the truth.
The plot moves along at pace against a backdrop of sweeping, dramatic landscapes, descriptive passages about the nature, and small details that build up the world around the characters. Lotta and Moss make an excellent duo, and while their relationship becomes romantic, it is based on their strong friendship and shared values.
This book would be perfect for teenagers interested in fantasy and folklore, but also in social justice and history. Given the relative scarcity of YA novels being published in Aotearoa, I urge everyone to buy a copy to support our local talent.
Perfect for fans of Margaret Mahy’s The Haunting and Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising sequence.
