Salt

By Maurice Gee

Book Overview

Salt is an utterly compelling fantasy adventure, the work of a master storyteller at the peak of his powers. When his father Tarl is captured and enslaved to work in Deep Salt, Hari vows to rescue him. This is a forbidding task: no one returns from Deep Salt. But Hari was born and raised in Blood Burrow. He's tough and smart--and he has a secret gift: he can communicate with animals. br> The beautiful Pearl, born into the privileged world of the ruling class known as Company, has learned forbidden things from her mysteriously gifted maid Tealeaf. Now her father has promised her in marriage to the powerful and ambitious Ottmar. But Pearl will never submit to a subordinate life, so she and Tealeaf must flee. When their paths cross, Hari and Pearl realize that together they must discover the secrets of Deep Salt. Their long journey through the badlands becomes far more than a quest to save Tarl--their world is on the brink of unspeakable terror. Maurice Gee is one of New Zealand's finest writers, with more than forty books for adults and young adults and a number of prestigious awards to his credit. Salt is the first volume of The Salt Trilogy, followed by Gool and Limping Man .

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1554693691
• ISBN13: 9781554693696
• Release Date: September 2011
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Hari's father, Tarl, has been captured and is sent to work in the mines of Deep Salt. No one ever returns from Deep Salt, and those that are found have died from a terrible sickness, alone in the vast caverns. Nobody knows what they harvest in those caves. Hari vows to rescue his father and sets out across the vast land. Though just a young boy from the poor area, Hari has a special weapon. He can talk to others silently and control their thoughts and actions. Pearl, daughter of a wealthy family, is fleeing with her maid, Tealeaf, from an arranged marriage that she does not want. Pearl, like Hari, has the gift of silent speaking. Pearl has learned this talent from Tealeaf, a mysterious woman who knows many things. Along the journey, Pearl and Hari meet. They set off together to find Tarl and to discover the terrible secrets of Deep Salt. What is being harvested there? What happens to the miners in Deep Salt? They must answer these questions before their world is destroyed by those who are hungry for power and willing to use Deep Salt's secrets for the worst. SALT is unlike any book I've ever read. It is filled with such a deep darkness, one that can only be described as twisted. Hari and Pearl were interesting characters, each with their own motives. Their journey was enthralling and terrifying. Tealeaf was a wonderful secondary character who had what seemed to be an unlimited amount of knowledge about unusual things. The writing style was rather odd and took some getting used to. I enjoyed the general idea of the book, but the writing made it hard to get into at times. Reviewed by: McKenzie Tritt

a wonderful little story

Maurice Gee starts off a wonderful tale here, something I'm a little irked about considering the wait until the next book comes out. The book is quite reminiscent of standard high school novel "The Chrysalids" by John Wyndham and "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore. All are novels with intricately drawn worlds, making you feel as if you can see and hear the characters surroundings. Also, all feature several characters with powers or ability that make them different than the angry, harsh mobs of people that surround them. I zoomed through "Salt", captivated by the characters. Pearl, the female lead, was a fairly typical spoiled girl, but the male protagonist, Hari, was better characterized. He was a little too bitter and rough to relate to at the beginning but the gradual roughening of Pearl and the softening of Hari as the two bond throughout the novel is the best part of the book. Though it contains violence and some implied sexuality, the book is aimed towards a younger teen audience. It's definitely worth a read.