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Sal
Sal planned it for almost a year before they ran. She nicked an Ordnance Survey map from the school library. She bought a compass, a Bear Grylls knife, waterproofs, and a first aid kit from Amazon using stolen credit cards. She read the SAS Survival Handbook and watched loads of YouTube videos. And now Sal knows a lot of stuff. Like how to build a shelter and start a fire; how to estimate distances, snare rabbits, and shoot an air gun; and how to protect her sister, Peppa--because Peppa is ten, which is how old Sal was when Robert started on her.
Told in Sal's distinctive voice, and filled with the silent, dizzying beauty of rural Scotland, Sal is a disturbing, uplifting story of survival, of the kindness of strangers, and the irrepressible power of sisterly love, a love that can lead us to do extraordinary and unimaginable things.
Told in Sal's distinctive voice, and filled with the silent, dizzying beauty of rural Scotland, Sal is a disturbing, uplifting story of survival, of the kindness of strangers, and the irrepressible power of sisterly love, a love that can lead us to do extraordinary and unimaginable things.
234 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2018
About the author
Mick Kitson
5 books44 followersMick Kitson was born in South Wales and grew up in London. He studied English at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne before a brief spell as one half of 80s pop duo The Senators. He went on to work as a newspaper reporter before switching career again at the age of 40 to become an English Teacher.
He lives in Fife, Scotland with his wife Jill and bad tempered dog Lucy. He has three grown up children: Molly, Susie and Jimmy and spends more time than is good for a person fly fishing for sea trout, reading, playing the banjo and growing
Strawberries. He also builds boats.
He lives in Fife, Scotland with his wife Jill and bad tempered dog Lucy. He has three grown up children: Molly, Susie and Jimmy and spends more time than is good for a person fly fishing for sea trout, reading, playing the banjo and growing
Strawberries. He also builds boats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 398 reviews
April 5, 2018
When I finished this book last night, having read it in one day, I had no idea how to rate it and I really didn’t know what to say about it. I woke up thinking about these characters which for me personally is a sign that I have read something profound or at the very least thought provoking. This was an easy read from the language perspective, the matter of fact words of a thirteen year old girl, but it was at the same time disturbing, heartbreaking, and beautiful in the rendering of the love between two sisters.
Sal has been in survival mode for the last three years, enduring what no child ever should. If she tells anyone what’s happening, there’s a good chance that she and her ten year old sister Peppa will be separated. Her alcoholic mother is passed out often enough to be oblivious to what her alcoholic, drug addicted boyfriend is doing. But then survival mode takes on a much more literal meaning as Sal takes justice into her own hands and they run away to a forest somewhere in Scotland. Sal is on a mission to save Peppa from the same things she was forced to endure. I had that hard to describe feeling, a knot in my stomach from the beginning as Sal talks about how she sets aside her worrying time so she can focus on the survival skills she has learned on YouTube and the famous survival manual - building a fire, shooting an air gun, making rabbit snares, managing the basics of food and shelter in the woods and most of all caring for Peppa. I can’t say I liked reading about their time in the wild . I’m not much of a camper at all so I found none of the details interesting but I was so affected by these sisters. The seriousness of Sal was balanced by the bit of comic relief that Peppa provides with her desire to laugh, her off color language, surprising to come from a ten year old but she stole my heart as did Sal who cares for her.
Another character, Ingrid, a retired doctor who lives a secluded life in the woods befriends the girls, helps care for them and I thought played a role in getting them to move forward to a place where there could be a possibility for a different life. The ending was not what I expected given all that happened, but I finished the book hoping for the best for Sal and Peppa. It’s sad and thought provoking and impacted me enough to up my initial rating to 4 stars.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Canongate through NetGalley.
Sal has been in survival mode for the last three years, enduring what no child ever should. If she tells anyone what’s happening, there’s a good chance that she and her ten year old sister Peppa will be separated. Her alcoholic mother is passed out often enough to be oblivious to what her alcoholic, drug addicted boyfriend is doing. But then survival mode takes on a much more literal meaning as Sal takes justice into her own hands and they run away to a forest somewhere in Scotland. Sal is on a mission to save Peppa from the same things she was forced to endure. I had that hard to describe feeling, a knot in my stomach from the beginning as Sal talks about how she sets aside her worrying time so she can focus on the survival skills she has learned on YouTube and the famous survival manual - building a fire, shooting an air gun, making rabbit snares, managing the basics of food and shelter in the woods and most of all caring for Peppa. I can’t say I liked reading about their time in the wild . I’m not much of a camper at all so I found none of the details interesting but I was so affected by these sisters. The seriousness of Sal was balanced by the bit of comic relief that Peppa provides with her desire to laugh, her off color language, surprising to come from a ten year old but she stole my heart as did Sal who cares for her.
Another character, Ingrid, a retired doctor who lives a secluded life in the woods befriends the girls, helps care for them and I thought played a role in getting them to move forward to a place where there could be a possibility for a different life. The ending was not what I expected given all that happened, but I finished the book hoping for the best for Sal and Peppa. It’s sad and thought provoking and impacted me enough to up my initial rating to 4 stars.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Canongate through NetGalley.
July 23, 2021
What I thought this book would be: an action-packed survival story.
What it actually was: an emotionally-charged insight to the life of an abused teen who raises her younger sister and takes their futures into her own bloody hands. And also a survival story.
If you are considering checking this book out, I would highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator's Scottish accent and pronunciation of the local dialect was just incredible and really brought this story and these characters to life!
What it actually was: an emotionally-charged insight to the life of an abused teen who raises her younger sister and takes their futures into her own bloody hands. And also a survival story.
If you are considering checking this book out, I would highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator's Scottish accent and pronunciation of the local dialect was just incredible and really brought this story and these characters to life!
May 15, 2018
Pensive, adventurous, and moving!
Sal is a compelling tale that takes us on a journey into the lives of two young sisters as they learn to escape and survive both the predators and dangers found in the Scottish wilderness as well as those within their own home.
The prose is astute and vividly descriptive. The characters are witty, vulnerable, loyal, resourceful, and endearing. And the plot is a heart-wrenching story about alcoholism, sexual abuse, poverty, self-preservation, coming-of-age, innocence, morality, and selfless love.
Overall, Sal is a profound, sophisticated, inspiring novel that highlights the complex dynamics of sister relationships and does an exquisite job of reminding us just how indomitable the human spirit can truly be.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Sal is a compelling tale that takes us on a journey into the lives of two young sisters as they learn to escape and survive both the predators and dangers found in the Scottish wilderness as well as those within their own home.
The prose is astute and vividly descriptive. The characters are witty, vulnerable, loyal, resourceful, and endearing. And the plot is a heart-wrenching story about alcoholism, sexual abuse, poverty, self-preservation, coming-of-age, innocence, morality, and selfless love.
Overall, Sal is a profound, sophisticated, inspiring novel that highlights the complex dynamics of sister relationships and does an exquisite job of reminding us just how indomitable the human spirit can truly be.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
May 10, 2021
Most of the stuff I know, I know from Wikipedia and websites about things I am interested in, and also from YouTube videos and from TV. At school I was in a special unit for vulnerable learners where I could be online most of the day and I had to talk to Mrs Finlayson about my feelings. I know a lot about survival, making fires and shelters, snaring food, making bird traps, filtering water, reading tracks and watching the weather. …. . I know about trees and quite a lot of plants, especially if they are plants you can eat ….. I also know about cooking and food hygiene and quite a lot about health and common ailments and alcoholism which is a disease. I know how to nick stuff and how to read timetables and how to set up email accounts which you need if you are buying stuff on Amazon with dodgy cards. ……. … I can shoot with an airgun and cast a fishing rod… I can read a map, do grid references, plot a course with a compass and work out elevations and gradients. I have killed one person, quite a lot of fish and, so far, two rabbits.
Sal is a debut novel, with an interesting genesis. Its author Mick Kitson, a Scottish schoolteacher had always been frustrated at the books he taught in English literature class and had a pipe-dream of writing the type of book he would like to teach. The death of his father and the realisation of his own mortality prompted him to realise that ambition while he still could. The book was picked by the Observer as one of the debut novels to watch out for in 2018, the same feature in 2017 having picked 3 of the 4 novels which made the recent Shortlist for the Costa First Novel award.
The set up of the book is simple, yet very unusual. Salmarina (Sal) aged 13 and her mixed race half-sister Paula (Peppa) aged 10 have left the home where they live with their alcoholic mother and sexually abusive partner and made their way to a remote forested area in Southeast Scotland where they will make use of survival skills they have learnt from watching YouTube videos of people like Bear Grylls and Ray Mears, and some carefully assembled supplies. Very early on in the book Sal's first person narration reveals that what she did before she escaped and that both her drastic actions and escape were long premeditated to prevent the partner carrying out his threat to transfer his abuse to the growing Paula.
Sal is a fascinating character, partly with her obsession with facts and figures reminiscent of a certain type of young autistic narrator which is becoming a common literary figure, but completely unique given her huge levels of physical proficiency and thoughtful resourcefulness.
One [report from the vulnerable unit learning unit] said I was above average intelligence but suffering from severe dyslexia and an inability to recognise phoneme clusters and patterns. The other said I was of high intelligence and had an advanced reading age but suffered from severe cognitive impairment when it came to writing and remembering the spelling of words ...... I also got put in the unit because I never smiled, and stared at people, and other kids called me weird and they were worried I’d get bullied in the main school which was big and had about 2,500 kids in it. The report said I was ‘withdrawn, appeared socially isolated and seemed reluctant to form new friendships’. Which was true. I was like that. I still am.
Her younger sister sister is exuberant, sassy and foul mouthed, but equally striking - and the banter between them, despite everything they are going through, is deeply endearing.
The third character is Ingrid who they eventually camp with after she helps them out when Sal receives an infected wind from a pike bite.
Peppa said ‘Ingrid is really old Maw. She’s seventy-five.’ And Maw said ‘Never!’ ‘And she’s a doctor and she defected from the DDR in nineteen seventy-nine. And she was a hippie and got beaten up by the polis on the hippie convoy’ I said.
Large chunks of the book are taken up with Ingrid's back history, including the real life Battle Of the Beanfield and with her obsession with a Mother Goddess.
Overall a well conceived book which I can see appealing widely. It takes the popular SAS/survival/wild living trope and transfers it from posh upper class, English men to two Scottish young girls on the bottom of the social ladder. It also manages to create our complete sympathy for someone who’s actions we would normally question.
The book is also a very conscious modern reworking of classic adventure tales (Peppa reads Kidnapped during their escape) and I can easily imagine it becoming a school class book (as I believe the author hoped).
It was a little less appealing to me as I have never had the slightest interest in the Survival-in-the-wild type books (I had to Google the people mentioned to see who they were) and so found huge chunks of this book better skim-read.
My thanks to Canongate for an ARC via NetGalley.
October 14, 2019
Dieses Drama, das vom Autor in einem sehr außergewöhnlichen Setting platziert wurde, hat mich sehr positiv überrascht und ungemein berührt.
Die dreizehnjährige Sal hat eine furchtbare Kindheit hinter sich und versucht, durch unterschiedliche psychologische Überlebensstrategien nicht komplett unterzugehen. Dabei hat sie konsequenterweise tatsächlich den Ausweg Survival-Training gewählt, ist mit ihrer Schwester Peppa von zu Hause geflüchtet und lebt nun alleine mit ihr im Wald, fernab jeglicher Zivilisation. Sie hat ihre Flucht generalstabsmäßig geplant und sich alle Überlebenstricks und Aufgaben in der Wildnis durch das Internet beigebracht. Es zerreißt einem das Herz, wie dieses kleine noch nicht mal in der Pubertät befindliche Mädchen jeden Tag zwanghaft plant, wie Essen zu beschaffen, wie ein Unterstand zu bauen ist und wie die beiden Schwestern verhindern, von den Behörden gefunden zu werden.
Nach und nach wird dem Leser scheibchenweise konsistent enthüllt, warum diese einschneidende Maßnahme notwendig war: Der Mutter ist als Alkoholikerin alles total egal, ihr Lebensgefährte hat sich schon jahrelang an Sal vergangen und nun auch gedroht, Peppa zu vergewaltigen. Aus Liebe zu ihrer Schwester, um ihr das eigene Schicksal zu ersparen, sah Sal sich genötigt, den Stiefvater – quasi als proaktive Nothilfemaßnahme – zu ermorden. Komplett abgeklärt – fast als wäre Sal nicht betroffen, sondern nur teilnehmende Beobachterin – schildert das kleine traumatisierte Mädchen ganz sachlich ihre Beweggründe und Taten. Wer sich mit solchen Biografien auskennt, weiß genau, diese Distanz ist auch nur eine der Überlebensstrategien, anders – wie zum Beispiel mit Selbstmitleid – wäre dieses Leben gar nicht zu ertragen. Weil Sal ja auch schon mit ungefähr vier Jahren ihre Schwester auf Grund der Alkoholsucht ihrer Mutter versorgen und sich immer zusammenreißen musste, wird dem Leser eine uralte, abgeklärte, nur noch sachlich agierende, verletzte Seele im Körper eines Kindes präsentiert, das sich ständig sorgt und Probleme lösen will, bevor sie entstehen. Das hat mich tief getroffen, dass dieses Kind nie eine Kindheit hatte. Einzig in der Liebe zu Peppa taut Sal ein bisschen auf.
Als Peppa eine von Sal nicht proaktiv abgecheckte und eingeplante Verletzung erleidet, die sich in der Wildnis schnell zum lebensbedrohlichen Ereignis entwickelt, treffen die beiden Mädchen auf Ingrid, eine ebenso im Wald lebende ehemalige Ärztin und Aussteigerin, die durch ihre Vergangenheit in der DDR auch ein bisschen traumatisiert ist. Sie hilft den beiden Mädchen und gibt insbesondere Sal das erste Mal in ihrem Leben Halt und Liebe. Zeile um Zeile kann die LeserIn beobachten, wie Sal durch diese erste liebevolle Bezugsperson immer mehr Sicherheit bekommt, sich schrittweise öffnet und Vertrauen fasst. Auch Ingrid überwindet durch diese Beziehung ihre Depression und erzählt von ihrer Vergangenheit. Irgendwie ist diese ganze Geschichte angewandte Gesprächstherapie und Familienaufstellung, zu der letztendlich auch die Mutter und ein guter Freund der Familie noch irgendwie als reale Figuren und aufzuarbeitende Beziehungen dazukommen müssen.
Das Ende ist zwar offen, was mich aber ausnahmsweise gar nicht gestört hat, da es einen teilweise sehr schönen und nicht abrupten Abschluss hat: Die Erwachsenen entlassen Sal aus der Verantwortung für ihre Schwester und für ihr eigenes Leben, sie darf endlich Kind sein. Somit kann, muss und soll sich Sal nun auch ihren eigenen Taten stellen. Wie es weitergeht, steht zwar in den Sternen, aber ein wichtiger Anfang ist gemacht, damit alles gut werden kann.
Das Tempo der Handlung ist gemächlich, was aber absolut angebracht ist, um stehenzubleiben, innezuhalten und dieser Entwicklung auch den nötigen Raum geben zu können. Mick Kitson gelingt es meisterhaft, durch die kindliche Ich-Erzählweise, authentisch alle Gefühle zu transportieren. Mich hat zudem gerade dieser distanzierte, oftmals sachliche Erzählstil des Mädchens häufig zu Tränen gerührt.
Fazit: Ich habe mitgefühlt, gefroren, gehungert, gebangt, geweint, gehasst, geliebt und geschmunzelt. Eine großartige, konsistente Geschichte und psychologische Analyse, wundervoll dargestellte Beziehungen, eine grandiose Entwicklung der Protagonisten mit einem sich vielleicht in Zukunft andeutenden Happy End in einem innovativen Setting sehr menschlich präsentiert. Absolute Leseempfehlung von mir.
Die dreizehnjährige Sal hat eine furchtbare Kindheit hinter sich und versucht, durch unterschiedliche psychologische Überlebensstrategien nicht komplett unterzugehen. Dabei hat sie konsequenterweise tatsächlich den Ausweg Survival-Training gewählt, ist mit ihrer Schwester Peppa von zu Hause geflüchtet und lebt nun alleine mit ihr im Wald, fernab jeglicher Zivilisation. Sie hat ihre Flucht generalstabsmäßig geplant und sich alle Überlebenstricks und Aufgaben in der Wildnis durch das Internet beigebracht. Es zerreißt einem das Herz, wie dieses kleine noch nicht mal in der Pubertät befindliche Mädchen jeden Tag zwanghaft plant, wie Essen zu beschaffen, wie ein Unterstand zu bauen ist und wie die beiden Schwestern verhindern, von den Behörden gefunden zu werden.
Nach und nach wird dem Leser scheibchenweise konsistent enthüllt, warum diese einschneidende Maßnahme notwendig war: Der Mutter ist als Alkoholikerin alles total egal, ihr Lebensgefährte hat sich schon jahrelang an Sal vergangen und nun auch gedroht, Peppa zu vergewaltigen. Aus Liebe zu ihrer Schwester, um ihr das eigene Schicksal zu ersparen, sah Sal sich genötigt, den Stiefvater – quasi als proaktive Nothilfemaßnahme – zu ermorden. Komplett abgeklärt – fast als wäre Sal nicht betroffen, sondern nur teilnehmende Beobachterin – schildert das kleine traumatisierte Mädchen ganz sachlich ihre Beweggründe und Taten. Wer sich mit solchen Biografien auskennt, weiß genau, diese Distanz ist auch nur eine der Überlebensstrategien, anders – wie zum Beispiel mit Selbstmitleid – wäre dieses Leben gar nicht zu ertragen. Weil Sal ja auch schon mit ungefähr vier Jahren ihre Schwester auf Grund der Alkoholsucht ihrer Mutter versorgen und sich immer zusammenreißen musste, wird dem Leser eine uralte, abgeklärte, nur noch sachlich agierende, verletzte Seele im Körper eines Kindes präsentiert, das sich ständig sorgt und Probleme lösen will, bevor sie entstehen. Das hat mich tief getroffen, dass dieses Kind nie eine Kindheit hatte. Einzig in der Liebe zu Peppa taut Sal ein bisschen auf.
Als Peppa eine von Sal nicht proaktiv abgecheckte und eingeplante Verletzung erleidet, die sich in der Wildnis schnell zum lebensbedrohlichen Ereignis entwickelt, treffen die beiden Mädchen auf Ingrid, eine ebenso im Wald lebende ehemalige Ärztin und Aussteigerin, die durch ihre Vergangenheit in der DDR auch ein bisschen traumatisiert ist. Sie hilft den beiden Mädchen und gibt insbesondere Sal das erste Mal in ihrem Leben Halt und Liebe. Zeile um Zeile kann die LeserIn beobachten, wie Sal durch diese erste liebevolle Bezugsperson immer mehr Sicherheit bekommt, sich schrittweise öffnet und Vertrauen fasst. Auch Ingrid überwindet durch diese Beziehung ihre Depression und erzählt von ihrer Vergangenheit. Irgendwie ist diese ganze Geschichte angewandte Gesprächstherapie und Familienaufstellung, zu der letztendlich auch die Mutter und ein guter Freund der Familie noch irgendwie als reale Figuren und aufzuarbeitende Beziehungen dazukommen müssen.
Das Ende ist zwar offen, was mich aber ausnahmsweise gar nicht gestört hat, da es einen teilweise sehr schönen und nicht abrupten Abschluss hat: Die Erwachsenen entlassen Sal aus der Verantwortung für ihre Schwester und für ihr eigenes Leben, sie darf endlich Kind sein. Somit kann, muss und soll sich Sal nun auch ihren eigenen Taten stellen. Wie es weitergeht, steht zwar in den Sternen, aber ein wichtiger Anfang ist gemacht, damit alles gut werden kann.
Das Tempo der Handlung ist gemächlich, was aber absolut angebracht ist, um stehenzubleiben, innezuhalten und dieser Entwicklung auch den nötigen Raum geben zu können. Mick Kitson gelingt es meisterhaft, durch die kindliche Ich-Erzählweise, authentisch alle Gefühle zu transportieren. Mich hat zudem gerade dieser distanzierte, oftmals sachliche Erzählstil des Mädchens häufig zu Tränen gerührt.
Fazit: Ich habe mitgefühlt, gefroren, gehungert, gebangt, geweint, gehasst, geliebt und geschmunzelt. Eine großartige, konsistente Geschichte und psychologische Analyse, wundervoll dargestellte Beziehungen, eine grandiose Entwicklung der Protagonisten mit einem sich vielleicht in Zukunft andeutenden Happy End in einem innovativen Setting sehr menschlich präsentiert. Absolute Leseempfehlung von mir.
March 3, 2018
In brief - I need to think about this one. For me it's not 2 star and it's not 5 star either - in the end I'm going for 4 star. I would not have stopped reading it either. However I just want to think through the odd reservation that I have.
Sal is with her little sister Peppa. Sal is 13 and her sister is 10. They are "surviving" on their own in a somewhat remote part of south west Scotland. Sal has prepared their escape. Sal is excitable and knowledgeable about survival though mostly from YouTube videos. The reason for their escape is revealed quite early on in the book. The voice of the book, Sal's, seemed a little strange initially. As the story develops however we learn more and more about Sal and the narrative style makes more sense.
There are times when this is quite a hard book to read. It can be quite dark in its way. That darkness is mitigated by the writing I think. The story felt understated at times when for me it should have been even harder hitting. That said my eyes were unaccountably damp sometimes! It does feel as though the narrative rambles at times. Often it is with Sal in current time however it frequently goes back to past experiences she has had or to the planning for their escape. The more you find out about Sal the more it all makes sense.
There are a couple of other characters in this story. "Maw" is someone who takes little explaining allowing the ability to understand some Scottish accent! There is another character called Ingrid who is important to the tale. I understand why there is a need for her however there are times when she did seem to dominate the story.
I would never have thought of stopping reading this and I guess I was fairly convinced by the story however not completely. Equally though I don't think it ever quite gripped me in the way I thought it would. I guess that there is a fine line between powerful and naive and something more contrived. Very readable and probably over 3.5/5 for me.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fiction/sal-mic...
Sal is with her little sister Peppa. Sal is 13 and her sister is 10. They are "surviving" on their own in a somewhat remote part of south west Scotland. Sal has prepared their escape. Sal is excitable and knowledgeable about survival though mostly from YouTube videos. The reason for their escape is revealed quite early on in the book. The voice of the book, Sal's, seemed a little strange initially. As the story develops however we learn more and more about Sal and the narrative style makes more sense.
There are times when this is quite a hard book to read. It can be quite dark in its way. That darkness is mitigated by the writing I think. The story felt understated at times when for me it should have been even harder hitting. That said my eyes were unaccountably damp sometimes! It does feel as though the narrative rambles at times. Often it is with Sal in current time however it frequently goes back to past experiences she has had or to the planning for their escape. The more you find out about Sal the more it all makes sense.
There are a couple of other characters in this story. "Maw" is someone who takes little explaining allowing the ability to understand some Scottish accent! There is another character called Ingrid who is important to the tale. I understand why there is a need for her however there are times when she did seem to dominate the story.
I would never have thought of stopping reading this and I guess I was fairly convinced by the story however not completely. Equally though I don't think it ever quite gripped me in the way I thought it would. I guess that there is a fine line between powerful and naive and something more contrived. Very readable and probably over 3.5/5 for me.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/fiction/sal-mic...
June 13, 2018
Wilderness survival stories are really compelling, particularly for a lifelong city dweller. And so having recently read a book and seen a movie on the subject, this one was an easy choice. Though I didn’t expect it to be quite so good. Child protagonists can be difficult to get right, but Kitson does it with flying colors. Sal and her sister Peppa are as authentic, realistic, smart, able and engaging as you can possibly wish literary characters to be. It is precisely those qualities that enable them to flee a terrible repercussion of an abusive situation and set up a base camp in Scottish woods. The situation that can’t be sustained, but is surprisingly viable for the duration, mostly due to Sal's meticulous level of preparation. Even if you’re not into survival stories, this book will draw you in, it simply has too much to offer, from terrific characters to vividly detailed surroundings and some heavy duty emotional drama. And yet the author never takes the latter as a permission to get overly sentimental, the narrative stays as tough as Sal, which is formidable indeed. I loved the writing, thought it suited the story perfectly, very simple economic sentence structure, conveys all it must, nothing extraneous. And it manages to convey sadness without veering into depressing territory. Pretty much a one sitting read, completely immersive and enjoyable. Lovely find. Enthusiastically recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
November 4, 2022
לסקירה מפורטת בעיברית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/סאל-...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/סאל-...
January 4, 2020
De dertienjarige Sal wordt al langere tijd misbruikt door haar stiefvader, maar wanneer haar zusje Peppa tien jaar oud wordt weet ze dat de tijd begint te dringen. Dit was immers de leeftijd waarop haar stiefvader zich voor het eerst aan haar vergreep. In een poging om haar zusje tegen hem te beschermen bereidt ze hun ontsnapping zorgvuldig voor en vlucht ze samen met Peppa de Schotse wildernis in. Eenmaal daar aangekomen wacht hen een nieuwe werkelijkheid die vooral gericht is op het overleven in de woeste natuur.
Het verhaal is geschreven vanuit het perspectief van Sal en ik vond dit één van de meest sterke en geloofwaardige kindperspectieven die ik gelezen heb. De onderlinge relatie tussen Sal en Peppa is hartverwarmend, en de impact van het (vroegkinderlijke) trauma van beide meisjes is zeer treffend beschreven, zónder dat Kitson vervalt in te volwassen taalgebruik of in het letterlijk benoemen, en dat is wat mij betreft de grootste kracht van dit boek. Voeg hier de prachtige natuurbeschrijvingen en de onverwoestbare overlevingsdrang aan toe en je weet dat dit boek je niet snel meer los zal laten. Hartverwarmend en hartverscheurend tegelijk en na het uitlezen van dit boek heb ik beide meisjes in mijn hart gesloten. 💙
Het verhaal is geschreven vanuit het perspectief van Sal en ik vond dit één van de meest sterke en geloofwaardige kindperspectieven die ik gelezen heb. De onderlinge relatie tussen Sal en Peppa is hartverwarmend, en de impact van het (vroegkinderlijke) trauma van beide meisjes is zeer treffend beschreven, zónder dat Kitson vervalt in te volwassen taalgebruik of in het letterlijk benoemen, en dat is wat mij betreft de grootste kracht van dit boek. Voeg hier de prachtige natuurbeschrijvingen en de onverwoestbare overlevingsdrang aan toe en je weet dat dit boek je niet snel meer los zal laten. Hartverwarmend en hartverscheurend tegelijk en na het uitlezen van dit boek heb ik beide meisjes in mijn hart gesloten. 💙
April 4, 2018
A story of two young girls Sal (13) and Peppa (10) who are hiding in the wilderness from the Police (Polis to them) after Sal kills their mother’s boyfriend after years of abuse.
It is a dark tale of abuse, alcoholism, and the lengths Sal will go through to keep her sister safe. It reminded me of “My Side of the Mountain” and the descriptions of surviving in the wilderness were very authentic. I think that I would have rated it higher if the content weren’t so uncomfortable, so please, check it out for yourself.
All of the characters are very well written. Everyone will fall in love with Peppa’s unflagging spirit and spunk, she’s definitely a riot! And Sal’s unwavering strength and intelligence.
I was unsure of the narrative. It is told though the words of Sal, so it is full of slang and run-on sentences, which is realistic to being written by someone so young, but at the same time could get tedious and off track. It was sometimes hard to follow the changes in thought pattern. She tends to repeat herself and overlap her thoughts numerous times.
A story full of honesty and strength and the hardships even a little girl will go through to keep her family together.
I do highly recommend it but beware of a great amount of very uncomfortable subject matter.
If anyone reads or has read this book I would really love to hear your thoughts and opinions on it as I a very difficult time figuring out what to do with this book and I’d love to hear what others thought… It would make an amazing book club read!
It is a dark tale of abuse, alcoholism, and the lengths Sal will go through to keep her sister safe. It reminded me of “My Side of the Mountain” and the descriptions of surviving in the wilderness were very authentic. I think that I would have rated it higher if the content weren’t so uncomfortable, so please, check it out for yourself.
All of the characters are very well written. Everyone will fall in love with Peppa’s unflagging spirit and spunk, she’s definitely a riot! And Sal’s unwavering strength and intelligence.
I was unsure of the narrative. It is told though the words of Sal, so it is full of slang and run-on sentences, which is realistic to being written by someone so young, but at the same time could get tedious and off track. It was sometimes hard to follow the changes in thought pattern. She tends to repeat herself and overlap her thoughts numerous times.
A story full of honesty and strength and the hardships even a little girl will go through to keep her family together.
I do highly recommend it but beware of a great amount of very uncomfortable subject matter.
If anyone reads or has read this book I would really love to hear your thoughts and opinions on it as I a very difficult time figuring out what to do with this book and I’d love to hear what others thought… It would make an amazing book club read!
April 17, 2018
A heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting, story of two sisters who run away from home and venture into the Scottish wilderness after the eldest, Sal, commits an (arguably, justifiable) crime.
Four things that I loved best about Sal:
1. Despite some dark themes—abuse, neglect, alcoholism, etc.—this is a surprisingly delightful novel. It was compulsively readable; the darkness didn’t weigh the text down or diminish its beauty, as it sometimes can.
2. The sisters, Sal and Peppa, and their relationship to one another are beautifully and realistically drawn. And the dialogue is extremely believable. It was no surprise to learn that the author is a school teacher.
3. The characters are immensely relatable. Sal is deeply concerned with keeping them safe and alive in the forest, and thus has done A LOT of research, which is completely in line with her personality. Peppa, on the other hand, is cheerful, loud, active, and always hungry. Eager to help her sister, and yet, still a typical capricious 10-year-old.
4. Anything off-the-grid or survivalist-related holds an immense amount of appeal to me—it’s just so fascinating! You might even learn a thing or two.
Powerful, endearing, and memorable, Sal is one of those books I will definitely want to revisit soon.
Four things that I loved best about Sal:
1. Despite some dark themes—abuse, neglect, alcoholism, etc.—this is a surprisingly delightful novel. It was compulsively readable; the darkness didn’t weigh the text down or diminish its beauty, as it sometimes can.
2. The sisters, Sal and Peppa, and their relationship to one another are beautifully and realistically drawn. And the dialogue is extremely believable. It was no surprise to learn that the author is a school teacher.
3. The characters are immensely relatable. Sal is deeply concerned with keeping them safe and alive in the forest, and thus has done A LOT of research, which is completely in line with her personality. Peppa, on the other hand, is cheerful, loud, active, and always hungry. Eager to help her sister, and yet, still a typical capricious 10-year-old.
4. Anything off-the-grid or survivalist-related holds an immense amount of appeal to me—it’s just so fascinating! You might even learn a thing or two.
Powerful, endearing, and memorable, Sal is one of those books I will definitely want to revisit soon.
August 13, 2018
Sal, by Mick Kitson, tells the story of thirteen year old Sal Brown who runs away with her ten year old sister, Peppa, following horrific events at their flat in coastal Scotland. Sal is determined to keep her little sister safe and to ensure that Peppa does not suffer the abuse that Sal has endured for years. They have been unable to seek outside help as siblings put into the care system are too often separated. Sal has looked after Peppa since she was a baby alongside caring for their alcoholic mother. The threat of care has been used many times to ensure the girls do not report their mother’s neglect, nor the way her current boyfriend treats them.
Sal is not like other children. She carefully orders all that is inside her head and conducts research to gain in depth knowledge of facts that interest her. When her mind wanders she becomes disorientated and struggles to breath. She rarely smiles.
Once Sal decided she would need to take Peppa away for her own safety she set about preparing everything they might need. Using Youtube videos and other internet sites she taught herself new skills, gathered together necessary clothes and equipment, and planned every element of their escape in detail.
Sal believed they would be safest living in a remote forested area, building a shelter and hunting for food as she had watched the likes of Bear Grylls do on television. Her experience of the police convinced her that they are not clever enough to work out where the girls will have gone, so long as they limit the trail left and stay hidden. It is people who are dangerous. Missing city girls are not expected to be capable of wild living.
The tale is told in Sal’s voice so the reader understands the practical nature of her thinking. In flashbacks the reasons for the girls’ escape is revealed. It is a devastating indictment of a system that should be functioning to protect vulnerable children, dealing with causes rather than the effects.
Sal and Peppa’s life in the forest presents difficulties that Sal shows skill and creativity in attempting to overcome. Peppa is a livewire and lacks Sal’s wary reticence. The younger girl is more willing to trust and befriend. The forests of Western Scotland may be remote but they attract walkers and holidaymakers. The sisters have been reported missing and triggered a media campaign. They run risks if they are seen.
The story is beautifully told with characters introduced to demonstrate that human kindness exists and that even badly damaged people need not turn bad. The rule of law and authority is shown to be a blunt instrument that requires a humane interpretation, too often lacking.
This is a deceptively simple, nuanced tale that I sat up late to finish, needing to know the outcome of Sal’s actions and ongoing behaviour. It is a story that is both heart-warming and heart-rending.
Sal is not like other children. She carefully orders all that is inside her head and conducts research to gain in depth knowledge of facts that interest her. When her mind wanders she becomes disorientated and struggles to breath. She rarely smiles.
Once Sal decided she would need to take Peppa away for her own safety she set about preparing everything they might need. Using Youtube videos and other internet sites she taught herself new skills, gathered together necessary clothes and equipment, and planned every element of their escape in detail.
Sal believed they would be safest living in a remote forested area, building a shelter and hunting for food as she had watched the likes of Bear Grylls do on television. Her experience of the police convinced her that they are not clever enough to work out where the girls will have gone, so long as they limit the trail left and stay hidden. It is people who are dangerous. Missing city girls are not expected to be capable of wild living.
The tale is told in Sal’s voice so the reader understands the practical nature of her thinking. In flashbacks the reasons for the girls’ escape is revealed. It is a devastating indictment of a system that should be functioning to protect vulnerable children, dealing with causes rather than the effects.
Sal and Peppa’s life in the forest presents difficulties that Sal shows skill and creativity in attempting to overcome. Peppa is a livewire and lacks Sal’s wary reticence. The younger girl is more willing to trust and befriend. The forests of Western Scotland may be remote but they attract walkers and holidaymakers. The sisters have been reported missing and triggered a media campaign. They run risks if they are seen.
The story is beautifully told with characters introduced to demonstrate that human kindness exists and that even badly damaged people need not turn bad. The rule of law and authority is shown to be a blunt instrument that requires a humane interpretation, too often lacking.
This is a deceptively simple, nuanced tale that I sat up late to finish, needing to know the outcome of Sal’s actions and ongoing behaviour. It is a story that is both heart-warming and heart-rending.
March 4, 2018
Sal and Peppa live in the woods. They sleep in their shelters, feast on the rabbits they snare and hope and hope that no one will find them. It took Sal nearly a year to plan and organise their small exodus; she researched how to build fires, how to catch fish, how to survive in the wilderness, how to create a small world for she and her sister amid the trees and the rivers and the mountains. And life, despite all its worries and fears, is brighter. Because now Peppa need not be afraid of Robert and the things he did to Sal. Now they are free, the troubles of before are cuffs they have shaken off and left behind. No one can hurt them.
These characters are two of the most endearing and inspirational I have come across. I loved Peppa for her confidence, humour and fire. And I loved Sal for her intelligence, bravery and heart. They both possess a vast fortitude and in the face of fear and danger show magnificent resilience. They have been forced to face some of life’s worst cruelties and through it all, those fragile embers of innocence and hope continue to flicker. I loved these characters to bits – I don’t think it’s possible to read this book and not to fall in love with them.
With a backdrop of snow and silence, the harsh yet incredibly beautiful location of Scotland really drew me even further into the lives of thirteen-year-old Sal and ten-year-old Peppa. I was fascinated by the way they adapted to life in the woods and how they persevered through life‘s hardships. Sal’s voice is one I will never forget. Mick Kitson’s depiction of these two girls and their journey is such a powerful one. I can hardly put into words how much I enjoyed this book.
Sal for me is a very special book. It’s testament to the strength and bravery of children but it’s also a nod to the infinite depth of love between sisters. I can’t recommend this book enough. At times it makes your heart ache with its sadness and tragedy and others it’s feels as if you could burst with love and admiration for these two extraordinary girls. Please read it – this book could never disappoint!
Compelling. Touching. Beautiful.
These characters are two of the most endearing and inspirational I have come across. I loved Peppa for her confidence, humour and fire. And I loved Sal for her intelligence, bravery and heart. They both possess a vast fortitude and in the face of fear and danger show magnificent resilience. They have been forced to face some of life’s worst cruelties and through it all, those fragile embers of innocence and hope continue to flicker. I loved these characters to bits – I don’t think it’s possible to read this book and not to fall in love with them.
With a backdrop of snow and silence, the harsh yet incredibly beautiful location of Scotland really drew me even further into the lives of thirteen-year-old Sal and ten-year-old Peppa. I was fascinated by the way they adapted to life in the woods and how they persevered through life‘s hardships. Sal’s voice is one I will never forget. Mick Kitson’s depiction of these two girls and their journey is such a powerful one. I can hardly put into words how much I enjoyed this book.
Sal for me is a very special book. It’s testament to the strength and bravery of children but it’s also a nod to the infinite depth of love between sisters. I can’t recommend this book enough. At times it makes your heart ache with its sadness and tragedy and others it’s feels as if you could burst with love and admiration for these two extraordinary girls. Please read it – this book could never disappoint!
Compelling. Touching. Beautiful.
December 3, 2019
„Sal“ von Mick Kitson erzählt die Geschichte von Sal, die sich mit ihre jüngere Schwester Peppa in die schottische Wildnis begibt, um sie dort zu beschützen. Wir erfahren hier sehr detailliert was den Mädchen insbesondere Sal widerfahren ist und mit welchen familiären Problemen die Mädchen schon im jungen Alter zu kämpfen haben. Die einzelnen Charaktere werden einem als Leser hier sehr nah gebracht und die Geschichte insgesamt schockierte mich an einigen Stellen wirklich sehr! Der Autor schafft hier eine Atmosphäre, die so nüchtern und brutal/tragisch zugleich ist, dass ich kaum los kam. Der Survival-Aspekt hat mir innerhalb dieser Geschichte persönlich auch sehr sehr gut gefallen, denn vom Leben in der schottischen Wildnis erfahren wir hier jede Menge, sowohl von den schönen Seiten, als auch von den Problemen die dieses zurückgezogene Leben dort mit sich bringen. Man merkt, dass die beiden Hauptprotagonistinnen noch sehr jung sind und ich vermute, dass der Autor sich das zunutze machen wollte um einen gewissen Humor mit in ihre Worte zu legen, doch das glitt mir persönlich an einigen Stellen doch etwas zu sehr ins vulgäre ab... ich denke das ist einfach Geschmackssache, für mich persönlich hätte auf diese gewissen Aussagen und Worte verzichtet werden können, das hätte im Kontext meiner Meinung nach nicht gefehlt. Insgesamt hat mir das Buch aber gut gefallen und zeigt dem Leser eine tragische Geschichte junger Mädchen, die sich in ein abgeschottetes Leben in der schottischen Wildnis flüchten...
March 2, 2018
One cold October, thirteen-year-old Sal and her younger half-sister, Peppa, escape from their alcoholic mother and sexually abusive stepfather into the wilds of Scotland, setting up camp in Galloway Forest Park. Sal is well armed with survival skills, but the sisters won’t be able to hide forever. Sal is a compelling narrator because of her contradictions: she is simultaneously a child and an adult before her time. Regional slang and curse words give the novel an edgy charm. But there’s also a naïve sweetness to Sal’s thinking. Should be a rewarding read for teens and adults alike.
See my full review at Foreword.
See my full review at Foreword.
November 4, 2022
לא רציתי שיסתיים.
April 1, 2022
A unique read - the characters were written wonderfully and the overall plot was thought provoking but somehow it felt a little lacking in something I can’t put my finger on. The voice of the book was that of the main character - a 13 year old girl with quite a history and distinctive style and although in many ways this made it an interesting read, this is perhaps why it was sometimes a little abrupt.
December 15, 2017
Firstly, I loved reading this book, secondly I am aware that it could be a bit of a marmite book - for the survival purists it is a big leap of faith to accept the premise of the story which is that a 13 year old schoolgirl and her little sister can survive in the wild armed only with some bear grylls outdoor equipment and knowledge gleaned from youtube videos!
But as a Bear Grylls fanatic and would-be wild camper myself, I put aside any preconceptions and just rolled with it and found myself enchanted by the voice of Sal and entranced by the characters she meets especially the wonderful Ingrid.
Sal wants to escape the clutches of her alcoholic Mums abusive boyfriend Robert before he turns his attentions to her beloved little sister Pepper. So it follows that she needs to plan this very carefully using any means at her disposal which are mainly a thirst for knowledge and a canny nature.
For a whole year she endures the drunken violence whilst devouring youtube survival videos and binge watching every Bear Grylls episode she can find whilst plotting to escape. Using her stash of stolen credit cards she hoards Amazon and ebay purchases of outdoor all weather equipment and tools whilst planning and plotting their escape. Until she reaches breaking point and murders the brutish Robert and takes for the wilderness with her rucksack weighted down with Belvita biscuits and Dundee cake.
Into the forest they go and Sal proves to be a capable survivor, with guts and a rough at the edges love for her sibling, coupled with a rare vocabulary of swear words and the innate ability to be able to work out “What Bear Grylls would do” in any given situation. Her rough little voice struck a chord and I loved this kid.
It's delightful and captivating and oh so enjoyable, especially to the kind of reader who dreams of walking out of the door one day and taking up residence in an abandoned shack somewhere remote.
It reminded me of “The Outlander” by Gil Adamson The Outlander which is one of my all time favourite books and I am positive it will be a huge hit.
I genuinely felt bereft when I finished it, it’s one of those books where I really envy everyone who hasn’t read it yet because you’ve got it all ahead to enjoy. Pure reading delight.
But as a Bear Grylls fanatic and would-be wild camper myself, I put aside any preconceptions and just rolled with it and found myself enchanted by the voice of Sal and entranced by the characters she meets especially the wonderful Ingrid.
Sal wants to escape the clutches of her alcoholic Mums abusive boyfriend Robert before he turns his attentions to her beloved little sister Pepper. So it follows that she needs to plan this very carefully using any means at her disposal which are mainly a thirst for knowledge and a canny nature.
For a whole year she endures the drunken violence whilst devouring youtube survival videos and binge watching every Bear Grylls episode she can find whilst plotting to escape. Using her stash of stolen credit cards she hoards Amazon and ebay purchases of outdoor all weather equipment and tools whilst planning and plotting their escape. Until she reaches breaking point and murders the brutish Robert and takes for the wilderness with her rucksack weighted down with Belvita biscuits and Dundee cake.
Into the forest they go and Sal proves to be a capable survivor, with guts and a rough at the edges love for her sibling, coupled with a rare vocabulary of swear words and the innate ability to be able to work out “What Bear Grylls would do” in any given situation. Her rough little voice struck a chord and I loved this kid.
It's delightful and captivating and oh so enjoyable, especially to the kind of reader who dreams of walking out of the door one day and taking up residence in an abandoned shack somewhere remote.
It reminded me of “The Outlander” by Gil Adamson The Outlander which is one of my all time favourite books and I am positive it will be a huge hit.
I genuinely felt bereft when I finished it, it’s one of those books where I really envy everyone who hasn’t read it yet because you’ve got it all ahead to enjoy. Pure reading delight.
January 16, 2022
A love letter to wild, complicated, unconventional women, Sal is the story of two Scottish girls surviving the wilderness of Scotland after running away from home. This is a harrowing tale of a sexual abuse, and after spending months learning and planning how to survive, 13 year old Sal brutally murders her mother's boyfriend, takes everything she's learnt and her sister, and travels to the remote woods.
What's interesting about this is that Sal knows everything there is to surviving out there - she can kill a rabbit, gut a fish, build a shelter and has been preparing for months for this. And it actually makes sense. We're told how she would surf the internet in McDonalds, watching every Youtube video she could, how she would steal her mother's boyfriend's dodgy bank cards to pay for purchases - it wasn't mentioned but I presume she got those packages sent to Amazon lockers. It's all completely believable.
A third character joins the siblings later in the book, Ingrid, and we learn her story of growing up in post war Germany, defecting to England, moving to Scotland and eventually, choosing to live in the woods herself. I have seen videos online about these nomadic people who distance themselves from society, so this was fully believable and completely fascinating.
I was surprised by how good this book was, and at 230 pages I read it all in one sitting. The characters of Ingrid, Sal and Peppa leapt off the page and will stick with me for many years. I got this book in the Box Of Stories book box and it's the only one that hasn't let me down!
What's interesting about this is that Sal knows everything there is to surviving out there - she can kill a rabbit, gut a fish, build a shelter and has been preparing for months for this. And it actually makes sense. We're told how she would surf the internet in McDonalds, watching every Youtube video she could, how she would steal her mother's boyfriend's dodgy bank cards to pay for purchases - it wasn't mentioned but I presume she got those packages sent to Amazon lockers. It's all completely believable.
A third character joins the siblings later in the book, Ingrid, and we learn her story of growing up in post war Germany, defecting to England, moving to Scotland and eventually, choosing to live in the woods herself. I have seen videos online about these nomadic people who distance themselves from society, so this was fully believable and completely fascinating.
I was surprised by how good this book was, and at 230 pages I read it all in one sitting. The characters of Ingrid, Sal and Peppa leapt off the page and will stick with me for many years. I got this book in the Box Of Stories book box and it's the only one that hasn't let me down!
May 9, 2018
Sal is thirteen, her little sister Peppa is 10, and when the novel opens they are settling into their new home: the wilderness of Scotland. For three years, Sal has been preparing to run away from their abusive step-father and alcoholic mother, and her plan is finally put into action. She's learned to read survey maps, how to build a shelter, what to do in case of any possible emergency - all to protect Peppa.
Sal's voice is so distinctive and vivid; the writing brought me right into her character. She's been forced to grow up too soon, yet at the same time her bravery and love for Peppa are underscored by how young she truly is. I've encountered few characters as fully formed as Sal, and although we hear her own voice so much is revealed in her actions as well.
This is a quiet book of two sisters who are struggling to survive in the only way they know how. It balances dark themes with humor and an uplifted spirit that reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant. It's a little quirky, a little tragic, a little hopeful.
Sal's voice is so distinctive and vivid; the writing brought me right into her character. She's been forced to grow up too soon, yet at the same time her bravery and love for Peppa are underscored by how young she truly is. I've encountered few characters as fully formed as Sal, and although we hear her own voice so much is revealed in her actions as well.
This is a quiet book of two sisters who are struggling to survive in the only way they know how. It balances dark themes with humor and an uplifted spirit that reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant. It's a little quirky, a little tragic, a little hopeful.
July 17, 2018
That was... awful. The soul of a kaleidoscope story was slowly, gradually, page by page, tortured into a shrivelled, colourless dead thing.
My god, there was so much description--to the minute detail--that was 100 % uninteresting. If I wanted to read a nonfiction survival guide, I would have done so.
Then, Ingrid is introduced, and I realized I had to sit through her story being told at me. Great, more painfully boring, dense, emotionally-stunted prose. Hardly any dialogue, unkind little sister, and eons spent in the mc's head, circling round and round.
Story idea, I'm in! Execution... shoot me.
My god, there was so much description--to the minute detail--that was 100 % uninteresting. If I wanted to read a nonfiction survival guide, I would have done so.
Then, Ingrid is introduced, and I realized I had to sit through her story being told at me. Great, more painfully boring, dense, emotionally-stunted prose. Hardly any dialogue, unkind little sister, and eons spent in the mc's head, circling round and round.
Story idea, I'm in! Execution... shoot me.
July 21, 2018
What a great surprise! I went into this one completely blind and was met with a really solid storyline and great characters. It did take me a bit to get used to the Scottish dialect that was used just because it's different for me. But the story was so good and a bit heartbreaking. I really enjoyed it!
December 7, 2019
Conmovedora historia.
October 20, 2018
Emotivo, delicioso y triste.
August 17, 2019
Let me start this review by saying that if I weren't sick of those stories, I would have loved it. I really would have. Sal and Peppa are amazing characters, the author has a wonderful way of writing with Sal's voice, I had no problem believing in her and her smartness. I also think the author did a great choice by focusing on the survivalist elements instead of the ugly of the lives the sisters had. I'd even place this book in the nature-writing gendra, Kitson does a great job describing the forest and its wildlife. The best moments for me where those when Sal went hunting, truly amazing imagery. Ingrid should have her own mention, and she's why this book went to my "who-run-the-world-girls" shelve.
I'll have to add a "survival-girls-abused-by-their-father-figure" shelve sometimes... And I truly think I would've loved this book if only I hadn't read My Absolute Darling a few months before. Sure, the characters and the stories at their core were completely different. But I do think I met my absolute quota of girls being abused by relatives for the year. I don't know why I keep coming by these books (it started with My absolute darling, wich left a mark, then Gather the Daughters which was too disturbing for me to really enjoy, and Our Endless Numbered Days which suffered the comparison with My absolute Darling).
Is this some kind of trend ? But the thing is, even if I find those stories, or should I say those characters really compelling, I can't read anymore about girls being abused. I feel like I already learn about them way too much in the media, I don't need to be reminded over and over again how it is ugly and all kinds of badwrong. I also know it's a very naive and juvenile way of putting it, but I'm sick of those stories.
I realize I'm ranting without even rewieving the book now, I'll stop here.
I'll have to add a "survival-girls-abused-by-their-father-figure" shelve sometimes... And I truly think I would've loved this book if only I hadn't read My Absolute Darling a few months before. Sure, the characters and the stories at their core were completely different. But I do think I met my absolute quota of girls being abused by relatives for the year. I don't know why I keep coming by these books (it started with My absolute darling, wich left a mark, then Gather the Daughters which was too disturbing for me to really enjoy, and Our Endless Numbered Days which suffered the comparison with My absolute Darling).
Is this some kind of trend ? But the thing is, even if I find those stories, or should I say those characters really compelling, I can't read anymore about girls being abused. I feel like I already learn about them way too much in the media, I don't need to be reminded over and over again how it is ugly and all kinds of badwrong. I also know it's a very naive and juvenile way of putting it, but I'm sick of those stories.
I realize I'm ranting without even rewieving the book now, I'll stop here.
January 6, 2019
I went into this book expecting I will definitely love it. A few pages in and I started to find it rather slow and boring and decided to give it a go until at least half of the book, and I'm glad I did because I did end up enjoyed it.
This is a story about two young girls who runaway and go on an "adventure" and start taking care of themselves due to an abusive situation at home. The eldest daughter Sal starts to learn everything she can to survive in the forest. From how to light a fire to hunting to the essential medication needed if someone would get an infection. Stories like these tend to always have male characters taking the lead role, and if a little sister is included then she's just the side kick who tags along. But this book shows you how a thirteen-year-old was willing to create an intricate plan and risk everything to get out of the abuse that was going on just so no one would touch a strand of hair from her little sister. There's so much about this story that was great but there's also a few instances where I felt that something was off but wasn't able to put my hand on it.
I do have to mention that the first few pages that I found rather slow and boring could be attributed to the language or how it was written. There seemed to be too much details at the start when I haven't yet connected with any of the characters or the story and I felt that the pace was too slow and my eyes were scanning the words too fast. I was eager to know what happens next. But once I got hooked, once I reached a point where I found a steady rhythm with the pace and the language and was connected with the characters, I actually found myself eager to know all the detail that was going on. I wanted to know how she learned everything she learned, I wanted to know what happened at home, what she did to reduce period pains in the forest, how she found prey and how she skinned them. Suddenly all the small details started to feel relevant and important to the story. But I do still feel that maybe a few paragraphs here or there could have been omitted or for the pace to be quicker.
(I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
This is a story about two young girls who runaway and go on an "adventure" and start taking care of themselves due to an abusive situation at home. The eldest daughter Sal starts to learn everything she can to survive in the forest. From how to light a fire to hunting to the essential medication needed if someone would get an infection. Stories like these tend to always have male characters taking the lead role, and if a little sister is included then she's just the side kick who tags along. But this book shows you how a thirteen-year-old was willing to create an intricate plan and risk everything to get out of the abuse that was going on just so no one would touch a strand of hair from her little sister. There's so much about this story that was great but there's also a few instances where I felt that something was off but wasn't able to put my hand on it.
I do have to mention that the first few pages that I found rather slow and boring could be attributed to the language or how it was written. There seemed to be too much details at the start when I haven't yet connected with any of the characters or the story and I felt that the pace was too slow and my eyes were scanning the words too fast. I was eager to know what happens next. But once I got hooked, once I reached a point where I found a steady rhythm with the pace and the language and was connected with the characters, I actually found myself eager to know all the detail that was going on. I wanted to know how she learned everything she learned, I wanted to know what happened at home, what she did to reduce period pains in the forest, how she found prey and how she skinned them. Suddenly all the small details started to feel relevant and important to the story. But I do still feel that maybe a few paragraphs here or there could have been omitted or for the pace to be quicker.
(I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
January 16, 2019
El refugio no es una historia de acción; no encontrarás en él muchos diálogos, con lo cual, es algo pesado de leer ya que sus capítulos también son algo largos. No obstante, la trama me ha impactado muchísimo. Ver cómo dos hermanas de 13 y 10 años escapan de los horrores que viven y sobreviven solas en un bosque es apasionante a la par que doloroso. El personaje de Sal es una obra de arte, cómo aprende por ella misma todo para salvar a su hermana, a pesar de ser una cría, cómo la vemos crecer e incluso esconderse. Además, lleva a sus espaldas un gran peso por lo que ha hecho, aunque no se siente culpable, ahí es donde veo en ella a una mujer, una niña que ha crecido demasiado deprisa y que no ha tenido una infancia... Y es tan doloroso. Se me ha encogido el corazón en varias ocasiones por todo lo que ocurre, por Ingrid, por la madre de las niñas... Por toda la trama en general. Es una maravilla de libro con el que he tenido los sentimientos a flor de piel. Super recomendado si te gustan este tipo de historias. Si eres más de acción, no es tu libro.
August 31, 2018
It's a wilderness survival story of 13-year-old Sal and her 10-year-old sister Peppa who escape to the Scottish wilderness after Sal suffers years of sexual abuse from their stepfather. Their mother 'Maw' spends most of the time oblivious to their suffering due to her alcoholism. Determined to stop Peppa from facing the same abuse, Sal spent a year teaching herself Bear Grylls-style survival skills via YouTube before implementing her escape plan.
Told from the perspective of Sal, you really end up rooting for the two sisters especially when you find out more of their back-story as the story progressed. However I did find that some of the book was a bit implausible especially due to their age and time spent living in the wilderness. I think Kitson wrote Sal's distinctive voice very well but this book might not be for everyone due to its many dark themes that at times, were quite distressing to read.
Told from the perspective of Sal, you really end up rooting for the two sisters especially when you find out more of their back-story as the story progressed. However I did find that some of the book was a bit implausible especially due to their age and time spent living in the wilderness. I think Kitson wrote Sal's distinctive voice very well but this book might not be for everyone due to its many dark themes that at times, were quite distressing to read.
March 1, 2018
It’s difficult to broach the main theme of this book without giving too much away. Suffice to say that Sal commits the most serious of crimes and yet has the reader’s full sympathy. The book explores the extents to which Sal goes in the name of sisterly love but the most poignant aspect of the narrative is her endless support of her errant mother. A strong tension is created in that Sal’s stark recounting of events leaves the reader feeling far less sympathetic towards Maw.
I loved this book. It wasn’t for the fine detailing of Sal and Peppa’s time in the wilderness but for the compelling nature of the underlying story that Sal is telling throughout. The classic adventure stories that are referenced in the book are, superficially, the model for what this story itself is, but, at a deeper level, Sal leaves us questioning the society in which we live today.
I loved this book. It wasn’t for the fine detailing of Sal and Peppa’s time in the wilderness but for the compelling nature of the underlying story that Sal is telling throughout. The classic adventure stories that are referenced in the book are, superficially, the model for what this story itself is, but, at a deeper level, Sal leaves us questioning the society in which we live today.
August 19, 2020
Sal es una adolescente inteligente que planea huir al bosque con su hermanita después de matar a su padrastro. Planes todo meticulosamente y se prepara durante meses para sobrevivir.
Historia contada en primera persona por Sal la protagonista, en lo personal estoy acostumbrada a leer otro tipo de historias y creo que quizá por esa razón se me hizo lento y muy muy descriptivo. La historia es buena pero para mí fue muy lenta la trama y sin giros que me sorprendieran.
Libro sencillo que puedes leer con calma y sin ninguna prisa.
Reseña completa https://www.mentesliterales.com/2020/...
Historia contada en primera persona por Sal la protagonista, en lo personal estoy acostumbrada a leer otro tipo de historias y creo que quizá por esa razón se me hizo lento y muy muy descriptivo. La historia es buena pero para mí fue muy lenta la trama y sin giros que me sorprendieran.
Libro sencillo que puedes leer con calma y sin ninguna prisa.
Reseña completa https://www.mentesliterales.com/2020/...
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