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Book cover for Salt and Stillness

Salt and Stillness

by Marcus Reed

4.2(7,310)

A luminous novel about a father and daughter rebuilding a life on a windswept coast, and the small silences that hold a family together.

About this book

After the loss that no one in the family will name, Ada returns to the coastal town where she grew up to care for her aging father. Over the course of a single winter, they circle the things they cannot say.

Marcus Reed writes with extraordinary restraint, finding whole histories in a shared meal or an unanswered letter.

Ratings & reviews

4.2
7,310 ratings · 1,120 reviews
5
2,076
4
4,037
3
1,151
2
46
1
1
H

Hannah W.Verified

Jan 18, 2024

Utterly transporting

I read this in two sittings and immediately started again. The world-building is rich without ever slowing the story down, and the ending genuinely surprised me. Easily my favorite read of the year.

214 found this helpful

D

Devon M.Verified

Jan 5, 2024

Beautiful, if a little slow to start

The first hundred pages take their time, but once the story finds its footing it is impossible to put down. The prose is gorgeous throughout.

96 found this helpful

P

Priyanka S.

Dec 22, 2023

A new favorite

The characters feel like people I know. I was thinking about them for days after finishing. Cannot recommend enough.

63 found this helpful

T

Tom R.Verified

Dec 10, 2023

Good, not great

Solid and well written, but it did not quite live up to the hype for me. Still worth reading if the premise appeals to you.

41 found this helpful

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