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About the Book
I'll Give You the Sun meets Normal People in Cassandra Hartt's The Sea Is Salt and So Am I, a stunning YA contemporary debut that asks if the secrets we keep and the people we love can change who we are.Book Synopsis
I'll Give You the Sun meets Normal People in Cassandra Hartt's The Sea Is Salt and So Am I, a stunning YA contemporary debut that asks if the secrets we keep and the people we love can change who we are.
Achingly beautiful."--Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart Turbulent and tender, this deeply-felt debut will make your heart swell time and time again.--Julia Drake, author of The Last True Poets of the Sea West Finch is one hurricane away from falling into the sea. Yet sixteen-year-old Harlow Prout is determined to save her small Maine hometown. If only she could stop getting in her own way and find someone, anyone, willing to help. But her best friend Ellis MacQueen "fixes" problems by running away from them--including his broken relationship with his twin brother, Tommy. And Tommy's depression has hit a new low, so he's not up for fixing anything. In the wake of the town's latest devastating storm, Tommy goes out for a swim that he doesn't intend to survive. It's his unexpected return that sets into motion a sea change between these three teens. One that tests old loyalties, sparks new romance, and uncovers painful secrets. And nothing stays secret in West Finch for long. Exquisitely honest and shimmering with emotion, The Sea is Salt and So Am I is a captivating multi-POV story that probes the depths of what it means to love and trust--both ourselves and others.Review Quotes
Praise for The Sea Is Salt And So Am I:
A July 2021 Kids' Indie Next Pick
A Bustle Best Debut of Spring 2021
About the Author
Cassandra Hartt grew up in upstate New York and Maine, where she spent most of her childhood among the seaside suburbs and rocky beaches that inspired the fictional town of West Finch. She went on to earn an English degree from Dartmouth College and currently works as a program manager for Google. She lives in the Bay Area and wishes she had a dog.Dimensions (Overall): 9.1 Inches (H) x 6.1 Inches (W) x 1.5 Inches (D)
Weight: 1.2 Pounds
Suggested Age: 14-17 Years
Number of Pages: 384
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Sub-Genre: Coming of Age
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Format: Hardcover
Author: Cassandra Hartt
Language: English
Street Date: June 8, 2021
TCIN: 80510413
UPC: 9781250619242
Item Number (DPCI): 247-48-3377
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1.5 inches length x 6.1 inches width x 9.1 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1.2 pounds
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4.0 out of 5 stars with 5 reviews
Beautiful, wrenching and complex
4 out of 5 stars
lurkykitty - 2 years ago
TW: attempted suicide, depression, death, injury The Sea is Salt and So Am I is presented as YA contemporary fiction. It is a character driven novel, set in a small coastal town in Maine which is washing into the sea as a result climate change. The writing is beautiful and stunning, the characters complex. The three main characters are teenagers Harlow, and identical twins Ellis and Tommy. Harlow and Ellis are best friends. Ellis and Tommy are estranged and Harlow and Tommy hate each other. Harlow is trying to save her town from being washed away, Ellis is a bi amputee and a serious track athlete and Tommy is an artist suffering from clinical depression. The story starts when Tommy goes into the frigid Atlantic Ocean in an attempt to commit suicide. Ellis and Harlow witness this and do nothing. Tommy's attempt is unsuccessful because he is rescued by a local lobster fisherman. Tommy is hospitalized for a week, and returns home to battle his depression. Harlow and Tommy start making out on the sly, and Ellis faces major challenges with his leg and how it negatively threatens his athletic future. Almost all the characters in this novel are flawed - the adults as well as the teens. Harlow and Ellis are unlikeable and their relationship is bizarre, toxic and codependent. I had great empathy for Tommy especially since his faithful dog is diagnosed with cancer shortly after his suicide attempt. The depiction of his struggle with depression was one of the most important parts of the story. The parenting in this book is poor and/or absent, and the toxic relationship between Harlow and Ellis seems to have developed unchecked by the adults. The relationship between Tommy and Harlow is also unhealthy. Harlow and Ellis have mental health issues serious enough that they also need counselling. The choices made by these teens are heart-wrenching to watch. I'm worried that some of the teen readers, to whom this book is marketed, might not be able to see how unhealthy these relationships are, and turn them into a "Team Ellis vs. Team Tommy" love triangle. In many ways, this book works as adult literary fiction and it would be advisable to read and discuss this book with your teenage children. There is much to unpack here with the environmental issues and numerous side plots. Secrets that explain the characters' motivations and behaviors are kept hidden from the reader until near the end. At times the book could be slow moving and the ending is inconclusive, leaves a lot unresolved, but seems to fit with the complexity of the story. In conclusion, and from the perspective of an adult, I really liked The Sea is Salt and So Am I, found it lyrically written and thought provoking. The coastal setting is atmospheric and beautifully depicted. Cassandra Hartt is definitely on my radar. #BookishFirst
Such a lovely read!
5 out of 5 stars
Madeleinexo - 2 years ago
This was such a dreamy read! This story takes place in a small town in Maine named West Finch. 16 year old Harlow Prout sets out on an adventure.. looking for anyone and everyone willing to help save her small hometown from falling into the sea. Storms and hurricanes of years past have damaged her town little by little. The book is heartbreaking at times but in a really beautiful way. There is a warning at the beginning of the book that alerts the reader to potential triggers to suicide and depression. Those sensitive to those topics should maybe steer clear of this read. The way the author describes Harlow’s town makes it so alive! I almost felt like it was another character in the book. You could almost hear the seagulls and the waves crashing into the shore. She had a wonderful way of writing that really makes you FEEL like you dove head first into the book. I am recommending this to all my friends and I’m doing the same to you!
I really wanted to love this one
2 out of 5 stars
Mishchinny - 2 years ago
The Sea is Salt and So Am I is a beautifully-written novel; a multi-perspective story centered around Harlow, Ellis and his twin brother Tommy in small-town Maine. TW: suicide attempts and mental illness/depression Oh, how I wanted to love this book and I started off really optimistic. Hartt does an amazing job with her storytelling and prose as well as having you feel invested in this small-town community (Cliff!); however, I really struggled to like Harlow and Ellis and I felt like their friendship was toxic. Where were their redemption arcs? The person I felt the worst for was Tommy. While understanding this book is labeled as "YA", this could give younger reads the wrong idea about friendships and relationships. As it relates to the ending, I can see why some people may love it but I did not. I felt like our characters deserved more of a resolution especially after all they go through during the course of the novel. Overall, I gave this book 2 stars since it just wasn't for me but I really wanted to love it. Thank you to BookishFirst for the opportunity to read this book!
Amazing!
5 out of 5 stars
Morgan - 2 years ago
This was an absolutely stunning novel, and I cannot believe this was a debut novel. The writing was so beautiful and descriptive, I never would have guessed that this was Cassandra Hartt's first novel. I really enjoyed reading about the dynamic relationship between Harlow, Ellis and Tommy. The characters each had distinct personalities, and I felt like we learned so much about them and the overall situation as the POV alternated between the three. In the author's note, Hartt wrote that she started with the idea of writing about a "friendship that felt as necessary as breathing," and I think that she accomplished just that. Harlow and Ellis felt very real, and their dialogue, overall dynamic, and difficult past were incredibly realistic and never felt forced. Despite the bumps in the road, their friendship is something that I think many aspire to have. I do wish that we had more questions answered in the end. I was hoping to learn more about the characters' futures and relationships rather than still being left with a few questions (unless this means that a sequel of some sort is coming because I would absolutely read that). Overall, this was a wonderful read, and I will be on the lookout for and eager to read anything else that Cassandra writes.
Growing Up is Complicated
4 out of 5 stars
capd - 2 years ago
Harlow and Ellis have been BFFs since her family came to down to study coast erosion. They've grown up, quite platonically, together. Ellis has a twin brother, Tommy, who's never been a part of their friendship and has felt disconnected from Ellis since Harlow became such a big part of his life. Harlow witnessed the accident that ended up with Ellis losing a the lower part of his right leg when they were young. Elli hasn't let that stop him though. His family has pushed and supported him to pursue his dreams in The Plan. Namely, excel at track, get a scholarship to a faraway college and do big things. All with Harlow. Harlow seems to be quite the busy body. She's always making plans, arguing for what she thinks is right and trying to fix things. Even things that shouldn't be hers to fix. Tommy is battling depression and suicidal thoughts. Art used to be his solace but medication and depression ruin it. A beloved neighbor saves him after an attempt, and then Harlow sets her sights on him as something to fix. How will this trio make it through high school, or even summer? Will their friendships survive? Will love blossom? Can brothers reconnect?