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ABOVE THE SALT


KATHERINE VAZ

3.92
141 ratings53 reviews
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An irresistible and sweeping love story that follows two Portuguese refugees who
flee religious violence and reignite their budding romance in Civil-War America.

John Alves, son of a famous Presbyterian martyr on the Portuguese island of
Madeira, spends his childhood in jail and in poverty. When he meets Mary
Freitas—though the adopted daughter of a master botanist, her true lineage is
the subject of dangerous rumor—a spark kindles a lasting bond. But soon their
families must confront the rising blood tide of warfare between Catholics and
Protestants. Fleeing with only what they can carry, John and Mary are separated
and arrive at different times and places in a rapidly growing and changing
mid-nineteenth-century Illinois.

Years later, John settles into his life as an educator at Jacksonville’s
nationally renowned school for the deaf, and Mary is a gardener in Springfield
for handsome, wealthy Edward Moore. After John and Mary reconnect, the home of
rising politician Abraham Lincoln provides a prime setting for their courtship.
But conflict looms on the horizon, and John is torn. Should he join the Union
army to prove his loyalty to his new country, or should he stay to fight for the
chance to make a life with the one he loves?

And should Mary accept Edward’s marriage proposal since he is a partner in her
business of selling the miracle-berry fruit she transported from Madeira, or
should she choose her passion for John? Social jealousies and betrayals compound
the obstacles unleashed by the Civil War.

In poignant and lyrical prose, Katherine Vaz’s Above the Salt is a captivating
and beautiful tribute to the power of true love and the sacrifices we make to
harness it.
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GenresHistorical FictionFictionCivil WarHistoricalRomanceLiterary Fiction


432 pages, Hardcover

First published November 7, 2023

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KATHERINE VAZ

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

3.92
141 ratings53 reviews
5 stars

55 (39%)
4 stars

42 (29%)
3 stars

26 (18%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Melany
627 reviews91 followers
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October 30, 2023
This was breathtakingly beautiful. The author truly has a way with words, it
felt like this book swallowed me up but at the same time it was an emotional
Rollercoaster and a warm hug as well. So many emotions. The author's writing
style is so majestic. Absolutely beautiful! I'm not typically into historical
fictions but this one was truly beautiful.

I received this ARC from a Goodreads giveaway. All of the statements above are
my true opinions after fully reading this book.
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Jill
109 reviews6 followers
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October 18, 2023
Above the Salt by Katherine Vaz

Thank you to BookBrowse for the ARC of this delightful poetic language read.

This 19th century read follows soulmates John Alves and Mary Freitas, over eight
decades across Portugal and the United States. Meeting at a young age and
becoming friends during the blood tide of warfare between Catholics and
Protestants in Portugal, their families must flee and go to the United States,
where they are separated till meeting again a few years later.

Katherine Vaz’s exquisitely written love story will pull you in from beginning
to end. Because it is written in the the language of its time, it isn’t a quick
read. I found I had to slow down to savor the lyrical writing style of this
beautifully told love story. An author I did not know of and look forward to
reading more from her.





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Carrie
25 reviews2 followers
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August 31, 2023
An absorbing and engaging historical fiction covering multiple historic events.
First, the Portuguese anti-Protestant movement on the island of Madeira that
provides the back setting of the two main characters, John Alves and Mary
(Maria) Freitas, who by chance meet and a make lasting connection, but both must
flee the country to America. Thus, the premise of the plot is set, will they
meet again? The reader follows the life adventures of all the characters,
especially John as an American soldier and inventor working with Thomas Edison
and Mary as the obedient wife of Edward, a wealthy businessman, and her work
with her father, a famous botanist, plus her passion for fabric design, but many
others as well. Not an easy read because of the multitude of storylines,
subplots that one must follow, internal narratives and interactions between the
characters, but it is essential for the plot development, and so that the reader
can identify more readily with and feel for the characters, especially John and
Mary, their supporters and enemies, and some famous people, including not only
Thomas Edison but also Abraham Lincoln. These plot twists give the reader hope
and wonderment of the destiny of characters during the other historic events the
author interweaves so well: the American Civil War, the San Francisco
earthquake, and other, more minor ones as well. What are their secrets for
survival? Is it only marriage for Mary, and being a teacher for the deaf for
John, and where and who will provide them support, and who must they support?
Yes, John and Mary maintain contact, although not always successfully, but do
they meet again and if so, is there a reason and who would orchestrate it?
Overall, a highly recommended read, one which the reader receives a different
understanding of historic events and some people’s contribution and view of
these. Received the book from BookBrowse for an honest review

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Linda Zagon
1,432 reviews159 followers
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November 7, 2023
Katherine Vaz, the author of “Above the Salt,” has written a captivating,
poignant, and memorable novel. The genres for this novel are Historical Fiction,
Romance, Civil War, and Fiction. Katherine Vaz puts a magical feel in her prose,
and this well-written story vividly describes the scenery, landscape, plot, and
colorful and dramatic characters. John Alves and Mary Freitas are Portuguese
refugees from childhood to late adulthood. Much of the background history deals
with Catholics and Protestants friction and the time before, during, and after
the Civil War. John spent part of his childhood with his mother, a Protestant
martyr, in a jail in Madeira. John spent his young life in poverty and met Mary
Freitas, an adopted daughter of a famous Botanist. As conflict and war between
the two religions intensifies, both find themselves headed to America at
different times.

John becomes an educator for deaf students and experiments with ways to improve
the student’s learning mode. Mary and her father bring some “magical” plants to
the United States and work as gardeners for Edward Moore, a wealthy landowner.
Edward does help Mary with her business and would like to be engaged to her.

Mary has not forgotten John Alves. When they do meet again, many things have
changed. Some people are jealous and cause betrayal. The Start of the Civil War
complicates the relationships. I appreciate how the author discusses the
tragedies of the Civil War, the brutality, and the cost of lives. There were
twists and turns and some unexpected and emotional surprises.

I love the poetic images the author describes of nature and the symbolism of the
characters. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and heartfelt novel to
other readers. I found much of the background educational, and I became aware of
some things I didn’t know.
I look forward to reading more books from this author.
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Mary Robinson
331 reviews12 followers
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October 30, 2023
Definitely too long - I enjoyed the story but the oft repeated meetings and star
crossed lovers theme which spanned 8 decades and multiple cities became almost
Forrest Gump like in the events the main characters witnessed (meeting Abe
Lincoln, the battle of Shiloh, the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the Chicago
World's Fair, among others) Each event creating a reason one of the other
thought their eventual marriage and love was no longer possible. Enjoyable, but,
as I said, too long.


advanced-reader-copy-titles audio-book historical-fiction


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Elizabeth Graver
Author 16 books170 followers
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September 14, 2023
I was lucky enough to get to read this book in an early prepublication edition.
"Above the Salt" is a gorgeous, surprising novel, at once intricate and bold.
What, it asks us to consider, are our obligations to honor and love? How do we
build lives across divides of time and space? Katherine Vaz asks big questions
through a gorgeous tapestry of daily life while also providing a fascinating
window into the experience of Portuguese refugees from the island of Madeira to
the United States. I loved this book!


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Ralu Cat
28 reviews
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November 2, 2023
What a saga!!! If you like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, Laura
Esquivel or just the poetry of magical realism in general, this book is like
that, and *new*, and surprising. Lyrical, but the story flows in a clear line,
often fast paced, with no boring episodes. Full of unexpected twists and turns.
And what an epic *LOVE STORY* without any feeling of a "romance" book. I was so
pulled in by this story, I could barely put it down to go to sleep. Absolutely
amazing! I think the audio book will be a dream.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Goodreads for the giveaway win, and the
opportunity to read this ARC. Just... wow.
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Mike Rezendes
2 reviews2 followers
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October 10, 2023
As a Portuguese-American with family still living in the Azores, I’m a long-time
admirer of Katherine Vaz’s work (and was happy to blurb this book). I don’t know
of any writer as capable of expressing the unique quality of Luso sadness, more
formally known as saudade. It is a quality not easy to define, and even more
difficult to make a reader feel.

I think of it as an intense yearning for something you can barely remember, like
an essential dream that dissolves upon waking that you are trying desperately to
recall, and failing at the task. It has been expressed most effectively through
the plaintive voices of Fado singers over the past 200 years, with their
modern-day heirs enjoying a contemporary renaissance, not only in the
subterranean bars of Lisboa but on stages throughout the world.

In Vaz’s remarkable Above the Salt, a hallucinogenic saga of love and loss and
love regained set in the 19th Century, saudade is a constant. At the beginning,
a gardener with magical powers on the island of Madeira tells his young adopted
daughter that her mother and father live at the bottom of the ocean, where they
frolic happily with the sea creatures there. It’s a fairy tale that envelopes
the unforgettable Maria Feitas in the “joyful melancholy” that is “the heat of
the Portuguese soul.” And she lives with that feeling throughout her life,
through a series of connections and miscommunications with the love of her life,
the equally unforgettable John Alves.

In this sweeping tale, Vaz will take you to places you’ve never been, she will
weave an immigrant’s journey to New York, Illinois, Florida and California that
you have never experienced, and she will use language and imagery you have never
read. There will be, “leaves like crabs a child had cut from brown paper,” a
young granddaughter with a “storm-clearing smile,” “a boomerang of geese,” and
banana trees that “sway like tall, jeweled women with violent hair who are mad
to dance but only in one spot.”

Maria and John meet as children in the magical garden tended by Augusto Freitas.
They’re separated by the violent clashes between Catholics and Protestants in
the Madeira of the 1840s. And they meet again as immigrants in Illinois, where
they are shocked to re-discover one another and fall hopelessly in love.

The treachery of others and the American Civil War separate them once again,
perhaps irrevocably. And as the decades pass, and their separate lives unfold,
there is always saudade, the constant yearning for a lost love that is
rediscovered only at the end of their long lives. They are in their nineties
when Maria and John finally lie side by side, “our nights blessed,” John muses,
“dreams pink, this beloved earth, this hand in mine, this story of our lives.”
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Sara K
409 reviews
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November 18, 2023
I listened to this audiobook and it just did not connect with me. I was often
confused about what was going on. I found the characters to be ehh. The story
went on way longer than necessary, which may have added to the confusion and
lack of connection. It did not seem to flow, and was very complicated when
listening to. This seems to be a minority opinion, so may be worth considering
reading and not listening on audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.
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Lauren
1 review
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December 20, 2023
This book devastated me in the best way possible. The language was so beautiful
and the prose sings like a melody—not to mention how much I learned about
Portuguese immigrants from Madeira settling across the U.S. I loved the
interwoven facts about nature and tending plants and the complicated familial
dynamics. I was sad when I neared the end, savoring the last few pages like a
treat. This may be one of the best love stories ever told.

2023-reads


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Pat
4 reviews
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November 16, 2023
"Above the Salt" by Katherine Vaz is a masterpiece! I understand the novel took
its author 18 years to complete --and it shows. The language is gorgeous in this
love story of escape from religious persecution in 19th century Portugal.
The story is told to us as if from a higher realm of poetic beauty. In Vaz'
world, things morph into other things, creating a kind of synesthetic sense of
beauty and unity. It makes us see, as the author herself once said, that "magic
realism is real."


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Laura
357 reviews
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October 15, 2023
What I will remember most about this novel is the stunningly beautiful use of
words to convey feelings and images! The author possesses an amazing gift in her
ability to put into words things that I did not imagine could be described. This
is an immigration story, a war story, a historical drama, a family saga, but,
mostly a love story. I felt the longing and sorrow emanate from the pages. The
resiliency of the human spirit is exhibited many times over. I also gained a
deeper appreciation for the amount of uncertainty that was present in people’s
lives prior to modern methods of communication. I look forward to reading more
by this author.

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Laurie
4 reviews1 follower
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October 11, 2023
Above the Salt: Historical Fiction at its Finest
Based on a true story, Above The Salt by Katherine Vaz spans continents and
centuries to tell a sweeping saga of the human heart. So beautifully rendered in
its wisdom and details, I can't tell you many times I had to set the book down
just to ponder its powerful conflicts of the heart. Ms. Vaz did meticulous
research on all of topics covered in this lifelong love story of John Alves and
Mary Freitas. Starting with the conflict of Protestants and Catholics on the
Portuguese island of Madeira to the Presbyterian sponsored immigration of
persecuted Protestants to south central Illinois, the reader follows John and
Mary through the Civil War with many betrayals, missed connections, and
miscommunications ending in the early twentieth century with the San Francisco
earthquake and the early film industry. This is a must read for lovers of
historical fiction. One of my top books for the year.
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Kim McGee
3,104 reviews75 followers
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November 7, 2023
A generational saga of love, loss, religion and roots that begins in Madeira and
continues in the United States. As a child John and his mother flee Madeira with
Mary and her father and escape to the United States. They become separated and
over the years John becomes a teacher of deaf children while Mary and her father
are gardeners for a wealthy landowner in Illinois who is trying to grow
pineapple. John and Mary find each other again but it is too late for John as
Mary is engaged to Edward her patron. They have bad timing, different religions
and the Civil War is looming but theirs is a love for the ages. A very different
immigration story that incorporates the promise of freedom, ingenuity by
newcomers to the US and the war that will separate families, lovers and
communities. Written in what feels like an authentic voice this story will
enchant readers who want a different version of the Civil War. My thanks to the
publisher for the advance copy.
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Cathy O'c
56 reviews1 follower
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September 18, 2023
Epic Novel
Above the Salt is unlike any novel I have ever read. The author creates a tale
that follows the main characters across oceans and continents, through wars and
disasters. The writing style was a bit difficult at first, but soon became
almost like a lullaby with its vivid descriptions and lyrical rhythms. The world
inside this novel is so encompassing that even after over 400 pages, I was sad
to turn the last page. This is a magical tale that will stay with me. I believe
that Above the Salt will appeal to anyone who likes fiction full of engaging
characters, wound through with accurate historical details, and an unpredictable
but believable plot.
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Fran
673 reviews790 followers
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September 9, 2023
On the Portuguese island of Madeira, in the year 1840, five year old John Alves
starved in jail alongside his mother, Serafina. She was a Presbyterian who
refused to denounce her faith. "Music would feed them, they would feast upon
sounds...".

Augusto Freitas, a Catholic, led the protest to free John. Augusto was head
gardener of a Botanical Garden owned by aristocrats. He lovingly cared for the
plants and was devoted to his daughter, Maria.

Sparks of friendship ignited between John and Maria, however, contact was lost
when unrest between Catholics and Protestants caused each family, separately, to
seek refuge in America.

Maria had a gift for Madeiran needlepoint work. "Maria plies threads..." She and
her father cultivated plants. "On days dedicated to the trees, he wears a
bowtie, because in Portuguese it is called a butterfly and the trees appreciate
that...[he grows] a shrub with glossy dark pointed leaves and red berries...the
miracle-berry or miracle-fruit plant." The father-daughter team would try to
transplant the miracle shrubs in America.

New beginnings in Springfield, Illinois. John Alves studied sign language. He
worked on his Sound Machine. "If only the Sound Machine could capture the
gestures and swaying of his students and let the music be felt through the floor
so deafness is not a prison...they would feast upon sounds...music would feed
them...the melody of birds...to my listening ears all nature sings...Men are
studying about capturing sounds...".

Augusto Freitas was a "maestro" of plants with a specialty in grafting. He was
employed as head gardener on Edward Moore's estate. Edward's motto was "A
WISHBONE ain't as likely to get ye as far as a BACKBONE." Augusto and Maria,
worked side by side, trying to coax the transplant to root in this foreign soil.
Success as master botanists would not entitle them to truly mix with Edward and
his inner circle. They would always be viewed as "below the salt".

"Above the Salt" by Katherine Vaz is ultimately about the ebb and flow of love.
Is love enough? Perhaps not, when hindrances were religious or societal. The
outbreak of the Civil War compounded the obstacles and added the dimension of
the plight of soldiers on both sides of the conflict in this all encompassing
work of historical fiction. Altered communications and betrayals created twists
and turns that were heartwrenching, if a tad soap opera-like. Highly
recommended.

Thank you Flatiron Books and BookBrowse for the print ARC in exchange for an
honest review.
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Collette
92 reviews45 followers
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December 4, 2023
Above the Salt by Katherine Vaz is a sweeping saga of two Portuguese refugees
who flee their island homes to escape religious upheaval, and end up finding and
losing one another throughout their lives in America. From the story’s opening
line that encompasses God, creation, and echoes of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s 100
Years of Solitude, the reader is offered a unique invitation to enter the
kaleidoscopic story of John Alves and Mary Freitas. John is the son of a famous
Presbyterian martyr and Mary the adopted daughter of a prominent botanist, and
the two know upon meeting that they have a special bond. Their story is told in
threads that are alternatively tightly woven and frayed, but never severed, even
though social acquaintances, family members, miscommunications and historical
events try to make it so.

Told over eight decades, this star-crossed love story spans the island of
Madeira, the dusty plains of Illinois, the tropical climate of Florida and both
coasts of the United States. It dips into and depicts the essence of significant
historical events while depicting a love story in the language of magic realism,
which Vaz and other Latin- and Luso-American writers have established and
claimed as their own. The language is rich and evocative and the reader becomes
mesmerized by both the chaos and deliberate cadence that makes the human
experience. From a cold, dank jail cell to the table of Abraham Lincoln, from
the front lines of battle to miracle berries that make lemons taste sweet, this
story is told in contrasts. These counterpoints exist to highlight the ultimate
thematic duality of the simplicity and complexity found in desires of the heart.

While a book this ambitious requires patience and diligent attention, the reader
is rewarded with something “new under the sun,” as this writer’s voice feels
refreshingly original and fulfilling. I listened to the audiobook version
narrated by Gisela Chipe and her authentic performance adds depth to an already
rich experience. Thank you to Flat Iron Books and MacMillan Audio for the chance
to listen to this treasure.

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AshWood
55 reviews1 follower
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November 15, 2023
This book was at times beautiful and at times tedious. I think it completely
depends on what type of reader you are. I typically love very descriptive
narratives, but some times it went a little overboard and drew out unnecessary
imagery and made it hard for me to focus on what was going on. And there was a
lot going on. The plot was very thorough and well thought-out, and spans nearly
a century. It was interesting how the author wove different pieces of history
throughout the story, sometimes in detail and sometimes like a passing glance.
Those Easter eggs were fun to listen for. As an audiobook, the narrator did a
great job. When the plot or POV jumps it was sometimes harder to follow than if
it were being read physically, but other than that it was well done. The
negatives for me mostly have to do with characters. There are a lot of side
characters since it’s such a long book, and I had trouble keeping up with who
was who, especially after they’d meet someone again after a decade or more. The
main characters are Mary and John, who meet in Portugal as kids, then again in
America as young adult immigrants. The story is essentially following their
star-crossed love story across decades…except it’s not really a great love story
in my opinion. Eventually, I was mentally begging for the author to cross John’s
star with someone, anyone else. Mary was selfish and childish in almost every
decision, but she’s gorgeous so he let it slide. (As did poor Ward, but I won’t
go there.) John and Mary actually aren’t often together, and when they are
together it’s mostly just conflict or bad decisions. Unfortunately, the “love
story” part of the book was my least favorite part. I wish they would have
developed differently and I could have enjoyed the end, but I just really
didn’t. Overall, it was a decent 3-3.5 star read for me. And I think it could be
higher for someone fully invested in the main characters, but I just didn’t get
there. Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest
review!
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Joyce B
6 reviews
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September 18, 2023
Above the Salt is a wonderful novel about Portuguese immigrants who migrated to
America in the mid-19th century for a better life. It is an incredible love
story that is full of commitment, romance, and respect for community. It is
historical fiction based on a real person, John Alves, and incorporates many
actual events such as Lincoln’s presidency, the Civil War, racial prejudice,
inventions, the earthquake in San Francisco, the plague in early the early 20th
Century, and the beginning of World War I.

The manner in which the book is written, told mostly through the eyes of Mary
and John, enables the reader to be in their shoes. All of the historical
references serve as background information, giving the reader a sense of what
ordinary people were going through on a daily basis during challenging times.
The intense descriptive prose makes it easy to visualize and feel what the
various characters were experiencing. Considering all the “ups and downs” in the
story, I’m glad the author ended the book way she did.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It reminded me of Cutting for Stone by Abraham
Verghese which I also really liked and look forward to reading his current
novel. However, this book is even better! I give it 6 stars!!

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Emily
223 reviews87 followers
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July 29, 2023
*Goodreads Giveaway Win*

This book is epic. I mean that as in epic in scope and epic in my opinion of the
book. My opinion went for a ride. I started off being annoyed. The writing felt
purple and over-wrought. And then either I got used to it, or it eased off. I
don't know but the writing fit the book. It was dramatic, historical and
rapturous. At the end of the epic my opinion landed on the upper end of the
scale. I felt like I read something different; something idiosyncratic;
something I haven't read before. Yes, it was a love story but it took turns that
I wasn't expecting. Turns that were almost non-sensical and yet fitting and
enjoyable.

There is one thing that pulled me out of the book. A thing I hope is fixed in
the final published copy. There is a mention of "World War I". This book was
written contemporaneously so at the time calling it "World War I" would be like,
ummm..., what? It was almost funny.

Otherwise, I hope more people read the book and give it good reviews once it's
officially published.
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Julia Alberino
410 reviews5 followers
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October 6, 2023
Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for writing an
unbiased review. I am amazed by how Katherine Vaz was able to take a small
fragment of information about the real John Alves and weave it into a sweeping
novel that held my attention from the very first page. I learned some things I
didn’t know before, such as the Catholic-Protestant strife on the Island of
Madeira in the 19th Century, and that magic berries are real (I googled it; I
invite you to do so too). She created characters I cared about, some of whom I
liked and admired, others of whom I would have liked to strangle. Vaz shows us
the awful power of jealousy, teachery, deception, and greed, but also the
healing power of friendship and love. This is a sweeping novel that stretches
from 1843-1919, and shows us both the American Civil War and World War II’s
effects on those who lived through one or both. Through it all, we have John and
Mary and the people in their separate and intersecting orbits to keep us reading
and reacting. All in all, a wonderful read.
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Patricia Williams
2 reviews
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October 31, 2023
Above the Salt
The story began in the mid-nineteenth century in Madeira, a Portuguese Island,
and continued to the early twentieth century in the United States. It was
interesting to read about the world during this time span. The story showed the
struggles to survive through hardships, religious persecution, poverty, being an
immigrant in a new homeland, and social class injustices.

It is very difficult to understand the conflicts among different branches of
Christianity throughout time, especially when a certain population is driven
from its homeland. This is the catalyst that brings the main characters to the
United States. The portrayal of the Civil War is brutal and a reminder of the
senselessness of war. Love is a constant theme throughout the book, including
the great love of parents for their birth children and adopted children,
romantic love that endures all challenges, and love of religion and native
lands. The story also depicts a strong, capable women who was ahead of her time
and how inventions enrich everyday life. Thanks to BookBrowse for the advanced
reader copy.
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tfpjr492
7 reviews
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December 23, 2023
Above the Salt is the story of Portuguese immigrants to America during the
mid-1800s. It presents several themes, and one of those themes is devotion.

Both of the main characters, Maria and John, grow up in families that
demonstrate great devotion. Maria’s adoptive father devotes his entire life to
gardening, and Maria can never forget the plant training and life lessons he
imparts to her.

“Papa used to caution that if we could invisibly eavesdrop, we would be scalded
to find that most friendship is a lie, but that was why true friends must be
cherished.”

John’s mother is a devout Protestant in an intolerant Catholic country. She
endures the hardships of imprisonment with her young son at her side. John
reveres her, and he is constantly concerned about her welfare.

Devotion is one of several common bonds between Maria and John. They remain
emotionally devoted to each other, while each pursues a different life journey.
Can their devotion ever blossom into a full romance? This book is recommended
for readers with an interest in stories of historical romance.

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Rachel R
16 reviews1 follower
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December 3, 2023
Katherine Vaz's "Above the Salt" is a literary triumph that deftly navigates the
intricate landscapes of family, heritage, and resilience. Set against the lush
backdrop of Portugal, Vaz's prose is a lyrical revelation, transporting readers
to a world where generational sagas unfold with grace and poignancy. Through the
lens of her exquisitely drawn characters, Vaz explores the enduring complexities
of love, loss, and the indomitable human spirit. The novel's multilayered
narrative, rich with historical nuances, serves as a captivating exploration of
identity and the ties that bind across time. Vaz's storytelling prowess is on
full display as she seamlessly weaves together threads of tradition and
modernity, creating a tapestry that resonates with both emotional depth and
literary finesse. "Above the Salt" stands as a testament to Vaz's mastery of the
craft, inviting readers on a poignant journey that lingers in the mind long
after the final page.
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Ddoddmccue
346 reviews2 followers
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December 20, 2023
The 1840s immigration of Protestant Portuguese to Illinois. Prompted by
religious persecution, the Catholic- Protestant conflict more often associated
with Ireland . A real occurrence, often omitted in history books.

Vaz uses this as the central anchor of her novel. While the romance of Maria and
John and the overarching plot lines are highly contrived, they arched through 8
decades of history. And one of them directly present for many well-known events(
(Forrest Gump style).

As a literary creation it faltered under the weigh of manipulation. As a
springboard to reader curiosity about some previously overlooked historic
events, it excelled. The author’s Acknowledgements confirm the breadth and rigor
of her research, which may have been better served by a less ambitious fictional
creation. Or by a targeted, concise non-fiction effort.
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Barbara
475 reviews2 followers
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October 1, 2023
Above the Salt is a descriptive, lyrical story of two lovers, John Alves and
Mary Freitas. Their lives begin in Madeira, a Portuguese island, where the
religious uprisings between Catholics and Protestants are at a fever pitch in
the mid 1800’s. Both John and Mary become religious exiles to the United States,
specifically Springfield, Illinois. They are separated and reacquainted
throughout several years, with another suitor in the picture for Mary. More than
anything, their lives are impacted by political and religious beliefs.

This novel is not written in a language of today’s common people. It is written
in the more elegant language of the time period, allowing me to adjust to a more
lengthy reading period. It’s honestly
one-of-a-kind in the genre of historical fiction.
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Bethany
352 reviews9 followers
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November 19, 2023
This story had so much potential, yet as I listened to the audiobook, I could
not fully decipher what was happening and my interest faded with every poetic
description of everything. This was a saga of a story that I felt like would
never end. John and Mary, fall in love as children and are forced to leave
Portugal in the late 1800’s to America. Once in America they are separated and
find each other again years later. There were ongoing obstacles and difficulties
they had to overcome throughout their many years together. The writing style was
difficult to follow and too descriptive. This was a story about love, loss, and
the roots of family.
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Jennifer Baker
20 reviews2 followers
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November 4, 2023
This book follows John and Maria from kids into their 90s, as they are forced to
leave Portugal in the 1800s and immigrate to America. The two fall in love as
kids, and continue to love each other but that love is thwarted at every turn.
But seriously, how many times can roadblocks come their way?? It was a very
long, painful book with absolutely too many obstacles thrown their way. If I
were a quitter, this book would have been a DNF. At least, I finally got to read
a happy ending…after trudging through it for 3 weeks (an eternity for me).

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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G.P. Gottlieb
Author 4 books55 followers
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December 12, 2023
Above the Salt is a deeply layered epic novel that opens in 1840 on the
Portuguese island of Madeira, from which many families were forced to flee. Much
of the community settles in southern Illinois. Mary and John know they’re meant
to be together, but the religious fight they escaped follows them, the Civil War
separates them, small betrayals keep them apart, and their lives are like one of
John’s espaliered apple trees, spread wide against the sky. I thought it was a
big, beautifully written book! And I was honored to interview the author:
https://newbooksnetwork.com/above-the...
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ISA
16 reviews2 followers
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December 13, 2023
Thank you Flatiron books and Katherine Vaz for the ARC.

I'm so glad I found this book from the beautiful book cover because I might have
also found my favorite book of the year, if not by all time. The love story of
John and Mary is very heartbreaking, just like their separate personal lives but
it's also very heartwarming to see how they adjust to their lives and see them
grow up.

I felt like I had to take my time reading this novel so that I could truly
appreciate the poetic way it was written and just enjoyed it overall.
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