Although there are things to like about Katherine Vaz's novel, After the Salt, it is an overly ambitious novel in need of major editing. As historical fiction, the descriptions of the Civil War, the religious hatred between Protestants and Catholics, and the racial and
…more class struggles of Portuguese immigrants enrich the plot. However, the author's overuse of figurative and poetic language is disconcerting. These "lyrical" passages are often long and rambling and appear
at inappropriate moments.
In an epic novel, the passage of time needs smooth transitions. Moving back and forth with John and Mary's lives is detailed and well-written early in the book, but after Mary becomes pregnant with John's child and commits to her marriage with Edward, the time sequences do not flow. Long periods of time pass with little detail in between. For example, after the 1906 earthquake the story jumps to 1919 with Catherine and Zachary. For some time, it's not known know how they relate to the story or if they are connected to Mary and Edward. This is distracting.
The characters are well-developed initially, but as time moves on less so. Mary's relationship with Edward is initially interesting because of their class differences. The dialogue between them is crisp. Edward is a contentious character, who always has excuses for his actions, but presents them convincingly. However, there seems to be an unexplained disconnect between someone who is always defending himself and later becoming the loving and devoted father and husband. The references to real people (e.g., Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Mary Pickford, etc.) feels contrived even if the novel is based on a true story that loosely connects these figures. The ending is heartwarming but seems rushed with a multitude of unbelievable coincidences. (less)
