A curse of salt by Sarah Street

Ria lives in poverty on a windswept coastline with her seafaring father, her invalid sister Felecie and a half-sister Aberdeen. The livelihood of the populace is somehow besieged by a fleet of pirates under the command of the infamous “Heartless King”. When the bodies of her father’s crew begin to wash ashore, the girls fear the worst. One night, her badly injured father is carried home by the villagers. He intends only to say goodbye before returning to the pirates without the daughter he promised them.

Younger by two years than Felecie, the daughter known to 'The Heartless King', the pirates are unaware of Ria’s existence. While her father sleeps, Ria decides to take her sister’s place and sacrifice herself to save her family.  Stepping onto Father’s ship, it magically sets sail to rendezvous with the Blood Rose (pirate ship) and Ria is taken captive.

Over many days, Ria discovers her tragic family history. She and Felecie are actually princesses and after her mother’s death, her father hid them safely in poverty in the countryside. The Heartless King erstwhile, had a feud with Bane, a mutineer and would-be king. He intends to use Estelle’s daughter, to lure Bane out and dispose of him.

The cursed but youthful king is always cloaked – unseen, he evokes fear and mystery. But his swordsmanship is fearsome, and a terrified Ria witnesses him dispatch dozens of men mercilessly in a short bloody battle. On the upside, his magical ship supplies the crew with sumptuous food and a well-stocked library - where Ria reads contentedly when not actively piecing together her family history.

Ria’s heightened sense of social justice means she is driven to provoke the King daily at dinner.  His given name is Sebastien. If not for her hostage value and youthful naivety, her criticisms of Sebastien's inhumanity would end in animosity rather than a simmering romantic tension.  

The re-telling of the ‘beauty and the cursed beast’ fairytale aboard a pirate ship is refreshing – and rich evocative descriptions help the reader make it to the turning point where enmity and cathartic chemistry collide.  Sarah Street is an engaging chronicler of the Golden Age of pirates in the fictitious pages of A Curse of Salt. This fresh pirate adventure is richly layered with magical realism - aye, a page turner.

Themes: Pirates, Adventure, Magic, Historical, Romance.

Deborah Robins