Published By: Gollancz
Pages: 432
Released On: 20/08/2026
Avelyn Brocken is a Jesuit at the Vatican. Originally from the salt mining town of Hreodwater in East Anglia, his only ambition is never to go back. But when rumours of miracles being performed there are followed by a bizarre video showing that someone trying to leave then enclave has been turn to salt, the Vatican foreign ministry summons him.
The isolated Hreodwater salt mine has its own culture, its own language, and its own faith – the worship of the Salt King, the sleeping god of the mine. Any investigation into their miracles requires someone who understands all three. Avelyn must go.
Returning to Hreodwater, with its unique salt light, and ability to destroy anything electronic within minutes, is personally challenging for Avelyn, who escaped the cult – and the Salt King – as a child. But eruptions of salt are happening all over the world. People are being turned into salt statues without warning, and their frequency is increasing. If these are miracles, the church must do something. And it they are not – if the ancient, and frightening, Salt King is returning – then Avelyn may be the only one who has a chance of stopping it . . .
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Gollancz for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I’ve read a couple of Natasha’s books and own, I think, two others, and I generally really like her work. I can’t quite my finger on it, but her books all feel a bit different. There are aspects that are familiar, usually the historical context, but she’s got this added spark that makes them so original and I know I’m always in for a treat.
This one felt a bit different to what I’m used to. They all have a fantasy element to them, even if it’s just suggested, but this one felt front and centre.
I also couldn’t decide what it was. Fantasy? Historical? Religious? Contemporary? Disaster? Adventure? There was a lot going on.
The chapters are quite long. I would have preferred shorter, snappier chapters; the long length of them slows the story down a bit.
There is the odd footnote, but the formatting in my e-arc meant they weren’t completely clear, but I didn’t feel at a disadvantage not being able to read them.
It’s weird because it has this old, historical feeling about it, yet it’s full of modern technology so it must be set in the present time, but it definitely felt like it had an ancient undertone. I think a lot of that comes from the whole “Job’s wife being turned into a pillar of salt” story from the Bible. And I’m in two minds. I liked this link, but overall I don’t think it fit naturally with the other parts of the story or the characters.
I found the dialogue stilted at times. It was generally good but it had a sense of “tell the reader what’s happening instead of showing them”, which bored me slightly.
The pacing is also off. I felt it could have been much shorter and not lost any of its nuances. Because of this, it felt very slow with not a lot happening for a lot of the book, and then seemingly everything happens at the end which felt rushed and not in keeping with the rest.
I struggled with grasping the sense of space and place. She’s done a thorough job at describing the setting, but I couldn’t grasp it and so couldn’t envisage where this story was taking part.
There are so many different stories going on that I was so confused. I could see the connection with them all but there was so much going on that I didn’t know if I was coming or going. And if I’m honest, I didn’t really understand what was going on overall. I couldn’t link to any of the characters, the pacing was all over the shop, I found the world building too detailed and haphazard whilst also not giving me much. I just found it really hard work to read.
It wasn’t my favourite book of hers. It’s interesting and an original story, but it was hard work. 432 pages is not a short book but it shouldn’t have felt as long as it did. Maybe it’s me, because the other reviews I’ve seen are at least four stars if not five. There are things I liked – such as the original story and thought-provoking messaging, but there were a bit too many negatives for me.
Books By Your Bedside 