SYNOPSIS
THE HOUSE IS WAITING FOR YOU.
From a bold new Palestinian voice comes Our Cut of Salt – an unflinching, sinister and moving take on the haunted house novel, perfect for fans of The Only Good Indians and The Haunting of Hill House.
‘The essential haunted house story of our moment in history’ Gretchen Felker-Martin, author of Black Flame
There is something haunting Nuhad’s childhood home in Haifa. Cats avoid its perimeter, strange noises come from within, and residents have been known to disappear entirely in its walls without a trace.
Although Nuhad has not returned to her home since the Nakba in 1948, she always held a place for the house in her heart. And, in return, the house did the same for her.
After Nuhad passes away, her granddaughter, Marina, is determined to visit her grandmother’s former home after a lifetime of being kept in the dark about her culture and history.
Marina’s mother, Haifa – named for the city that was lost to their family – reluctantly agrees to her trip, though she knows first hand that some secrets are better left buried.
For this house is no longer a home. It is a wound.
REVIEW
Our Cult of Salt speaks to a tragedy that has always been forgotten and buried. I will not delve into the politics of what has been, in my opinion fought for over a thousand years. Rather, it speaks to the tales of the forgotten. The tales of the dead. The tales of those that did not have the ability to speak. History has always been a fascinating array of what something I call is hypocrisy. In today’s day and age, we say that we aren’t interested in politics.
Yet politics is the driving force of all society. What is considered history was once politics at that time. If Rome had four emperors within a year while suffering barbarian invasions from the Germanic tribes, and if this happened in the 21st century of 2026, would we not consider it a hot topic? In today’s world, the very comparisons of history stem from this. Nuhad goes on a journey not unlike many peoples from the world have been forced to do. Being removed from your home is something that nothing can wash away from.
It maybe a story of horror; but what is horror? What is the wound that shows us? I think this story shows what humanity is. And what we need to be. Better than this. There’s a vast amount of compelling characters and excellent research that will just grip you into this world. I think it’s a fantastic book. I really enjoyed this.
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