April 2021

OF WOMEN AND SALT by Gabriela Garcia looks at the lives of two families of women, from the days of the cigar factories in 19th-century Cuba to modern-day Miami, with a detour to migrant detention centers sheltering refugees coming from Mexico. Gabriela carefully constructs and brings together a number of fractured story threads, and delivers some powerful storytelling. And she accomplishes this in 204 pages; there is not even one bloated page.

The voices of these women are intertwined in such a way that their history is woven together seamlessly for the reader. We see how actions of today come as reactions for what happened in the past. The perspective of the book shifts from woman to woman in each chapter, but is brought together brilliantly at the end. What has been withheld through the years --- as well as what has been shared --- influences who these women are. Flaws abound. Some choices are better than others. The strength of these women in spite of the odds before them resonated with me.

Book groups, there is a lot to discuss here. And for those who want a short book, this is perfect. But do not let the page count fool you. There is a lot to absorb and discuss in this slim work.