Book Review: Saltus by Tara Gereaux

Saltus, by Saskatchewan author Tara Gereaux, is a triumph. The prose is smooth, the dialogue crisp, and the tension so thick you won’t want to put this book down until the very last page. 

Based on real life events and told through multiple points of view, Saltus tells the story of a mother’s love. Nadine’s teenage son struggles with his identity. At her wits’ end, and in an effort to save his life, she makes an irreversible decision. Scandal ripples through a small-town prairie community and each character responds differently: Lenore, a single woman in her forties faces her own supressed identity; Roger, a nearly retired police officer with a strong moral compass must confront his own sense of right and wrong; and Trish, an unhappy wife and mother, finally makes a decision of her own. Each character contributes to the unfolding of the narrative. It is a captivating and heart-rending story, masterfully told.

I have rarely been so moved by a piece of fiction. The story is not only compelling, but Gereaux brilliantly and compassionately puts flesh to each and every character. By the end, I knew and loved each one (despite being frustrated by their actions) so deeply that I kept expecting to bump into them at the gas station, or at the local Smitty’s. This is a book that will stay with me for a very long time.

I can’t recommend Saltus enough. Gereaux is such a talent and I can’t wait to read what she writes next. 

Many thanks to the Nightwood Editions and Harbour Publishing for sending me this gem to read and review. I am forever grateful!

Saltus By Tara Gereaux Nightwood Editions, 2021, pp. 293 ISBN: 978-0-88971-400-7