Silver Salts: Book Review

• Author: Mark Blagrave   
• First Published: 2008
• Genre: Historical Fiction   
• Rating: ★★☆

Now darling, tilt your head this way and give us a big smile! Now, slowly walk towards the camera and look over my shoulder. Wonderful! Movie goers won't be able to get enough of you! Now, mouth a few things while looking off into the distance. Don't worry, this isn't a Talkie so no need to have a script. Cut!

Something about back in the silent film days just draws me in and makes me want to curl my hair, put on a cute dress, some sensible heels, and hit the town with my man in a suit on my arm. Too bad this one didn't live up to that idyllic fantasy. Like film left out in the sun, this was bad.

I'm not sure what I was expecting of a book that starts out during the First World War, takes place during the Spanish Flu, and ends shortly after the Great Depression - I think - but I wasn't expecting it to be so depressing. If you like books that knock you over and then kick you in the ribs repeatedly, but you don't get to cry it out, then you'll love this one. Just a heads up that if you get triggered by sexual abuse towards young girls and women, then definitely don't read this one. Yup. That's what I said, young girls. I'm talking, like I maybe 14. It's disgusting, and ends up being a repeatable offense throughout.

Surely our protagonist's life must get better at some point! I mean, kind of, but not really. Sure, there are some developments where she does eventually make it to the silver screen and is able to finally act, but it's not what she expected and is just another punch to the gut. None of the characters, including the protagonist, are enjoyable, and nothing they do really makes you happy, whether it be in general or for them. Whether it be bad decisions, or just sleazy dealings, nothing harkens back to idyllic fantasy I mentioned earlier, and all of it leaves one feeling emotionally drained. This novel never promised to be sunshine and flowers, but there wasn't even any sort of cathartic release to any of it. UGH!

I really had hope for this book, and wanted to be able to elevate and give voice to Canadian literature, but this one was a swing and a miss. It threw me off so much that I ended up not reading too much for most of the month of February because I just needed a palate cleanse with just about anything else - thank you video games. I'd avoid this one if I were you. 

What about you? What Canadian literature do you recommend? Do you like fiction from this era?

Cheers!