The Sea Is Salt and So Am I

TW: Depression, Discussion of Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Death, Toxic Friendships

This book deals with a lot of difficult topics that can be triggering

The Sea is Salt and So Am I was an emotional read that hooked me from the beginning.
My thoughts aren't very cohesive about the book. Other than being hard to read at times, I did love the book.
Immediately after finishing the book, I sat for a bit in my feelings about the end and then went to look at reviews. Whenever I have mixed feelings about a book, I'm more likely to want to see what other people think – in this case, the vague ending left me wanting more.
The reviews helped me cement my positive feelings about the book.
So, my review focuses on some of the common items I saw in negative reviews of The Sea is Salt.

The Sea is Salt is a book for fans of character-driven stories with a slow pace. It explores depression, how people around a depressed person deal with it, and messy teenagers being dramatic. The relationships shift throughout the book, but it doesn't aim to tie everything off in a clean arc because it's just about life. And life rarely happens in a neat narrative arc.

Many reviews complain about toxic, unlikeable characters, to which it's easy to say, “but that's the point of the book!” Did I absolutely hate Harlow at times? Yes – she said, did, and thought horrible things. But I also related to her and empathized with her. Same with Tommy and Ellis. Character-driven books try to make us think about ourselves and the people we know. How every person has a million little things making them the flawed human they are.

A few reviews also remarked that The Sea is Salt sets a lousy example for teen readers – the toxic friendship between Ellis and Harlow, how they perceive Tommy, and some of Tommy's actions. I disagree – I don't think kids are that dumb.

The main focus of negative reviews regards the depiction of depression. Some said it was necessary for the story, especially Tommy's suicide attempt.

In my reading, Tommy's depression and the suicide attempt are central pillars of the book. I don't think it'd be the same at all if it were a near-death experience or the death of someone close to him, as some suggested. Tommy's sections were always the hardest for me to listen to because they often said things I've thought and felt repeatedly. Many of them aren't true, but that doesn't stop them.

I had mixed feelings about the inclusion of the going off his meds plotline because the reasoning behind it of “I don't feel anything” had me saying, “work with your doctor to find a better fit!”

Tommy's attempt is the catalyst for the story – the reactions and emotions that follow shape the relationship between the three main characters and their own internal changes. Is everything that results good? No. Is everything magically solved afterward? No.

I know it is so important to have good representation regarding mental health. But I also dislike the overly peppy “there's so much to live for” storylines because they make me feel worse that I haven't magically cured myself. I like Tommy's story because I saw my own experiences with depression and suicidal thoughts reflected, and I constantly thought, “yes, someone else is feeling this too.”

Someone else commented that the novel didn't develop the side characters enough, and I agree to a point. For a small town of approximately 300 people, you got bits of everyone being in each other's business, but it would have been nice to be fleshed out more. Almost everyone felt like the same nosy neighbor. On the other hand, I think it lends to the fact that the main characters, Harlow and Ellis especially, are very self-centered, and the lack of fleshed-out townspeople reflects that their focus isn't on the miscellaneous people in town. It's themselves and each other.

Rantings on the end of the book:I think the last 10% of the book was my least favorite – actually, I'll say it, the last chapter was terrible. Everything else made logical sense (as far as people can make sense), but Ellis' actions in the last chapter felt like it was out of left field. Of course, we knew Ellis didn't like Harlow and Tommy together, but this felt like a declaration that if it had to happen, it should have happened earlier in the story so they could then deal with and work through whatever emotions/fallout there is. (My interpretation: Ellis, on the heels of the end of his fling with Jules and feeling left behind and missing Harlow, decides that obvs it must be romantic love. If he'd wait like 5 minutes and get over some of his brother issues, he'd realize that he was being a dick and that he doesn't have to claim Harlow romantically to get her back.)At first, it seemed out of character, but on reflection, it very much is in character. Ellis demonstrated that he puts himself first, and this is a way of manipulating Harlow away from Tommy more than an actual expression of what he wants.

The Sea is Salt and So Am I is not for everyone, but no book is for everyone. I think sometimes we forget that.

Audiobook Review:
All three narrators did a great job. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked the one for Harlow – it was a bit too peppy for me. After just a few chapters, however, I was convinced it was the perfect fit. Her performance truly captured the character.
I was a good portion in before I realized there were two different male narrators – I thought the guy was just good at changing his inflection. Which, I guess, was a good choice for identical twins?
Anyway, I'm glad I listened to the book!

Some good depictions of mental health here but this book was mainly toxic as heck. None of this is healthy or normal and no one really gets redeemed. I feel awful for Tommy having such a manipulative brother and “friend”, he truly deserved better and was the only interesting or relatable character here.