An irresistible and sweeping love story that follows two Portuguese
refugees who flee religious violence and reignite their budding romance
in Civil-War America.
John Alves, son of a famous Presbyterian martyr on the Portuguese island
of Madeira, spends his childhood in jail and in poverty. When he meets
Mary Freitas--though the adopted daughter of a master botanist, her true
lineage is the subject of dangerous rumor--a spark kindles a lasting
bond. But soon their families must confront the rising blood tide of
warfare between Catholics and Protestants. Fleeing with only what they
can carry, John and Mary are separated and arrive at different times and
places in a rapidly growing and changing mid-nineteenth-century
Illinois.
Years later, John settles into his life as an educator at Jacksonville's
nationally renowned school for the deaf, and Mary is a gardener in
Springfield for handsome, wealthy Edward Moore. After John and Mary
reconnect, the home of rising politician Abraham Lincoln provides a
prime setting for their courtship. But conflict looms on the horizon,
and John is torn. Should he join the Union army to prove his loyalty to
his new country, or should he stay to fight for the chance to make a
life with the one he loves?
And should Mary accept Edward's marriage proposal since he is a partner
in her business of selling the miracle-berry fruit she transported from
Madeira, or should she choose her passion for John? Social jealousies
and betrayals compound the obstacles unleashed by the Civil War.
In poignant and lyrical prose, Katherine Vaz's Above the Salt is a
captivating and beautiful tribute to the power of true love and the
sacrifices we make to harness it.
