Salt on my skin by Sarah Kennedy Norquay

⭐

Memoirs of Sarah Norquay, recounting her swimming journey in Orkney says after the world shattered upon the death of a close friend and her mam's dementia diagnosis. Searching for solace, she turned to wild swimming. The account is honest and sometimes humorous, written with a startling authenticity. The style is gentle and open. Because I am a wild swimmer too, I could relate to the "fear" before the swim, the camaraderie of a swimming tribe, the exhilaration after a challenging swim, and the comforting effect of the ocean on the soul. <br />However, the story is a bit of a letdown for me. I wanted more and nothing was happening. It lacked a description of the landscape (Orkney is after all so beautiful) and failed to engage with the natural setting. The connection between a swimmer and nature all around is one aspect this book should have covered. Nature elements ground you. It didn't show in the book. There was no use of metaphors or analogies in that effort, at least none worth remembering. The memoir turned into a solitary moaning or lamentation and a recording of excessive self-pity. I mean no disrespect to the author and to what she has gone through. I do empathize. Yet, the story becomes monotonous and repetitive, with scenes looking like one another. I also felt that the stories of the other characters she mentioned could have complimented her writings and added layers. Instead, the author mentions a few characters but her experience is not enriched by her encounters or by their own stories. <br />All in all, if you are thinking about joining a wild swimming club, the read is worth a try and it might challenge you to take the plunge. However, in terms of writing and story quality, I feel disappointed and this is why I can only give it 2 stars.