The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

The Salt Grows Heavy

by Cassandra Khaw

A sensuous and strange horror novella full of creeping dread and delicious gore, twisting mermaid myths into something sharp, dangerous, and hungry, for fans of Christina Henry, Carmen Maria Machado and Eric LaRocca.

After the murder of her husband and the fall of his empire, a mermaid and her plague doctor companion escape into the wilderness. Deep in the woods, they stumble across a village where children hunt each other for sport, sacrificing one of their own at the behest of three surgeons they call "the saints." These saints play god with their magic, harvesting the best bits of the children for themselves and piecing the sacrifices back together again.

To save the children from their fates, the plague doctor must confront their past, and the mermaid must embrace the darkest parts of her true nature.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4.5 of 5 stars

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Book Summary:

You know how the story goes – a prince comes across a mermaid, falls in love with her, and brings her to his castle, where they live happily ever after. This is not that story. The prince is not charming. He is, in fact, merely a monster in human form.

As for the mermaid, she and her daughters have teeth and aren't afraid to use them. After devouring the kingdom, they have little else to do by roaming the lands in the company of a mysterious plague doctor.

My Review:

If you're looking for a dark version of the Little Mermaid, full of body horror and gore, The Salt Grows Heavy is the book for you. In short, Cassandra Khaw has done it again – she's written a spine-tingling horror novel within a complex world. Her shockingly compelling characters make it impossible for readers to look the other way.

I know I'm probably biased here, as Cassandra Khaw is one of my favorite horror authors, but I sincerely loved The Salt Grows Heavy. It was a mixture of many elements, most of which I didn't expect. It made for a delightful (and morbid) reading experience, to say the least!

Whenever I thought I had a hold of the narrative, something seemed to change, and it all slipped away. Despite this, the world and plot made sense, with every turn clicking into place. In a way, I almost wish the story continued, even though I agree it stopped at the perfect ending point.

Highlights:
Mermaid Horror
LGBTQ+
Dark Retelling of the Little Mermaid

Trigger Warnings:
Graphic Details
Body Horror
Child & Animal Death

Thanks to Tor Nightfire and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 May, 2023: Finished reading
  • 25 May, 2023: Reviewed