I’ve had my eye on this author ever since Nothing But Blackened Teeth came out years ago. This similarly brief nightmare of a novella showcases the growing talent that I and other readers first noticed in her earlier work.

This book chronicles the story of a mermaid (of a kind you’ve never seen in fiction before, trust me) and a nameless plague doctor wandering a bleak, hostile, fantasy world, searching for a place to start anew. Along the way they must battle the elements, semi feral children, and malevolent surgeons with pretentions to immortality. But as they search for some place to call their own, the relationship between these two consummate outcasts deepens from mere dependence for survival into something far more resonant and beautiful.

The world depicted here is uniquely dark and upsetting, it feels fully fleshed out and lived in for all that we only get brief descriptions of it. Khaw's gruesome plot is rendered beautiful with her remarkably unique and poetic language, a major strong suit of this talented writer. The characters make a compelling pair and play wonderfully off each other. The world building is top notch but its in the interactions between our two main characters that this book really shines. This IS a horror story too, make no mistake, there’s some genuinely nasty stuff in here even for people accustomed to the likes of Stephen King and Clive Barker.

But in the end The Salt Grows Heavy is that rarest of birds, a gruesome, macabrely beautiful tale skillfully weaving the disparate threads of both horror and romance into a compelling and memorable tapestry. Khaw spins a story as chilling as it is heartfelt and as frightening as it is ultimately sweet and love affirming.

This is a stunning fantasy horror novella. Khaw reimagines a version of The Little Mermaid where the prince wasn't so sweet and spins a tale, not about revenge, but about the aftermath. The mermaid (for lack of a better description or a name) leaves her husband's kingdom in ruins, accompanied by a plague doctor who is more than they seem. I adored the elegant and imaginative prose, and appreciated the complex motivation of characters who are unapologetic about their natures.

I truly loved this gothic horror romance. My heart swelled with joy many, many times. There is something so incredible about seeing two people who are so meant to find each other become close. The twists and turns of this plot kept me intrigued, but I was really here to watch the characters interact. They both spoke to me on so many levels. This almost reads as a fairy tale--- something old as time, full of magic, and slightly ineffable. The writing style is fluid and flavorful, the world is lush and terrifying, the horror is deliciously off-putting. I would love another short story set in this same universe from such an outstanding author.

It was weird and hard to follow on audio, even with how short it was. The images and descriptions were a little amorphous for me to grasp while listening. Probably better to physically read.

I didn’t enjoy Khaw’s debut but I’m always willing to give a second chance, especially since the synopsis sounded so intriguing. unfortunately I had a lot of the same issues with this as Blackened Teeth in the way the characters are written, so I believe Khaw is just not a match for me as a reader

I didn't really have much idea of what I was getting into when I started reading The Salt Grows Heavy, but the more I read, the more I couldn't put it down. It was dark, beautiful, and haunting. I appreciated the relationship between the mermaid and the plague doctor, the tension between the two building every step of the way. Definitely content warning with the gore and body horror, but I think this story is the perfect length to get drawn into for a sitting.

I'm sure there's a wonderful creepy story underneath all the baroque prose but I had a difficult time getting past it.

A fever dream with angel wings. I got sucked into this eerie, nightmarish fable with shocking imagery and heartstopping prose.

“Perhaps we are as any myths are: protean, impossible, exactly what we need to be.”

The Salt Grows Heavy is a captivating, beautiful, and brutal novella by Cassandra Khaw. The plot follows a mermaid and a plague doctor as they leave behind the ruins of a kingdom devoured by her children. They think they have left the cruelty of mankind behind, only to discover a group even more merciless.

This novella is so visceral, and every word used makes the violence tangible while still giving a fairytale-esque feel. It’s nearly poetic, and I love how the main character’s eloquence is also a character choice: “When you do not have the option for conversation, there arises a wealth of time for personal instruction.”

Both nostalgic and savagely satisfying, The Salt Grows Heavy reminds the reader of childhood stories while nodding to the original gruesome stories they stem from.

Incredibly beautiful writing, but I just didn't feel like it was super enjoyable for me. I would definitely recommend to someone who reads more horror though!

Content warnings: gore, blood, death, vivisection, self-administered surgery, eye trauma, surgery, body horror

A mermaid and a plague doctor go to investigate a cult that worships surgeons. There are ageless children, there are sacrifices, there is self-administered surgery. It’s gross. It’s beautiful. I loved all one hundred pages.

I have so many highlights in this one. The story is relatively simple as suggested by the blurb, but it’s the word craft that really makes this one stand out. The world is dark, and the detail-work is exquisite. I love the subtle shifts in how the mermaid refers to the plague doctor that make this romantic with an ending that I’d consider “happy at some point, just not now.”

I’ll definitely be returning to this one to immerse myself in gorgeous writing that depicts biology in all its gross brutality.

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw is a dark and creepy tale, perfect for the fantasy reader who wants a quick read tinged with horror.

The book opens in the aftermath of a slaughter. The narrator’s vicious half-prince mermaid children have devoured their father and his kingdom. She makes a companion of a plague doctor. Together they burn what remains then head off together into the wilderness.

And there, in the woods, things get violently weird.

The companions come across a community of mostly children, a bit reminiscent of Lord of the Flies. At the urging of the plague doctor, they attempt to free the children from the saints, who lead their society and hold them in their thrall.

Ultimately, I wanted to like this novella more than I did. I went in with the expectation of a vicious killer mermaid, but ended up with a woodland commune full of body horror. I didn’t enjoy that plot as much as I would’ve liked a story that revolved more around the mermaid and the plague doctor. If the saints’ community was but one stop of their journey, it would’ve made for a much longer book. But one that I would have found more satisfying.

Thank you to Tor, Nightfire, and NetGalley for the gift of this eARC.

Myths are full of lies. This is not one of them."

So we all know the tale of ' The Little Mermaid', but what if I told you that the story that you know and love is not the whole story, or even the real story?
That the actual story was much darker, sadder and scarier than even the one told by Hans Christen Andersen.
What if I told you in fact that the idea of 'true love' was actually just some PR genius. Propaganda designed to enchant the public and unconditional deviotion to the monarch, while overlooking a marriage between the prince voiceless mermaid as rather than a royal princess.
A piece of propaganda, told
order for you to accept the abhorant behaviours of a prince and his exotic mute wife. The tale of devotion and love to cover one of slavery and servitude.

Cassandra Khaw's novella is a feminist telling of the folktale The Little Mermaid, picking up the narrative after she is already voiceless and married to the prince. Unfortunately, their children being half mermaid have devoured the kingdom leaving nothing but decay and death in their wake. The Mermaid, along with another survivor and the plague Doctor set out on a dark and dangerous quest to find a new home that will be safe and accepting of them as they are two "manufactured" beings.

I personally always hated the story because I couldnt understand or accept why the mermaid would give up her only power 'voice' in order to potentially marry a man who doesn't even know her, and she has no assurance that he feels the same way about her. Khaw's narrative answers these questions by explaining that the mermaid was in fact stolen and made voiceless by the prince, having her tongue cut out of her mouth to ensure she couldn't tell her story and in doing so, making his side of the story the only narrative.

Khaw also incorporates social and cultural critics of christian religion and they ways in which appropriate narratives and then alter them in order to then use stories as a means to control and enslave others. I loved the intellectual depth to this 108 page narrative.
Genre:
LGBTQIA
Literary Fiction
Horror
Feminist
Folklore retelling

I was very intrigued at the beginning, but the plot didn't show up until 40% in -- at which point, it had better been a freaking good plot, and it wasn't. I was intrigued by the two main characters, but pretty bored by everything else. Plus, the writing was so purpley (who the hell uses the word "nadir" 3x in 106 pages??) that I felt like the author was trying to make up for the lack of development everywhere else.

This author seems to be incredibly hit or miss for me. I'll def check out more from them in the future, but I don't recommend this one at all.

I absolutely loved this book and I wasn't sure what to expect. I loved the relationship between the two main characters and the entire book had this amazing creepy atmosphere.

This book was much better than her other novella! I loved the characters and the premise. It made me want more from these characters. I would love for her to write a full blown novel about these two specifically!

Cassandra Khaw writes such beautiful prose and has such intensely creative ideas. She has a way of transporting you to a world parallel to our own where fantastical and terrible things are possible in a very visceral way. I enjoyed reading The Salt Grows Heavy far more than Nothing But Blackened Teeth, though I do feel that it suffers from some of the same issues. Particularly, I feel that both books needed to be longer and given more room to grow and breathe. Overall, however, I would call That Salt Grows Heavy a triumph and look forward to the possibility of Khaw one day tackling longer forms of fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I absolutely loved The Salt Grows Heavy! It's a great fairytale horror novella that blends The Little Mermaid, Frankenstein, and something all its own. It has unique fairytale subversions, a subtle queer vibe, and just a great feeling for the impending spooky season. Their writing style is very flowery, but I honestly think it's perfect for fairytale horror, and it really makes the scenery feel like part of the horror. If you read and enjoyed Khaw's short story These Deathless Bones, you will definitely enjoy this one! Highly recommended.

TW: torture, dismemberment etc

Oddly charming for a story about vicious little mermaid and her travelling companion, a Plague Doctor who’s more than he seems. Like the Plague Doctor, I wanted to know more of the mermaid’s story: her past, her home. Short in length in gives the reader a taste of these two characters while leaving them wanting more.

First and foremost, I would definitely recommend/use this novel in my AP classes as a mentor text. The writing is poetic, revolting, and absorbing. For me this book was all vibes and atmosphere. I didn’t really focus on the plot of this novella because I was so enamored with the writing. Khaw is a master of imagery and literary devices. The descriptions were so vivid I could see the horror that was happening. This is a masterclass in imagery.