Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

169 reviews

jemmers's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Gothic, deeply romantic, queer retelling of the classic mermaid myth. Quick read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence

sofiadanielle's review against another edition

dark tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

Almost docked it to a 3.5, honestly. However!!! Though I think the first 30 pages makes the story framework difficult to understand, I very much enjoyed the last 30 pages. 

A critique I will stand by, though, is the use of overly complex, “flowery” language. While I do believe that this type of writing helped in creating that uneasy horror-esque feeling, I would’ve enjoyed the story written in a plainer way. 

Feels very fever dream-like (said positively, towards the end.) Quite unique, and I adore the epilogue.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Body horror, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Gore, Murder, and Torture

hendrixpants's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Child death, and Violence

fictionalfelinefanatic's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Short, intense haunting story that jumps right into the dark world of what we would say are mermaids but gies so much deeper. Listening as an audiobook, it's a delight as the author is clearly a wordsmith and able to pull you into this dark and vicious world where  no one is safe including children and even.more disturbing still the children are dangerous. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Death

andibrimi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i don’t know what the fuck she’s saying, but girl i am living!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Murder, and Medical trauma

valodniece's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Daaaaaamn. I'm not sure if Khaw intended this to be a criticism of the Russian state throughout all of its incarnations (imperial, communist, modern), but it certainly is. Set in the taiga, worshiping those who hurt you and cannibalize you and the belief that they will still somehow lift you up but never do... on the surface, sure, it is a dark and cannibalistic Little Mermaid retelling, told through the looking glass inspired by Lord of the Flies, but it really reads as more than that. Excellent work by Cassandra Khaw, and I will definitely be reading more of their work.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Child abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Body horror, Cannibalism, Confinement, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Bullying, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse

slytherinlyss's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

At times it was difficult to distinguish which character was speaking; their personalities were just a bit too similar for their love story to truly blossom. Their motivations and traumas were nearly identical, as well. Overall, a short, enjoyable tale of two ruthless beings in an evil world. Realistic, yet incredibly magical. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Animal death, Confinement, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Domestic abuse

gaeliloveweiss's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Torture, Child death, Physical abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, and Grief

james1star's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is a very strange novella and whilst I didn’t wholly enjoy it, it was an experience to say the lease. We’re following a mute mermaid and a (possibly) non-binary plague doctor in the aftermath of the her daughters having eaten everyone in the kingdom. Together they travel thought the forest, coming into contact with a group of boys who they go back with and the situation is basically a cult where these ‘saints’ are practicing some sadist games. 

The characters were fine and I did enjoy spending time with them and how things developed, the love story sideplot was, for me, better then the actual plot. The discussion around women’s place and what they have to do to submit to men and society at times is portrayed well enough too. I also like the incision of an androgynous character and Khaw doesn’t really focus on this aspect, we’re just getting to know them and their past. The writing is also very beautiful, it flows well and keeps you engaged. But also it’s very gruesome and disgusting at times too, which somehow read pleasantly - it’s super strange. That being said, it did feel a bit pretentious at times and like Khaw was showing off which make some parts of the plot a little confusing. 

I think I will keep this for a future reread to see if I could get more out of it. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, and Violence

Minor: Murder

ivorybug's review against another edition

dark

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Gore, Death, and Cannibalism