6.67k reviews for:

The Salt Grows Heavy

Cassandra Khaw

3.69 AVERAGE

kuronekostea's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Really loved the dark, gritty, grotesque descriptions of horror in this book. The characters build up as you read and learn more about their connection to one another and the world around them. For any fans of body horror, folk lore, with a twist of romance!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Genocide

threeraccoon's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kaitlynannmarie's review against another edition

3.25

adventurous dark fast-paced

wanderolah's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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2025: 3.75

scott_in_michigan's review against another edition

5.0

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

vsaurio's review against another edition

4.25

dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

rogaecia's review against another edition

1.5

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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I heard of this book as a masterful horror which really made me want to read it. I am not sure what it is about this style that makes me think they write with a thesaurus at hand but that’s how reading this book felt. It was too high brow yet also gory, and high makes a terrible mix. It made reading the book sluggish and prevented the reader from actually engaging or having empathy for the characters. 

I don’t think I will reach for this author’s work in the future. 

lulaabees's review against another edition

5.0

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i loved it. i would have liked for the worldbuilding to be more developed, especially when it comes to the mermaids, but the mystery honestly adds to it in a way, so it's ok.

i_dara_u_2's review against another edition

1.0

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder

feral_forest's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No