Reviews with content warning for Child death - The Salt Grows Heavy

This was an interesting novella. A quick and gruesome read. I loved a lot of the elements in the story and how it fell back into original myth telling that is dark and eerie. I wish it had been a little longer so we could have gotten to know characters a bit better though. I think that there just wasn’t enough time for me to become invested in the characters.

Great for body horror fans! :-)

Content Warnings

aspyd05's review

Go to review page

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Lush and visceral. Very poetic and beautiful but also pretty gory

Content Warnings

98whiskers's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

pinkjunimos's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark fast-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

dellydoos's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

“There is nothing wrong with being a monster.”
Their mouth bends. “You always know the right things to say.”

Beware: cannibals!

This is the story of a nameless mermaid, a creature of immense power and a haunted past, and her enigmatic companion, a plague doctor who speaks softly but hides a deeper darkness. Together, they abandon their dying city to seek a new life, only to stumble across a village of crazed children and the three psychotic saints who control them. What follows is excessive violence and gore, with just a touch of feminine rage. What a hoot.

Khaw expertly blends body horror with poetic prose, creating a novella that is as grotesque as it is strangely beautiful. I really enjoyed the writing here, which was lyrical and haunting, creating a stark contrast to the gruesome imagery it captured. The descriptions are vivid, and the violence is unrelenting. Real spooky shit, and I loved every bit of it.

At its core, The Salt Grows Heavy is a meditation on monsters—what they are, how they come to be, and whether there is any redemption in embracing the darkness within. Both the mermaid and the plague doctor are creatures of destruction, yet their bond and shared journey reveal surprising depths of vulnerability and self-awareness. The story forces its characters to confront what it means to live with monstrosity, both in the external world and within oneself. By the end, the mermaid’s arc becomes a reflection of survival and autonomy, while the plague doctor’s shadows hint at the complexities of guilt and companionship. It’s a chilling exploration of the ways we navigate the horrors of the world and the monsters we inevitably carry with us.

That said, the main character’s lack of clear motivation can feel disorienting. The mermaid spends much of the story drifting through events rather than shaping them, and while her eventual development adds some depth, it’s not always easy to understand what drives her. This ambiguity, however, may also be the point—monsters don’t always need a reason to exist.

At just over 100 pages this one’s a quick read, but it leaves a lasting impression. It’s bizarre, unsettling, and unapologetically dark, yet undeniably captivating. There are a few content warnings to note if you do plan on reading this, the big ones being: excessive gore and violence, cannibalism, child death, body horror and experimentation. Hey, it’s a horror book. Enjoy it! 4/5 stars.

Content Warnings

telligraphy's review

Go to review page

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

ichthyomancer's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

4.5

Honestly felt the first half was a little hard to get into- it’s own language bogged it down in the beginning, but matured as the novel progressed into something I honestly can’t be mad about. I think the lore contained in the book despite it’s small size was amazing and genuinely made me want to see other fairytales set in the same universe, but I’m happy with this little sliver into it that we got.

Content Warnings

draven_deathcrush's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad fast-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

4.0

Solid read. I loved the two main characters and their connection. I just don't think I'll think about this again.

Content Warnings

More...