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adragoninspace's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
avvamapia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit and Cannibalism
foxfic's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A kidnapped and mutilated mermaid gets her revenge on the kingdom that tried to destroy her, and while on the run, builds a relationship with the plague doctor who is her only true ally. Their diverging perspectives are tested when the pair come across a trio of Frankenstein-esque constructs with a village of children in their thrall.
The mermaid is morally gray — she is at her core a monster, and she is unapologetic for her alien perspective towards humanity. This is presented as a strength rather than a flaw. The mermaid is self assured, she can be cruel, she has a long memory, and she’s also unflinchingly loyal.
What could have been a simple revenge story is instead a character study on a pair of unlikely, damaged monstrous companions. It’s at turns gory and filled with poetic prose, which serves very well in illustrating the dual natures of both the mermaid and her plague doctor.
Additionally, I also read the prequel, And In Our Daughters, We Find a Voice. The short story offers more insight into the nature of mermaids, the background of our mermaid’s relationship with her plague doctor, and the kingdom-destroying events which lead up to The Salt Grows Heavy.
It’s free to read online: https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/daughters-find-voice/
The mermaid is morally gray — she is at her core a monster, and she is unapologetic for her alien perspective towards humanity. This is presented as a strength rather than a flaw. The mermaid is self assured, she can be cruel, she has a long memory, and she’s also unflinchingly loyal.
What could have been a simple revenge story is instead a character study on a pair of unlikely, damaged monstrous companions. It’s at turns gory and filled with poetic prose, which serves very well in illustrating the dual natures of both the mermaid and her plague doctor.
Additionally, I also read the prequel, And In Our Daughters, We Find a Voice. The short story offers more insight into the nature of mermaids, the background of our mermaid’s relationship with her plague doctor, and the kingdom-destroying events which lead up to The Salt Grows Heavy.
It’s free to read online: https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/daughters-find-voice/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, and War
nerdatlas5's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Gotta say, I was a little worried about starting this because I found Khaw's other novella, Nothing but Blackened Teeth difficult to follow to a negative degree, but this was a huge improvement. I enjoyed how she played with the way fairytale's betray the bias' of the teller and how she twists them to a much darker form. The horror of it was also well done, especially hearing some of the body horror being described made me pretty squeamish. The characters of the mermaid and plague doctor were done well, and their developing relationship with each other felt so real and full of depth. And for the most part the story did a good job balancing unveiling information to drive the plot while still giving enough to make it understandable. Overall an excellent horror novella.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Torture, and Violence
birdiebrain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma
booksandfin's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.25
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! :-)
Great for body horror fans! :-)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Cannibalism
troubleintandem's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
3.0
This book has some beautiful language and vivid imagery, most of it about cold snow, blood, and vivisection. A kind of strange fascinating intersection of Madeline Miller's Cersei and Phil Tippett's Mad God.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
elizrec33's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Torture, Blood, and Cannibalism
libraryofblood's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail
dellydoos's review against another edition
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.
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
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Violence, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma