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ccrtb's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Very interesting and gory spin on The Little Mermaid tale, though it has more to do with the happy-ever-after. Honestly could not guess where the plot was going to go so the horrors of the narrative were unique and surprising. Can’t fully explain why I liked this one. I just enjoyed it.
The writing is beautiful, but a little too embellished at times. It took me a few pages to feel like I understood what was going on because I was only three sentences in when I had already encountered two words I had no idea existed.
The writing is beautiful, but a little too embellished at times. It took me a few pages to feel like I understood what was going on because I was only three sentences in when I had already encountered two words I had no idea existed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
scripturient's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Violence
gaeliloveweiss's review
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
witcheep's review against another edition
dark
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Murder
laurareads87's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
"Mermaid. A word that demonstrates the ineptitude of human language, and the species' predisposition for ingantalizing the unknown. ... [P]alatability is prized over accuracy. It is easier to market a nymph than a viperfish."
The Salt Grows Heavy is a horror/fantasy novella of a murderous mermaid and a gender non-conforming plague doctor travelling through a near-dead kingdom, each with a traumatic past to contend with. Very well written, though it's hard to say 'beautifully written' when the subject matter is, very often, viscera. Heed the content warnings on this one - not for the faint of heart.
Content warnings: graphic gore & body horror throughout. Cannibalism is on page & described in detail. Blood, death, deaths of children, murder, violence, medical content, medical experimentation, misogyny, sexism, abuse, spousal abuse, rape (not on-page or described in any detail), kidnapping, mass murder, cult violence / religiously motivated abuse.
The Salt Grows Heavy is a horror/fantasy novella of a murderous mermaid and a gender non-conforming plague doctor travelling through a near-dead kingdom, each with a traumatic past to contend with. Very well written, though it's hard to say 'beautifully written' when the subject matter is, very often, viscera. Heed the content warnings on this one - not for the faint of heart.
Content warnings: graphic gore & body horror throughout. Cannibalism is on page & described in detail. Blood, death, deaths of children, murder, violence, medical content, medical experimentation, misogyny, sexism, abuse, spousal abuse, rape (not on-page or described in any detail), kidnapping, mass murder, cult violence / religiously motivated abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Medical content, Death, Child abuse, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Body horror, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
themorrigan43's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This is a novella, it's very fast and it is very gory. A strange adaptation of The Little Mermaid story, mixed with some Frankenstein.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Murder, Torture, Gore, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Cannibalism
duzzle's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A quick, gore-filled fairytale. There was quite a bit of "show, don't tell" that left me wanting for more substance, but I guess that's the price one pays for a novella. I'm curious as to the author's decision to put the first chapter at the very end of the book, even after the acknowledgments, which I rarely read and oftentimes immediately return the book once I finish the epilogue. While the cold open leads to more mystery, it was obviously written with the first chapter in assumption.
Also, the language was at times needlessly obtuse - I understand the implication was the narrator's high status / intelligence, but it came off as CTRL+H --> replace a word with its most hauty-sounding synonym.
Also, the language was at times needlessly obtuse - I understand the implication was the narrator's high status / intelligence, but it came off as CTRL+H --> replace a word with its most hauty-sounding synonym.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, and Murder
moodreader89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I think it definitely should come with trigger warnings —that’s on me though for not checking.
It was very descriptive, there is a lot of body horror, like…a lot. I definitely found myself shocked and gagging while reading; while the characters and world are fascinating and I might be interested in more about it, I don’t think the character development was enough to make me care as much as I could have? It is a beautifully poetic, grisly—also in a poetic and purposeful way, story though.
It was very descriptive, there is a lot of body horror, like…a lot. I definitely found myself shocked and gagging while reading; while the characters and world are fascinating and I might be interested in more about it, I don’t think the character development was enough to make me care as much as I could have? It is a beautifully poetic, grisly—also in a poetic and purposeful way, story though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Torture, Body horror, and Violence
cwerber's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Holy shit, y'all.
This novelette is something else and I mean that in the best way possible. It will turn your notion of the little mermaid story upside down.
This novelette is something else and I mean that in the best way possible. It will turn your notion of the little mermaid story upside down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Confinement, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Gore
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Murder, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Rape
Seriously, look at my warnings. This isn't for the faint of heart.