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A review by djali84
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor NightFire for this ARC.
A story about a mermaid and a plague doctor in a land covered with snow where a group of children, led by three "saints", seek immortality. I enjoyed the stark contrast between the horror and gory descriptions against the poetic writing. Be aware though that the vocabulary was rich and sometimes obscure. It was challenging at times. I was glad to read this on my Kobo, so I could easily access a dictionary. Also, I feel that sometimes the writing was a little too much and lost its impact. Nonetheless, I loved the story and will certainly reread it.
A story about a mermaid and a plague doctor in a land covered with snow where a group of children, led by three "saints", seek immortality. I enjoyed the stark contrast between the horror and gory descriptions against the poetic writing. Be aware though that the vocabulary was rich and sometimes obscure. It was challenging at times. I was glad to read this on my Kobo, so I could easily access a dictionary. Also, I feel that sometimes the writing was a little too much and lost its impact. Nonetheless, I loved the story and will certainly reread it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, and Murder