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A review by sarahholliday
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
This was my first Cassandra Khaw, but it will not be my last! Relentlessly dark and brutal, The Salt Grows Heavy gives reader just enough of a glimpse into a world filled with teeth and blood. Our main characters, whose names we never learn but who feel deeply textured and full of both pain and resilience (not to mention a desire for revenge), are utterly unique.
Khaw's writing won't be for everyone. 90% of the time I found it magical and got lost in the sentences dripping with the kind of words and turns of phrase you rarely see in literature anymore (much less horror stories). There were times where it all felt a bit overwritten, and I could've used a break where the language was a bit stripped down, but I think that's down to personal preference.
Khaw's writing won't be for everyone. 90% of the time I found it magical and got lost in the sentences dripping with the kind of words and turns of phrase you rarely see in literature anymore (much less horror stories). There were times where it all felt a bit overwritten, and I could've used a break where the language was a bit stripped down, but I think that's down to personal preference.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, and Murder