The Salt Grows Heavy

by Cassandra Khaw
The Salt Grows Heavy cover
Good Books rating 3.62
Horror
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Paperback • £8.99
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Format • £8.54–£9.49
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Technical
  • ID: 993
  • Added: 2025-09-24
  • Updated: 2025-10-16
  • ISBN: 9781803363431
  • Publisher: Titan Books
  • Published: 2023-05-12
  • Formats: 64
  • Reviews: 4

In this sensuous and strange horror novella, a mermaid and her plague doctor companion flee into the wilderness after a tragic loss. Their journey leads them to a sinister village where children are hunted and sacrificed by three surgeons known as 'the saints.' To save the children, the plague doctor must face their past, and the mermaid must embrace her darkest nature. The story is a twisted exploration of myth and magic, filled with creeping dread and delicious gore.

Reviews
Just One More Pa(i)ge · Paige · 2024-07-17
Disturbing 3.00

The writing is phenomenal, but the story is so horrible it's hard to relax. It's impossible to look away.

Paige appreciates the phenomenal writing in The Salt Grows Heavy but finds the story itself so horrible that it's hard to relax. Despite this, they can't look away, indicating the book's compelling nature. The reviewer acknowledges that the story might not be for everyone due to its intense and disturbing content. However, the writing quality keeps them engaged throughout.

Quick quotes

    Under that phenomenal writing, the story itself is so horrible you can't relax. But you also cannot look away.

    The story might not be for everyone due to its intense and disturbing content.

    The writing quality keeps them engaged throughout.

What is Quinn Reading · Quinn · 2023-12-19
Bleak 3.50

The novel is bizarre, beautiful, and bleak. It's a unique and unsettling experience.

Quinn describes The Salt Grows Heavy as a bizarre and beautiful novel that is very bleak. They note that the writing is exceptional, but the content is deeply unsettling. The reviewer appreciates the unique blend of horror and dark fantasy, which makes it a memorable read. However, the bleakness might not be for everyone, so it's a book that will either captivate or repel readers based on their preferences for dark themes.

Quick quotes

    The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw is a bizarre, beautiful, and very, very bleak novel(la) that ...

    The writing is exceptional, but the content is deeply unsettling.

    It's a unique and unsettling experience.

Books, Bones, Buffy · 2023-05-02
disturbing 3.50

The tale is noted for its dark and gory content, with a focus on body horror that may not be suitable for all readers. The reviewer appreciates the unique and visceral experience.

The reviewer from Books, Bones, Buffy highlights 'The Salt Grows Heavy' as a dark and gory tale that is not for the faint-hearted. They note the story's focus on body horror, which adds a visceral and unique experience for readers who enjoy this genre. The reviewer also appreciates the author's skill in creating a narrative that is both disturbing and captivating. While it may not be suitable for everyone, those who enjoy dark and gory content will find it a compelling read.

Quick quotes

    The cover pretty much sums it up: this is a dark and gorey tale, and the mermaid eats people.

    If body horror isn't your thing, this might not be the book for you.

    The story is both disturbing and captivating, making it a unique experience for readers who enjoy dark content.

Grimdark Magazine · 2023-02-24
Mesmerizing 4.50

The story is mesmerizing and one of the finest works of horror and dark fantasy. It's gruesome and gripping.

The reviewer from Grimdark Magazine finds The Salt Grows Heavy to be a mesmerizing story and one of the finest works of horror and dark fantasy they have ever read. They highlight the gruesome and visceral elements that make the book so gripping. The language and imagery are particularly praised, making it a standout in the genre. The reviewer is thoroughly impressed by the author's ability to create such a compelling and dark narrative.

Quick quotes

    The Salt Grows Heavy is a truly mesmerizing story and one of the finest works of horror and dark fantasy I have ever read, dripping with a gruesome and ...

    The language and imagery are particularly praised, making it a standout in the genre.

    The author's ability to create such a compelling and dark narrative is impressive.

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