Reviews

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

heralatus's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

cynlohloveslibraries's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

As other reviewers have pointed out, the vocabulary in this book is unnecessarily pretentious. Don't people pick up bite-sized books like this for a quick read? DNF halfway through, life is too short.
Also, I knew this was going to be a creepy tale but the body horror in this is more disgusting and vivid than I was prepared for. Maybe it would be even worse if I didn't have to stop and Google what "self-enucleation" meant.

missmarimac's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced

5.0

meenie_14's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

The Salt Grows Heavy is a gorgeous novella with prose unlike any other. It’s beautiful and creepy and gory with a love story. In short it’s my kind of book.

Side note: this book should have been finished in an afternoon, but a cluster headache kept me from being able to read for a few days.

niahornischer's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

rusalka <3

that0nebarista's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

1.75

huh??

agathe_athena's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

A mermaid was taken from the deep and lost her voice for her handsome prince. But her daughters were born with a mermaid’s true nature and devoured the kingdom. Now the mermaid and a plague doctor are the only two left, and they leave to find a new home. What they find is a strange village of children who are murderous in hopes of rebirth at the hands of their three Saints. When monsters meet monsters, which will survive?

Good gravy, this one’s really bloody. A very dark fairy tale-inspired story with lots of body horror. It’s a bit too grotesquely gory, and oddly doesn’t quite have enough story, even for a very short novella. Plus all the purple prose and weird word choices, it doesn’t quite work for me.

goldenrodgirl's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I am slightly at a loss with what to say. This was… gory. Interesting. Not at all what I expected (I went in having not read the blurb). 

The language was lovely and yet hard to follow on audiobook. The beauty of it sometimes got in the way of me actually understanding what was happening, and I just had to plow onward figuring I’d get the plot thread eventually. 

I’ve been reading a lot of novellas this year because they are easy to tackle in a session or two, and this was no exception. It was quick, if disorienting. 

I may have more thoughts on this book later, but for now I am mulling it over. 

landerson987's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw!!!

I really enjoyed this novella. I think I would also like a longer story about her life in the ocean and with her husband. The love story part was very sweet.

lyfisgrand's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Absolutely haunting and beautiful