The Salt Grows Heavy

i really like this book. there’s something about two weird little freaks being friends and falling in love that hits my heart.

this book is BEAUTIFULLY written!

Such a beautifully written piece and so eloquently narrated the gore is delightful. I’m in love with the mermaid and her plague doctor.

Good story, good narration. A little too wordy for me but overall it was good

This book is so overwritten it's crazy. Recommended if you like style and vibes over substance.

I don’t really get why people are complaining about the writing of this short story. I found it to be poetic, immersive, and sometimes cerebral in nature. Yes, I am certain that there are words used that aren’t familiar to everyone, but I still think it was accessible enough to enjoy it. It was gory, but the way it was written made even descriptions of gore really beautiful. I can’t tell you how much I love it when there’s a character that has gender ambiguity, especially outright queerness made so normal by just using they/them pronouns and not making a big deal out of it. The representation does matter! As a genderqueer person, I connect more with that character and those closest to them because they feel that much more real and relatable. It didn’t have to be a long story for me to become attached to the plague doctor and the mermaid who loves them. There’s plenty to dig into here as far as queerness in this story and I think those who relate will appreciate it most, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t something anyone might enjoy. Savor this one, let your mind wander in its imagery and deeper meanings.

A grisly, enigmatic poem. While riveting, the excessive prose and tumbling metaphors also obfuscate the story to the point where following it is like trying to hold on to a greased pig.

Absolutely enthralling! The prose were ethereal and gruesome and grandiose, and I loved every second of it. My only concern with the audiobook itself is that it’s missing the short story at the end of the novel which works as a kind of prologue, and I think that’s pivotal to understanding the narrative as a whole. Otherwise, this was such a beautiful love letter to the original Hans Christian Andersen story, the Disney movie, and just mermaid mythology as a whole. Cannot wait to see what Cassandra Khaw does next ??

So weird! But truly amazing I was hooked from the first sentence. This is a 10/10 read for me if you want something short to get you back into reading. I recommend this book. I personally was not expecting the relationship between the plague doctor and mermaid but I loved every second of it. I’ve never read any of Cassandra khaw books before but now I may just have to read them all. Well done!

Pretty prose that relies on thesaurus words and therefore is completely impossible to understand. 3.5 rounded up because I liked it! Just had no idea what was going on.

4.5 Body horror is my Jam!! A nightmare of a love story written on parchment of skin, inked in blood, and sewn with hair.

Cassandra Khaw has once again proven her mastery to invoke powerful imagery and horrifying prose, and to twist love to show its dark underbelly.

It was an alright story, very gory. A Little wordy but not too bad because its a short story. I liked the plague doctor and the main characters dynamic, but it was definitely insta-love. 3.2/5