Book Review: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
Genre: Fantasy Horror
Age: Adult
This is the second Cassandra Khaw novella I’ve read, and this is without a doubt an author who keeps getting better and better. The Salt Grows Heavy is about a mermaid without a voice, who fell in love with a prince. Except the stories don’t get everything right, and when we meet the mermaid, it’s in the aftermath of a massacre committed by her children. Like the fairy tale, she cannot speak, but here it’s because her tongue has been cut out. Fleeing with the plague doctor, they escape into the wilderness where they come across a group of children who routinely chase down and sacrifice each other, confident in the abilities of “the saints” to bring them back.
Khaw has crafted a dark fairy tale that sucks you completely into this strange, semi-recognisable world. The things that happen here are rooted in horror, yes, but they’re the kind of things that can only really happen in a fairy tale, and it’s underscored by the POV of the mermaid. As we slowly learn the plague doctor’s past, we understand why they cannot leave the children behind with the saints, and despite her reservations, our mermaid can’t leave the doctor, either.
It's wonderfully crafted, with enough visceral scenes to underscore the horror of what’s happening, and with a real fairy tale sense to it. It easily feels like this could be a world where Sleeping Beauty is just waking up to a nightmare, and Snow White is trapped by the dwarves. Essentially, it takes the important elements and twists them, gently, into something horrific. Wonderful writing, easy to fall into it, and one that makes for good single sitting reading.
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter & Instagram: @elleturpitt
www.elleturpitt.com
I received this ebook from Titan Books via NetGalley for review consideration.
