Dark and dangerous, The Salt Grows Heavy is a sinister fairytale that plays with the power of storytelling. 

We follow a creature of the deep (a mermaid if you wish): mutilated, mute, and on the run after consuming a kingdom. Her travel companion is a plague doctor with a mysterious history. When the pair discover a pack of endlessly-reincarnating children and their godlike rulers, they must discover the truth and learn to control or embrace their own monstrosity to stay alive.

Language is currency here. Yes, there’s necromancy and many-toothed-creatures with insatiable appetites, but stories have perhaps the greatest power of all. Those who wield words can form followings, create legends, and exploit all who stumble into their kingdoms. And those who are forced to be without authorship are weakened and contained. 

The writing is lush, clever, and gory. There’s body horror on nearly every page and the visceral terror will seep right into your soul.

You’ll wonder about narrative power, and how those in control suppress any who could potentially challenge their leadership, and what it truly means to be vulnerable.

It was a fascinating read that both repulsed and compelled me. The climax was a bit muddied, the relationship between the two journeyers expanded a bit too quickly, and the language was a bit TOO dense at times, but I’ll do anything for a murderous mermaid. 

CW: body horror, death, murder, gore, cannibalism, medical trauma, medical experimentation, mass death, fire, child abuse, torture, grief, genocide, pandemic, animal death, animal cruelty

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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)