The Salt Grows Heavy Audiobook By Cassandra Khaw cover art

The Salt Grows Heavy

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The Salt Grows Heavy

By: Cassandra Khaw
Narrated by: Susan Dalian
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Long-listed, Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2023

Long-listed, Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year, 2023

From USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Khaw comes The Salt Grows Heavy, a razor-sharp and bewitching fairytale of discovering the darkness in the world, and the darkness within oneself.

“Narrator Susan Dalian viscerally conveys the gruesome body horror while deftly capturing the lush imagery.”—Library Journal

“This brilliant novella is not to be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

You may think you know how the fairytale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes.

On the run, the mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own. Deep in the eerie, snow-crusted forest, the pair stumble upon a village of ageless children who thirst for blood, and the three “saints” who control them.

The mermaid and her doctor must embrace the cruelest parts of their true nature if they hope to survive.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Nightfire.

©2023 Cassandra Khaw (P)2023 Macmillan Audio Fantasy Fiction Royalty Scary Merfolk

Critic reviews

“Devastatingly effective…a folklore-infused world that feels wholly unique. Expertly blending a gothic atmosphere with elements of splatterpunk, this brilliant novella is not to be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

“A feverishly gory, grotesquely beautiful and baroque fairy-tale-meets-love-sonnet. Cassandra Khaw’s imagination is limitless.”—Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts

“Cassandra Khaw’s writing is never more lyrical than when they’re describing the knife in your heart. The bones of a fairy tale sunk deep in a charnel house of descriptive prose, an elegant confection with a blood-soaked core. I devoured it in one sitting.”—T. Kingfisher, multi-award winning author of What Moves the Dead and Nettle & Bone

Featured Article: The top 100 horror books of all time


This list encompasses the full spectrum of what horror can be—campfire-worthy tales, stomach-churning gore, and incisive social commentary. The classics are accounted for, but it also spotlights more recent titles, because that’s the nature of the genre—it is as perennial as it is ever-evolving, conjuring whatever frights most haunt our collective consciousness. Each title does have one thing in common: It makes for devilishly good listening. So cut the lights and press play—if you dare.

Featured Article The top 100 horror books of all time
Beautifully Written Story • Creative Mermaid Reimagining • Fantastic Reader • Lovable Characters • Eloquent Prose
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love the mermaid and her plauge doctor. A little mermaid retelling with a gorey slant and cannibalistic children

great story!

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I savored this short book, enjoying the language and story more than I had hoped. I will definately return to listen again and again

a dark, erudite fairytalr

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The author's use of the english language is immaculate! The way they guise horror and love in such beautiful ways. it's explicit yet romantic. It makes me want more!

Disgustingly Beautiful

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Fairytale type stories aren’t really my thing usually, but Cassandra Khaw is good. Real good. So, I gave it a go and am glad I did because I really enjoy her work. She has a poetic prose about her. Elegant with the lurking possibility of the grotesque.

The Salt Grows Heavy is a very good lyrical fairytale with a lot of heart. And the appropriate amount of viscera and violence. Very nicely done.

A very good lyrical fairytale with heart

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I loved this book, I loved the main characters and the way they were written.

Mermaids, but way more interesting.

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Wish there was more to this interesting premise. Ending feels rushed but I truly loved these characters. I am torn.

Feels a bit unfinished

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I though this book was super well written in a dreamy yet spooky but sophisticated way. I was intrigued and I started to feel for the characters by the end.
I highly recommend if you want a short read.

Fabulous short story about s dystopian mermaid and her love

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i absolutely adored this book and the person narrating it did a fantastic job! immersing me into their reality, and having a voice that suited the story well. thank you!

your voice! it was soothing and perfect for this story

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This was an interesting dark fairy tale. The characters were unique but I felt no concern for them.

Odd

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Very original story with solid development. Interesting characters. Dark and melancholy. A lovely listen for a rainy fall day.

Good solid dark fairytale

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