The Salt Grows Heavy
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw is a dark fantasy published by Tor Publishing Group on May 2, 2023. This edition spans 112 pages and is presented in English. The narrative reimagines classic fairy tales, focusing on a mermaid who, after devastating a kingdom, finds herself on the run alongside a mysterious plague doctor. Together, they navigate a chilling landscape filled with ageless children and sinister forces, exploring themes of darkness both in the world and within themselves.
Readers will encounter a richly woven tale that delves into the complexities of identity and survival. The story challenges traditional fairy tale conventions, revealing the hidden dangers of its characters and their surroundings. This edition also includes a bonus short story titled “And In Our Daughters, We Find a Voice,” which expands on the universe Khaw has created. With elements of horror and folklore, The Salt Grows Heavy invites exploration of the darker aspects of fantasy and myth.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Khaw’s poetic prose and stylish approach to gore make it a blood-soaked, unforgettable gem.” —The New York Times
From Cassandra Khaw, USA Today bestselling author of Nothing But Blackened Teeth, comes The Salt Grows Heavy, a razor-sharp and bewitching fairy tale of discovering the darkness in the world, and the darkness within oneself.
A Best Horror Book of 2023 (The New York Times, Library Journal) • A Best Book of 2023 (NPR) • A Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award Finalist! • An Indie Next Pick
You may think you know how the fairy tale 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.
Includes the bonus short story, “And In Our Daughters, We Find a Voice”, set in the same universe.
Also by Cassandra Khaw:
The Library at Hellebore
Nothing But Blackened Teeth
A Song for Quiet
Hammers on Bone
The Dead Take the A Train (co-written with Richard Kadrey)
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