The Salt Grows Heavy

"A voiceless mermaid flees her prince’s kingdom, with a masked plague doctor, after the kingdom is devoured and destroyed by her monstrous progeny. Instead of safety, they find a violent cult of children presided over by three surgeon-saints who claim control over life itself. Here is hunger, violence and beauty. Here is prose that gnaws at you; you feel it in your gut. Cassandra Khaw neatly vivisects fairy tales to create something as gorgeous as it is gory – and it is gory. There’s meat to sink your teeth into in this fierce, elegant abattoir of a story. But dig through the viscera, and you’ll find something surprisingly tender and hopeful."