I wanted to LOVE this but the prose reminded me way too much of my teenage tumblr rp years where one description needed to be ten words long for no reason other than it made me feel smart.

"How do you kill any religion? You convince its flock that their shepherds are wolves."

A murderess Mermaid and a non-binary plague doctor go off on an adventure after leaving the Mermaid's slaughtered kingdom behind. They quickly stumble into a youthful cult led by sycophantic self-proclaimed saints that are obsessed with reaching immortality through the butchery and resurrection of children. The Salt Grows Heavy is a story of monsters trying to stop monsters in a horrific world.

What a gruesomely morbid novella. I went into this expecting the story to be dark but I wasn't prepared for the level of vividly described gore that was liberally rendered. While I didn't mind it, not everyone is going to be appreciative of this peculiar carnage and should take that into consideration before choosing this story.

The Salt Grows Heavy is rich in mythology, I'd be interested in reading more stories set in this virulent world. The prose was heavily laden with similes, metaphors, and uncommon words. I often found myself thankful for having the e-book version so I could quickly look up definitions every few pages. If you prefer more straightforward writing this may hinder your enjoyment of the novella.

Overall, I found myself disturbed but enthralled by The Salt Grows Heavy. Dark, riveting, and quickly consumed, I'd recommend it to those who are fascinated by the unusual and have a stomach for the gore.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for giving me an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. All quotes come from an arc and may change.