A kidnapped and mutilated mermaid gets her revenge on the kingdom that tried to destroy her, and while on the run, builds a relationship with the plague doctor who is her only true ally. Their diverging perspectives are tested when the pair come across a trio of Frankenstein-esque constructs with a village of children in their thrall.

The mermaid is morally gray — she is at her core a monster, and she is unapologetic for her alien perspective towards humanity. This is presented as a strength rather than a flaw. The mermaid is self assured, she can be cruel, she has a long memory, and she’s also unflinchingly loyal.

What could have been a simple revenge story is instead a character study on a pair of unlikely, damaged monstrous companions. It’s at turns gory and filled with poetic prose, which serves very well in illustrating the dual natures of both the mermaid and her plague doctor.

Additionally, I also read the prequel, And In Our Daughters, We Find a Voice. The short story offers more insight into the nature of mermaids, the background of our mermaid’s relationship with her plague doctor, and the kingdom-destroying events which lead up to The Salt Grows Heavy.

It’s free to read online: https://www.thedarkmagazine.com/daughters-find-voice/