5 stars
Beautiful and unsettling. A mermaid in human form and a plague doctor travel together after the mermaid’s daughters devour the kingdom. On their journey, they come across a village of ageless children ruled by three “saints” with mystifying abilities to bring back the dead. As the pair investigate, they uncover the saint’s dark deeds and learn the secrets of each other’s pasts. An interesting mix of The Little Mermaid, Frankenstein, Lord of the Flies, and The Three Army Surgeons, rolled into an odd sort of romance that is equal parts haunting, heartfelt, and bittersweet.
This is the first I’ve read of Khaw. Horrifying and beautiful narration. At times it was hard to listen to what with the in-depth descriptions of gore and gruesome happenings. But at the same time, it was impossible to look away. What may be dense prose in physical reading created a wonderful listening experience with the audiobook.
Absolutely stunning. A gruesome and lush blend of body horror, romance, and dark fantasy. A lyrical, macabre tale not soon forgotten. The most bizarre little romance I’ve ever heard and I loved every word of it.