On a September evening in 1785, the merchant Jonah Hancock finds one of his captains waiting eagerly on his doorstep. He has sold Jonah's ship for what appears to be a mermaid.
As gossip spreads through the docks, coffee shops, parlours and brothels, everyone wants to see Mr Hancock's marvel. Its arrival spins him out of his ordinary existence and through the doors of high society, where he meets Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on...
What will be the cost of their ambitions? And will they be able to escape the legendary destructive power a mermaid is said to possess?
THE MERMAID AND MRS HANCOCK by Imogen Hermes Gowar
Genre: Historical Fiction / Magical Realism / Mythology > Mermaids
Published: 2019
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a strong four star read for me, and easily one of my favourites that I've picked up this year. Once again, shame on me for letting it languish for so long on my shelves before pulling it down on a whim to read.
The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock is a brilliant historical fiction, set in the Georgian era, which is a period of history that captivates and devastates me owing to the stark and brutal contrast of the rich being flamboyantly so, and the poor being pitiably so.
In this novel, we see the women caught between the two worlds in the seedy underbelly of London, honing in on Mrs Chappell's "nunnery" better known as London's most exclusive brothel.
Angelica Neal is one woman who managed to leave its walls under the protection of her patron, a Duke, who has recently passed away without marrying her, leaving her once again to fend for herself in the world. Reluctant to return to Chappell's she takes rooms in London and throws herself back into society, determined to climb in her rank whilst still preserving a sense of freedom. But the ties with her old life are hard to break, and soon she is compelled to attend a party at her old "nunnery", where she is assigned the task of looking after Mr Hancock, the "mermaid man", whose grotesque mermaid has been hired to be a display piece in the brothel by Mrs Chappell herself. Thus their meeting is cemented.
I found the comparison between the Angelica Neal and Mrs Chappell's other young ladies with the mermaid quite unexpected but potent. All are seen as spectacles. All are curiosities to be possessed. And like the mermaid is bound by it's display case, the women are bound by their position in the house and in society, mixing with the rich, but kept above the poor.
Whereas Mr Hancock is quite the opposite, reserved and unambitious towards his lifestyle, not knowing what was lacking from it until the mermaid comes unexpectedly into his possession, but also not knowing the affects the mermaid will have upon his person.
"I am cognisant, as those gentlemen are not, that all pleasures have their cost."
I loved the inclusion of the mythology of the mermaid in this historical fiction, adding the interest of a magical realism that wove through these characters and London society and piqued their interest. People have always been, and I daresay always will be, fascinated by the odd and the fantastical. The story and the period is convincingly researched and therefore very well written. The characters are real and fluid in their evolution, both the main and the supporting players. The cover is beautiful. What more is there to say? I loved it.
I recommend reading this, especially if, like mine, your preferences run towards the historical and the magical. This was a lovely mix of both.
Let me know your thoughts on this book if you've read it, and come find me on my socials for more bookish content between blogs.
Zuzu 🖋
Thanks for this review, the story sounds absolutely fascinating and I will look forward to reading it on your recommendation 💋 xx
ReplyDeleteLet me know once you've read. It was a great mix of history and magic x
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