danwulf's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
hrhaphrodite1's review
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
What I Was Looking For: A sprawling world of period fiction, with hints of magical realism and an exploration of 'mermaids' in a historical context. Mainly rooted in the realm of history, but with flourishes of magic and an exciting portrayal of what a 'Georgian' Mermaid would look like.
What I Got: A tale of the growing industrial revolution that was slowly gripping London in the 1780s. Exploring the world of the newly-evolved middling classes working in the black market; their highs, lows, and means for survival, amidst a backdrop of ever-developing urban metropolois. I was delighted by the amount of detail used to bring the world of the mid-Georgian era to life (casual mentions of hair-powdering aprons and hair-curling papers were very much enjoyed), it is clear the author has done her research. Unfortunately what this lacked for me, most importantly, was Mermaids.
Fortunately, explorations of sex work, especially in the Georgian era, are of interest to me. This book does not judge it's characters for their sex work (which I adored), and excellently captures the strange, surreal world of 18th century brothels. I found certain amounts of representation welcome, but very much underdeveloped. The characters felt fleshed out and rounded, but didn't fall into the trap of being unlikeable. Even the most disgusting of detail still felt genuine and accurate to the world the author was illustrating. The Mermaid herself was a new take on the mythical creature, but not what I was looking for (which lost the book a star).
On the whole, an excellent piece of historical fiction with flourishes of magical realism. If you enjoyed the HULU's series 'Harlots', 'The Covent Garden Ladies' by Hallie Rubenhold, or 'The Time Traveller's Guide to Regency Britain' by Ian Mortimer - then you're bound to enjoy it. Just don't anticipate anything resembling Halle Bailey in 'The Little Mermaid'.
What I Got: A tale of the growing industrial revolution that was slowly gripping London in the 1780s. Exploring the world of the newly-evolved middling classes working in the black market; their highs, lows, and means for survival, amidst a backdrop of ever-developing urban metropolois. I was delighted by the amount of detail used to bring the world of the mid-Georgian era to life (casual mentions of hair-powdering aprons and hair-curling papers were very much enjoyed), it is clear the author has done her research. Unfortunately what this lacked for me, most importantly, was Mermaids.
Fortunately, explorations of sex work, especially in the Georgian era, are of interest to me. This book does not judge it's characters for their sex work (which I adored), and excellently captures the strange, surreal world of 18th century brothels. I found certain amounts of representation welcome, but very much underdeveloped. The characters felt fleshed out and rounded, but didn't fall into the trap of being unlikeable. Even the most disgusting of detail still felt genuine and accurate to the world the author was illustrating. The Mermaid herself was a new take on the mythical creature, but not what I was looking for (which lost the book a star).
On the whole, an excellent piece of historical fiction with flourishes of magical realism. If you enjoyed the HULU's series 'Harlots', 'The Covent Garden Ladies' by Hallie Rubenhold, or 'The Time Traveller's Guide to Regency Britain' by Ian Mortimer - then you're bound to enjoy it. Just don't anticipate anything resembling Halle Bailey in 'The Little Mermaid'.
g_hammersmith's review against another edition
3.0
The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock is a beautifully written novel that takes place in the late 18th century. It tells the story of a merchant named Jonah Hancock who is given a mermaid by the captain of his ship Mr. Roberts and decides to display it to make a profit from the profit he lost on buying it. The mermaid becomes the talk of the town and attracts the attention of many people, including a very well known courtesan named Angelica Neal. Angelica and Jonah are from vastly different worlds, but they find themselves drawn to each other. The story explores the themes of love, greed, and curiosity, and it's a fascinating look at life in 18th century England. The author does an excellent job in bringing the characters to life and creating a very vivid and colorful setting. However, you don’t hear much about the mermaid…a sprinkle here and there but this is really not about a mermaid.
I was taken by surprise with the spicy content in this book, but I found it rather amusing. I also found a lot of the parts super boring, it made the reading tedious and uninteresting which almost made me DNF this.
But it was a good read, just not what I was expecting.
I was taken by surprise with the spicy content in this book, but I found it rather amusing. I also found a lot of the parts super boring, it made the reading tedious and uninteresting which almost made me DNF this.
But it was a good read, just not what I was expecting.
jmatkinson1's review
5.0
Georgian England and upcoming Deptford merchant Josiah Hancock is coming up in the world. However when he is told that one of his captains has sold his ship to buy a mermaid he is sceptical. Deciding to make the most of it Hancock exhibits his mermaid to great acclaim and he is asked to loan it to notorious bawd Mrs Chappell to exhibit in her nunnery. At Mrs Chappell's house Hancock meets beautiful whore Angelica, back in service after the death of her keeper, but horrified at the orgy that takes place he removes his mermaid and sells it for a phenomenal sum. He can't forget Angelica and, when entering her orbit again, she tells him that she will be his if he gets her another mermaid, Hancock is smitten.
There has been a lot of hype about this book, vast sums bid and a huge amount of publicity. Often when this happens the book disappoints, but not in this case. At its heart is a story of two people from different backgrounds who are right for each other, a gentle historical romance, however the book is so much more. I felt the ideas about racism and slavery were slightly underplayed, Polly and Samson could have been developed more as characters. The historical detail was superb, particularly the setting in the world of bawds and brothels, Mrs Chappell getting her comeuppance was a surprising twist. The magical realism of the second mermaid was slightly at odds with the majority of the plot but it provided a device to strengthen the last quarter of the book. All in all an incredible debut.
There has been a lot of hype about this book, vast sums bid and a huge amount of publicity. Often when this happens the book disappoints, but not in this case. At its heart is a story of two people from different backgrounds who are right for each other, a gentle historical romance, however the book is so much more. I felt the ideas about racism and slavery were slightly underplayed, Polly and Samson could have been developed more as characters. The historical detail was superb, particularly the setting in the world of bawds and brothels, Mrs Chappell getting her comeuppance was a surprising twist. The magical realism of the second mermaid was slightly at odds with the majority of the plot but it provided a device to strengthen the last quarter of the book. All in all an incredible debut.
ecoandi's review
3.0
This is a tough one for me. 3.5 stars and I'm going back and forth between calling it a 3 or 4! I enjoyed this book (and honestly this type of book should be an easy 5-star for me) but I struggled to get past some extraneous parts (I don't think the Polly chapters added much), and I didn't love how every single character did a personality 180 over the course of this book. I would have preferred some more subtle/explained development instead.
rosekk's review
5.0
I don't know what it is with these sorts of books with historical settings and the smallest touch of magic (is there a name for that?), but I really get along with them. I also seem to heave read a lot of books featuring prostitutes as main characters - is this a theme in my reading habits or in everyone else's writing habits? - and this continues that trend. It was good - enjoyable, with characters that are easy to get into. It's hard first the first two thirds of the book to see what it's shaping up to, but there's enough intrigue that it never really concerned me that there wasn't much in the way of clear direction for a while.
jjbateman's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
Honestly, the fact I didn't die of boredom while reading this is a miracle.