This one was a nice change of pace for me, a historical novel with a sprinkling of something not housed entirely within the known world. The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock had a wonderful dash of the surreal: something all together not real that meddles with the psyches of the very real, very human characters whose lives it entangles.  Not at all what I expected and I got way more than I bargained for. 

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Title: The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock

Author: Imogen Hermes Gowar

Publication date: January 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction, Magic Realism

Format: Audio book read by Juliet Stevenson

This voyage is special. It will change everything….

One September evening in 1785, the merchant Jonah Hancock hears urgent knocking on his front door. One of his captains is waiting eagerly on the step. 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. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on…and a courtesan of great accomplishment. This meeting will steer both their lives onto a dangerous new course – one on which they will learn that priceless things come at the greatest cost.

What will be the cost of their ambitions? And will they be able to escape the destructive power mermaids are said to possess?

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS ||

After reading the first chapter or so it was apparent this wasn’t an action packed mermaid adventure – I braced myself for an underwhelming journey. The sadness of Mr Hancock was wistful and painfully apparent and the  writing of this was full of longing – I was drawn to sympathise with him from the beginning. The exciting promise of the mermaid’s arrival lifted the tone from dismal to hopeful and the journey begun…

CHARACTERS ||

Mr Hancock himself was a thoroughly well rounded character and wholly believable in that respect. His countenance, attitudes, and foibles  blended to create, for me, a man who you wanted good things for- I was completely behind him as a character even when his flaws and weaknesses manifested and got in the way of his happy-ever-after.

Angelica was vivacious and characterful amid a wash of vanity and immorality. In some of her pursuits for independence she is self destructive but “what trapped creature does not strike out?” She is often a parallel to the mermaid and is just one of many developed and intrepid female characters.

THEME AND MEANING || 

It was really the deep symbolism that made the magic of Gowar’s creation apparent. The mermaid served as a fundamental and recurring symbol – I couldn’t tell you what of, I guess partly it represented greed or desire, or some concept of the grass being greener somewhere else. That’s certainly the impression I got initially when the crew returned apathetic and drained from their time spent with the mermaid. It’s lean towards the grotesque was both a common and persuasive subversion of the ‘glittery and enchanting’ mermaid archetype, as well as an interesting reflection of those flaws of greed and the like.  The implied suggestion that humans are fascinated by things that are deadly or immoral was underlying throughout – especially when paired with the characters of Bet Chappell

The absence of family initially and the subsequent value of a re-formed family unit was the manifestation of a recurring theme – family, or at the very least the human company of others. The mentions, early on, of Hancock’s first child and the spaces in the air where he might have been had he still lived were powerful and heartbreaking. The way absence was handled was excellent. I was disappointed that the heavy allusions to Mr Hancock’s first family petered out as time within the story passed. Had they recurred when his mental state was altered it might’ve added some more depth though it’s possible they disappeared as a result of Mr Hancock filling the spaces where they once lived as the story progresses.

WRITING || 

The journey wasn’t at all what I expected from a historical novel but Gowar’s 18th Century realism is persuasive and authentic; it takes its time without being slow and transports you to a world of magical realism, heavy on the realism. I have no idea why I anticipated a meandering pace; it was actually remarkably well balanced and as a persevering reader, my patience was amply rewarded. There were also segments of prose that totally, 100% ruined me – in a good way.

NARRATION ||

Juliet Stevenson’s reading always gives me strong Austen vibes and her tone and pronunciation go hand in hand with Gowar’s Georgian debut. Stevenson teased out the verbal characteristics of Angelica, Mrs Chappel and Mr Hancock with excellent translation and teased out the moments of humour beautifully.

VERDICT || 

A captivating surprise – it actually has me reaching for other Historical novels. I prefer magic realism that leans slightly more towards the magic but I make an exception for this. The subtlety of the mermaid’s fantastical qualities was restrained and intelligent and instead of dominating, wove perfectly into the journey of the characters, enabling them full and realistic transformations.

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4 out of 5