The Mermaid
Christina Henry
1 ratings • 1 reviews
The Mermaid
Christina Henry
1 ratings • 1 reviews
From the author of Lost Boy comes a beautiful historical fairy tale about a mermaid who leaves the sea, only to become the star attraction of history's greatest showman. Once there was a mermaid called Amelia who could never be content in the sea, a mermaid who longed to know all the world and all its wonders, and so she came to live on land. Once there was a man called P. T. Barnum, a man who longed to make his fortune by selling the wondrous and miraculous, and there is nothing more miraculous than a real mermaid. Amelia agrees to play the mermaid for Barnum and walk among men in their world, believing she can leave anytime she likes. But Barnum has never given up a money-making scheme in his life, and he's determined to hold on to his mermaid. Author Biography Christina Henry is the author of the national bestselling Black Wings series (Black Spring, Black Heart, Black City), featuring Agent of Death Madeline Black and her popcorn-loving gargoyle, Beezle. Christina lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
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I feel conflicted about this book. On paper, the idea appeals to me - taking a fictionalised version of P.T. Barnum and creating a story based on historical true and myths about Mermaids. But the result is... fine. Not great, not bad, just fine.
I think this is as Henry's strength is writing mystical, horror-esque fantasy worlds, so basing this in the 'real' world makes everything feel off. That supernatural quality doesn't translate to our non-supernatural world, and just adds a strange quality to everything.
That being said the book is well executed, and I feel the characters of the Mermaid (Amelia) and Levi Lyman are well rounded and realised.
The other point of interest is well... Barnum. He was a complicated and horrible human and a depiction of him without the warts still feels strange. No mistake, Henry doesn't sugarcoat the man, and he is still portrayed as a bad person with bad views (this is not The Greatest Showman thankfully, which seems to ignore all his racist, sexist and ableist views) but he also isn't the Barnum from our reality. True, Mermaids don't also exist in our reality, but the use of Barnum still feels strange, and I suppose this is likely due to A) Barnum's place in popculture atm and B) the mixture of reality and fantasy given the historical reality of his life, views and actions.
Ultimately, this was a really interesting book in the choices the author made in it's creation, and while not bad, is certainly not one of her best works. I still look forward to what she writes next, but I do hope she re-focuses on folklore and fairy tales.
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