Book Review: The Mermaid By Christina Henry

By georgelthomas on 15 Sep 2023 • ( 0 )

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. It’s Friday again, which means it’s time for another review. Today, I am reviewing The Mermaid by Christina Henry.

The Mermaid by Christina Henry was first published in 2018 by Titan Books and is 304 pages long.

The Plot
The Mermaid tells the story of Amelia, a mermaid living in the mid-1800s who finds herself in New York City, providing entertainment for the crowds attending P.T. Barnum’s American Museum.

Characters
The Mermaid / Amelia Douglas
The story’s protagonist is Amelia, a mermaid who falls in love with a man named Jack, who accidentally catches her in his fishing net. Unable to forget about him after he lets her go, she resolves to leave the ocean for a life on land with him.

When Jack goes out on his fishing boat one day and doesn’t return, Amelia returns to the sea to try and find him, but all she sees is his empty fishing boat.

Returning to their cottage, she lives there, hoping he might somehow return one day.

Just as Amelia is beginning to accept the fact that Jack has gone forever, a man called Levi Lyman arrives after hearing rumours that she is a mermaid, with an offer for her to join him and his friend P.T. Barnum in New York City as an exhibit in Barnum’s museum.

Amelia is a complex and multi-layered character who is both vulnerable and courageous. Her journey is fraught with newness and betrayal as she navigates the treacherous waters of the human world.

Through Amelia’s perspective, we are introduced to the prejudices and discrimination faced by those seen as different, whether because of race, religion or, in Amelia’s case, being a mermaid.

Jack Douglas
Jack is a fisherman who accidentally catches Amelia in his net one day. Being a kind and gentle man, he releases her. Later, when Amelia leaves the ocean and climbs into his bed, he accepts her, and they get married. Over the years, Jack ages and grows old, while Amelia remains looking just the same, although it is not old age that claims Jack in the end, but rather the ocean itself.

P.T. Barnum
Barnum, as depicted in this book, is a fictionalised version of the real-life infamous showman and owner of the American Museum. In the book, he is shown as a shrewd businessman who will go to any lengths to profit from the spectacle of the unknown.

When he hears rumours of a mermaid living in a small fishing town in Maine, he decides he has to have her for his American Museum – whether she is a real mermaid or not, deciding that if she isn’t the real deal, then the rumours will be enough to draw in the crowds; they can just put the woman in a mermaid costume and sit her in a tank.

When he realises that the woman, Amelia, is a real mermaid, Barnum is determined to exploit her for his own gain and will stop at nothing to ensure he earns as much money from selling tickets to see her as he can.

Barnum is not a sympathetic figure; he’s rude to just about everyone. He only cares about how much money he can make and how big an audience he can attract. Nonetheless, however, he is still a compelling character.

Levi Lyman
Levi is a former lawyer now working as Barnum’s associate who, after hearing rumours of a woman in Maine who is said to be a mermaid, tasks him with going there to convince her to return with him to New York and join his American Museum. When Levi meets Amelia, he is immediately taken by her striking beauty. When she refuses to go with him to New York, he reluctantly leaves her behind.

When he arrives back in New York and finds Amelia there, after having decided to come after all, he is beyond pleased, though he knows Barnum will try and make as much money by exhibiting her as he possibly can, probably to the detriment of Amelia’s wellbeing.

When it comes time to arrange a contract for Amelia to sign, agreeing that she will be an exhibit in his American Museum, Levi ensures that Amelia is treated fairly and that everything she asks for, she gets.

Very quickly, Levi falls in love with Amelia, even though she initially seems to have no such interest in him and as a reader, you can’t help feeling for him. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Loved someone who hasn’t loved us back in quite the same way? However, things do take a turn for Levi and Amelia as their relationship slowly blossoms into something more.

Charity Barnum
Charity is P.T. Barnum’s wife, who doesn’t actually believe that Amelia is a real mermaid. Unlike her husband and daughter (who believe her without hesitation), Charity thinks Amelia is a ‘humbug’. Initially, she comes across as a repressed, downtrodden housewife who thinks she has to believe everything her husband tells her. Over time, however, she grows into a more assertive, self-assured woman. Her relationship with Amelia grows, too. When Charity finally sees Amelia transform into a mermaid before her very eyes, she realises she was telling the truth, allowing her to trust her more and for their friendship to grow.

Writing Style
Henry’s writing style is impressive; she weaves a vivid and stunning world that is easy for a reader to lose themselves in. Her storytelling is delightful and compelling, and over the two nights it took me to read the book, I found it hard to put down so I could sleep. Even when I started nodding off, I just needed to keep going.

Her attention to detail is excellent; I could see 1840s New York City as clearly as if I had been there, and her descriptions are vibrant and vivid. When she described the sea, I could smell it, and in the scenes with the crowds of people all vying to catch a look at Amelia, I felt claustrophobic. She really drew me into that world.

Another intriguing aspect of The Mermaid is how it comments on social issues of the time, particularly concerning the treatment of women and the limitations imposed on them by society. Through Amelia’s experiences, Henry explores the limits of human compassion and the desire for power, ultimately providing a critical social commentary on the societal norms of the time.

I also love how Henry uses the story to explore themes of love, loss, and acceptance, something I’ve dealt with a lot in my life, especially in the last few months. Through Amelia’s journey, we are swept up on an emotional rollercoaster filled with heartbreak, triumph, and the doing and seeing of impossible things.

Final Thoughts
With its strong themes, stunning imagery, and well-developed characters, The Mermaid by Christina Henry is a must-read for anyone who loves fantasy, mythology, and social commentary infused with captivating storytelling and history. The book is an emotional ride, with moments of heartbreak and joy that will leave readers invested in the characters and eager to see what happens next.

I am giving The Mermaid a 9/10.

Have you read The Mermaid by Christina Henry or any of her other books? I’ve discovered that she has a few based on well-known fairytales, and since fairytales are my thing, I’m interested in checking them out. Let me know which one I should read next.

Thank you, as always, for stopping by to check out my review; you have no idea how much it means!

Until next time,

George