The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock: A Whole Lotta Build-Up But…

I was generously provided The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by the publisher, and based on the cover and synopsis was so excited to read it. Well, it took me a month, but I finally finished it. Unfortunately, it did not deliver in the end.

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 chance meeting will steer both their lives onto a dangerous new course, a journey 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?

In this spell-binding story of curiosity and obsession, Imogen Hermes Gowar has created an unforgettable jewel of a novel, filled to the brim with intelligence, heart and wit.

What I liked about The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock:

1. The writing was stunning. I adored how everything was described and the time that was devoted to the environment of our characters. The attention to all the details provided a grittiness to the lush and beautiful ritziness of our characters’ lives.

2. Our characters were excellent. I adored the two main characters (even with all of their flaws) and the way their lives entangled. On the one hand you have a very practical, mature maritime businessman who has stumbled upon good fortune, and on the other you have a fluffy, superficial prostitute who’s successful days are numbered.

3. The role the mermaid played in the beginning of the novel. The only downside of this was that I was expecting more to come of the mermaid… which leads me to my next point.

Have you read this one? Have you read any mermaid novels recently? You can find my review of a very different mermaid novel here!

A.S. Thornton

A.S. Thornton has evolved from book blogger to author with a particular fondness for writing forbidden love in ancient deserts. When not writing, she’s caring for dogs and cats as a veterinarian. You’ll never find animals at the center of her writing, though, because those fictional worlds don’t have veterinarians and her literal brain can’t accept that the poor critters would be without parasite prevention. Thornton’s debut, DAUGHTER OF THE SALT KING is available wherever books are sold.