“Imogen Hermes Gowar is a soon-to-be literary star.”—Sunday Times (UK)“Historical fiction at its finest, combining myth and legend with the brutal realities of the past. . . . Comparisons will be drawn to the works of contemporary authors Sarah Waters and Michael Faber . . . but The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock has more in common with the novels of Dickens and Austen.”—Irish TimesIn 1780s London, a … Dickens and Austen.”—Irish Times
In 1780s London, a prosperous merchant finds his quiet life upended when he unexpectedly receives a most unusual creature—and meets a most extraordinary woman—in this much-lauded, atmospheric debut that examines our capacity for wonder, obsession, and desire with all the magnetism, originality, and literary magic of The Essex Serpent.
One September evening in 1785, Jonah Hancock hears an urgent knocking on his front door near the docks of London. The captain of one of Jonah’s trading vessels is waiting eagerly on the front step, bearing shocking news. On a voyage to the Far East, he sold the Jonah’s ship for something rare and far more precious: a mermaid. Jonah is stunned—the object the captain presents him is brown and wizened, as small as an infant, with vicious teeth and claws, and a torso that ends in the tail of a fish. It is also dead.
As gossip spreads through the docks, coffee shops, parlors and brothels, all of London is curious to see this marvel in Jonah Hancock’s possession. Thrust from his ordinary existence, somber Jonah finds himself moving from the city’s seedy underbelly to the finest drawing rooms of high society. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of the coquettish Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on—and a shrewd courtesan of great accomplishment. This meeting sparks a perilous liaison that steers both their lives onto a dangerous new course as they come to realize that priceless things often come at the greatest cost.
Imogen Hermes Gowar, Britain’s most-heralded new literary talent, makes her debut with this spellbinding novel of a merchant, a mermaid, and a madam—an unforgettable confection that explores obsession, wonder, and the deepest desires of the heart with bawdy wit, intrigue, and a touch of magic.
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The author of this debut novel, Imogen Hermes Gowar, is nothing short of brilliant. Unbelievable!
Note: I “read” the audible edition, which is beautifully narrated by the wonderful Juliet Stevensen.
Poldark meets Moulin Rouge!
I wasn’t one bit surprised to learn, while reading this book, that it had been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, because it has everything you want in a book – originality, personality and mermaids!
I hardly even read the blurb – I was already hooked by THAT cover and the intriguing title, so it was a pleasure to find that what lies within does not disappoint. Wonderfully written with characters that stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page, The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock is like historical fiction with a generous sprinkling of Baz Luhrmann theatrics!
A truly wondrous book, full of excess and greed, grace and humanity. The author does a fantastic job of representing women who, born into a patriarchal society where property and wealth are always something to be attained through trickery but never to be owned, are forced to live by their wits. Yet there is no moral judgement here, which allows the reader to completely immerse themselves in the lives of these characters and feel forever changed by them.
I loved spending time in Imogen Hermes Gowar’s world, as she deftly weaves myth and magic into the harsh realities of 18th century life, and I would highly recommend a visit.
Wonderful… completely transporting.
Mr Hancock is a shipping merchant, doing well by all accounts, but one night his fortunes are tripled when the captain of his ship returns with a mermaid. Enter Angelica Neal, woman of the night & exceptional beauty. The two could not be farther from each other’s expectations in a mate, yet are drawn together in a twist of fate. Cleverly crafted in the most witty of prose, this is an absolute gem that should grace the shelves of any historical fiction lover. Splendid indeed.
Beautifully written! I really enjoyed the descriptive language and engaging characters who weave there way through the social status and experiences of the changing mid 1700s and the lure of a mermaid.
Otherworldly, but set in a past we can easily recognize. The protagonist confuses obsession with devotion to the exclusion of a real life. Fantasy becomes truth becomes fate.
Explore.
I don’t understand all the reviews complaining about the explicit sex descriptions. I read that and honestly was expecting something more smutty. It’s a book about sex workers and a merchant. 50 shades is way more explicit than The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock. Personally, I think the descriptions are tastefully done considering the book centers around prostitutes, courtesans, madams, and brothels. The only thing I was not fond of was the flowery language. While it absolutely adds to the courtesan feel and time period for which the book was written, a lot of it comes off as stream of consciousness. Because of that, it takes a little while for the storyline to really get moving and I could guess well in advance what was actually going to happen. However, a solid four stars and I absolutely look forward to more books by this author…courtesan’s and all!
I enjoyed this book it sucked me in entirely at the beginning, but it did lose it’s way somehow in the middle a little. It lost me because there were sections that made me wonder why they were there. But those sections did keep me engaged with characters, and wondering what on earth was going to happen next. I could never have guessed where the story ended up. It is definitely worth a read.
Poetic, rich with historical detail, great characters. A must for lovers of historical fiction!
Well written and thoroughly unique
An unusual, beautifully written story with a wealth of period detail and a unique style.
Difficult to read, possibly because of the subject matter, but couldn’t get very far into it.
The writing is fantastic. It’s time is perfectly appropriate for the story, with no intrusion of more modern concetes. The characters react to an extraordinary event as ordinary flawed humans.
I loved this book. Exceptionally well written. Eye opening historical information. Characters you hate then finding yourself sympathetic and caring about there well being. I want to read more from this author.
As an English major, I loved the care and ease with which this writer evokes this period of time. Characters are spot on.
If you don’t mind drowning in descriptive writing, maybe you’ll have a better chance at appreciating this tale than I. I was naively expecting something more in line with the magical, mythical creature with a tail, rather than the plunge this tale intended. A grieving 18th century London merchant convinces the public of a mermaid in his possession, becoming wealthy from the admission he charges to view the grotesque anomaly. This prompts a connection with a prostitute with whom he’s smitten. The story was heavily descriptive and long, while short on tale.
Too much graphic sex for me.
An intersection of a mixture of people from different t walks of life.
This book is so richly imagined. It is set in early 19th century London.The plot centers around the delightful, greedy, sensuous courtesan, Anjelica, the merchant Mr. Hancock and a mermaid. All of the characters are fully realized including the wicked madam known as the Abbess. The descriptions of London streets, what people ate , how they dressed are so detailed. The story rollicks along. It is so enjoyable. You should read it.
480 pages of fluff, not much story