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.

Out September 2018

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

What an interesting premise.  I was very curious when I first read it and wanted to read more.  I loved the voice of this author too. The author has a great way of weaving a setting, building her world with excellence and intrigue.  Love the wit enclosed within the pages and the protagonist is such a great character, fully fleshed out and developed perfectly from beginning to end.

This story takes the reader on an incredible discovery of wonder and newness formed by the era and of course the mermaid and what it represents, obsession, wonder, and believing in the unbelievable. As the characters navigate through class and society, experiencing the seedy side of life all the way to the exquisitely flawless life of the rich.

Different is exploited and wondered at by all of London, each perceiving the mermaid differently.  As Jonah Hancock moves through society, he is pushed further and further away from his comfort zone and placed in the presence of unusual acquaintances, experiencing things that he never thought possible or probable.

You’ll experience a wide range of emotions as you navigate the pages of “The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock.”

I gave this novel: