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shinypurplepants's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.75
Recommended to readers of "Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norell"
This is a windy, sad tale, yes about a dark sort of mermaid, but mostly about frivolous people. There are also intense moments of tragedy here.
There's a lot to be said about historical fiction that confronts the women's place in the world. For me I find it draining more than uplifting.
This is a windy, sad tale, yes about a dark sort of mermaid, but mostly about frivolous people. There are also intense moments of tragedy here.
There's a lot to be said about historical fiction that confronts the women's place in the world. For me I find it draining more than uplifting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Pregnancy, and Trafficking
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Rape
anapthine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Infertility, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Confinement
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
Minor: Ableism
suneaters's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It took me awhile to really like and root for the two main characters. There’s a lot that’s sympathetic about them—one has a wife and child lost at birth and the other is prostituted. However, it took time for me to really and truly root for them, especially Angelica. I honestly felt she was immature for 27 and getting into debts like girl this George guy already tried to leave you once! It also seemed like there was a foreshadowing about Bel that just never happened?
I liked the magical realism and how we never got a straight answer as to if any of it was real which was neat. I appreciated the ambiguity. The historical racism, sexism, and classism is also here and you can tell how it impacts everyone. I was so worried about Polly, but that last scene with Mrs. Chappel does seem to imply that she’s alright which is good!
I liked the magical realism and how we never got a straight answer as to if any of it was real which was neat. I appreciated the ambiguity. The historical racism, sexism, and classism is also here and you can tell how it impacts everyone. I was so worried about Polly, but that last scene with Mrs. Chappel does seem to imply that she’s alright which is good!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Racism
cevec's review
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Beautiful lyrical writing and a rich sense of history and place, but I found it overwhelmingly slow paced. Any sort of payoff by the end was not worth how long it took to get there!
I enjoyed the imagery and plot of the mermaid and how it could represent womanhood, femininity as a whole, particularly at that time, mirroring how each female character was trapped in someway, somehow at that time. And the longing to escape. But also on a wider scale of each character, each trying to escape their own lives for bigger, better and greater things. But do they, and do we, ever truly find it?
I found the scene of Mrs Chappell's death grimly fascinating, and how she sees who we can only presume is Polly right at the end. A juxtaposition of perhaps a "death" of one way life for women and Polly seemingly the start and symbol of perhaps a small bit of hope for freedom.
I just wish the book and plot had a bit more drive behind it, smore payoff and greater connections. More tightly written is what I think I was hoping for! Also, I don't think I actually really liked ANY of the characters, but the lovely writing and sense of place and time (the research the author put in shone through) was enough to keep me reading and find out what happened to them all in the end.
I enjoyed the imagery and plot of the mermaid and how it could represent womanhood, femininity as a whole, particularly at that time, mirroring how each female character was trapped in someway, somehow at that time. And the longing to escape. But also on a wider scale of each character, each trying to escape their own lives for bigger, better and greater things. But do they, and do we, ever truly find it?
I just wish the book and plot had a bit more drive behind it, smore payoff and greater connections. More tightly written is what I think I was hoping for! Also, I don't think I actually really liked ANY of the characters, but the lovely writing and sense of place and time (the research the author put in shone through) was enough to keep me reading and find out what happened to them all in the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Trafficking
amberinbookland's review
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Infertility, Grief, Death, and Child death
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