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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
Enjoyable story of a mermaid who falls in love with a sailor and ends up being one of PT Barnum's wonders. Sad and wonderfully magical.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this book. I expected to not love it as much as the other two I enjoyed from this author (Lost Boy and Girl in Red), and that much is true, but I still really enjoyed this one.
Amelia is a mermaid who gets caught in a fisherman's net one day. He lets her go, but she returns, seeing something in him that makes her want to return. She makes a life with the fisherman, until he dies and she is left facing the rest of her long existence alone, unwilling to return to the ocean, but unable to find her place in the world she has come to live in.
This is a story about a woman finding her place in a world, but it is also a commentary on women's place in society, and how Amelia fights against the restrictions that men want to put on her. I liked these comments, and how they were woven into the story being told. I also liked Amelia as a character. She's interesting and compelling to read about because of her strength and her unwillingness to be what others want her to be - she is herself, always.
In some ways, this story didn't subvert any expectations I had. Nothing really surprised me about this, and it was not quite as compelling a read as Lost Boy and Girl in Red were, but the writing was still very good, and the characterisation was done well.
I think if you are familiar with the story of P.T. Barnum you may not like this, as he does not come across very well in this story. But if you have no expectations on that front, you may enjoy this book for what it is: a historical fantasy about a mermaid who finds her place in the world (and falls in love along the way).
Amelia is a mermaid who gets caught in a fisherman's net one day. He lets her go, but she returns, seeing something in him that makes her want to return. She makes a life with the fisherman, until he dies and she is left facing the rest of her long existence alone, unwilling to return to the ocean, but unable to find her place in the world she has come to live in.
This is a story about a woman finding her place in a world, but it is also a commentary on women's place in society, and how Amelia fights against the restrictions that men want to put on her. I liked these comments, and how they were woven into the story being told. I also liked Amelia as a character. She's interesting and compelling to read about because of her strength and her unwillingness to be what others want her to be - she is herself, always.
In some ways, this story didn't subvert any expectations I had. Nothing really surprised me about this, and it was not quite as compelling a read as Lost Boy and Girl in Red were, but the writing was still very good, and the characterisation was done well.
I think if you are familiar with the story of P.T. Barnum you may not like this, as he does not come across very well in this story. But if you have no expectations on that front, you may enjoy this book for what it is: a historical fantasy about a mermaid who finds her place in the world (and falls in love along the way).
3.5
me gusta mucho la forma que tiene christina henry para escribir retellings, son medio oscuros pero mantienen esta esencia de magia y fantasía. escribe precioso la mujer.
me gusta mucho la forma que tiene christina henry para escribir retellings, son medio oscuros pero mantienen esta esencia de magia y fantasía. escribe precioso la mujer.
The Mermaid was recommended to me as being "something feminist, a little melancholy, and a little unreal," and it definitely lived up to these expectations. This book was charming to read, and had a certain magical once-upon-a-time quality to it that I really enjoyed. Amelia was such a free-willed and independent protagonist, she honestly reminded me of Diana in Wonder Woman, a stranger in a huge and unfamiliar city, perplexed by and refusing to follow the diminutive expectations that society has for her. It was refreshing to read a book with such a sharp feminist edge to it. Combined with the soft sense of longing and melancholy throughout, it made for a truly delightful and beautifully constructed read.
However, I do wish the characters were a bit more fleshed out than I felt they were. While I loved Amelia and admired her strength, her character fell a bit flat for me at times. She often felt to me like a cookie-cutter mold of what a strong female protagonist "should" be, without the nuances or flaws that make for a truly developed character. The same can be said of P.T. Barnum, whose character revolves entirely around money and scheming to an almost comical, Mr. Krabbs-esque extent. Their motivations and actions are of a relatively singular (and often unexplained) nature. What drives Amelia's curiosity about humans (and subsequently, the entire plot of the book)? Why is P.T. Barnum so hell-bent on securing money for a family he doesn't even care about? The book briefly touches on these questions, but never enough to thoroughly convince the reader.
Overall though, I'd recommend The Mermaid to all fantasy-lovers, especially those who love retellings and connections to historical events. Amelia was the perfect protagonist, though often times "too" perfect, but nevertheless a likable and often times relatable character throughout.
However, I do wish the characters were a bit more fleshed out than I felt they were. While I loved Amelia and admired her strength, her character fell a bit flat for me at times. She often felt to me like a cookie-cutter mold of what a strong female protagonist "should" be, without the nuances or flaws that make for a truly developed character. The same can be said of P.T. Barnum, whose character revolves entirely around money and scheming to an almost comical, Mr. Krabbs-esque extent. Their motivations and actions are of a relatively singular (and often unexplained) nature. What drives Amelia's curiosity about humans (and subsequently, the entire plot of the book)? Why is P.T. Barnum so hell-bent on securing money for a family he doesn't even care about? The book briefly touches on these questions, but never enough to thoroughly convince the reader.
Overall though, I'd recommend The Mermaid to all fantasy-lovers, especially those who love retellings and connections to historical events. Amelia was the perfect protagonist, though often times "too" perfect, but nevertheless a likable and often times relatable character throughout.
OMG what a boring book!
I almost fully DNF this so many times. It was so boring every time I put it down I did not want to pick it up.
Compared to the first 3 the is very little in this book that references The Little Mermaid other than the fact she’s a mermaid and I do think that was my biggest bug bare.
Every single character was insufferable and I was not routing any of them.
For a book thats only just over 300pages it felt so long and like it was dragging unnecessarily on and on.
I was so disappointed with this.
I almost fully DNF this so many times. It was so boring every time I put it down I did not want to pick it up.
Compared to the first 3 the is very little in this book that references The Little Mermaid other than the fact she’s a mermaid and I do think that was my biggest bug bare.
Every single character was insufferable and I was not routing any of them.
For a book thats only just over 300pages it felt so long and like it was dragging unnecessarily on and on.
I was so disappointed with this.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved this book. I have owned this book and finally picked it up this year to fill a book bingo prompt I only wished I would have picked it up sooner. The way it was written immediately got me hooked into the story and I will definitely look into Christina Henry’s other works. I also liked how even though it was fantasy it took elements of the real world into account such as peoples fascinations with museums displaying “bizarre” things. I would definitely recommend this book to others!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced