I will admit that I judged this book by its cover. How could a jacket with a golden shell, an ornate backdrop and a mermaid in the title indicate anything but magic and romance? But the beauty in The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock is less superficial and found more in Imogen Hermes Gowar’s unique writing and style. Although the plot centers around several love stories, scenes are often melancholy and morose. For starters, the mermaid is nothing but a dead creature “brown and wizened like an apple forgotten” that is put on display as a morbid curiosity. The main characters are Jonah Hancock, an unlucky merchant who owns the mermaid, and Angelica Neal, a prostitute who fleetingly finds happiness. The story follows these two, among others, in their disparate personal lives before meeting each other, and their somewhat joyless life together as husband and wife. Despite its sullen undertone, this debut novel is extremely well written. I felt like I was back in a Dickinson seminar in college where descriptions of people and places are lengthy and detailed. Imogen Hermes Gowar creates a vivid picture of London in 1785, touching upon themes of social class, race, and obsession. Overall it was a nice break for me, dipping into a little historical fiction for 484 pages. Usually, I prefer mysteries and thrillers, but Gowar’s prose captivated me long enough to appreciate her as a great novelist. One reviewer called it “an ambitious debut with enough romance, intrigue, and social climbing to fill a mermaid’s grotto to the brim.” I suggest you dive right in!
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