Author: Christina Henry
A mermaid, curious about humans, wanders too close to the shore and is netted by a fisherman. The man lets her go, but something in his gaze draws her to him. She leaves the ocean and lives with him as a human for years, until his death. Then she meets PT Barnum. Barnum doesn't want to display a fake mermaid poorly constructed from a monkey and fish.....he wants to give people the real thing. Although Barnum promises she can leave at any time, he is determined to keep his mermaid, and the money she makes for him, at almost any cost. Can Amelia have a happy-ever-after....or will she always be on display in Barnum's museum?
I enjoyed this story. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down. Amelia is such a complex and intriguing character. Living on land, but with an intense need to also be in the sea, she is conflicted even before being put on display by PT Barnum. The Mermaid is a magical and thought provoking story. I didn't really like the way PT Barnum is depicted. But being a businessman and showman, he might have been driven by a bit of greed and self-importance in reality. I just didn't like thinking of him as a liar and manipulator. I'd rather think of him as an interesting, slightly mystical, entertainer.....not a greedy, thoughtless bastard. That might be wishful thinking on my part, however, as the man made his living by tricking people much of the time. My favorite scene is one where Barnum's wife and kids discover that Amelia is the real deal.....it was just an awesome scene! I love the premise that his mermaid is actually real....so much cooler than the monkey-fish combo he really displayed. Can you imagine getting to see a real mermaid?? I would definitely have paid Barnum money to see that! :) But....would anyone stop to think about whether the mermaid was happy or not? And would she be safe?
I enjoyed this book and will definitely read more by this author!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
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