The Mermaid

May 28, 2018
Henry (the Chronicles of Alice duology) introduces a twist into the history of P.T. Barnum’s famous Fiji Mermaid hoax by making the mermaid real. Amelia came from the water because of love; now widowed, she wants to see the world and needs money for travel, which she can get from being an exhibition. Barnum’s friend and employee Levi Lyman wants to protect Amelia from Barnum, who will do a great deal for a buck. The shadow of Joice Heth, the old enslaved woman whom the pair exhibited and exploited until her death, lies heavily on Lyman, who is trying to make up for his previous mistakes. Unfortunately, this promising premise flails under the weight of leaden prose, little suspense in the plot, and an obviously well-researched background that nevertheless feels lifeless and flat. Readers are told, not shown, about the issues Amelia has in confronting human patriarchy and racism, so her eventual partial victory over those forces has little emotional weight. This well-meaning story sinks like a stone. Agent: Lucienne Diver, Knight Agency.

Starred review from June 1, 2018
After upending Peter Pan in Lost Boy (2017), Henry expands on Hans Christian Andersen's adventurous little mermaid. Leaving her undersea family to explore the wonders of humans, a mermaid wanders until caught and released by an enamored Maine fisherman. To her surprise, this man with lonely, dark eyes and an equal love of the sea is her soulmate. Taking human form and the name Amelia, she lives for many decades as a simple fisherman's wife, until the day the sea takes her love away. Grieving, Amelia watches from their cliff, wishing for his return. Then a man, following rumors, arrives with an offer to join P. T. Barnum's American Museum. At first reluctant to abandon her vigil, Amelia's wanderlust returns, and she decides to take up this new venture. But life in Maine has not prepared her for New York City and the strict social codes regarding women. How will she deal with the crafty Barnum, a con man only interested in selling people anything?whether authentic or not?for which they are willing to pay? Beautifully eloquent language evokes Amelia's loneliness; that and the credible historical setting will draw readers into this lovely reimagined fairy tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)