P. T. Barnum’s infamous Fiji Mermaid gets a voice and a spotlight in Henry’s newest adaptation. Magical and melancholy and not quite mundane, this made for an interesting historical retelling. ★★★½

Henry's books are always so hit or miss for me. Alice and Red Queen were certainly twisted and had their pros and cons, and as I'm not a terribly huge fan of The Little Mermaid (at least the more Disney-fied version) I had hoped for something a bit darker and a bit twisted with this book.

This wasn't a Little Mermaid tale, for starters (it's actually a re-imaginung of P.T. Barnum's Feejee Mermaid hoax though the marketing had me fooled there for a while), nor did I really find it all that dark? The protagonist is, in fact, a mermaid, but beyond that, she's basically lonely and decides to go hang out at a circus on display and she's so over the top about everything and I just... didn't care?

The story is solid, much like Henry's other books, so I give it points for that, but it was on the slow side and I struggled to stick with it for very long before switching to something else. Overall not a bad story but I wanted something darker and perhaps had the pacing been a bit quicker, I would have been more hooked on the characters and their outcomes.

The circus and a mermaid. Well, I did have a bit higher hopes for this than what I got, but it's not bad. It's just middle of the road for me. It's reasonable but lacks something I can't define what it is that makes me wish it had that "zing" that I missed. 

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

The Mermaid is a story of a mermaid that wanted to travel beyond her little town to explore new places. After being caught by a fisherman she ends up of interest to P.T. Barnum's attraction collection and joining the oddities at his new museum. Her life doesn't turn out as free as she hoped, with Barnum unwilling to let go of one of his prize pieces.
This was a nice angle to the Barnum story that definitely painted the entrepreneur in a dark light. Overall, a fun read.

Christina Henry is fast becoming an author that I have on my 'buy anything as soon as it comes out' list. <em>The Mermaid</em> is a beautifully written tale that combines a touch of mythology with romance and hint of historical fiction.

P.T. Barnum is looking to add a mermaid to exhibit. It doesn't have to be real, of course, since there's no such thing, but he would prefer that it at least looks a little like a mermaid instead of the clearly fake product (the top half of a monkey sewn onto the bottom half of a fish) that one of his workers brought to him. When Barnum's close associate, Levi Lyman, mentions that he's heard rumors of a possible mermaid in Maine, Barnum sends Lyman to get the girl and her gimmick so that Barnum can put her on a contract.

Lyman is smitten by the woman, Amelia, when he connects with her. The story he'd heard was that she'd been married to a fisherman who aged and died normally, while she continued to stay young. She tells Lyman that she is indeed a mermaid and that she's gotten a bit lonely and agrees to come meet Barnum. No one believes she's an actual mermaid, and she won't show her transformation until the conditions are right and Mr. Barnum is present. Once she does, however, Barnum knows he's got a money-maker and he signs her to a contract and watches the money pour in.

Amelia, however, becomes more and more disillusioned with humans as she faces taunts and attacks from onlookers who find her unnatural and terrifying as she swims in a small cage of seawater. While Barnum intends to hold her to her contract, she's not sure she wants to continue to be on display. Meanwhile, Levi finds he's falling in love with the woman Amelia, even though she's truly not human.

Christina Henry's writing is beautiful. This story is a haunting romance that really pulls the reader into the story.

As much as I like Christina Henry's work and find her writing to be mesmerizing, I found the characters here just a little uneven. Barnum is the strongest character, which isn't surprising given that he's often looked upon as a rather bombastic figure. Here he comes off as a bit of a villain with little concern for anyone or anything other than himself. Henry, in her afterword, mentions that she chose not to be 'true' to the historical view of Barnum, but to create him for her own needs.

Lyman comes off as a bit one-dimensional with only Amelia and her interests in mind. He tends to moon over her while remaining a bit of a patsy to Barnum.

And Amelia.... We never really understand why Amelia agrees to show herself off and swim in a tiny glass cage, especially after she finds it disagreeable. Barnum tells her it's because she's on a contract, but she, and Levi, and Barnum's wife all tell him that Amelia could leave at any time. And yet she doesn't.

Despite these character development flaws, I found myself really enjoying the book - relishing my time between the covers.

Looking for a good book? <em>The Mermaid</em> by Christina Henry is a beautifully written fantasy romance worth reading, even if the characters are just a little flat.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The titular mermaid in this story is presented as a matter of fact, not fiction. Circus great PT Barnum is determined to make her his own. She weaves between fact and fiction in this well-written tale of what is real and what is not. Interesting.

AHHHH THIS WAS SOOOO MARVELOUS!

I want to read ALL, ALL, ALL of Christina Henry's books now. I found a new favorite author!

What a nostalgically charming tale!

The writing so exquisite!

And, to think I almost dnf this gem! There is quite some telling at first, a looooong introduction, internalization and very little action and dialogues

But then.. WOW! When the plot stars to move is so incredible! JUST WOW!

The story is mostly told from the mermaid POV, it explores human nature and challenges many human preconceptions especially around social costumes, gender and religion.

And... did I say the writing was TOTALLY AWESOME???

It has such an ethereal, poetic, magical quality. Like a vintage music box. A balm for the soul. And unforgettable treat!

I found The Mermaid to be a weird but unique twist of The Little Mermaid. I found the early part of Amelia's story to be very heart-breaking. However, I did not like how Amelia became part of P. T. Barnum's circus. That part is where the novel took a downward spiral. It became very strange and dark. It was not my cup of tea. Still, I recommend this for fans who love dark fairy tales. The mermaid will appeal to fans of Tanith Lee, Gregory Maguire, and Carolyn Turgeon.

What a gorgeous book. This was not a fast read - this was a book that I sank into and floated along with. Christina Henry paints a picture that is rich and languid and her prose is beautiful in this mix of historical fiction and fantasy.

Henry's character Amelia, the mermaid, is a creature both fascinating and curious, and we see the world through her eyes. She is complex - she loves the sea, but her curiosity about people takes her further than her kind has been. Her time with the fisherman really sets the stage for her to venture out into what to me was the real meat of the book: her time with PT Barnum. Henry did not use the Hollywood version of Barnum, but the more accurate, huckster, greed-filled version of him. For readers expecting a twist on The Little Mermaid, this wasn't it - she is more creature-like in mermaid form.

Amelia is not a pushover - she has strong opinions about who she is and she doesn't conform to society's expectations. (No Disney princess here.) I love the feminist ideas she holds, and as one not familiar with the expectations of the time, she holds to her own convictions. She is strong and determined.

This book is perfect for fans of fantasy and historical fiction.

This one was really good. It's historical fiction and fantasy at the same time which is always an interesting combo. It is about P.T. Barnum's Fiji mermaid. In reality, this was one of his hoaxes (or a humbug as he called them). The author has re-imagined the story as if she were real. As in, really a mermaid. I like that she took the facts that she knew and turned this into a fairy tale while staying true to the actual facts. It's an interesting concept and I really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, The Mermaid was a disappointment. The premise is interesting, but since the characters are primarily adults, there isn't a strong teen appeal. The storytelling is tedious at times, but some of the historical connections are fascinating, particularly PT Barnum. While I won't be recommending this to my teen readers, I will continue to promote The Lost Boy which is a much stronger, engaging story in almost every way. Looking forward to more from Christina Henry whose talents weren't fully realized in The Mermaid.

I'm always hesitant when picking up one of Henry's books, since I never know what to expect. While this is normally a good thing, with her darker twist, some of the surprises aren't always so pleasant. That said, I really enjoyed this one, and it's the first of her works I have finished so far!

I didn’t finish the book in time for it’s release but I ended up buying my own copy and getting it signed by the author at an event! I loved this book! I’m a huge fan or fairytale retellings and I love the darker flavor this author puts on hers, reminiscent of the originals before Disney got a hold of them. I ordered two more of her books after I finished this one!

When I read the blurb for OCEAN LIGHT, all I could think was "Finally we get to see more of the elusive BlackSea!" I also was excited to see how a changeling could bring the anti-trusting, paranoid, hard, and rough, yet admirable for his fierce loyalties, Bowen to his knees. Kaia is exactly the playful but strong person he needed. Of course she doesn't make it easy on him and I really enjoyed the dance between them. The romance is sweet yet plenty hot, a deliciously fun combination. Bowen is a delicious hero that I wasn't expecting, and the combination of him with Kaia made for a fully satisfying read.

Nalini has a masterful way of crafting stories and situations that pull at your heartstrings from the first page, and OCEAN LIGHT is no exception. Bowen is on a life to death hair the entire book, and BlackSea people are disappearing right and left. Talk about intense circumstances! When you add those with the fascinating and masterful world, this is one heck of a combination. There's just something special about a story that gives you that perfect escape, and this is it.

All in all, with OCEAN LIGHT, Nalini Singh has yet again written an incredible story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Bravo!

The Mermaid is Christina’s Henry’s most recent retelling of beloved fairy/folk tales and heroes. Henry has taken on Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and now P.T. Barnum. The Mermaid tells the tale of a mermaid’s life on land as well as her subsequent exploitation at the hands of an enterprising and unscrupulous P.T. Barnum.

Amelia is a curious mermaid looking for more. She settles into a blissful, quiet domesticity as the wife of a costal fisherman. But when Amelia finds herself widowed but unaged, she longs to widen her world. She is offered a feature spot in P.T. Barnum’s museum of amusements and she reluctantly takes the position as a means to an end. Predictably, Amelia soon becomes acquainted with the cold, cruel world of humans.

I enjoyed The Mermaid for its subtle, nuanced storytelling. Henry is a true literary figure along fantasy writers. The book, however, lacked the magic and gripping storyline of her previous two retellings. Despite her integration into the human world, Amelia retains her secretive, closed-off character. While this is suitable in establishing the story, it makes it difficult for the reader to form an attachment. Feeling ‘other’ or ‘misfit,’ however, is a definite touchstone for readers.

Though this story takes place in the mid-1800s, it’s remarkable how applicable it is to a contemporary reader. The ideas of prejudice, exploitation, celebrity as commodity, and feminism are all integral pieces to the story. Amelia is the perfect vehicle to embody ideals far ahead of her time. She isn’t the popularized picture of a mermaid; buxom with a sea shell bikini, but rather something otherworldly, curious, and deadly. Amelia is afforded a feminist sensibility in this time and place because she alien and other: “All she’d found was that women spent a great deal of time saying they were pleased when they were not, smiling when they were not happy, and pretending their anger and frustration did not exist.”

Readers expecting a reprisal of P.T. Barnum as imagined by The Greatest Showman will be sorely disappointed. Henry’s Barnum is a self-interested, conniving business man who cares little for anyone or anything other than himself. Henry assumes a much more critical voice regarding the history of this man and his questionable and exploitive practices.

When I first heard about The Mermaid I kind of assumed that it would be a retelling of The Little Mermaid but with Christina Henry's own twist on the story but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that wasn't the case. Instead the author has come up with something uniquely her own, loosely based on PT Barnum's American Museum and the Feejee Mermaid he displayed there.

This book starts with the mermaid Amelia falling in love with a human fisherman but after a loving lifetime together the main story actually kicks off after Jack has died of old age. Amelia is kind of lost without the man she adored, not sure if she'll be welcomed back amongst her own kind she instead decides she'd like to swim to New York and explore more of the human world. Once there she meets PT Barnum and before she really understands what she has agreed to she finds herself on display in his museum.

Life in New York is totally different to anything Amelia has ever faced before and Christina Henry does a fantastic job of showing how wearying it is for her to be constantly under the spotlight with the eyes of the world looking on. Barnum is a conman who is more interested in his profit margin than the safety and happiness of his exhibits but his business partner Levi tries to look after Amelia's best interests.

I loved the mix of real historical figures (although the author does admit that her versions are only marginally similar to the originals) and places with the fantastical idea of a real mermaid being on display. This was really Amelia's tale though, a story about her finding her place in the world and refusing to conform to society's expectations for her. Add in a hint of romance and a satisfying ending and Christina Henry has picked up a new fan in me - I'm definitely looking forward to making a start on her backlist!

Good premise. Kept me entertained - historical fiction isn't usually my favorite but this was good. Wish the author would have drawn out the mermaid character more - I really wanted to like her and care about her but something held me back. The only big disappointment was the (typical) negative story line about "Christians". Instead of portraying some as extremists, they were all lumped together as one terrible group. A lot of our patrons won't appreciate that.

What if the famed Fiji Mermaid displayed in the 1800s by PT Barnum had been real?

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.**

If you've ever been to a carny show (carnival show), you may have been suckered into paying to peer into a dimly lit tank to see a "real mermaid." PT Barnum knew those kinds of sideshows appealed to our curiosity, and he made a fortune off of them.

Christina Henry's new novel, The Mermaid, is historical fiction, based on Barnum's hoax about the so-called Fiji Mermaid. In her story, a mermaid becomes the wife of a fisherman, and when he dies, she decides to travel the world. She meets Barnum, who actually used the body of a monkey sewn to a fish's tale to make his mythical mermaid. In this book, the "real" mermaid becomes Barnum's chief attraction.

This is a quick, entertaining read that will have special appeal to those who love fairy tales. I would've liked to see the plot developed a bit more.

Christina Henry’s The Mermaid is a captivating reimaging of the FeeJee Mermaid, one of P.T. Barnum’s infamous hoaxes from the 1840’s. In Henry’s version of the tale, the Mermaid is not a hoax at all. Amelia is a real, live mermaid who lives in the sea until one day when a fisherman catches her in his net. When their eyes meet, Amelia instantly knows that she wants to spend her life with this man, and so when he cuts her free from his net, instead of fleeing to safety, Amelia chooses to come ashore, find the fisherman, and live as his wife. They live together in a cabin overlooking the ocean until the fisherman is lost at sea and Amelia is left all alone.

Rumors about the existence of a mermaid reach the ears of P.T. Barnum, who is always on the lookout for new attractions for his museum. When he hears about Amelia, he knows she is sure to be a money maker for him if he can convince her to join him. He sends an associate to find her and after meeting Barnum, Amelia agrees to play the mermaid in one of Barnum’s attractions. She sets her own terms – a 6 month contract and enough money to be able travel anywhere in the world she wishes to go – and they sign a contract.

At first Amelia is somewhat intrigued by the idea of showing the world what a real mermaid looks like, but the more she sees of humanity and how people behave, the less enamored she is with the idea and the more determined she is to leave the show as soon as her contract is up.

Will Amelia ultimately be free to leave Barnum when her contract is up or will Barnum’s determination to hold on to his moneymaker lead him to try and stand in her way?

There are so many things to love about The Mermaid. Here were some highlights for me:

Appealing main character. I was drawn to Amelia from the first moment we meet her. First of all, I loved that Henry chose not to give Amelia the half woman half fish appearance that typically comes to mind when we think of mermaids. Instead, she gives Amelia the appearance of being something truly born from the sea. Her body is completely covered in silvery scales and she doesn’t really resemble a human in any way. In addition to giving her this unexpected appearance, Henry also makes Amelia’s transformation from mermaid to human and vice versa sound so beautiful. I loved the idea that it was solely Amelia’s choice which form she took and that all she needed was sand to become human and ocean water to turn back into a mermaid. I thought Henry just did such a beautiful job of bringing this mythology to life.

What really captivated me about Amelia, however, wasn’t really the way she looked. It had more to do with the feminist twist that Henry gives her. Amelia is a force to be reckoned with, a woman ahead of her time, and it’s mainly because coming from the sea, she really has no idea how society expects women to behave. The more she learns about society’s expectations for women, the more she begins to dislike the whole idea of society. She values her own freedom and independence above all else, and she has no use for anyone who tries to stand in her way and hold her back. Because of this, she stands up to Barnum and challenges him in ways that he never expects to be challenged. Barnum is portrayed as kind of a jerk as well so it makes it very easy to cheer Amelia on.

Atmospheric writing: The Mermaid is not what I would consider to be a fast paced novel. Instead, it’s one of those novels where the storytelling is just so exquisite I felt as if a spell was being cast over me drawing me deeper and deeper into the tale with each page that I read.

Henry’s use of vivid descriptions made me feel like I had stepped back in time to 1840’s America. I could feel my nose wrinkling in disgust at some of the less savory smells that were present on the streets of a less than sanitary New York City. In contrast, Henry’s attention to detail also made me feel like I was at the ocean with Amelia. I could practically hear the waves slapping the shore and smell the salt in the air. Henry’s writing reminds me very much of Alice Hoffman’s, which is a good thing since Hoffman is one of my favorites.

Social commentary: For the most part, The Mermaid reads like part fairy tale/part historical fiction. It’s whimsical and almost otherworldly at times because of the mermaid’s presence and the mythology surrounding her, but at the same time, the story also contains a powerful social commentary on the lack of women’s rights and about how restricting societal expectations for women were during this time period. It becomes especially evident in scenes between Amelia and Barnum’s wife, Charity. There are many times when Charity is the one who seems like she’s living in a cage rather than Amelia. Amelia even begins to pity Charity because she has so little freedom.

Amelia not only sees and speaks out against the fundamental wrongness of this lack of rights for women, but she also exposes how inhumane humans can actually be. She is appalled by the idea that Barnum thinks he has a right to own people or animals, and she is also dismayed when the mermaid tour travels south and she sees slaves working the fields and being mistreated. Through Amelia’s eyes, Henry delivers a pretty clear message that humans could use a little more humanity.

The only issue I really had with the novel was the character of Levi Lyman. He is the associate of Barnum’s who is sent to find the Mermaid in the first place. I liked him well enough, especially in the sense that he clearly had Amelia’s best interests at the forefront of his mind at all times. My only issue was that it felt like I didn’t really get to know nearly as much about him as I would have liked. Same thing with Barnum’s wife, Charity. They both intrigued me and while there were hints of what they were like, I just wanted a little more.

The Mermaid is a beautifully written story that is sure to captivate fans of both historical fiction and mythology. One caveat I’ll add is that Henry admits she has written the version of Barnum that she needed for this story, so I’d recommend taking this portrayal of him with a grain of salt since this isn’t meant to be a biography. It is an exquisite work of fiction though and I fully expect it to land of my list of favorite 2018 reads.