Between the Pages

In 19780s Deptford, widower and merchant Jonah Hancock is shocked to discover that the captain of his trading ships has traded the ship for what seems to be a mermaid. As news of the mermaid spreads through the community, Mr Hancock is catapulted into high society, where he meets the beautiful and notorious Angelica Neal. The scene is set for a tumultuous journey for both of them…

I honestly wasn’t expecting too much of this book when I picked it up, but I reasoned that I had bought it, so something about it must have attracted me. (It does have a most beautiful cover, so it could have been that!) Actually though, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s definitely slow in pace, but for me that was a bonus as it gave me chance to savour the beautiful and luscious writing.

I never felt much for Mr Hancock, and did not particularly like Angelica at first, although my feelings towards her did change and become more positive. The mysticism of the mermaid combines with the gritty reality of life in a shipping town, and focuses a lot on how inhabitants of brothels live their lives, and it is all described wonderfully.

The book is split into three sections and the third section was my favourite, but I enjoyed the whole thing. If there was one niggle, I would have liked to have known more about certain characters (Polly for example) and what the outcome of their stories was. Otherwise though, this is an example of an original story with wonderful writing.