Review of The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar

Flamboyant socialite Angelica is intrigued by a magical mermaid acquired by reticent Deptford merchant Jonah in bawdy 18thC London.

Story

London, 1785. Widowed merchant Jonah Hancock loses his ship but gains a dried-out mermaid. Mrs Chappell, a high-society madam, hires it for a lavish and lewd party, where Jonah encounters voluptuous courtesan Angelica Neal and is entranced.  Angelica demands a second mermaid in return for her favours, yet when Jonah succeeds in his mission, the mermaid brings trouble for them both.

Setting

The author conjures up 18th century London in all its splendour and squalor, from the licentious society party to the desperation of the denizens of its grimy streets. Angelica’s clothes are as eye-catching and luscious as the lady herself, and her fancies for jewels, sweetmeats and saucers of tea are joyfully described. Domestic details, language and social customs root us firmly in the 1780s. But the underbelly of London is only a misstep away, as Polly, one of Mrs Chappell’s “girls”, discovers when she tries to escape the madam’s clutches.

Characters

Jonah is melancholy and austere. Even when he comes into money, he is consumed by selecting investments rather than enjoying his new riches. Haunted by the loss of his wife and son, he offers Angelica a sympathetic ear and genuine, respectful affection when she is beset with troubles.

Angelica at first appears a self-centred coquette with expensive tastes that require a wealthy escort. She is mistress of the art of flattery and seduction. Yet she fears penury when her beauty fades. One could dismiss her as shallow, but as her situation changes, she deploys her persuasive skills by winning round Jonah’s forbidding sister.

Opinion

A glorious romp through the bawdy upper layers of Georgian society, through the eyes of those who live off the rich to evade the horror of poverty. The author’s delight in the detail of the era’s clothing and customs is infectious.  

As the story progresses, Angelica and Jonah both discover how to be happy. However, like the baubles of society, the mermaids are more deceptive and slippery than one might imagine. The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock has a light touch of magic, and some dreamy poetic interludes from the viewpoint of sea creatures. 

Author website: https://www.imogenhermesgowar.co.uk/home

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