The Mermaid's Child

I knew very little about this book before sitting down to read it, and had never delved into this author's works before. I was not at all sure what to expect. It didn't take long to get sucked in, although this was, by turns, a much darker book than I had been expecting. When all you know is that it......more

Oh, the disappointment! The synopsis of The Mermaid's Child sounded fantastic. Mermaids! Circuses! Mythical Inheritances! Intriguing, right? Well, unfortunately, all of that together was just a mish-mash of boring. I love fantasy novels. Being transported to a mythical world is one of the great pleas......more

This book was quite different from what I expected, based on the description. When it's described as a fairy tale for adults, think more Grimm than Disney. Malin's journey is a hard one, full of both pain and pleasure, love and cruelty. Jo Baker does not shy away from the most difficult parts of the......more

Baker writes with a startling beauty. But this book never successfully manages (imho) to meld fantasy and history.......more

I loved Longbourne and was excited to read another book by Jo Baker. The description sounded like a departure from her other book, but the storyline seemed enticing enough. I can't fault Baker's writing style. She's descriptive and used the English language like a sculptor. Her imagery is gorgeous,......more