The mermaid of Black Conch / Monique Roffey.
Material type:
TextPublisher: New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2022Copyright date: ©2020Edition: First American editionDescription: 228 pages ; 22 cmContent type: - text
- unmediated
- volume
- 9780593534205
- 0593534204
| Item type | Home library | Collection | Call number | Materials specified | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adult Book
|
Main Library | Science Fiction/Fantasy | ROFFEY, MONIQUE | Available | 33111010868194 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
This enchanting tale of a cursed mythical creature and the lonely fisherman who falls in love with her is "a daring, mesmerizing novel...single-handedly bringing magic realism up-to-date" (Maggie O'Farrell, best-selling author of Hamnet ).
"Sentence by sensuous sentence, Roffey builds a verdant, complicated world that is a pleasure to live inside.... You might start to believe in the existence of mermaids." -- The New York Times
In 1976, David is fishing off the island of Black Conch when he comes upon a creature he doesn't expect: a mermaid by the name of Aycayia. Once a beautiful young woman, she was cursed by jealous wives to live in this form for the rest of her days. But after the mermaid is caught by American tourists, David rescues and hides her away in his home, finding that, once out of the water, she begins to transform back into a woman.
Now David must work to win Aycayia's trust while she relearns what it is to be human, navigating not only her new body but also her relationship with others on the island--a difficult task after centuries of loneliness. As David and Aycayia grow to love each other, they juggle both the joys and the dangers of life on shore. But a lingering question remains: Will the former mermaid be able to escape her curse? Taking on many points of view, this mythical adventure tells the story of one woman's return to land, her healing, and her survival.
Originally published in Great Britain by Peepal Tree Press, Leeds, in 2020.
"The Mermaid of Black Conch spins the enchanting tale of a cursed mythical creature and the lonely fisherman who falls in love with her"-- Provided by publisher.
1976. David is fishing off the island of Black Conch when he comes upon a creature he doesn't expect: a mermaid by the name of Aycayia. Once a beautiful young woman, she was cursed by jealous wives to live in this form for the rest of her days. When she is caught by American tourists, David rescues and hides her away in his home-- and once out of the water she begins to transform back into a woman. David works to win Aycayia's trust while she relearns what it is to be human, navigating not only her new body but also her relationship with others on the island, a difficult task after centuries of loneliness. As they juggle both the joys and the dangers of life on shore, will she be able to escape her curse? -- adapted from jacket