The Mermaid of Paris
Cary Fagan
Imprint: Key Porter Books | Format: Paperback | Pub Date: 2003 | 236 pages
In the spring of 1900, the peaceful life of Henry Church, inventor, amateur ornithologist, and performer of puppet theatricals for the local children is undermined by the growing distance of his wife, the beautiful and enigmatic Margaret, who takes solitary night swims in the river to ease the mysterious pains in her legs. When Margaret runs off with a Russian performing strongman named Count Anatole Belinsky, Henry pursues them to Europe, where he takes up a precarious existence among the underclass and anarchists of Paris. Realistic and magical, atmospheric and rich in period detail, The Mermaid of Paris is a compelling story of love, revenge, despair and hope, and the unknowable mysteries of the human heart.
"[A] magic realist tale of obsessive love. Fagan's taut writing and inventive plot twists make it an extraordinary literary journey."
— Maclean's
"Miraculously crafted. A remarkable achievement of mystery and magic realism ... deserves a wide audience."
— Glebe report
"A compelling story ... the product of a vivid imagination."
— Edmonton Journal