Genre Fiction
![Monique Roffey - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_monique_roffey.jpg)
The Mermaid of Black Conch: A novel
WINNER OF THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD • 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).
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.
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.
Editorial Reviews
"A vivid phantasmagorical fairy tale . . . With a lilting patois and rollicking prose, Roffey evokes the Antillean settings, characters, and culture. This makes for an entrancing siren song."-Publishers Weekly
"Achingly evocative, the Black Conch mermaid's story and the people she meets after her return from the sea powerfully capture the nature of longing and belonging."-Bridget Thoreson, Booklist
"Full of lean, elegant, evocative prose that never overstays its welcome or drifts too far from its narrative, this finely honed novel about belonging, alienation and the enduring power of stories moves with the breathtaking rush of an ocean wave. . . . Like her title character, Roffey's prose is a shape-shifting, living thing, moving through emotional highs and lows with an almost mercurial grace. Roffey achieves this flow state with astonishing economy, which enables her to linger on existential questions. . . . A gripping dark fairy tale that any fan of contemporary fantasy will happily swim through."-Matthew Jackson, BookPage
"A searing blend of Caribbean magical realism and contemporary examination of misogyny and the reverberations of colonial oppression . . . Roffey's fable is a moving love story, full of messy, glorious eroticism, but she also shines a light on the dangers of toxic masculinity, racial inequity and the difficulty of understanding our true natures."-Connie Ogle, Star Tribune
"Every sentence in Monique Roffey's extraordinary book is alive with fluming, amphibious intelligence and alert to the blessing, and the curse, of love in a life of flux. A new sea hymnal to challenge, and change, the old dark songs that humans know by heart."-Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! and Orange World and Other Stories
"I absolutely devoured The Mermaid of Black Conch. It's wonderful, immersive, evocative . . . A masterclass of world-building."-Bridget Collins, author of The Binding
"Stunning . . . A mesmerising read."-Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall
"Achingly evocative, the Black Conch mermaid's story and the people she meets after her return from the sea powerfully capture the nature of longing and belonging."-Bridget Thoreson, Booklist
"Full of lean, elegant, evocative prose that never overstays its welcome or drifts too far from its narrative, this finely honed novel about belonging, alienation and the enduring power of stories moves with the breathtaking rush of an ocean wave. . . . Like her title character, Roffey's prose is a shape-shifting, living thing, moving through emotional highs and lows with an almost mercurial grace. Roffey achieves this flow state with astonishing economy, which enables her to linger on existential questions. . . . A gripping dark fairy tale that any fan of contemporary fantasy will happily swim through."-Matthew Jackson, BookPage
"A searing blend of Caribbean magical realism and contemporary examination of misogyny and the reverberations of colonial oppression . . . Roffey's fable is a moving love story, full of messy, glorious eroticism, but she also shines a light on the dangers of toxic masculinity, racial inequity and the difficulty of understanding our true natures."-Connie Ogle, Star Tribune
"Every sentence in Monique Roffey's extraordinary book is alive with fluming, amphibious intelligence and alert to the blessing, and the curse, of love in a life of flux. A new sea hymnal to challenge, and change, the old dark songs that humans know by heart."-Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! and Orange World and Other Stories
"I absolutely devoured The Mermaid of Black Conch. It's wonderful, immersive, evocative . . . A masterclass of world-building."-Bridget Collins, author of The Binding
"Stunning . . . A mesmerising read."-Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall
Readers Top Reviews
Antonio ArchSarah
If you’re looking to escape what’s happening in the real world, then the story of Monique Roffey’s Aycayia might be just what you need. I certainly am (looking for an escape) and her latest novel, set near the shores of a familiar yet unreachable island has been a welcome departure from reality. A lonely fisherman, a cursed mermaid, an unexpected catch -- the book beautifully achieves some poignant moments that are reminders in adulthood of what it felt like to believe in the plausibility and magic of those folk-tales of our youth. Highly recommended. You’ll read it to escape, but these characters and their story will remain with you for some time.
Michelle WallaceA
One of the simple pleasures in life is losing yourself in a book. Reading diverse books means being transported to a foreign world and being reminded that centuries of accumulated history culminates in “the here and now” of that particular story. Quite often a story reminds readers that indigenous cultures have existed in every part of the world, meaning that there are hundreds of vibrant and colourful stories that emerge from blended cultures. This is how The Mermaid Of Black Conch has directed my thoughts as I plow steadily through the fascinating pages of this little gem. It’s a magical realism story that has been described as “a fishy tale of doomed womanhood” but is told with a sharp honesty. It touches on many themes such as colonialism, feminism and mythology. I was glued to the book and read it in two sittings. The transitioning of Aycayia, the mermaid-who-was-once-a-woman-and-has-returned-to-her-original-form is delightful, and I loved the writing style, voice and diction which made the story easy to read. In the broader context, this bittersweet Caribbean tale is about timeless love - how people find each other, lose each other but ultimately save each other. A charming tale which, in some ways, reminds me of The Pearl by John Steinbeck.
Sense and Sensibi
This novel is a lovely, relaxing escape into a Caribbean modern fable about a mermaid hooked by sports fishermen. A handsome local villager is in love with her, and wants to rescue her. Her destiny is colored by an ancient curse that sent her into the sea. This novel was finished in 2016, and it took a long time to get a publisher, and the author even launched an online fundraiser. It won the Costa award for the most enjoyable novel of the year, a hugely prestigious prize, so it's suddenly thrust into fame. It is truly enjoyable, and relaxing to read about the world of reggae and rastas and a jungly Caribbean place.
Sense and Sens
The author accomplished so many things with this piece. The poetry, historical references, imagery. It was perfect. Wish I could connect and discuss writing with her.
LG H Sense and
I really enjoyed this book. Fantasy, fairytale like.
