The Mermaid Handbook: An Alluring Treasury of Literature, Lore, Art, Recipes, and Projects (The Enchanted Library) by Carolyn Turgeon

The Mermaid Handbook: An Alluring Treasury of Literature, Lore, Art, Recipes, and Projects (The Enchanted Library) Reviews

• 
  Caro the Helmet Lady

  A must read for real mermaids and mermaid wannabies especially and I'm neither, hence 4 stars, but it is an extremely beautiful and well thought book.
• 
  Renae

  What a fun book! It isn’t a particularly incredible read, but it is a very interesting collection of all things mermaid! It’s really meant to be an eye-catching coffee-table book and for that purpose is it perfect. The design of the book is stunning and the photos and illustrations throughout are dazzling. I also really enjoyed the history of mermaid lore, mermaids around the world, and the resurgence of modern mermaids. I did feel like the beginning of the book was almost an ad for Weeki Wachee Springs, and the author had a very repetitive, overly exaggerated style, but once I got past that it was just a cute book. The writing of the sections isn’t super well-done, but since the majority of the book is pulled from a variety of different sources, I still very much enjoyed the book as a little gem that understands my love of mermaids.
• 
  Scottsdale Public Library

  Like many, I have been borderline obsessed with mermaids since childhood. The Mermaid Handbook is a beautiful and fun dive into mermaid lore, history, and style. Do you know some women still make a living dressing and performing as mermaids? Includes recipes for cookies, cocktails, and more. Complete with a guide to sea vegetables, beauty and make-up tips and tricks, and how-to projects including shell encrusted crowns, mirrors, and more! A treasury of mermaid illustrations and a celebration of the mythical creature adored by all ages.
  -Lisanne E.
• 
  .*•. ☾ sephia ☾ .•*.

  This book was absolutely awesome! 🧜🏽‍♀️ 🌊 I loved learning about the history and folklore of mermaids and I could really tell the author was passionate, and serious about her research. The art in this book was absolutely beautiful, almost every page was either filled with beautiful art or photography. This book truly had everything about mermaids, wether it be cute recipes, cocktails, history, folklore, movies and even where you can purchase your own tail!
  
  Definitely a cute read I recommend to give you a little bit more history and facts about mermaids and where this creature came from that is so ingrained in our culture! ✨🐚🪸
  
  I definitely will think about reading the fairy handbook in the future! A great book to add to my shelf with an absolutely beautiful design, I have no regrets buying this! 🌺🌷
• 
  Irina

  This is all you need to become a real life mermaid. Fashion, style and hand made jewelry. Food, parties and culture. This might make a perfect gift for a young or teenage girl. And maybe for some adults as well.
• 
  Leah Rachel von Essen

  It's a fun enough book. Not as compelling throughout as the Faerie Handbook was—not sure if perhaps more original content was needed for this one, since the Faerie Handbook pulled more from Faerie Magazine's works. Had a lot of fun information about shell collecting and the best places in the world to do so, the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, mermaid-themed crafts, the making of mermaid tails, the history of mermaids performing in theme parks, etc. An all right section on mermaid lore from around the world, although interesting selkies aren't mentioned. The piece on The Little Mermaid mentions Hans Christian Andersen's love for a man and queer-coding of the tale, though it skips the less-well-known story behind the involvement of the late Howard Ashman on the classic Disney film. Overall, a fun collection, but unlike the Faerie Handbook, I probably wouldn't have bought it for myself (I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review). Just a little more filler in this one—noting that this filler consists of gorgeous photography and illustrations of mermaids, accompanied by poetry.
• 
  Maggie Carr

  5☆ | Published May 2018 | Bookshelf Worthy!
  Perfection in a binding! This book is in my top 3 books of 2018 so far. If you are a fin-fan like me or know someone who is, this gorgeous hardcover 239 gold edged beauty can be purchased for >$25 and will be treasured for years to come. I borrowed it from the library and instantly knew I needed to own it...
  "The Mermaid Handbook: An Alluring Treasury of Literature, Lore, Art, Recipes, and Projects"
• 
  Lynn K.

  Contains more filler than The Fairy Handbook. I found myself skimming and skipping over uninteresting parts.
• 
  Steven Foley

  I’m always so appreciative to read books from my friend Carolyn. And while some may think reviews are biased, the fact of the matter is that they are not.
  
  Turgeon is one astounding writer. This is not a novel, so to compare it to her other works is impossible. What can be said is that, firstly, this book from cover art, to the gilded pages, to the satin bookmark, the beautiful artwork, and the quality of paper makes this book a sheer piece of art in and of itself. Secondly, the name “handbook” is a bit misleading, as one might imply this is a manual on how to become a mermaid.
  
  What Turgeon has done here is that she has taken a global focus on all things mermaid, and woven it so intricately together, that one does in fact want to know, “how can I become a mermaid!?” And to answer that question for myself, I look forward to my next house party being a mermaid themed dinner party thanks to the inspiration of the many food and beverage recipes, and party planning ideas that are also featured in this truly splendid book!
• 
  Daria Marchis

  I loved this book oml🙏🏻
  .
  With the upcoming “The little mermaid” tv adaptation I have been thrown back to my mermaid obsession and this book did me so so right!
  This was such a nice walk through everything about culture on mermaids. You have every information needed on when and where mermaids have appeared in art and fashion. There’s a lot of information on how mermaids where perceived then and now and so so many fun stuff!
  .
  This book is filled with breathtaking pictures that really incorporate the beauty of mermaids. Additionally, there are so many diy that you can try at home if you want to incorporate some mermaid lifestyle:)
  .
  This just brought me so much joy because I felt like a little kid again. I just love how happy it made me every time I read this book. The information is so interesting and so easily to understand that it made it impossible to put the book down! Really enjoyed this one🫶🏼 🧜🏻‍♀️
• 
  Voidroze

  Читалась в переводе
  ...На мой взгляд не слишком увлекательное чтение - возможно, я ожидала большего упора в мифологию и историю, а получила книгу на 80% посвященную шоу русалок, моде и еще куче вещей в том же духе. Разочарована(((
  Само издание красивое, с кучей фотографий и на глянцевой бумаге. Только вот желания перечитывать у меня нет.
• 
  Nicke Pearson

  A good non-fiction book about the history of the mermaid. Looking at Mermaid legends from different cultures and also the use of mermaids in entertainment. Lots of beautiful artwork and poetry dotted throughout to keep the book visually appealing too, as well as photos from modern day mermaids x
• 
  Elysia

  3.75
• 
  Saturday's Child

  An absolute delight both inside and out.
• 
  Mirabella.

  This is my favourite book,it goes everywhere with me. I haven’t always loved mermaids, it’s a new fascination for me with those sirens of the sea and their enchantment of songs. But I’ve always loved mythology and lore so it’s no surprise I’m fixed on mermaids now. This is a beautiful book to own, it has a lovely antiquated gilded look, like a book you’d find in your grandmothers attic. I love that it’s not just text and therefore centered on the left part of our brain, but so holistic and includes art, poetry, song, recipes and crafts. I truly cannot commend them enough for this. I wish there were more books that played to all parts of us as this one does.
  
  It has a beautiful section on Victorian Mermaids that starts with the poem “A sea spell” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti “her lips move and she soars into her song” and features beautiful olde world mermaid paintings by the Pre-Raphelites, this is a romantic book. I enjoyed the lore and legend featured, including the story of the tragic Undine that I’d never read before, this too is presented with beautiful delicate illustrations.
  
  Mermaids around the world are shown from the Rusalkas of Russia to Africa’s Mami Wata. There are recipes for mermaid bath salts and soaks,that are very easy. There is some delving into modern mermaids in the movies etc if you’re more of a modern girl, unlike me. There is Lord whimsy’s guide to picking up mermaids, which is very amusing. Truly there is much more than I have mentioned, it is a treasure trove, and a very very beloved book of mine.
• 
  Kiana

  I’ve had a lifelong passion for mermaids, so this book was a wonderful piece of dreamy beauty for me. It’s gorgeously assembled, with a fun mix of lore, history, and contemporary trivia, accompanied by some absolutely stunning pictures. I was actually surprised by how much it discussed modern-day mermaids, which I found very eye-opening—I never could have told you there are professional mermaids swimming around, or that there was such a thriving mermaid industry over fifty years ago, not just in Weeki Wachee Springs but parks and hotels all over the country. And, despite knowing Hans Christian Andersen’s tale inside and out, I was unfamiliar with the stories of Undine and Melusine, which were precursors to The Little Mermaid and likely influenced it; these stories were strange and lovely, as so much of the mermaid mythology is.
  
  Enchanting, intriguing, and a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours.
  
  4 stars.
  
  
  
  (Though I will say there was one point where the book dropped the ball: it assumed the
  "2017 Little Mermaid film"—which was actually released in 2018—was a live-action adaptation of the 1989 Disney film, which it is definitely not. Nor is it an adaptation of the Andersen story; it’s something completely detached from the classic Little Mermaid brand and my inner mermaid and Disney geek can’t help but be irritated that The Mermaid Handbook missed that.)
• 
  Carey Sabala

  Oh my gosh where do I start with this book? I received it in hardback and it is absolutely stunning. I didn't even want to unwrap it, it's just that precious looking. It honestly looks like one of those books you'd see in old TV Guide ads for the Bradford Exchange. Remember they'd show collectibles that were hundreds of dollars and you could make monthly installments because it was going to be a book you'd pass down for generations? Seriously people, it's just that beautiful!
  
  From the beautiful script, to the gold embossing, to the 250 pages of full color photos that include art of Mermaids from around the world. Each page is an eye full of knowledge, history and just wonderful fun facts. The author really did her research and Harper Collins put together a magnificent book. This should be in every mermaid, high fantasy, ocean fan and/or art lover's collection. Even the page edges have gold on them. I would consider this the jewel in whatever you collect or just place it as a decorative item on a coffee table. Whatever the reason you purchase it, know that you're getting quality literature, art and engrossing facts from the past to the present on everything Mermaid.
  
  Oh and this book next to her Faerie Handbook looks breathtaking on the shelf, just sayin'.
• 
  Juli Anna

  This book was both well conceived and beautifully produced. It fills a niche that few other books produced for grown-ups do; it contains a cocktail of historical and folkloric information, modern tidbits, as well as how-to crafts and recipes, all heavily illustrated with images from the last 300 years. The book production is stunning, with a foil-stamped fabric cover, foil edging on the pages, thick matte paper, thoughtful text design, and well printed images. It's not uncommon to find books of this style (though usually not this quality) produced for a child audience, but Turgeon and the folks at Enchanted Living Magazine hit on the fact that some of us don't grow out of reading this kind of thing; we just want a thoughtful, more grown-up version. I'll have to order
  The Faerie Handbook: An Enchanting Compendium of Literature, Lore, Art, Recipes, and Projects through interlibrary loan, but I think it will be worth it, if it's as beautiful as this one.
• 
  Charlotte

  This book is lovely but I think I prefer the Fairy Handbook. It's hard to pin down what exactly but I just found this book was lacking something?
  The tutorials are lovely, with a nice variety of projects and there is some beautiful artwork. I think for me the problem was there is too much about old carnival shows and cocktail bars and less mythology and artist profiles? The fairy book had wonderful articles about fairy illustrators etc. and there isn't really much of that in this book.
  
  Still a lovely book and I did enjoy it but if I had to choose I'd pick the Fairy Handbook over this one.
• 
  Alyssa

  2.5. Personally I'd rather read a whole book like the middle historical portion.
• 
  Kyra | Scales And Tales

  Delightful
• 
  Elizabeth Judd Taylor

  A magical celebration of mermaids! Folklore, crafts, recipes, and lots of mermaids—what more could you ask for?
• 
  June J. McInerney

  Had I known that Noah was a cohort of merpeople, I would have included a character or two based upon these interesting aquatic creatures in my musical "Noah’s Rainbow". According the Carolyn Turgeon, the editor of "The Mermaid Handbook: An Alluring Treasury of Literature, Lore, Art, Recipes, and Projects", he was worshiped as Oannes in Chaldea at Erech ‘the place of the ark’. She quotes naturalist Henry Lee who, in 1883 in Sea Fables Explained, equates Noah with Oannes as “the sacred and intelligent fish-god, the teacher of mankind, the god of science and knowledge.” [page 78]. Turgeon goes on to explain that a woodcut in a 1483 copy of the Nuremburg Bible depicts Noah in the ark with mermaids, mermen, and [of all things] merdog[s] swimming alongside it.
  What a wonderful scene, replete with the appropriate song, that would make!
  But probably not as wonderful as the HarperDesign book – just released today – that relates this bit of information along with scales, er, scads of other scintillating stories, accounts, reports, visions, and descriptions – as well as explanations – of and about mermaids.
  Now, I don’t know about you, but growing up “back in the day”, I was enchanted by "The Little Mermaid", the original story by Hans Christian Andersen upon which the Disney movie is very loosely based. I used to play “mermaid” in the shallow kiddie pool in the backyard and convinced two of the kids on the block to act out the story with me for our parents. [That was probably the beginning of my aspirations as a playwright.] As a much younger adult, I once had a martini or two at a “mermaid bar” in New Jersey watching women – and the occasional man – in fish tails swim in an underwater lagoon. And I spent the major part of this past rainy weekend doing nothing more than immersing [pun intended] myself in the Handbook that is, if nothing else, now the foremost authoritative compendium of all things mermaid.
  Beautifully bound and illustrated – as all HarperDesign books are – The Mermaid Handbook includes, along with folklore, myths, tales and crafts, mermaid cuisine and fashion. Did you know you can actually buy a custom-maid tail online? And did you also know that there are professional mermaids out there? And if you’ve never visited Weeki Wachee in Florida… Well, this is the second-best thing to being there. From a literary perspective, however, I was most intrigued by mermaid history and literature. As well as the well-chosen poems that are delicately sprinkled throughout. It was this aspect – especial the stories of famous mermaids – that kept me reading far into the deep dark swells of the night.
  While this blue tome with its gilt-edge pages acknowledges that mermaids have had an understandably bad rap through the centuries luring sailors on the high seas to their untimely deaths, it more than compensates this negative by the more positive beguiling and enchanting aspects of the mysteries inherent in mermaid life. An enjoyable companion piece to Turgeon’s The Faerie Handbook, it is a required adjunct to long summer afternoons at the beach or sitting by the pool.
  Enjoy the read!
  
• 
  Joanne

  1.5 Stars.
  
  For my review, I need to share the blurb on the back of the book for context. The blurb says:
  
  A rich compendium of literature, lore, art, recipes, and projects to delight modern mermaids.
  
  This seductive collection plumbs the depths of a mermaid's realm, a world rich with myth, mystery, history, romance, and abounding natural beauty.
  
  Gorgeous art and photography, fascinating stories and essays, do-it-yourself projects, and delicious recipes provide hours of reading and viewing pleasure for aspiring mermaids, and those captivated by these exotic inhabitants of the sea.
  
  I've just always loved mermaids, and The Mermaid Handbook by Carolyn Turgeon sounded like a really interesting and fascinating book! However, it was incredibly disappointing.
  
  The Mermaid Handbook was absolutely not what I was expecting. The blurb is what I read when buying the book, but if you look at the Goodreads description or any online bookstore, it's very different. I bought this book in a physical bookshop, and only had the blurb on the back to go on. It was also sealed in plastic, so I couldn't look inside, though I don't know if I would have felt like I necessarily needed to as it sounds just like my thing. But I'm not sure a quick look through would have made much of a difference, anyway, as it's only in the reading that you can really tell what it's about. It was sealed though, so I only had the blurb to go on, and it does sound right up my street! Had I read a description from a website instead, I would not have bought The Mermaid Handbook, because I would have known it's not the kind of book I'd be interested in.
  
  Because this isn't a book for those interested in mermaids and the folklore and myths surrounding them, or their depictions in art and literature. This is a book for those who want to get as close to being mermaids as they possibly can, and interested in swimming with fake tails as a hobby, and mermaid performers. There is one chapter on mermaids in myths and other cultures, with the very briefest descriptions of them. There is one chapter on art and literature, but it simply has an introduction, and then shows various paintings with quotes from books and poetry printed on top of them, with no explaination, no discussion of inspiration or symbolism in the art, or anything. They are not discussed, just shown. Now the description above, to me, implies that these two parts of the book were going to be a major focus. They're not.
  
  The focus of this book is on humans. Those pretending to be mermaids, whether for a hobby, as a career as a mermaid performer, and the various attractions they performed at. The Mermaid Handbook gives an indepth look at various businesses that make mermaid tails, specific mermaid performers in history and those working now, various different attractions, and movies featuring mermaid performers, with a particularly long look at the making of the movie Splash. It talks about mermaids inspiring fashion, and various ways the reader can make themselves look and feel like a mermaid, with DIY projects for decorative hair combs, mermaid crowns, and others, and various bath salts to feel like a mermaid in the bath. There's a really long chapter on throwing your own mermaid inspired outdoor party, with so much about the decor and various recipes for food and drinks you can include. This is simply not a book about the mythological creatures themselves, and because of this, I was hugely disappointed.
  
  I'm sure this is an incredibly fascinating book for those who are interested in such things. It is a gorgeously presented book, with lots of fantastic photos, a ribbon bookmark, gold foiled edges, and a big chunky hardback. It is gorgeous. But the blurb is completely misleading, and considering this is a very expensive book at £25, I was just so bloody angry that this wasn't what I expected. But I left it far too long to read, and so obviously I've lost that money. I will be trying some of the DIY projects and the bath salts, because they actually look quite cool, but this doesn't make up for the fact that the blurb completely misleads the reader as to what kind of book they're getting. It's really not what it says it is at all.
• 
  Van (Short & Sweet Reviews)

  Disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
  
  HarperDesign, Turgeon and the designers hit it out of the park once again with The Mermaid Handbook, a stunning compendium of all things Mermaid. Following up with last’s years gorgeous novel, The Faerie Handbook, The Mermaid Handbook is filled with endless literature, full colored artwork and photographs, recipes and crafts will keep you occupied and enchanted for hours and hours.
  
  The Mermaid Handbook is presented in a sturdy turquoise hardcover compendium with a high quality image of a mermaid resting atop a jagged rock. To tie everything together the cover and spine is embossed with rose-gold foiling, the pages is gilded in rose-gold and is finished off with a baby blue satin ribbon. I loved the color scheme chosen, it definitely conjures up images of mermaids and the sea.
  
  This compendium is a wealth of mermaid knowledge. The book is divided into four sections: Fashion & Beauty, Arts & Culture, Real Mermaids &Where to Find Them and Food, Entertaining & Stories of the Sea. Readers will learn how the mermaid mythology has inspired all aspect of our lives from clothing, to makeup, the vast stories from all around the world to yearly camp and parade dedicated for our love of mermaids; where you can learn to become one yourself and embrace your inner siren…because let’s face it, every one of us has dreamed or wished we were a mermaid at one point in our lives; I sure did!
  
  The Mermaid Handbook is a must have for all mermaid lovers, the believers, the water babies, and anyone who dreamed of swimming in the underwater kingdom and living in the deep depth of the ocean. This is the perfect companion novel to Turgeon’s The Faerie Handbook and the perfect book to get you ready for the summer which is sure to filled with days full of sun, sand and the ocean!
• 
  genrejourneys

  Rating: 3.5/5
  
  A magical book that manages to escape the trap of a simple coffee table book, “The Mermaid Handbook: An Alluring Treasury of Literature, Lore, Art, Recipes, and Projects” pleasantly surprised me. It presents a collection of ways to approach the infamous tailed creature that has long enchanted humanity.
  
  The book is a mesh of the history of mermaids in popular culture, various mermaid themed DIYs, and real life “mermaids”. I adored the Sailors’ Valentine in particular, a wonderful blend of history and a just complicated enough craft. With a gorgeous collection of art and a well spaced format, the book is very readable and lovely, inside and out. The colors are so vivid and the type of content was varied throughout. There were also plenty of resources for further trips down the mermaid rabbit hole after reading. Interviews from those who spent or currently spend some of their lives as the mythical creatures were moving. Readers will definitely be tempted to head to the ocean, or at least the nearest body of water, after reading. In terms of the content, I would give this to any mermaid lover in their teens or older. Some subjects and the style of writing might exclude younger mermaids.
  
  Why not a four? Some of the organization of topics seemed strange (“A Young Man’s Guide to Picking Up Mermaids” was a particularly odd chapter in terms of content and placement). I also found some phrasing confusing. This is a book that works with the visuals. Some images were not included when they would have clarified quite a bit and some images seemed more generic than others. There were also a few moments where the word choice stood out to me.
  
  I would recommend this to any mermaid or general fantasy lover. It was a pretty read with some engaging, if occasionally odd, content.
  
• 
  Dominique "Eerie" Sobieska

  I was hoping for a little more substance in the history of mermaids and their kin throughout civilizations. This book is a fun read if you are looking for something quick, flowery and looking to simply pass the time. Turgeon does write about how civilizations or mythologies saw these mythical creatures but it felt short with just enough information that barely scratched the surface. I believe this book would be better centered for children and teenagers and even young adults especially those whom would love to immerse themselves in the experience of being a mermaid. This has great crafting tutorials and recipes albeit you can find them online for free as well. For people like me who look for a more educated, seeking knowledge 'encyclopedia' - this is not the book for you. This truly is a handbook of glitter makeup, shell accessories and a deep diver of the Disney type mermaid that has submerged herself in our dreams since childhood.
• 
  Ita

  This is an amazingly gorgeous book: lovely cover design, pretty endpapers and frontispiece, gilt edging. Wherever you open the book, there's an interesting picture or painting. I think she found every painting ever made of mermaids!
  
  I got this book because it was reviewed somewhere and there was a craft thing I wanted to make. I couldn't find it, but I did find a couple of other pretty things I can make. These crafty things are scattered throughout the book in the relevant sections.
  
  I did read bits of it (the first mermaid entertainer and the woman who makes fake mermaids tails for performers) and it was fascinating.
  
  It's divided into 4 parts:
  Fashion and Beaty
  Arts and Culture
  Real Mermaids and Where to Find Them
  Food, Entertaining, and Stories of the Sea.