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Sailor Twain

by Mark Siegel (Goodreads Author)

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 1,129 ratings · 224 reviews

One hundred years ago. On the foggy Hudson River, a riverboat captain rescues an injured mermaid from the waters of the busiest port in the United States. A wildly popular—and notoriously reclusive—author makes a public debut. A French nobleman seeks a remedy for a curse. As three lives twine together and race to an unexpected collision, the mystery of the Mermaid of the H...more

Hardcover, 399 pages

Published October 2nd 2012 by First Second (first published September 27th 2011)

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Nov 05, 2012 Ceridwen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Wendy Darling

Shelves: america-and-environs, comics, faeries, mermaids-and-selkies, reviewed

I took the kids to the zoo on Friday because sometime late Thursday, I discovered they had the day off and we were suddenly at loose ends. The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St Paul is an old school, Victorian zoo, a municipal pasture that was fenced in to hold three deer gifted to the city in 1897. Various attractions were added over the years, such as the ominous sounding "Monkey Island" which must be where the flamingos live now in the summer, or Archie Brand’s Seal Show featuring a succes...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Seth Hahne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Sailor Twain: Or the Mermaid in the Hudson by Mark Siegel

Toothless and tamed. Declawed and domesticated. Over time, the old legends evolve from being terrible and terrifying to existing as pacified gentilities. As the world is industrialized (and more, technologized), our fear of the fantastic is replaced by something more civilized. We've traded the savage for the banal. And certainly, some of us prefer the latter to the former. Because fearing fantasies is distasteful to a society that is smarter than that, we make our monsters into men and our men...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Jessica-Robyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, pov-male, mythology, fantasy, graphics-standalones, 2013-read, historical-fiction

For links and images be sure to check out this review on my blog! :)

I should start by saying, to those who are interested in checking out the first five chapters you can read them online on the Sailor Twain website. If you're not interested in doing any reading then you can also check out a two minute Sailor Twain Author Video about the book. It includes a preview of the art and an introduction to the story straight from the author.

Now, on with the review!

Sailor Twain is the closest I've come...more For links and images be sure to check out this review on my blog! :)

I should start by saying, to those who are interested in checking out the first five chapters you can read them online on the Sailor Twain website. If you're not interested in doing any reading then you can also check out a two minute Sailor Twain Author Video about the book. It includes a preview of the art and an introduction to the story straight from the author.

Now, on with the review!

Sailor Twain is the closest I've come to reading folklore in a very long time. It's the late 1800's and we are aboard a steamship on the enchanting Hudson river. This is the story of Captain Twain and his unfortunate encounter of the mermaid variety.

The art is as captivating as the story with drawings so full of texture and soft details that you can almost feel it through the paper. Although Sailor Twain is a good 400 pages I ate it all up in just a few hours. The book is full of subjects that can be challenging to write well: History, seafaring, and mermaids. Siegel however, knew what he was doing with this story.

This is a compelling long narrative in graphic novel form about what happens when the sea and the surface mingle with an ancient magic curse. All she wants is freedom, all he wants is his brother, all anyone wants is love. Or sex. Or both. And that is where our story has so many twists and turns as a mystery unfolds there's definitely some magic in the water.

I would love to say more about what I enjoyed about the plot, but so much of it relies on it unfolding before you that I wouldn't want to give anything away. This also means that I can't talk about the things I didn't necessarily like because it would be way too much for me to give away. I'm in a bit of a catch. Some twist were better then others, but things really ramp up for the last half of the book. This is all thanks to the characters. They were varied and the historical tint that made the characters feel truly authentic.

One thing I can say that is spoiler free is expect to see boobies. The women in this are so well drawn, I love their dresses when they're fully clothed, but almost every single one ends up topless at some point. There's some male nudity as well, but not nearly enough to balance it out. If that's the sort of thing you don't want to see, then this probably isn't for you.

The mythology is amazing. As I mentioned earlier it has more of a folklore tone then just straight up fantasy. I could imagine this being true, in the same way that I grew up believing I was swimming with my water wings alongside Ogopogo the sea monster in Okanagan Lake. I love the way that the mermaid is both fantastic and yet with a overwhelming dark side. It all breathed with life.

This is a very unique story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Those who have an interest in mermaids or even just folklore and historical fairytales will most likely enjoy this just as much as I have. (less)

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Oct 05, 2012 Nafiza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, 2012

The graphic novel comes with a fantastic synopsis (the title alone is awesome) that snagged my interest and I requested it on Net Galley without doing my research and realizing it was a graphic novel. I went into it anyway because I like graphic novels and I ended up with a story that is definitely quirky and keeps you guessing. If I were to retitle this book, I would call it the Disintegration of Sailor Twain. The protagonist of this novel, the captain of a cruise boat (ship?) that makes its wa...more

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May 09, 2013 Raisu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, comics-and-graphic-novels, folk-tales-fairy-tales-and-myths, read-in-2013

The book's called Sailor Twain, its first two sentences are "Don't call me captain" and "As you wish", it has chapter titles such as The Frenchman's Steamboat and A Prayer Down Below and there are mermaids singing. Well, one mermaid. So in other words, if you're a fan of American and English fiction both popular and canonical, you'll probably like this graphic novel. But if you're that and also like your fairy tales in darker, more dangerous or original tones than many of the Disney offering, yo...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, graphic-novel, historical-fiction, fantasy, adult, reviewed

I stayed up way too late because I could not stop reading this graphic novel and I stayed up even later thinking about it. When I finished reading I wasn't sure what to think, but the later I stayed up, ruminating over the story and how it grabs you, the more I appreciated the dark beauty of this work.

Sailor Twain, or the mermaid in the Hudson is the story of Captain Twain, a highly respected Captain who runs a steamship, the enchanting mermaid he rescues one night, and how his obsession for he...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Larraine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've never read a graphic novel before. It will probably be a while before I read one again. However, if this author writes another, I may just have to make an exception. I've picked up graphic novels in bookstores and have been uninterested for one reason or another. Most of them seem to be written for teenagers or gamers. I read a review about this one, reserved it at the library, then promptly forgot about it until it showed up. By that time I had forgotten that it was a graphic novel! The st...more I've never read a graphic novel before. It will probably be a while before I read one again. However, if this author writes another, I may just have to make an exception. I've picked up graphic novels in bookstores and have been uninterested for one reason or another. Most of them seem to be written for teenagers or gamers. I read a review about this one, reserved it at the library, then promptly forgot about it until it showed up. By that time I had forgotten that it was a graphic novel! The story takes place in 1887 NY on a riverboat that sails between Albany and NYC on the Hudson. It is run by a Frenchman named Lafayette, absurdly dressed in 18th Century garb despite the date. He was in partnership with his older brother until one day his brother disappeared. His sexual appetite seems to know no bounds which disgusts Twain who has given up his dreams of writing to pilot the boat. He is married to Pearl who has a mysterious illness. She had hoped that their lives would be different, but Twain is, as Pearl said, chained to the river. One day he sees a stag in the river, then suddenly it's gone. Lafayette is staring at it, but shrugs when Twain says it probably drowned. Shortly thereafter, Twain pulls a mermaid out of the water. She has been harpooned. He secretly nurses her back to health. Meanwhile Lafayette has been writing to Beaverton, an author, who only uses first initials and last name, but whose book has caused a sensation. Then the author reveals herself as a woman much to the displeasure of the intelligentsia. Meanwhile the mermaid has become Twain's muse. He is writing feverishly every night as he entertains her with stories and pictures. Nevertheless, she disappears. He MUST find her. The drawings in this are surprisingly complex and lovely. It was done in charcoal and the result is a soft look that fits well with the stories. Old charts and news stories that look like they were plucked from the New York Times of the day are arranged in a strange and wonderful decoupage. It's a wonderful story of love and eroticism. (less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sailor Twain is a graphic novel done in charcoal - so, black and white. It tells the story of Sailor Twain, Captain of the boat Lorelei, as he misses his girlfriend Pearl, deals with the overly-amorous boat owner Monsieur Lafayette, and.....nurses a wounded mermaid back to health in his personal cabin.

The story was pretty good, but not fantastic. I liked the mythical elements of the mermaid aspect but because it was a graphic novel - and one light on the dialogue at that - I was left feeling lik...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Ed added it

Siegel, M. (2011). Sailor Twain: The mermaid in the Hudson. New York: Roaring Brook Press/First Second Books. 400 pp. ISBN: 978-1-59643-636-7. (Hardcover) $24.99.

While the bare breasted mermaid is certain to produce a certain amount of angst in many Michigan schools, this book is more than its “erotically charged drawings” (as blurbed by John Irving). Mrs. Camomille follows Captain Twain to a bar and harangues him into revealing what he knows about missing steamboat owner, Jacques-Henri Lafayett...more Siegel, M. (2011). Sailor Twain: The mermaid in the Hudson. New York: Roaring Brook Press/First Second Books. 400 pp. ISBN: 978-1-59643-636-7. (Hardcover) $24.99.

While the bare breasted mermaid is certain to produce a certain amount of angst in many Michigan schools, this book is more than its “erotically charged drawings” (as blurbed by John Irving). Mrs. Camomille follows Captain Twain to a bar and harangues him into revealing what he knows about missing steamboat owner, Jacques-Henri Lafayette. Twain’s story includes his rescue of a harpooned mermaid, whom he hides and heals and begins to love, which may not be his wisest move. Lafayette’s brother, Dieudonne Lafayette, the new ship’s owner, is a womanizer intent on loving seven women. He is not the businessman his brother was, much to the consternation of the crew and passengers (except many of the women). When Twain discovers that his mermaid may not be the lovely sea creature she seems, he learns that breaking a mermaid’s power includes finding seven lovers. Dieudonne’s actions must now be viewed with another, more complicated lens. Siegel also includes—with a character named Twain, this may seem obvious—an author that isn’t quite what he seems to be. Elijah Twain is a frustrated author often afflicted with writer’s block. However, Siegel includes another author, the mysterious C.G. Beaverton, who has been communicating regularly with Dieudonne. Dieudonne has never accepted the presumed fact of his brother's suicide. Turns out this mysterious author, Beaverton, is an expert on mermaids. More layers! Twain’s emotionally charged riverboat life collides with mermaid magic and Greek lore. We travel through time with drawings aptly described in the jacket copy as, “Cinematic drama.” Readers will find atmosphere galore in the illustrations as well as humor. See, for example, Twain and the mermaid’s kissing on page143 (Siegel’s charcoal drawings of these kisses explode with an orgasm of words, spilling onto the page—so much for writer’s block). The charcoal illustrations throughout this graphic novel complement the text, adding a richness to the setting that allows readers to travel back in time gracefully. The 400 pages are just the right amount to allow the story to unfold naturally and magically. While there is certainly no denying the sex appeal of this novel, what has me eagerly recommending it to sophisticated, older high school readers (and adults) is its celebration of story and its romance of words. Smart, graphic-literate teens will celebrate this sexy mash-up of mythology, folklore, magic, mystery, and romance that has, at its core, a reverence for language and literature, and their roots, classical or modern, Greek or American...
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Nov 24, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, families, friendship, graphic-novels, folk-tales

Captain Twain is proud of the ship Lorelei, but his priorities change once he saves a wounded mermaid and falls in love with her. Over time, as he hides her in his room, he forgets himself and his beloved Pearl and shirks his own duties. But his mermaid has a task for him: He must unchain her heart, which lies deep beneath the sea. Amid all his dithering over the mermaid, Lafayette, the ship's owner is bedding just about every female he encounters aboard ship in an attempt to thwart the mermaid'...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Nicola rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reason for Reading: Set in the 1880s, I wasn't about to pass this one by as it sounded just to my tastes.

Phenomenal! One of my favourite graphic novels of the year. This is a haunting, gothic story set in Victorian era New York, or to be more exact on a steamer upon the Hudson River. From the beginning prologue, the book is surrounded in mystery. The fog that fills the graphic panels also hovers heavily over the plot. Atmosphereic only begins to describe the aura one feels reading this book and...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Beth Cato rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, historical, fantasy, graphic-novel, early-reviewers

I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher.

Sailor Twain compiles a serialized webcomic written and illustrated by Mark Siegel. In hardcover, the book is rather daunting in thickness at 399 pages, but it's a very fast read as it's a graphic novel. Most pages feature little text. The blurbs show an impressive array of positive remarks from notables such as John Irving, Pete Hamill, Rachel Maddow, and Robin McKinley.

Since it is a graphic novel, there are several aspects...more I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher.

Sailor Twain compiles a serialized webcomic written and illustrated by Mark Siegel. In hardcover, the book is rather daunting in thickness at 399 pages, but it's a very fast read as it's a graphic novel. Most pages feature little text. The blurbs show an impressive array of positive remarks from notables such as John Irving, Pete Hamill, Rachel Maddow, and Robin McKinley.

Since it is a graphic novel, there are several aspects here to analyze. Siegel is an experienced artist, but I found much of the art to be easy to flip past. His depictions of the steamboat Lorelei and other scenes were fantastic and showed his talent--the depiction of the main characters, not so much. In particular, the design of the main character, Twain, bothered me because of his over-simplicity; I realize this was probably done because of the difficulty in doing detailed work in charcoal, but then why not choose another medium?

The pace is engaging. It's a very easy book to read. The characters are distinct (even if not appealing to me, personally) and the book created some deep questions early on that propel the plot: what happened on the Lorelei? Why is the Twain at the beginning so angry, when the flashback shows he's a fairly average fellow? What has the mermaid done? I should add that despite the fact this is a graphic novel, this isn't a book for kids or even young adults; there's actually a good bit of nudity and sex.

It's a good story, as moody and mysterious as a fogged-in river. But I didn't see the reason for the hype or the effusive cover blurbs. It does some unique things with mermaid mythology, but many of the big twists are predictable, and in the end it just was not a compelling read for me. Maybe this is intended more for literary types who don't read historical fantasy, and therefore this is something completely fresh for them. I didn't mind reading Sailor Twain, but it's not a book I would keep on my shelf.

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Sep 25, 2012 Shélah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: americana, male-authors, graphic-novels

* Received this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway programme.

First and foremost, this graphic novel has really engaging artwork, although I did feel that Elijah Twain felt a bit out of place. Everyone else had a similar aesthetic and he was a bit of an oddball. Perhaps that was purposeful to make him stand out as the protagonist.

The story itself is not only intriguing, but also about intrigue, and I found that to be captivating. The decisions and actions of the characters are quest...more

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Sep 03, 2012 William Stanger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sailor Twain is one of the better graphic novels I have read in a while. Unfortunately, because I downloaded an ARC copy of it from NetGalley, I had to read it using Adobe Digital Editions. I may have to buy a print copy of this when it is released next month as it was bit awkward reading it on the computer. I was still able to enjoy it, though.

The story concerns Captain Twain, a steamboat captain on the Hudson River in the late 19th century, and his encounter with a mermaid. This mermaid is not...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Gary Anderson rated it 3 of 5 stars

A steamboat captain named Twain who moonlights as a writer? I’m in! But guess what? It’s not Mark Twain. The hero of Mark Siegel’s graphic novel Sailor Twain: Or: The Mermaid in the Hudson is Elijah Twain, writer and steamboat captain.

Sailor Twain’s “overture” effectively sets up the story’s mystery with evocative black-and-white drawings and interesting angles of perspective. Mark Siegel definitely captures the grandeur and gritty engineering mechanics of steamboat life. His characters also gre...more

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May 27, 2012 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comic-books-and-such, lit-american, netgalley, mermaids-selkies, fantasy-historical, fantasy-dark, comic-books-fairy-tales

Disclaimer: I got a ARC via Netgalley.

Sailor Twain is a novel.
Not just a graphic novel, but a novel.
I know, we tend to only refer to graphic novels that people tend to apply that term to are Maus and Watchmen.
But this is a novel.

Sailor Twain tells the story of a steamboat on the Hudson River; in particular it is concerned with the boat’s captain, a Captain Twain. Twain works for a Frenchman, who has been missing, and, therefore, at the moments takes orders from the man’s brother, Lafayette. Ther...more Disclaimer: I got a ARC via Netgalley.

Sailor Twain is a novel.
Not just a graphic novel, but a novel.
I know, we tend to only refer to graphic novels that people tend to apply that term to are Maus and Watchmen.
But this is a novel.

Sailor Twain tells the story of a steamboat on the Hudson River; in particular it is concerned with the boat’s captain, a Captain Twain. Twain works for a Frenchman, who has been missing, and, therefore, at the moments takes orders from the man’s brother, Lafayette. There is the mystery of the engine room, and there are a couple of strange stowaways who are likable because they are children who know how to read. Then Twain pulls something from the Hudson, a mermaid. A hurt mermaid.

Mark Siegel draws upon American literature and history, and world mythology to tell a story of love, loss, and strength. It is worthy of any grand opera or majestic work of literature.
I must admit that the charcoal drawing weren’t done in the style that I was expecting (I’m not sure what I was expecting in term s of charcoal drawings), but they do draw the reader into the story. There is something about the style. It’s somewhat like anime, somewhat European, yet wholly American. Whatever it is, it works. It suits the story.

And the story is the key. Told in parts and chapters, the story presents multi-layered characters in a conflict that is more than simple good against bad. Part of the story is the need to remove a curse, and this leads to a question about right and wrong. Despite the black and white of the drawings, the motives of the characters and the choices that must be made are not black and white.

Opening this book, even in the ARC galley form that I read does transport you to the Hudson of the later 1800s. You are there. You can smell the river, feel the boat move; in short, the reader becomes one of the passengers on that steamboat, something more than a disinterested reader. It is a way work – novel, poem, painting, comic – that can do that. This one can.

Which is why I am going to buy it.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

This is an intriguing and interesting graphic novel. I really liked it. When I began reading it, I thought the illustrations were a bit comical, especially the eyes and noses. However, I grew to love the illustrations. I found them to be tantalizing and evocative. The story--that of a New York river mermaid's hold over various characters--is peppered with funny and erotic and sometimes sad pieces that made me want to keep reading. I am not a huge graphic novel fan, but this one tells a story tha...more

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Sep 29, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf-fantasy

A ghost story, a love story (more than one, actually), a cautionary tale about the hazards of hanging out with gods and demigods, a New York story, a story about the creative impulse and its expression...this is all of these, wrapped into a tale about three men who fall afoul of a mermaid/siren on the Hudson River. One does escape her sung spell in the end, though his tale is thickly swaddled in irony. As atmospheric as all get out, the hazy riverine scenes of 19th century people and places are...more

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Jul 21, 2012 bookczuk rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advanced-reader-copy, books-about-books, didn-t-want-to-put-it-down, fantasy, graphic-manga-etc, great-title, i-liked-it, made-me-look-something-up, places-i-have-been, vampires-ghosts-and-other-creatures, worth-the-reread

A few months back I was perusing Tor's fall 2012 offerings and the blurb on a graphic novel coming out through an imprint called First Second Books:

One hundred years ago, on the foggy Hudson River,a riverboat captain rescues an injured mermaid from the waters of the busiest port in the United States. A wildly popular—and notoriously reclusive—author makes a public debut. A French nobleman seeks a remedy for a curse. As three lives twine together in an unexpected collision, the mystery of the M

...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Elia rated it 5 of 5 stars

If anyone had told me in January that one of the best books I would read this year would be a story about a mermaid, I probably would have laughed. I would have been wrong.
Sailor Twain is definitely one of the best new books of the year, and mt favorite new graphic novel so far. The story is captivating - giving a new twist to mermaid lore, and the characters are well developed and engaging. It has a little bit of everything thrown in: romance, adventure, the supernatural - but it's done in a wa...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Anthony rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, graphic-novels

Mark Siegel's much hyped (and tad overrated) cult online comic, Sailor Twain, evokes the dreamy, gothic work of Poe and retains the erotic fairy tale quality of Hans Christian Andersen. Mermaids have often represented the sexual desires and anxieties of sailors and have been the ruin of countless foolhardy young men over the ages.

Siegel's gorgeous charcoal artwork gives readers an impressionistic slice of life aboard the doomed steamer, the Lorelei, as well as the Hudson Valley during the Ameri...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, history, mythology, mystery, paranormal, relationships, sex, romance-star-crossed-or-otherwise, sibling-relationships

“'Correct me if I’m wrong, Mister Lafayette, but won’t Descartes’s people sneer at such reason-resistant magic?'

'You’re asking the wrong Frenchman. I’ve been here too long. After a time, America casts a spell on even the most enlightened European. Stay on the Hudson a few years and it turns you into a mystic. Unless you’re already dead, of course.'"

Set aboard a steamboat traveling the Hudson River line between New York City and Albany in 1887, this graphic novel resonates with mystery, tragedy,...more “'Correct me if I’m wrong, Mister Lafayette, but won’t Descartes’s people sneer at such reason-resistant magic?'

'You’re asking the wrong Frenchman. I’ve been here too long. After a time, America casts a spell on even the most enlightened European. Stay on the Hudson a few years and it turns you into a mystic. Unless you’re already dead, of course.'"

Set aboard a steamboat traveling the Hudson River line between New York City and Albany in 1887, this graphic novel resonates with mystery, tragedy, sexual intrigue, and vibrant characters. Captain Elijah Twain runs a tight ship aboard The Lorelei, and is also a good husband, as well as a secretive writer and artist. When he discovers a mermaid on the river, suffering from a harpoon wound, he brings her aboard, shutters her in his quarters, and nurses her back to health. Other plot lines intersect, including the story of Lafayette, the Frenchman with the prodigious sexual appetites, who has taken over the business end of the steamboat line, after his brother’s mysterious disappearance. The character of C.G. Beaverton, a reclusive bestselling author whose identity is finally revealed, also figures prominently in the novel. And there are mysterious twins who appear as stowaways on board, always evading the captain’s grasp.

As Twain begins to know the Mermaid (named South), he becomes drawn more to her world, and learns the startling connections between her, Lafayette, and his lost brother. The backstory of the Mermaid and her sisters is tragic, as is the fate of those lured underwater by their songs. It’s up to Twain to avoid a similar fate.

This graphic novel is absolutely lush – the writing is outstanding, and the artwork, done in charcoal, is gorgeous. The novel began life as a serialized web comic (http://sailortwain.com/), with publication of the entire work coming this fall. I’d strongly recommend looking at the site, if only for the extra material Siegel provides, particularly about the history and geography of the region in the late 19th century. This novel has obviously been a labor of love for Siegel, and that comes through clearly on every page. It’s a graphic novel that demands a slow read, and rewards readers who want strong storytelling along with beautiful imagery.
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Oct 22, 2012 Tammy Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-novel, guys-read, historical

Sailor Twain introduces us to Twain, who is the Captain of a steam ship that sails up and down the Hudson River. Captain Twain worked for a Frenchman who owned the ship, Jacques-Henri. Jacques-Henri brought his troubled brother, Lafayette, on board to help run the company per his father’s request. Soon after Jacques-Henri began acting differently and then disappeared, and his death was ruled a suicide. Lafayette steps into his brother’s shoes and begins to run the company. Things are ran differe...more

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May 21, 2012 Vicki rated it 3 of 5 stars

I came across this book pre-publication on NetGalley and downloaded it to my Nook. This is a graphic novel and just to give you a heads up, just because you CAN doesn't mean it is a satisfactory way to view it! Graphic novels are like comic books, i.e., they need to be big enough to interpret the pictures and catch the subtle details. I finished it on the computer and was able to see much more, including the river maps that are featured between chapters.

The story is intriguing and is told from t...more I came across this book pre-publication on NetGalley and downloaded it to my Nook. This is a graphic novel and just to give you a heads up, just because you CAN doesn't mean it is a satisfactory way to view it! Graphic novels are like comic books, i.e., they need to be big enough to interpret the pictures and catch the subtle details. I finished it on the computer and was able to see much more, including the river maps that are featured between chapters.

The story is intriguing and is told from the viewpoint of riverboat captain Elijah Twain, who worked on the steamboat Lorelei ferrying riders up and down the Hudson around 100 years ago. The steamboat is owned by a pair of Frenchmen who are brothers. The older brother is an excellent businessman, but he disappears mysteriously, leaving the helm in the hands of his younger brother who is much more interested in the available ladies who are either passengers or employees on the steamboat.

When Captain Twain is walking the deck late one night he comes across a woman clinging to the edge of the deck, trying desperately to climb onto the boat. As he pulls her onto the deck to save her, he is amazed to see that she is a mermaid with a terrible, life threatening injury. He carries the creature to his cabin and over time, nurses her back to health.

He opts to keep her presence a secret from the rest of the crew and from his wife back at home. He comes across a recently published book from a popular but reclusive author which has some fascinating lore about mermaids. Curiously the younger brother, co-owner of the steamboat company, is also aware of the author and is interested in this book as well. The "fictional" info on mermaids turns out to be pretty accurate, and one wonders how that author, who we eventually meet, came to know all those details.

All you folks who are also up on your mermaid lore may know that the mermaids can lure someone into their "web" with the mesmerizing beauty of their song. Captain Twain makes his mermaid/patient promise never to sing to him, but he comes under her persuasive influence in spite of that.

My concern with this graphic novel is that it may be perceived as children's literature, as that is an assumption I often make myself about comic books. I feel that the siren song for kids who come across this title will be the graphic drawings of the mermaid if you get my drift. What is she wearing? Well, jewelry...which will have the same electrifying effect as the National Geo's African issues back in my day. I don't think too many of the middle school guys read the text of those issues, again, if you get my drift. The author also chooses to depict adults having sex, which in my humble opinion, definitely makes it adult fiction.

Adults who like graphic novels will enjoy a novel about lust, love, intrigue and treachery, as evidenced by the enthusiastic online following the author has generated by serializing the novel online before it's publication date.

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Nov 28, 2012 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Why did I read it?

There are two reasons that I picked this book up. First, I am apparently on a Romance reading spree (Every Day, Forever..., and Amiri & Odette: A Love Story are the last books I've read lol).

Secondly, while flipping through the work, I found that it featured a topless mermaid. I wanted to ensure that it wasn't gratuitous before I put it onto our young adult shelves.

What happened?

Twain is the captain of a steamboat on the Hudson River near Victorian era New York City. Some d...more Why did I read it?

There are two reasons that I picked this book up. First, I am apparently on a Romance reading spree (Every Day, Forever..., and Amiri & Odette: A Love Story are the last books I've read lol).

Secondly, while flipping through the work, I found that it featured a topless mermaid. I wanted to ensure that it wasn't gratuitous before I put it onto our young adult shelves.

What happened?

Twain is the captain of a steamboat on the Hudson River near Victorian era New York City. Some days he thinks he is the only one that keeps the wonderful ship afloat. The owner, a French noblemen is bedding every woman that comes aboard, and the engineer was involved in a mysterious explosion on his last expedition.

But Twain's dedication to his ship lessens dramatically when he rescues a wounded mermaid and slowly falls in love with her. Sharing his own personal stories and reading fantastical tales with the creature, Twain makes her promise that she will never sing to him. But Twain's devotion to his ship isn't the only thing affected by his love for the mermaid. He also begins to neglect his crippled wife who he used to visit every weekend...

As the mermaid begins to consume Twain's every waking thought, he can't help but wonder where she came from, and who wounded her in the first place. This search will ultimately lead to a terrible choice that begs question of the difference between love and obsession, selflessness and selfishness, and supernatural forces.

What did I like or not like?

This graphic novel actually began as a serialized webcomic drawn in charcoal. The illustrations are simple, being only black and white, but that aspect keeps them powerful and mysterious.

In addition to fascinating illustrations, the story of love, danger, and consequences is really engrossing and I know that I blazed right through it. But I have to admit that I had to contemplate the ending a little bit to make it make sense to me.

Concerning the topless mermaid issue, pretty much every illustration shows her absolutely bare-chested. While I completely understand if this turns you off from the novel, I think I understand the reason behind it. Siegel was trying to write an original novel based on mythology. Traditionally speaking, mermaids have been drawn topless, and it seems he was trying to remain true to that aspect of the mythos.

So I can't say the toplessness is gratuitous as there is quite a bit of precedent there, but I think it should play a part in whether or not you decide to read the story.(less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, folklore, folk-fairy-tale-retelling, mermaids, dark, mystery, mythology, love, borrowed-from-the-library, adult-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 07, 2013 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars

A highly enjoyable graphic novel. I picked it up during a high stress work week to relax, and it did the trick. The story is wonderfully paced; a golden age tale of New York with some romance and myth interwoven in for good measure. I honestly hope that more graphic novels of this caliber hit the market this year.

The only reason I give it four stars instead of five is because of a quirk with the art work. Charcoal is a rather difficult medium to maintain consistency with, and I can imagine that...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

Still not sure if I "get" graphic novels, i.e., how to read them (said the kid who hated cartoons/the adult who still cannot sit through an animated film). And yet .... Alison Bechdel's graphic memoirs were really engaging, and Reif Larson's Selected Works of T.S. Spivet was one of my hands-down favorite novels of 2010. Maybe those books challenged me to read differently, and their subject matters were especially interesting. But I know my eyes always absorb the words first, the drawings second....more

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Apr 06, 2013 Harry Brake rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall, I never felt I was reading a comic book, EVER. This whole read was an adventure, that brought a film before my very eyes, and I loved every page of it, obviously finishing this within 2 hours nonstop. The strength of this text is the fact that history is intertwined with so many possibilities, and aspects I never imagined could be connected. Additionally, the social issues that are raised through this graphic novel are very talently done. WHy a 3 star? I felt the ending was abrupt and n...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mystery, Romance and Legend on the Hudson

Let’s get one thing straight: the mermaid in Mark Siegel’s graphic novel “Sailor Twain, or The Mermaid in the Hudson” (First Second, 2012) is no cute Disney creature wearing strategically placed seashells. She’s beautiful, all right. She’s also seductive—and, quite possibly, dangerous, more like the Sirens of Greek mythology than the Little Mermaid.
The year is 1887. Elijah Twain, a young steamboat captain, rescues an injured mermaid from the waters of t...more Mystery, Romance and Legend on the Hudson

Let’s get one thing straight: the mermaid in Mark Siegel’s graphic novel “Sailor Twain, or The Mermaid in the Hudson” (First Second, 2012) is no cute Disney creature wearing strategically placed seashells. She’s beautiful, all right. She’s also seductive—and, quite possibly, dangerous, more like the Sirens of Greek mythology than the Little Mermaid.
The year is 1887. Elijah Twain, a young steamboat captain, rescues an injured mermaid from the waters of the Hudson River. He carries her to her cabin and nurses her back to health. Twain is a poet, and she becomes his muse. He keeps her a secret from the rest of the boat, from his wife, and most especially, from Lafayette, the ne’er-do-well womanizer and owner of the ship. But Twain suspects that Lafayette may have a secret of his own—and that it may have something to do with mermaids. A meeting with C.G. Beaverton, enigmatic author of “Secrets and Mysteries of the River Hudson,” propels the story forward to its unexpected and deeply satisfying ending.
Siegel weaves together legend, local history, intrigue, and romance in a kind of fairy tale for young adults. His gorgeous, moody charcoal drawings capture the feeling of New York’s Gilded Age perfectly. In an interview with the “Los Angeles Times,” Siegel said that the idea came to him on his morning train rides to work in Manhattan alongside the Hudson River. Of the appeal of mermaids, Siegel said “...a song that we can’t resist, even though we know it’s going to pull us down—anyone who’s lived a bit on this planet knows mermaids. Some people can be mermaids to us. We can be mermaids to others, sometimes. And chemical siren-songs too, like crack, or smack, or alcohol, even coffee (not all mermaids spell disaster for us sailors, of course.)”
In the tradition of a 19th century novel, Siegel began serializing “Sailor Twain” in 2010 ahead of book publication. You can read the opening chapters, along with Siegel’s commentary, at http://sailortwain.com/chapters/.
“Sailor Twain” is one of those books that compelled me to turn back to the first page as soon as I read “The End.” It does include some nudity (and not just the mermaid’s bare breasts) and a few sex scenes. I’d recommend “Sailor Twain” for older teens and adults.

Sara Latta is a children's science writer and author of 16 books. You can learn more about her work and link to past reviews at http://www.saralatta.com. This review was originally published in the Sunday, December 23 edition of the News-Gazette.
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About Mark Siegel

Mark Siegel was born in Michigan, grew up in France, and now lives in the Hudson Valley in New York. A graduate of Brown University, he is the author and illustrator of several award-winning picture books, including the graphic novel, To Dance, a collaboration with his wife Siena Cherson Siegel. He is the author of Sailor Twain, or the Mermaid in the Hudson.

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