Mermaid

Mermaid by Lily Dougall plunges listeners into a haunting, dreamlike tale of desire, escape, and the thin line between sanity and fancy. Set against the late-Victorian coast, the story follows Dr. Caius Simpson as a fleeting encounter with a mysterious sea-maid unmoors his ordinary life and opens a door to a world where love, longing, and the imagination vie with reason. Dougall’s lyrical prose blends fantasy and psychological realism: the sea becomes both sensual refuge and uncanny mirror, and themes of spiritual yearning, madness, and the search for a truer existence echo through subtle Gothic undertones. Written in 1895, the novella reflects fin de siècle preoccupations—questions of the inner life, the supernatural, and societal constraints—while offering moments that resonate with the emotional aftermath and dislocation common to war stories of the era. Perfect for fans of literary fiction and atmospheric fantasy, Mermaid is an evocative short novel for listeners who appreciate classic, character-driven tales with a speculative edge. Choose this audiobook for an immersive, quietly unsettling exploration of love, loss, and the siren call of the unknown.