Review of The Merrow's Red Hat
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- Sam Ibeh
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Review of The Merrow's Red Hat
The Merrow's Red Hat is the third book in the Mermaid Trilogy by Christie D. Selph. It's a historical fiction book and continues the adventures of Lorelei as she navigates her journalistic career while trying to balance her family life, which involves her two lovers and her son.
Lorelei Harte, a Pulitzer-winning journalist and war correspondent, tries to take on her next big story by being the first to write about Gerry Adams, head of Sinn Féin. This decision will require her to travel to Ireland during political unrest. Her being in a 'ménage à trois' with John, an ex-military, and Philip, a fellow journalist, will complicate things. It is a recipe for hate and drama. In her most dangerous undertaking yet, what lies in store for her? Will she be able to keep the peace in her family?
Writing historical fiction could be a hit or miss depending on the part of history you decided to write on and what spin you put on it. This book primarily focused on 1986-to-1990 Ireland, during "The Troubles" — an ethnic-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland. It was an enlightening insight for a first-time reader of that part of history, as I saw the British's role in the conflict back then.
The fictional plot of the book is straightforward — family drama ensuing in a tumultuous time and the classic conflict of interests. I presume there should have been character depth and establishment from the previous books in the series to help someone who has not read the previous installments. However, I advise readers to read the first two books to get the complete picture. Also, there is a plethora of names that can be hard to remember. But if you focus on Lorelei, Gerry Adams, John, and Philip, you will be fine.
The author addressed real-life situations like criminal cases, the onset of HIV, and the Roe v. Wade abortion right, which in our present time sings a different tune. Lorelei's kidnappings created room for suspense and showed how dangerous journalism could be. We have heard numerous stories of how reporters or correspondents go missing. Yet this won't stop their passion for sharing the truth, even at the risk of losing their lives. My respect for journalists was upped after reading this book.
I loved the accuracy of the author's descriptions. Her journey took her to Greece, Ireland, and the United States. The cultural portrayal showed diligent research. Strong language was rampant during dialogues to add emphasis, and sexual scenes were strewn across some pages to spice up the love triangle between Lorelei, John, and Philip.
Although the fictional plot wasn't the main message, it kept the book interesting, and the writing style kept me going. The Merrow's Red Hat was engaging and free-flowing. Unfortunately, the editing was not as good as the narration. Though there was nothing significant to hold against the book, I would rate it 3 out of 4 stars due to the number of errors. I would recommend it to lovers of Irish history and readers of a journalistic-themed, family-oriented book with a female protagonist.
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The Merrow's Red Hat
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