When We Believed in Mermaids

November 7, 2024 /

When We Believed in Mermaids ~ Barbara O’Neal

Dr. Kit Bianchi, an emergency room physician living in Santa Cruz, California, happens to catch a news story on TV about a fire in New Zealand. In the background of the news story, she sees her sister, Josie. The same Josie who died in a terrorist attack 15 years ago in Paris. Kit’s mom also saw the story, and asks Kit to go to New Zealand and see what the hell is going on.

In Auckland, Mari is a happily married mother of two who flips houses for a living. Her newest project is a house she wants to fix up and live in with her family, on the bluffs above the sea. She is reminded of her childhood in Santa Cruz, when she and her sister had to look after themselves because their parents were self-absorbed and focused on each other and their restaurant. Of course, Mari and Josie are the same person. How we got here is the majority of the novel, how we move on is the rest.

I found this story compelling and enjoyed it quite a bit. It was shocking to me that a character who was a child in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake could be an ER doctor now (because it makes me feel old), but there we are. Recommended.

22 Comments

  • Kyria @ Travel Spot

    November 7, 2024 at 4:52 am

    Yet another book I have not read! It looks like a good one, and got great reviews on GR! I will have to put it on my TBR! I was a kid during the Loma Prieta, and like many, remember being in the middle of watching the World Series when all hell broke loose. My Dad went to the the city with his video camera that he had to heft on his shoulder to take footage from the ferry (since the bridge was closed) and to check on his friends!

    • J

      November 7, 2024 at 5:26 am

      Oh goodness, how harrowing. I was living in SF at the time, and I remember being scared for a minute that our house was going to collapse. Scary!

    • J

      November 7, 2024 at 5:25 am

      I’m glad you reviewed it on your blog, Tobia, thank you! I can’t give credit to who suggested a book because I don’t keep track, so I completely forgot.

  • Maya

    November 7, 2024 at 8:06 am

    Oooh! Another one I want to read. Both because A is an E.R. doc and I’ve always been intrigued by stories about people who used 9-11 style events to forge a new life for themselves…

  • NGS

    November 7, 2024 at 9:09 am

    YES! Pedestrian writing, but such a good plot and a love letter to California and New Zealand. And such a lovely way to write about trauma. I really liked this one, too.

    • J

      November 7, 2024 at 7:49 pm

      I loved the California aspect to it. Having been in that earthquake (in my 20s, not as a child) it was really interesting to read about that aspect of it.

  • Ernie

    November 7, 2024 at 6:03 pm

    This book sounds really interesting. I’m so glad you are posting these during NBPM so I can scroll back when I want to find a book to read. It would make too much sense to, I don’t know, make a list. 😉

    • J

      November 7, 2024 at 7:52 pm

      I don’t think mine did, I think I had to purchase it. But as part of it is in New Zealand, maybe your library might? Solidarity?

  • Stephany

    November 8, 2024 at 8:14 am

    I really liked this book! We read it for book club last year and I remember starting it and thinking it wasn’t going to be good, but it was a really propulsive book!

  • Allison McCaskill

    November 9, 2024 at 12:23 pm

    “asks her to go to New Zealand and see what the hell is going on” made me laugh. I honestly can’t resist a book with a hook like this. I’ve also been really enjoying reading Australian authors in the last couple of years, so a book partially set in New Zealand sounds cool.