A Mermaid in the Bath by MiltonMarmalade
Recommended and reviewed by A.
As one might imagine from the somewhat misleading but not at all untrue title, this work features mermaids in bathtubs, or other kinds of similar containers.
One might be tempted to think of niche erotica that tickles some odd reader on the net – but not you. No, you came here to be humoured by the various styles set forth in the work; an introduction reminiscent of Kafka's Metamorphosis, a mockery of Disney-like villains and plots (complete with songs and poetic lines), and even a bit of surreal perception.
The humour itself is bold but just right; it always pushes against the border of pretentiousness, but never into it – right when one might be thinking the joke has become extended, the writing retreats in a reassuring manner. Think of it as the author's way of letting the reader know he is in control.
What really deserves a tip of the hat though is the way all kinds of humour (ha, body fluids) were mixed together to create a flow that enters the territory of surrealism. The setting is in England, but not quite 'real' England. There's a castle and pub and ships, but all of them give off some kind of magical Disney-feel. Almost everything, hero, villain, or object, possesses absurd nautical names. And all of it is set to the backdrop of mythological satire.
The satire, however, is not limited to mythology. The magic of Disneyland is a sarcastic veil in itself. And as 'unreal' as Milton's England might be, it ridicules the bureaucracy and function of both society and system (on that note, society can also be system, and system also society). This ridicule also extends to the individual level – many characters exhibit a feel akin to 8th-grader syndrome (also known as chuunibyou), trying to seem larger-than-life but fizzling out, often during their own lines.
Recommended if you want to be amused while being able to keep your wits. As a reader, you are allowed to think comfortably without having your consciousness melded into the medium, like becoming temporarily enslaved to mainstream entertainment (have you ever felt your soul getting sucked into a TV?). In many ways, this work is a wise read, masking its critique and social commentary under a cocktail of comedy.
A mermaid in the bath is now also published and available on Amazon in paperback.
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