Book review: The Pisces

Merman sex included.

There’s a good chance you’ve seen some press about The Pisces, and for good reason.

The first novel from the creator of So Sad Today and Lenny Letter columnist, Melissa Broder, details a love story between a heartbroken (and somewhat unlikable) PhD student and a merman named Theo. To say I was curious about the storyline was an understatement – all I’d heard about this book was that it was a comedy and it included human-merman intercourse.

But what Broder delivers is much more than just a fantastical narrative or light-hearted romantic novel. The story is deeply depressing, yet doesn’t leave you feeling glum. With a profound feminist voice embedded throughout, you can expect an impactful and relatable story broaching depression, anxiety, suicide, abusive relationships and independence.

And yes, a lot of merman sex.

This review was originally published in Fashion Journal 181. You can read it here.