Publisher – NewCon Press

Published – Out now

Price – Paperback - £9.99

How does the government react when confronted with a vast influx of displaced people fleeing the horror of war? It's a dilemma that tests both resources and humanitarian commitment to the limit, but in the end will it be compassion or self-interest that prevails?

When a previously unsuspected race of Merfolk start to appear on our shores seeking respite, seeking safety, seeking asylum, how will humanity respond?

Science Fiction and fantasy are excellent for social commentary. Sometimes its easier talking about today’s issues through the lens of alternate worlds – a fresh perspective can lead to some surprising conclusions about humanity. It is a fine balancing act though as making any particular group alien or another race can be seen to dehumanise people who very should be seen as part of humanity. But when writers get this framing right it can be very thought provoking and I am very glad I’ve read Ida Keogh’s excellent novella Fish! which casts a thoughtful look at how UK society treats people from other shores.

Early 2020s Earth. Somewhere in the Atlantic there is a war undersea between warring Merfolk clans and this is leading to a displaced population seeking safer waters and asylum. A number of countries take on merfolk in various refugee centres and the process of integrating with society begins. A number of people tell us the story of the changes and in particular UK attitudes to the new population.

What I loved about this story is that it did not take the easy option and just replace various migrant populations with fantastical folk. One thing Keogh does do is show these are a very different race to our Little Mermaid stereotypes. Keogh demonstrates a population that changes gender to suit their needs; can sing; make art; fight and have a rich culture and history and in the few chapters where we get a member of the merfolk to give their point of view we see a mix of bewilderment, kindness and also a reminder that this is a population carrying its own PTSD from the war under the sea. They are sympathetic but also very clearly their own people and Keogh creates this picture very skilfully within just a few paragraphs in this novella.

Instead, as I mentioned the focus is on the UK’s reaction and we see various authority figures and people in power reacting to the arrival of new people on our shores. Keogh captures the multitude reactions of human nature perfectly. Some who wish to help and champion; some who wish to exploit and abuse; with some who just want to live, talk, and fall in love with those they find a connection to. We see tabloid media prepared to throw targeted insults at those they see reacting as their betters; MPs debating the misuse of resources and legal case where the rights of people are being debated and cast a spotlight on those mistreated as being beneath humanity. Keogh accurately captures these voices matching various debates we have far too regularly and its startlingly how quickly humans love to scream ‘well this group of not part of us and so can’t be treated with kindness and respect’. At the same time the story does have rays of hope – a child who sees a new friend and doesn’t understand casual cruelty; a lawyer who makes a very telling point about how our laws are arbitrary on which laws can be applied to whom and those who just want to fall in love and do the right thing.

Fish! is an intelligent, thoughtful, and powerful read. In a world where we know people seem immune to dead children on beaches and want to turn back ships in stormy waters it is useful to explore why do so many of us react in such a way and what does that say about our country. Eventually progress has to resume but only if you’re prepared to not give in to our worse impulses. Highly recommended!