When the Tides Held the Moon Summary, Characters and Themes

When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley tells the story of Benny Caldera, a Puerto Rican immigrant in early 20th-century Brooklyn.  Arriving in New York with dreams of freedom and a promise to a dying aunt, Benny faces a harsh reality marked by loneliness, language barriers, and discrimination.

His skill in ironwork distinguishes him, leading to an unusual job creating a unique tank for a Coney Island sideshow.  The story mixes gritty immigrant life with a mysterious supernatural element: a captured merman named Río. Through danger, hardship, and an unlikely found family, Benny’s journey explores themes of identity, belonging, love, and survival in a city that often marginalizes those who don’t fit in.

Summary

In 1911 Brooklyn, Benny Caldera, a young Puerto Rican immigrant, arrives determined to claim the freedom promised to his people.  He speaks only Spanish and struggles to find his footing in the rough, Irish-dominated ironworks industry.

Despite initial isolation and prejudice, Benny’s talent with iron earns him a critical task: constructing a specialized iron-and-glass tank for a Coney Island amusement park sideshow run by Samuel Morgan.  Benny infuses the tank with elements inspired by his Caribbean heritage, adding beauty to the otherwise industrial project.

Upon delivery, Benny meets the sideshow troupe and their eccentric leader, Morgan.  Benny’s foreman, Paddy McCoy, takes credit for Benny’s work, intensifying Benny’s feelings of invisibility.

A fragile health condition and a cough reveal Benny’s vulnerability in front of Morgan and Matthias, the troupe’s strongman, suggesting Benny is in a precarious position.  Soon, Benny receives a mysterious invitation to join the troupe on a secret mission: capturing a real mermaid—a half-fish creature unlike traditional sirens.

The troupe heads to Lawrence Point, near the East River, to trap the mermaid using the tank Benny created.  Sonia, a contortionist, serves as bait, while Matthias rows the boat.

Benny is sealed inside the tank to protect it from damage.  As the mermaid’s shadow approaches and tugs at the boat, tension rises, and the story ends this part on a cliffhanger, leaving Benny at the brink of a supernatural encounter.

The narrative then shifts to a chaotic struggle where the group captures a fierce merman, who fights violently in icy water before dissolving into foam after being shot by Morgan.  Benny is disturbed by the creature’s human pain and a telepathic plea he hears in Spanish to “save him.”

This moment haunts Benny as he visits Luna Park, where the merman is displayed in a dilapidated sideshow amidst the competition between rival amusement parks.

At Luna Park, Benny is introduced to the sideshow performers—each unique and carrying their own stories.  The troupe lives by a motto of loyalty and unity, providing Benny a sense of belonging he had lacked.

As he shares his immigrant story and struggles, Benny grows closer to the group but remains haunted by the merman’s gaze and suffering.

Benny later faces the merman’s fury when the creature attacks him in its tank, blaming Benny for his captivity.  Benny narrowly escapes, revealing the tensions between captor and captive.

The story explores themes of exploitation and the blurred line between human and monster, with Benny caught in the middle.

Morgan, eager for fame and profit, plans a grand season for Luna Park, centering on the merman, now called the “Prince of Atlantis. ” This causes unrest among the performers, many of whom fear being forgotten or discarded.

Morgan manipulates them with threats, showing the harsh realities for those deemed “curiosities” by society.

Meanwhile, Benny and the merman, whom Benny names Río, develop a secret, profound bond.  Río begins to communicate with Benny, breaking his silence and showing a gentle, emotional side.

Benny, closeted and burdened by his past, finds comfort and connection in Río.  Their secret romance grows quietly amid the chaos.

Sonia confides in Benny about Morgan’s dangerous debts and her own precarious position as collateral.  She shares a tender night with Benny, leading to a confusing kiss.

Benny’s heart turns to Río for solace, where they share a deeply intimate moment, marking the true start of their relationship.  However, their fragile peace is threatened by unknown dangers lurking in the theater.

As tensions mount, Benny’s loyalty and leadership are tested when gangsters arrive demanding money and Río.  Benny and his diverse troupe band together, using their unique talents to protect each other and the merman.

When the merman’s tank is sabotaged, Benny and friends race to repair it and save Río’s life.  The danger intensifies when the sideshow is engulfed in flames during their escape, forcing them to flee amidst chaos and pursuit.

During this flight, Benny is shot by Morgan, who betrays him to reclaim control over Río.  Despite his injury, Benny remains determined to protect the merman.

Río heals Benny’s wound with ocean water, symbolizing the mystical power of their bond and signaling Benny’s transformation.  Their escape underwater signifies a new beginning, blending the human and the otherworldly.

The story closes with Matthias reflecting on the aftermath: Dreamland amusement park burns down, Morgan vanishes, and Benny and Río become legends.  The sideshow family rebuilds, and Benny’s enduring strength and love leave a lasting legacy.

Their story remains a hidden part of the city’s mythic spirit—like waves that persist quietly on the water.

Throughout When the Tides Held the Moon, the harsh realities of immigrant life and exploitation collide with moments of magic, love, and resilience.  Benny’s journey from a lonely immigrant to a leader and lover underscores the power of community and the fight for identity in a world that often tries to erase difference.

Characters

Benigno “Benny” Caldera

Benny is the novel’s central figure, a Puerto Rican immigrant whose journey to New York City is driven by a deep promise to his late aunt, Tití Luz.  His character embodies resilience and the struggle for identity in a new, often hostile world.

Benny’s technical skill as a structural ironworker sets him apart in a predominantly Irish immigrant environment, yet he is frequently marginalized and exploited, as seen when his foreman, Paddy McCoy, takes credit for his work.  Despite these challenges, Benny remains creatively tied to his heritage, evident in the Caribbean motifs he integrates into the iron tank he builds for the sideshow.

His isolation is complicated by his fragile health and inability to swim, yet his bravery surfaces when he joins the risky expedition to capture the mermaid.  Over time, Benny evolves from a struggling outsider to a key member of the menagerie’s unconventional family, showing leadership and deep compassion.

His relationship with Río, the merman, reveals layers of vulnerability, courage, and emotional growth, especially as Benny navigates his closeted sexuality in a harsh environment.  Benny’s arc symbolizes the immigrant quest for belonging, the cost of survival, and the redemptive power of love amid systemic cruelty.

Samuel Morgan

Morgan is a flamboyant and controlling figure, the sideshow’s showman who is both visionary and manipulative.  His eccentric appearance and grand promises mask a ruthless pursuit of profit and control, often at the expense of the performers and the creatures he exploits.

Morgan’s obsession with the merman as a “Prince of Atlantis” reflects his desire to capitalize on wonder and otherness, yet he is blind to the merman’s suffering and Benny’s growing bond with him.  Morgan’s manipulations extend to the troupe, using fear, debt, and threats to maintain dominance, which creates tension and resentment.

His eventual betrayal of Benny—shooting him to regain control of the merman—cements him as a symbol of the exploitative forces that prey on the vulnerable.  Morgan represents the dark underbelly of show business and the commodification of difference in early 20th-century America.

Río (The Merman)

Río is a complex figure caught between myth and humanity.  Initially perceived as a monstrous curiosity, Río’s character unfolds through his interactions with Benny, revealing deep emotional intelligence, pain, and a yearning for freedom.

His telepathic communication with Benny and their growing intimate bond challenge the troupe’s view of him as merely an exhibit.  Río embodies themes of captivity and exploitation but also the possibility of connection beyond barriers of species and culture.

His violent outbursts reflect both trauma and resistance to dehumanization.  As the story progresses, Río becomes a symbol of hope and transformation, healing Benny and ultimately escaping confinement.

His presence questions the boundaries between human and other, captivity and liberation, making him a central figure in the novel’s exploration of compassion and identity.

Sonia Kutzler

Sonia is the “Flexible Fraülein,” a contortionist whose physical and emotional flexibility parallels her complex loyalties and vulnerabilities.  She bridges the world of the sideshow and Benny’s life, inviting him into the troupe and revealing hidden facets of their precarious existence.

Sonia’s history with Morgan is fraught with manipulation and danger, including her role as collateral for his debts to mobsters, which exposes the darker risks underlying their livelihood.  Her tender moments with Benny, including a confused but genuine kiss, highlight her longing for connection and security within the fractured family of performers.

Sonia’s character captures the precariousness and resilience of women in the sideshow world, balancing strength with moments of fragility.

Matthias Martin

Matthias is the “Mighty Matthias,” the sideshow’s strongman whose physical power is matched by a stoic humor and fierce loyalty to the troupe.  He functions as a protector and anchor within the Menagerie, standing against external threats and supporting Benny and the others during crises.

Matthias represents the archetype of strength tempered by kindness, and his role in the story emphasizes themes of solidarity among misfits.  His memoir at the end serves as a reflective voice, memorializing the events and characters while underscoring the legacy of their struggles and bonds.

Madam Navya

Madam Navya is the troupe’s mystic, a commanding presence who embodies the spiritual and mystical elements of the sideshow.  Her character adds depth to the narrative’s exploration of belief, magic, and the otherworldly.

She is a stabilizing force, offering guidance and support to the performers as they navigate danger and uncertainty.  Madam Navya’s presence connects the gritty reality of immigrant life with the story’s fantastical aspects, grounding the troupe’s experiences in a broader cultural and emotional landscape.

Igor, Vera, Lulu, Eli, and Emmett

These supporting characters form the fabric of Morgan’s Menagerie, each representing a unique “curiosity” with distinct acts and personalities.  Igor, the giant, Vera, the fire-breather, Lulu, the fat lady, and the conjoined twins Eli and Emmett contribute to the troupe’s sense of family and communal survival.

Their varied backgrounds and talents highlight the themes of marginalization and resilience.  Together, they demonstrate how a disparate group of outcasts can forge loyalty and strength in a society that rejects them.

Themes

Identity and Belonging

In When the Tides Held the Moon, identity is portrayed as a complex and often painful negotiation for Benny Caldera, a Puerto Rican immigrant navigating early 20th-century New York.  Benny’s struggle to claim his share of the American promise is complicated by language barriers, cultural dislocation, and systemic prejudice.

His inability to speak English fluently isolates him from the predominantly Irish immigrant workers and the broader society, symbolizing the broader immigrant experience of invisibility and marginalization.  Benny’s craftsmanship in ironwork offers a form of expression and identity, a bridge to his heritage as he imbues the “head-smelter” with Caribbean motifs.

This act of embedding his culture within the industrial fabric of New York is a quiet rebellion and assertion of self in a city that otherwise erases his origins.

The theme deepens as Benny becomes entangled with the sideshow performers, a group of societal outcasts who form an unconventional family bound by loyalty and shared struggle.  Through this community, Benny finds a space where his otherness is not only accepted but valued, offering a counterpoint to his alienation in the outside world.

The merman Río’s presence adds another layer, representing a liminal identity between human and mythic, captivity and freedom.  Benny’s bond with Río echoes his own liminal status, caught between worlds, cultures, and expectations.

This theme also touches on the idea of fluid identity, as Benny’s sexual orientation, initially hidden, surfaces in his relationship with Río, further complicating his sense of self and belonging.  Thus, the narrative explores identity not as a fixed category but as a dynamic and evolving condition shaped by external pressures, internal desires, and the search for connection.

Exploitation and Power Dynamics

The harsh realities of early 20th-century industrial and immigrant life are foregrounded by the exploitation Benny endures, both as a laborer and as a marginalized individual.  His talent is co-opted by figures like Paddy McCoy, who takes credit for Benny’s work, embodying the erasure and appropriation experienced by workers who lack social and racial power.

This dynamic reflects broader capitalist and colonial power structures, where the labor and creativity of immigrants and minorities are extracted without fair recognition or reward.

The sideshow environment further amplifies the theme of exploitation, where performers with physical differences or exoticized traits are commodified for entertainment and profit.  Morgan’s Menagerie of Human Oddities is both a refuge and a site of oppression, illustrating how marginalized people navigate survival within systems that objectify and dehumanize them.

The merman Río’s captivity is a potent symbol of this exploitation: a being caught and displayed against his will, stripped of autonomy and voice.  Morgan’s ruthless control over Río and his troupe mirrors societal forces that prioritize spectacle and profit over dignity.

The power dynamics also play out interpersonally, with Morgan manipulating the troupe through threats, debt, and control, creating an atmosphere of fear and coercion.  Benny’s increasing resistance and protective instincts towards Río and the troupe highlight a tension between complicity and rebellion, survival and justice.

This theme critiques the systemic mechanisms that reduce people to commodities while also portraying the small acts of defiance and solidarity that contest such power.

Love and Human Connection

Love in When the Tides Held the Moon emerges as a revolutionary and transformative force amid a world shaped by hardship and cruelty.  Benny’s relationship with Río transcends the boundaries between human and mythical, prisoner and protector, symbolizing hope and healing.

Their bond offers a rare sanctuary of emotional intimacy and mutual understanding in a setting rife with alienation and danger.

This love is not depicted as simple or easy but is layered with complexity and vulnerability.  Benny’s own struggles with identity, secrecy, and trauma make his connection with Río a profound act of self-acceptance and courage.

Through their interactions—shared songs, tender moments, and protective gestures—the narrative reveals love’s capacity to restore dignity and provide resilience against a hostile world.  This connection challenges the dehumanizing forces embodied by Morgan and the broader society, asserting the humanity and value of those deemed “other.

The love theme also explores the broader community of the Menagerie, where bonds among the performers—rooted in loyalty, humor, and shared survival—function as a chosen family.  Their motto “With it, for it, never against it” reflects a collective form of love that sustains them against external threats.

The tenderness between Benny and Río, therefore, is both personal and emblematic of the power of chosen kinship to resist marginalization and violence.

Freedom and Captivity

The interplay of freedom and captivity is central to the story’s emotional and symbolic resonance.  Benny’s immigrant journey is itself a search for freedom—the promise of liberty and opportunity in a new land—yet his experience is marked by forms of confinement: linguistic, social, and economic.

His labor in the foundry, the appropriation of his work, and his initial invisibility underscore the limits placed on his agency.

The merman Río is a literal embodiment of captivity, confined in a glass tank and displayed as a spectacle, stripped of his natural element and autonomy.  His resistance and rage expose the cruelty inherent in this captivity, while his telepathic communication with Benny reveals a yearning for liberation.

Benny’s protective relationship with Río can be seen as a fight against imprisonment, not just physical but also metaphorical—the cages that society builds around those who are different or vulnerable.

This theme also manifests in the sideshow troupe’s precarious existence, trapped by their societal roles as “oddities” and the constant threats of exploitation, debt, and violence.  Their attempts to carve out moments of joy, loyalty, and survival reflect a nuanced understanding of freedom—not as absolute liberation but as small victories within constraint.

In the narrative’s climax, the merging of Benny and Río with the sea, the healing power of saltwater, and their escape into the water symbolize transcendence and rebirth.  This moment suggests that true freedom may require transformation and surrender to forces beyond human control, linking the mythical and the real in a poignant affirmation of hope amid adversity.