Scan barcode
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Incredible worldbuilding and well-developed characters more than made up for the uneven pacing and abrupt ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Racism and Misogyny
aqulia's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
A good read overall, great if you like magic or carnival settings. One big grip: did we really need the Liza/Ishe romance? That was odd, and kind of creepy. The pacing was also a little janky, with it being slow at the beginning and fast at the end. The ending was also unsatisfying, and left questions unanswered. Still a good book, and I would recommend to people who like low-fantasy or historical fiction set in the Great Depression.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, and Animal death
Moderate: Murder, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence
sarahlizzie's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Racism
kaisermatthias's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A solid story that would absolutely be in 4-4.5 star territory if the epilogue matched the rest of the narrative. If you're looking for something to scratch that magical carnival thematic itch, with a fair dose of gothic horror, and well-researched history populated by interesting people; this is worth your read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Violence, and Murder
readandfindout's review
I received an advance reader's copy from Wunderkind PR in an exchange for a free and honest review. I read 29% and DNFed.
Style/writing: Unfortunately this was one of the biggest reasons that I DNFed. Writing is a really important factor for me when reading, and something about this style wasn't working. I found it to be a bit muddled, and I never felt clear on what exactly was going on.
Themes: At the point I DNFed, the author had introduced some themes around race and racism during the Depression era, and I think it's likely that those were more fully explored later in the book. What I read seemed to be done well, drawing from ideas about heritage after events like slavery and colonization.
Characters: I was having some difficulty distinguishing between different side characters at the carnival, as they were reading quite similar. I was still trying to get a feel for the main character of Liza, so I found it a bit distracting and clunky to have asides with secondary character backstory.
Plot: I wasn't quite certain what the main plot was going to be at the time that I DNFed. It could have involved the dark force at the carnival or Liza being reunited with her sister, but I didn't find it to be clear. The first 29% seemed to be more focused on the development of atmosphere than plot.
Worldbuilding: The atmosphere was well developed at the point I stopped reading. Something dark and creepy was obviously going on, and I think that this will really work for readers who enjoy a heavy atmosphere with some light horror elements. Unfortunately I don't think that the carnival setting held my interest like I hoped it would (which checks out because I've been nervous about trying The Night Circus for the same reason!).
Style/writing: Unfortunately this was one of the biggest reasons that I DNFed. Writing is a really important factor for me when reading, and something about this style wasn't working. I found it to be a bit muddled, and I never felt clear on what exactly was going on.
Themes: At the point I DNFed, the author had introduced some themes around race and racism during the Depression era, and I think it's likely that those were more fully explored later in the book. What I read seemed to be done well, drawing from ideas about heritage after events like slavery and colonization.
Characters: I was having some difficulty distinguishing between different side characters at the carnival, as they were reading quite similar. I was still trying to get a feel for the main character of Liza, so I found it a bit distracting and clunky to have asides with secondary character backstory.
Plot: I wasn't quite certain what the main plot was going to be at the time that I DNFed. It could have involved the dark force at the carnival or Liza being reunited with her sister, but I didn't find it to be clear. The first 29% seemed to be more focused on the development of atmosphere than plot.
Worldbuilding: The atmosphere was well developed at the point I stopped reading. Something dark and creepy was obviously going on, and I think that this will really work for readers who enjoy a heavy atmosphere with some light horror elements. Unfortunately I don't think that the carnival setting held my interest like I hoped it would (which checks out because I've been nervous about trying The Night Circus for the same reason!).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Animal death
More...