Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - The Circus Infinite

This was a super fun sci-Fi novel! I really enjoyed the fact that it was a science fiction story with an actual protagonist, several different species that are all tested as equals throughout the universe, the default pronoun being "they" until confirmed otherwise, and just all in all a good story. Jes reminded me a bit of River Tam with his story of escape, and i found him relatable (and seeing ace representation in a book was huge)! After Jes escapes, he meets his found family and it's super heartwarming (even though I'm still course with my family, moving halfway across the USA from them means I've created my own found family here).

The book does a good job of clearly interspersing Jes' history, especially as it becomes relevant for the main plot of the story. It definitely ended with me wanting more, so I hope there's a sequel!

There are some gory scenes detailed, but I didn't find that detracted from the story at all. There is also one scene where sex is talked about quite a bit, but most of that chapter is skippable if that's not your jam.

Content Warnings

dryadsreadingnook's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

azrah786's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I received a proof copy from Angry Robot Books in exchange for an honest review**

CW: violence, blood, gore, injury, torture, medical trauma/content, body horror, confinement, death, xenophobia, alcohol/drug use, emotional abuse, acephobia
--

A great space fantasy adventure that at its core is a story about acceptance and finding where you truly belong.

The Circus Infinite follows Jes, a mixed-species fugitive who has run away from the Paragenetic Institute of the 9-Stars, a research organisation that has been experimenting on him and his ability to control gravity.
With a bounty on his head he escapes to a far off moon, Persephone-9, where he finds refuge with a circus troupe and does his best to lay low and make a new life for himself. However, with great powers come those who wish to manipulate said powers and Jes soon becomes mixed up with the local crime boss who leaves him with two choices – compliance or a ticket back to life as a lab rat.

From the endearing found family at its heart to the great queer representation and fascinating supernatural abilities, there was so much about this book that I loved!

First and foremost it was wonderful seeing an asexual panromantic protagonist whose identity and experiences were not shied away from on page. The fact that Jes also has empathic powers further enhanced how this representation was explored and Wong wove this through the overarching storyline brilliantly.

"...sometimes we have to choose which feelings to focus on. Focus on the love and let that guide you. The rest will sort itself."

The story for the most part takes place in one corner of the vast universe that Wong has imagined and while the handful of locations we come across are beautifully described I do feel like this element of the worldbuilding could have been fleshed out a little more. I absolutely loved all the parts that took place in the circus though, it had me wishing I could experience it all for real!

What really helped shape everything were the various species of the 9-Star System, making up society that we are introduced to and their individual customs and cultures. They not only gave the circus its magic and wonder but the interactions of the different communities brought to light a handful of important discussions around the themes of power and prejudice.

"He likes the way he looks all dressed up, but he's also a little embarrassed. It doesn't really feel like him. But, he reasons, who is that anyways? For so many years he's been controlled by everyone else. Shouldn't he take the chance to be someone new?"

There is a predominantly light tone to the story however, there are also some very dark and grim moments too. Interspersed amongst the primary storyline are flashbacks of Jes’ past, including some of his time at the Institute, which gave more context to the plot as well as Jes’ personality and the versatility of his powers (which were so cool but also horrifying at times).
Though these moments also helped to add nuance to the character relationships in the book that were beautifully written and developed. The found family aspect is so wholesome and I really loved following Jes on his journey of finding trust, love and acceptance in others.

The only issue that I had was that within the last 100 pages or so the story seemed to lose its flow a little. Big parts of the plot were solved so easily that it made everything seem rushed when compared to the rest of the book.

That aside this was a really entertaining read with a good balance of character driven narrative and action and I would welcome more stories set in this universe or with these characters in the future!
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars

Content Warnings

beforeviolets's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

CW: torture, fictional racism/xenophobia, loss of parent (father and mother, a character finds out about the passing of their mother during the plot of the book), emotionally abusive parents, death of grandparents (past), alcohol, drug use, bullying, violence, death, murder, blood, sexual content, gore, body horror, vomit, suicide (brief, onscreen), nonconsensual medical procedure

Thank you to Angry Robot for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What a whimsical story! Like a mixture of City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, but make it adult!

This story follows Jes, an asexual panromantic mixed-race empath escaping from a life of torture and experimentation. It has diverse representation, found family, heists, and an adult coming-of-age narrative. Jes's personal growth was extremely well-done, from the self-discovery of his powers to his journey through experiencing a romantic relationship for potentially the first time.

I will say, the book as a whole didn't blow me away, but I found the story engaging and the characters easy to love.

A few nit picks:
-The writing was written in third person but in the style of first person, which made it a bit difficult to read at times. (Like the way it was written, I kept expecting to see the pronouns "I/me" rather than the "he/him" pronouns on the page.)
-The book as a whole could've just been 100 pages shorter. With the amount of heist and action, the pace could've been a lot faster and started a lot earlier. It took me a bit to really get into the narrative and it made the stakes feel unearned at times.
-The word "suss" or "susses" used as the ONLY word for Jes's empath abilities.

Content Warnings

More...