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unavezmas's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I found this book while randomly browsing the Library. I normally don't read realistic books but this one got my attention. It's weird and whymsical. No idea what genre it is? General fiction?
I'd recommend checking tws before reading.
Fifth bisness
It's about small accident and it's impact on the lives of many people. Also the protagonist is small and unimportant man. And there's plenty discussions about Christian faith and Saints. Priests are suprisingly good people who are trying to help. How many of saints really did miralces? Does it matter if they did? Why were they sanctitized(?)? Ramsay is just a regular guy and he's so relatable.
The mantricore is about a son who goes to therapy because he can't process death of his father. He's got complicated relationship with him. (also the idea that therapist can be a woman never occurs to him). Now he needs to decide what he wants to do about all of it.
World of wonders is about a boy who ran away with a circus and who had a difficult life. Magus sounds like a good man though I would not want to be on his shit list. 😂 He went through a lot and I want to hug him.
I'd recommend checking tws before reading.
Fifth bisness
It's about small accident and it's impact on the lives of many people. Also the protagonist is small and unimportant man. And there's plenty discussions about Christian faith and Saints. Priests are suprisingly good people who are trying to help. How many of saints really did miralces? Does it matter if they did? Why were they sanctitized(?)? Ramsay is just a regular guy and he's so relatable.
The mantricore is about a son who goes to therapy because he can't process death of his father. He's got complicated relationship with him. (also the idea that therapist can be a woman never occurs to him). Now he needs to decide what he wants to do about all of it.
World of wonders is about a boy who ran away with a circus and who had a difficult life. Magus sounds like a good man though I would not want to be on his shit list. 😂 He went through a lot and I want to hug him.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
Minor: War and Religious bigotry
gablota's review against another edition
3.0
I was really excited for this one, but it was a very bittersweet experience. It was an endless cycle of me wanting to put this book down and never pick it up again just to be completely immersed in the story a few pages later. I feel like I was able to quickly get into each story just to get for the lack of a better word bored somewhere in the middle and then to find it interesting again towards the end and by the end of the last story I was pretty exhausted of reading this book and was looking forward to leaving this universe behind me. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it because I did for most part and it’s definitely well (and beautifully) written, but I feel like a lot of it went over my head and maybe the issue is the fact English isn’t my first language and it took a lot of brain power to get through some of the segments and because of that it wasn’t as enjoyable of a read as it could have been. Maybe the whole reading process would have been more pleasant if I read different books in between the three stories, but I honestly wasn’t sure if I would come back to this book if that was the case.
misha_ali's review against another edition
3.0
Lost two stars for me because the last book becomes terribly slow going and it took a conscious effort to finish it.
molliewallace337's review against another edition
3.0
This is a tough one to review. I can absolutely appreciate the genius of taking one childhood incident and spinning up a really lengthy story about how it impacts the characters’ lives and shapes who they become. Parts of the story flew by and are so beautifully written. Other sections were just a slog. The main characters are decidedly unlikeable people and at some points I just didn’t much care what happened to them. 3.5 stars for what is an admittedly superbly written trilogy, just one that I only truly enjoyed about 50% of the time.
Rounding down to 3 for the disgustingly creepy pedophile circus magician, yuck.
Rounding down to 3 for the disgustingly creepy pedophile circus magician, yuck.
gnomeo's review against another edition
3.0
If there was the option I would give this 3.5. I enjoyed the first book, loved the second and slogged through the third, which I found turgid until the last 80 pages. If this had been heavily edited, I would have loved the trilogy. The first two books have a twist in the tale that makes you want to read on. I read the first two books in 48 hours.
The Manticore was brilliant. Way ahead of its time in terms of the insights and exploration of the character’s personality and influencers in life.
Others may enjoy the third book but, I loathe anything to do with the circus and vaudeville and this third book heavily covers this storyline and was in my opinion laboured. For those who might have read The Night Circus and enjoyed it, they will probably be fine with the third book.
The Manticore was brilliant. Way ahead of its time in terms of the insights and exploration of the character’s personality and influencers in life.
Others may enjoy the third book but, I loathe anything to do with the circus and vaudeville and this third book heavily covers this storyline and was in my opinion laboured. For those who might have read The Night Circus and enjoyed it, they will probably be fine with the third book.
apoggi14's review against another edition
2.0
Just could not get into this book and was overall disappointed with it especially since it was on a list of books that come highly recommended to read at some point in your life.
The plot would be interesting and enticing for 50 pages or so but it would be followed by 100 pages of introspective thought. I found it difficult to get what the overall point and message of the book was at times.
The plot would be interesting and enticing for 50 pages or so but it would be followed by 100 pages of introspective thought. I found it difficult to get what the overall point and message of the book was at times.
pine_wulf's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the first book, but never saw much point to the second. Liked the third and there was a satisfying tying together of everything.
c_lally's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
juliaem's review against another edition
5.0
I first read my mom's tattered copy of this triology in college. 10 years later, I couldn't recall the plot, but knew I was spellbound by it, so dove back in. It's great. Davies managed what seems to be a tricky feat in trilogies - weaving together three novels (novellas?) with different narrators (one narrator appears twice, at different phases in life) and distinctly different feels that shed light on the same captivating plot. Picking a favorite feels impossible, although on the one hand, "The Manticore" introduces the belligerent narrator to a formidable (and formidably compassionate) opponent in the form of a female psychoanalyst, so of course I love that, and on the other, "World of Wonders" links past and present in a way that feels satisfying, but not too pat. But "Fifth Business"! Ahhh! Just read them. Also, notably given my own personal preferences, the female characters are as multidimensional as the males, and Davies has some interesting and subtle thoughts on the cultural phenomenon of masculinity.
book_nut's review against another edition
4.0
I only read the first one -- Fifth Business -- which I found immensely fascinating, though, honestly, I don't think I could tell you what it was "about". I'll probably get around to reading the other two in this series, eventually.