Reviews

Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

layton93's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

theadequategatsby's review against another edition

Library return. Not super in love with the prose.

soy_sputnik's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Angela Carter es una experta en las historias rocambolescas y humorísticas. Parecieran una pintura barroca con miles de personajes extraños que son presentados para detrás contarte sobre la humanidad. El amor, el deseo, lo escatológico, la aventura, la ensoñación, la familia. En Noches en el circo hay una sensación estilo Rabelais o de las historias picarescas con personajes que de cerca son extraños y con caras raras. Divido por partes que presentan un espacio geográfico, Carter nos presenta a Fevvers una trapecista de un circo que aparentemente tiene alas de verdad. Es un periodista escéptico quien decide entrevistarla y después seguirla por el mundo en su gira, quiere descubrir qué hay detrás de su historia ¿será verdad que tiene alas? El periodista no sólo tiene que convertirse en payaso, sino pasar aventuras en un San Petesburgo y una Siberia del siglo XIX. Todo esto es Noches en el circo pero es necesario adentrarte en la novela para entender la parafernalia creada a través de las palabras. Todo es excesivo, todo es aventura, hay un derroche de extrañezas y eso es lo que más me gusta. Carter coquetea con la fantasía y logra quitarle lo aburrido a la realidad, en el circo es donde todo se puede hacer realidad, entiendo por qué lo eligió, los personajes ahí nacen por sí solos, son feos y se echan pedos y cogen y vuelan... Muy chido libro. 

eyeoweyooone's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

gnothiseauton's review

adventurous dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

Stunningly written, will make you hate men a little bit by the end 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal death

sampayn3's review against another edition

3.0

Carter's absurd tale was a whimsical adventure into circus life, and the mechanics of performance. While there is an overwhelming fantasy element to Nights at the Circus, there is much more striking political discourse simmering away underneath. As it engages with truth and reality, the novel toys with identity and what it means to be wearing a well-maintained mask. Gender, sexuality and feminism are all relevant here as Carter dissects our unjust social perceptions, and the norms that we associate with different members of society. The aerialist, Fevvers, is everything that a women is not - and for that I am thankful. Nights at the Circus uses magical realism to destabilise all current 'common sense' understanding of each other, rending the audience utterly confused. It is a wonderful, wild adventure.

angela__g's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

jooooooolia's review

3.5

“all the women will have wings, the same as i.”

oh my god, the brilliance of angela carter’s mind to write this novel. with that being said, this novel was NOT written to satisfyingly fulfill anyone’s expectations and it also was NOT written to lay out clear definitions of gender identity for anyone. nights at the circus will make you think about new wave feminism and the construction of gender (including your own) in a way that you have not before. the best way to enjoy this book is to accept the direction the narrative takes freely. there is a point to the frustration— a point which i find myself fascinated with alongside many other things about this book.

grazeland's review

adventurous funny medium-paced

pineconek's review

challenging dark funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

This book has everything. And by everything I mean: the vibes of a traveling circus in a mythologized turn-of-the-century st Petersburg that later gets stranded in Siberia, a mysterious woman who may or may not have wings, and several side stories one of which features a panopticon of murderesses. 

I am both enchanted and frightened of Angela Carter now. This was my first foray into her work, and I'm not sure if I enjoyed it. Each sentence goes on its own narrative adventure to the point where I struggled to keep in mind the overall plot (was there one?). But I'm intrigued and I think I want more. The mixed feelings have earned this book a 2.75 on SG, up to 3 on GR.