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confusible's review
adventurous
dark
sad
fast-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
3.5
This book was good, just not what I expected. It is about a circus and there were some fun elements there and I didn’t expect it to be a happy book necessarily but the themes were fairly dark. There was a large focus on jealousy and possessiveness. Being a outsider was obviously a big theme as well but jealousy and possessiveness really took it over. The author has a great writing style and her world building was strong. I like me a lot of character building too but I think some of them could have been more fleshed out. I enjoyed Nell’s character and seeing her journey from an outcast that hid to someone that so enjoyed performing and being celebrated for her difference. I was somewhat happy with her ending. I thought the story would focus mostly on Nell and she was a massive factor but I found Toby and Jaspar’s storyline really overshadowed hers. Their brotherly linkage was a bit much for me to be honest. I liked Toby as a character and found the exploration of his flaws interesting and he seemed redeemed in the end. But reading about Jaspar was painful. He just kept getting worse and worse and his obsession ate him alive. Even the way things fell out, I found his character too much of a caricature. The whole Toby and Jaspar thing back and forth from childhood to Crimea to present just made me think that these men needed to talk more, even a few conversations about feelings could have helped. I wish we’d heard more from the other circus members like Stella, Brunette, and Peggy. We got some but not much. I was surprised the author talked so much in her note about giving a voice to the human circus acts when the novel focused so much on the circus owner and the brother he mistreated. If she wrote a sequel about Nell and Stella, I’d be excited for that because she built those characters and the world really well.
chloesc's review
3.5
Kind of wish the rise to fame of Jesper and Nell was more detailed, but overall enjoyed the book, although I felt a bit disconnected from the ending.
ramblinred77's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
imaclogger23's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review
5.0
"Circus of Wonders" is a treat from start to finish. A wonderfully written, brilliantly imagined story of the people in a mid 19th century traveling circus of "wonders"--the wonders being people with extraordinary physical attributes. Elizabeth Macneal has outdone herself in exploring strange corners of the Victorian era. A pleasure not to be missed.
mountainstobeach's review
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The book has an interesting premise but needs a lot of editing/it moved very very slowly and I was tempted to not finish it.
darklings's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jasper I'll get u outta there sweetie 💀😭
lisafleck353's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
maddieandherbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
4.5 stars, rounded down.
Set in Victorian England, this story followed Nell, a nineteen-year-old girl who was born with birthmarks all over her, deemed a “freak of nature” by those in her home community. When Nell’s father sells her to Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders, Nell is distraught. Over time, she begins to love her performance and those in the circus, though. She becomes bold and shining as she discovers what she was meant to do and finds her place in the world.
I really enjoyed the setting of this book! I love circus/carnival settings, so I thought it was great. The characters were all very interesting, and very different. I liked how they all had their own distinct thoughts and aspirations, and everything was very clear (nothing was very confusing surrounding the character’s motivations and thoughts). I especially liked Nell’s character; she really grew into herself, and I enjoyed watching her story play out. Stella was also an interesting character, and I liked how she was protective over the other women in the circus. There weren’t any female rivalries which I appreciated as well. I initially was a bit disappointed by the end of the book, but after thinking about it a bit more, it's a pretty fitting ending for the story, and it makes sense for all of the characters.
The plot was very intriguing, and the book never really slowed down. It held my attention all the way through to the end! Everything felt very atmospheric, and over all, I really enjoyed this book!
4.5 stars, rounded down.
Set in Victorian England, this story followed Nell, a nineteen-year-old girl who was born with birthmarks all over her, deemed a “freak of nature” by those in her home community. When Nell’s father sells her to Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders, Nell is distraught. Over time, she begins to love her performance and those in the circus, though. She becomes bold and shining as she discovers what she was meant to do and finds her place in the world.
I really enjoyed the setting of this book! I love circus/carnival settings, so I thought it was great. The characters were all very interesting, and very different. I liked how they all had their own distinct thoughts and aspirations, and everything was very clear (nothing was very confusing surrounding the character’s motivations and thoughts). I especially liked Nell’s character; she really grew into herself, and I enjoyed watching her story play out. Stella was also an interesting character, and I liked how she was protective over the other women in the circus. There weren’t any female rivalries which I appreciated as well. I initially was a bit disappointed by the end of the book, but after thinking about it a bit more, it's a pretty fitting ending for the story, and it makes sense for all of the characters.
The plot was very intriguing, and the book never really slowed down. It held my attention all the way through to the end! Everything felt very atmospheric, and over all, I really enjoyed this book!