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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wonderfully dark and bizarre while also somewhat melodramatic and drawn out at times – still worthy of five stars. As other reviewers have mentioned, if you plan to read this book, pick up the New York Review Books edition as it has the original, uncensored text as published in 1946 or find a first edition.
It took a while for me to sync into the groove of William Lindsay Gresham's prickly, probably reactionary Nightmare Alley, but once you find your footing in this hall of mirrors, there's a lit of icky thrills to be found. I'm excited to watch (both) film(s) now!
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ready it after watching the Guillermo Del Toro film. I'm always curious what gets cut, changed, and how the book and film adaptations compare. This is a classic tragedy story. The film made some crucial changes, but I'm not sure which I like more. The book has more time to develop things of course, and Stan (the main character) is made more likeable in the film, which I'm not sure if that helps or hinders the story.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the noir-iest of noirs, where lurid carnival characters progress to equally lurid vaudeville and then on to the seance racket. Sharp-eyed predators victimize those around them as well as the gullible marks. Well-written, and I loved the centering of each chapter around a tarot card.
The fall of man is invetiable by that which they refuse to recgonize and think they have control. The first read is a mystery, but looking back it seems like a slow moving accident. But is there redemption via love at the end to stop the cycle!
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated