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serafina_pekkala's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
words_and_magic's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
krysm's review against another edition
2.0
I'm reading this series, but I really can't recommend it. So if you see me reading it, and want to try it, read at your own risk, lol.
ayoota's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
My least favourite one so far
charmedlassie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
j45rpm's review against another edition
1.0
I loved the first five books, but deeply disliked Blood and Circuses. Phryne Fisher is a badass, part Poirot, part Bond, and for some reason, in this book, she is a damsel in distress trying to find who she would be if she wasn’t rich. It’s an awful, out of character digression from the first five books.
jenrkeeling's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cimorene1558's review against another edition
4.0
Not my favourite, but the circus details are good.
kaatiba's review against another edition
4.0
None of these are exactly light books, but this one felt darker and more adult. I enjoyed it but it's a harsh look at circus life, which is only fitting. also loved literally every character, they're all so interesting.
Edit: surprised to see some of the scathing reviews lol. sure Phryne comes across as extremely privileged but....like. she is??? super privileged? she's aware of it and sort of rueful about it but—in a way that i felt was wonderfully refreshing—she was allowed to honestly express even to herself that she misses her luxury. where to others this may have seemed to be cringey and make it hard to sympathize with her, i just read it as a traumatic return to a self she doesn't want to be again, to a life she doesn't want to relive–one of hardship and difficulty and loneliness.
it might seem like her 'oh woe is me i can't safely be my vivacious provocative self and get people to like me' is eye-rolling nonsense, but i thought that just fleshed her out more. she loves attention, she thrives on it. when she didn't have much she could manage people and people's reaction to her, could use the force of her personality to get what she wanted. there's a whole section on her thinking this explicitly. and she loves being rich and wealthy enough to be free with herself, and why would you begrudge her that?
i mean, wouldn't you feel the same way? and for a person who grew up lonely and poor and knew the danger of being provocative but couldn't squash that since its a huge part of her identity, it would be really upsetting. Phryne is a bit child-like and sometimes childish, but i really enjoy that. she's an interesting, vibrant character, and this book made her a little more. human? with human foils and foibles. anyway /end rant i guess ^^'
Edit: surprised to see some of the scathing reviews lol. sure Phryne comes across as extremely privileged but....like. she is??? super privileged? she's aware of it and sort of rueful about it but—in a way that i felt was wonderfully refreshing—she was allowed to honestly express even to herself that she misses her luxury. where to others this may have seemed to be cringey and make it hard to sympathize with her, i just read it as a traumatic return to a self she doesn't want to be again, to a life she doesn't want to relive–one of hardship and difficulty and loneliness.
it might seem like her 'oh woe is me i can't safely be my vivacious provocative self and get people to like me' is eye-rolling nonsense, but i thought that just fleshed her out more. she loves attention, she thrives on it. when she didn't have much she could manage people and people's reaction to her, could use the force of her personality to get what she wanted. there's a whole section on her thinking this explicitly. and she loves being rich and wealthy enough to be free with herself, and why would you begrudge her that?
i mean, wouldn't you feel the same way? and for a person who grew up lonely and poor and knew the danger of being provocative but couldn't squash that since its a huge part of her identity, it would be really upsetting. Phryne is a bit child-like and sometimes childish, but i really enjoy that. she's an interesting, vibrant character, and this book made her a little more. human? with human foils and foibles. anyway /end rant i guess ^^'
saranel81's review against another edition
2.0
I've read several of the Phryne books, and this is the first one that left me totally uninterested. I can't really put my finger on why either. It just never really got my attention. The subject was intriguing, and I liked the characters involved in the circus part of the mystery. It was the other half of it - the gang part, I guess - that just left me cold. I finished the book just feeling "meh" about it all. Since this is not usually the way I feel after finishing a Phryne book, I'll keep reading the series and hope that this was just an off book.