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zefrien's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.5
vcallgood's review against another edition
2.0
This book disappointed me a bit. It started out with such a strong premise and a mystery to be solved. I enjoyed the alternating viewpoints and exploring the pasts of the characters. That being said, I would like for it to have had a stronger sense of resolution. Characterization was strong, and I found myself drawn to many of the characters, which left me feeling all the more disappointed with the ending.
labalenottera's review
2.0
I really wanted to love this story more.
I'm not a big fan of the circus, but I've always been fascinated by the people who live behind it.
I loved the sense of magic realism you get from the book but, at the same time, the thin plot felt weirdly paced. I couldn't seem to get a real sense of peril or anxiety from the disappearances of the crew members: only a couple of them caused some shock and distress from the others; the rest went almost completely unnoticed or easily dismissed.
It didn't seem to me that the characters had any agency in their own story. Some of them were introduced just to be gone some page after: I couldn't connect with them. At some point, I had a hard time emphasizing with the main characters, too. It hurts to say that even the romance between Olympia and Diamond didn't give me much to think about, even though I do appreciate some f/f love.
I'm not a big fan of the circus, but I've always been fascinated by the people who live behind it.
I loved the sense of magic realism you get from the book but, at the same time, the thin plot felt weirdly paced. I couldn't seem to get a real sense of peril or anxiety from the disappearances of the crew members: only a couple of them caused some shock and distress from the others; the rest went almost completely unnoticed or easily dismissed.
It didn't seem to me that the characters had any agency in their own story. Some of them were introduced just to be gone some page after: I couldn't connect with them. At some point, I had a hard time emphasizing with the main characters, too. It hurts to say that even the romance between Olympia and Diamond didn't give me much to think about, even though I do appreciate some f/f love.
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