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A review by beesteele
Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
4.0
I read the author's first book, The Doll Factory, a couple of years ago. It, too, was a four-star read for me. I remember being struck by how real the Victorian world that Macneal wrote about then felt, and I felt that the world of Circus of Wonders also jumped off the page.
I enjoyed the use of the braided narrative here. Macneal switched between three points of view: Nell, Jasper, and Toby. They are the three main characters, all very complicated and flawed as individuals, and the supporting cast of characters is also very strong. As you can imagine, a Victorian circus is filled with very interesting characters, and I think Macneal did a great job bringing them to life.
I liked the fact that none of the three main characters really fit into the typical mold. Nell isn't a run-of-the-mill heroine, Jasper isn't fully a villain, and Toby isn't your usual Prince Charming character. They're all a lot grayer than that, a lot more complex and rounded out, and I appreciated that subtlety on the author's behalf.
I really enjoyed this book and read most of it on a long flight. I felt entertained the whole way, much as I did in reading her first book. Admittedly, this one felt a lot less creepy to me than the first book, which I didn't mind at all. If you enjoyed The Night Circus, give this one a go. It's more gritty and less magical, but it still brings that circus atmosphere to life, albeit in a different way and a different light.
I enjoyed the use of the braided narrative here. Macneal switched between three points of view: Nell, Jasper, and Toby. They are the three main characters, all very complicated and flawed as individuals, and the supporting cast of characters is also very strong. As you can imagine, a Victorian circus is filled with very interesting characters, and I think Macneal did a great job bringing them to life.
I liked the fact that none of the three main characters really fit into the typical mold. Nell isn't a run-of-the-mill heroine, Jasper isn't fully a villain, and Toby isn't your usual Prince Charming character. They're all a lot grayer than that, a lot more complex and rounded out, and I appreciated that subtlety on the author's behalf.
I really enjoyed this book and read most of it on a long flight. I felt entertained the whole way, much as I did in reading her first book. Admittedly, this one felt a lot less creepy to me than the first book, which I didn't mind at all. If you enjoyed The Night Circus, give this one a go. It's more gritty and less magical, but it still brings that circus atmosphere to life, albeit in a different way and a different light.