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bookfairy99 's review for:
The Great and Secret Show
by Clive Barker
What a bizarre book! By all accounts it shouldn't be the type of book I'd ever pick up, much less the kind that would keep me engrossed all the way through--but it was, and it did. I tried to explain the plot to a couple of people, and each time I ended up with a confused jumble of themes all wrapped up in a feeble explanation. "It's about... uhh... good vs. evil. And demons, the undead, nightmares that come to life, shamanic magic, a talking ape, and metaphysical horror. Among many other things."
The ironic thing is that by the time I reached the last page, I realized I didn't actually like any of the characters. Even the "good" ones. Howie and Jo Beth's relationship was so forced and sudden that it made me roll my eyes throughout. Grillo and Tesla were the two that came closest to being genuinely likeable, yet they fell short as well. Despite that, I still found myself eagerly dragged along by Barker's imagination. I wanted to know what would happen next, and so I went along for the ride. In the end, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not entirely sure I need to read the sequel.
The ironic thing is that by the time I reached the last page, I realized I didn't actually like any of the characters. Even the "good" ones. Howie and Jo Beth's relationship was so forced and sudden that it made me roll my eyes throughout. Grillo and Tesla were the two that came closest to being genuinely likeable, yet they fell short as well. Despite that, I still found myself eagerly dragged along by Barker's imagination. I wanted to know what would happen next, and so I went along for the ride. In the end, I'm glad I read it, but I'm not entirely sure I need to read the sequel.