A gothic tale of Faustian bargains, jealousy, and murder set in a spectacular circus, where star-crossed lovers' destinies are forged at an unexpected price.
It is beautifully presented, with vivid descriptions of the most minute aspects of setting. However, the characters, and there is a robust troupe of them, often feel one-dimensional, and the point of view too quickly cycles between multiple players ... The plot is intriguing and smartly woven together but sometimes feels too slow to develop, and the stakes aren’t high enough.
Gibbs dazzles with lush, evocative prose, delightfully diabolical plotting, and abundant heart. Individual characters may lack dimension, but the dynamics of the found family formed by the "curiosities" add more than enough nuance and emotional complexity to compensate. Subtle worldbuilding elevates the tale’s intrigue without distracting from the action.
Dark and glamorous ... Through lyrical prose, Gibbs builds an atmospheric historical world with danger and magic around every corner. The carnival’s minor acts steal the show; it’s harder to connect with the main characters, whose backstories come too little too late.
