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The Carnivale of Curiosities
A dazzling gothic tale of Faustian bargains, jealousy, and murder set in a spectacular circus, where star-crossed lovers' destinies are forged at an unexpected price, for readers of V. E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
In Victorian London, where traveling sideshows are the very pinnacle of entertainment, there is no more coveted ticket than Ashe and Pretorius' Carnivale of Curiosities. Each performance is a limited engagement, and London's elite boldly dare the dangerous streets of Southwark to witness the Carnivale's astounding assemblage of marvels. For a select few, however, the real show begins behind the curtain. Rumors abound that the show’s proprietor, Aurelius Ashe, is more than an average magician. It's said that for the right price, he can make any wish come true. No one knows the truth of this claim better than Lucien the Lucifer, the Carnivale's star attraction. Born with the ability to create fire, he's dazzled spectators since he was a boy.
When Odilon Rose, one of the most notorious men in London, comes calling with a proposition regarding his young and beautiful charge, Charlotte, Ashe is tempted to refuse. After revealing, however, that Rose holds a secret that threatens the security of the troupe's most vulnerable members, Ashe has no choice but to sign an insidious contract.
The stakes grow higher as Lucien finds himself drawn to Charlotte and her to him, an attraction that spurs a perilous course of events. Grave secrets, recovered horrors, and what it means to be family come to a head in this vividly imagined spectacle—with the lives of all those involved suspended in the balance.
In Victorian London, where traveling sideshows are the very pinnacle of entertainment, there is no more coveted ticket than Ashe and Pretorius' Carnivale of Curiosities. Each performance is a limited engagement, and London's elite boldly dare the dangerous streets of Southwark to witness the Carnivale's astounding assemblage of marvels. For a select few, however, the real show begins behind the curtain. Rumors abound that the show’s proprietor, Aurelius Ashe, is more than an average magician. It's said that for the right price, he can make any wish come true. No one knows the truth of this claim better than Lucien the Lucifer, the Carnivale's star attraction. Born with the ability to create fire, he's dazzled spectators since he was a boy.
When Odilon Rose, one of the most notorious men in London, comes calling with a proposition regarding his young and beautiful charge, Charlotte, Ashe is tempted to refuse. After revealing, however, that Rose holds a secret that threatens the security of the troupe's most vulnerable members, Ashe has no choice but to sign an insidious contract.
The stakes grow higher as Lucien finds himself drawn to Charlotte and her to him, an attraction that spurs a perilous course of events. Grave secrets, recovered horrors, and what it means to be family come to a head in this vividly imagined spectacle—with the lives of all those involved suspended in the balance.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published July 11, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
July 19, 2023
I have some mixed feelings on this one
What I liked: This book was absolutely immersive. The details and descriptions were incredibly rich, making the story fully transportative. I am a huge fan of magical circus books, and this was both magical and incredibly dark. The characters, both good and bad, were super vivid. Everyone in the Carnivale troupe was lovable and talented, and an array of disabilities/differences/marginalized groups were represented (more on that rep later). On the other hand the villains were truly despicable, and I’m not sure I’ve so viscerally hated characters in a book in quite some time. There were also a few twists and turns (that were also veryyyy dark) that I feel I maybe should have seen, but took me completely by surprise.
What I didn’t like: Though I’m disabled, there were lots of disabilities and marginalized groups included in this book that I can’t speak to the rep of. What I can say is it was SO heavy, giving a very doom-and-gloom view of what it means to be disabled or different in the world. I do think the author attempted to balance it with positivity (such as the great talents of the troupe). But the ableism and prejudice shown by the villains was really hard to read about, and VERY prevalent. I kind of felt like I did about Too Good to be True; even if there was truth to the prejudices of people it was hard to read. I’m not going to say it shouldn’t be read because of it (unless the specific groups repped come forward and say as much), but it is something to keep in mind if you decide to pick it up. On a separate note, I didn’t always enjoy just how slow and meandering the plot was, but that’s more of a personal preference.
Overall:: I would recommend this book if you like very dark and magical circus stories, as well as slow, intricate, and transporting writing.
Content warnings: ableism, incest, sexual assault, murder, misogyny
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This just came in the mail today and I am SO EXCITED, Thank you Grand Central Publishing!
What I liked: This book was absolutely immersive. The details and descriptions were incredibly rich, making the story fully transportative. I am a huge fan of magical circus books, and this was both magical and incredibly dark. The characters, both good and bad, were super vivid. Everyone in the Carnivale troupe was lovable and talented, and an array of disabilities/differences/marginalized groups were represented (more on that rep later). On the other hand the villains were truly despicable, and I’m not sure I’ve so viscerally hated characters in a book in quite some time. There were also a few twists and turns (that were also veryyyy dark) that I feel I maybe should have seen, but took me completely by surprise.
What I didn’t like: Though I’m disabled, there were lots of disabilities and marginalized groups included in this book that I can’t speak to the rep of. What I can say is it was SO heavy, giving a very doom-and-gloom view of what it means to be disabled or different in the world. I do think the author attempted to balance it with positivity (such as the great talents of the troupe). But the ableism and prejudice shown by the villains was really hard to read about, and VERY prevalent. I kind of felt like I did about Too Good to be True; even if there was truth to the prejudices of people it was hard to read. I’m not going to say it shouldn’t be read because of it (unless the specific groups repped come forward and say as much), but it is something to keep in mind if you decide to pick it up. On a separate note, I didn’t always enjoy just how slow and meandering the plot was, but that’s more of a personal preference.
Overall:: I would recommend this book if you like very dark and magical circus stories, as well as slow, intricate, and transporting writing.
Content warnings: ableism, incest, sexual assault, murder, misogyny
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This just came in the mail today and I am SO EXCITED, Thank you Grand Central Publishing!
March 5, 2024
Inaspettatamente ho amato ogni singolo momento di questo libro!
February 5, 2023
Thank you to Grand Central Station and Netgalley for allowing me to read this fantastic story!
"It is from the thin air and the high hopes of our patrons’ imaginations that I build. If it can be dreamed, Lucien, if it can be believed, then it can be seen and realized.”
“If only for a moment.”
Welcome to The Carnivale of Curiosities, where the lines between reality and illusion blur. This is a story full of magic, murder, Faustian bargains, greed, mystery, and more. Filled with rich writing and a complex plot, you won't be able to put this down. The closest I could compare this to would be a cross between The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Night Circus.
"Now tell me, have we a deal?"
The worldbuilding is magnificent and the writing was lyrical and prose like. The 1880's London setting was the perfect backdrop to this story. The plot was wonderfully complex and every time you think the final twist has passed another lurks around the corner. I am obsessed with the magic system and each performance was grander than the last.
"Ashe is the blood of the Carnivale. Dita its heart. Pretorius is its bones and Lucien its spark."
The characters are all phenomenal! Each of them had their own story and I love a good found family trope. I adored the twins and Georgie, they are too sweet for this world. Dita is the mother of the group and I love her kind heart. Pretorius's creations are ones of wonder while Timothy creates the most fantastic mischief. Angelique and Columbine work to round out the family while Lucien is the mysteries man who has a sad past lurking behind his eyes. And of course Ashe is the ringleader who has just as many secrets as he does talents. Each of them drew me in and I couldn't help but want to learn more about them and their secrets.
"I am an illusionist, Mr. Emmett. One who conjures wishes into being, if one only has the courage to ask.”
This is an incredible debut and I can't wait to see what Amiee Gibbs does next. Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore when this releases on July 11, 2023.
"It is from the thin air and the high hopes of our patrons’ imaginations that I build. If it can be dreamed, Lucien, if it can be believed, then it can be seen and realized.”
“If only for a moment.”
Welcome to The Carnivale of Curiosities, where the lines between reality and illusion blur. This is a story full of magic, murder, Faustian bargains, greed, mystery, and more. Filled with rich writing and a complex plot, you won't be able to put this down. The closest I could compare this to would be a cross between The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Night Circus.
"Now tell me, have we a deal?"
The worldbuilding is magnificent and the writing was lyrical and prose like. The 1880's London setting was the perfect backdrop to this story. The plot was wonderfully complex and every time you think the final twist has passed another lurks around the corner. I am obsessed with the magic system and each performance was grander than the last.
"Ashe is the blood of the Carnivale. Dita its heart. Pretorius is its bones and Lucien its spark."
The characters are all phenomenal! Each of them had their own story and I love a good found family trope. I adored the twins and Georgie, they are too sweet for this world. Dita is the mother of the group and I love her kind heart. Pretorius's creations are ones of wonder while Timothy creates the most fantastic mischief. Angelique and Columbine work to round out the family while Lucien is the mysteries man who has a sad past lurking behind his eyes. And of course Ashe is the ringleader who has just as many secrets as he does talents. Each of them drew me in and I couldn't help but want to learn more about them and their secrets.
"I am an illusionist, Mr. Emmett. One who conjures wishes into being, if one only has the courage to ask.”
This is an incredible debut and I can't wait to see what Amiee Gibbs does next. Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore when this releases on July 11, 2023.
August 25, 2023
The Carnivale of Curiosities is the third truly exceptional book I've read in the last year and a half built around an alternative Victorian London where the real and magical worlds collide. The other two are Freya Marske's A Marvellous Light and Mat Osman's The Ghost Theatre. [Note: I must correct this statement. The Ghost Theatre is set in an alternate Elizabethan London.]
There are far more books that fall within this particular subgenre—lots of alternative Londons, lots of magic/non-magic—but these three stand out above everything else I've read. They're quite different from one another, but what they have in common is detailed world-building, characters that are complex and conflicted, and power imbalances echoing those you would find in "ordinary" Victorian London, as well as the world we inhabit today.
The Carnivale of Curiosities offers a very interesting variation on the Faust theme. For what kind of gain will people sell their souls? And in what ways can a dream achieved become a disaster?
The Carnivale is run by magician Aurelius Ashe and mechanical genius Pretorius (just the one name). The Carnivale's "curiosities" are individuals many would label freaks: a dog-faced boy, conjoined twins, a little person, acrobats, and man who can do remarkable things with fire. But for anyone who attends the Carnivale—or reads this book—the curiosities are nothing less than geniuses, each with a singular talent that could have gone unseen or been used in unscrupulous ways. The dog-faced boy is a virtuoso violinist. The twins are gymnasts. The little person is a gifted ballerina. One of the acrobats can truly defy gravity, the other can shapeshift and appear and disappear at will.
The other key location/structure in The Carnival of Curiosities is Decimus House, headed by Odilon Rose since the death of his father. Odilon has a sister. Then, there's Charlotte, originally raised in one of the poorest parts of London, but taken in as a ward by Odilon's father. The Roses are rich. Not just wealthy—rich beyond imagining; rich beyond the royals themselves. Charlotte lives in this home of endless bounty, but is more hostage than family member. Odilon sees her as his property to do with as he will. And Odilon is obsessed with owning things. Odilon is also odious—to an extent that makes that word odious an understatement.
But Odilon's control over Charlotte seems about to end because she's dying of leukemia. And not even a man as wealthy and powerful as Odilon can stop that disease. As a result, Odilon finds himself in the unusual circumstance of having to request the help of others. There's a story about that man who works with fire, Lucien. He reportedly died once, but was brought back to life through Aurelius' magical powers and Pretorius's creation of a mechanical heart.
Odilon is trying to strike a bargain with Aurelius. The Carnivale of Curiosities is the story of the making of that bargain and its results. You can imagine. Or maybe you can't.
It has been a long, long time since I've raced through a book as I did with The Carnivale of Curiosities. Page after page with other tasks completely ignored. Reading late into the night when I had to start and stop over and over again as I realized I'd fallen asleep and what I'd been thinking was the book was a dream that sprung from the book, but had left the book behind.
If you appreciate fantasy—even if you don't (it's not my favorite genre)—The Carnivale of Curiosities is a read so compelling you may find yourself being held hostage by it. In a good way...
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
There are far more books that fall within this particular subgenre—lots of alternative Londons, lots of magic/non-magic—but these three stand out above everything else I've read. They're quite different from one another, but what they have in common is detailed world-building, characters that are complex and conflicted, and power imbalances echoing those you would find in "ordinary" Victorian London, as well as the world we inhabit today.
The Carnivale of Curiosities offers a very interesting variation on the Faust theme. For what kind of gain will people sell their souls? And in what ways can a dream achieved become a disaster?
The Carnivale is run by magician Aurelius Ashe and mechanical genius Pretorius (just the one name). The Carnivale's "curiosities" are individuals many would label freaks: a dog-faced boy, conjoined twins, a little person, acrobats, and man who can do remarkable things with fire. But for anyone who attends the Carnivale—or reads this book—the curiosities are nothing less than geniuses, each with a singular talent that could have gone unseen or been used in unscrupulous ways. The dog-faced boy is a virtuoso violinist. The twins are gymnasts. The little person is a gifted ballerina. One of the acrobats can truly defy gravity, the other can shapeshift and appear and disappear at will.
The other key location/structure in The Carnival of Curiosities is Decimus House, headed by Odilon Rose since the death of his father. Odilon has a sister. Then, there's Charlotte, originally raised in one of the poorest parts of London, but taken in as a ward by Odilon's father. The Roses are rich. Not just wealthy—rich beyond imagining; rich beyond the royals themselves. Charlotte lives in this home of endless bounty, but is more hostage than family member. Odilon sees her as his property to do with as he will. And Odilon is obsessed with owning things. Odilon is also odious—to an extent that makes that word odious an understatement.
But Odilon's control over Charlotte seems about to end because she's dying of leukemia. And not even a man as wealthy and powerful as Odilon can stop that disease. As a result, Odilon finds himself in the unusual circumstance of having to request the help of others. There's a story about that man who works with fire, Lucien. He reportedly died once, but was brought back to life through Aurelius' magical powers and Pretorius's creation of a mechanical heart.
Odilon is trying to strike a bargain with Aurelius. The Carnivale of Curiosities is the story of the making of that bargain and its results. You can imagine. Or maybe you can't.
It has been a long, long time since I've raced through a book as I did with The Carnivale of Curiosities. Page after page with other tasks completely ignored. Reading late into the night when I had to start and stop over and over again as I realized I'd fallen asleep and what I'd been thinking was the book was a dream that sprung from the book, but had left the book behind.
If you appreciate fantasy—even if you don't (it's not my favorite genre)—The Carnivale of Curiosities is a read so compelling you may find yourself being held hostage by it. In a good way...
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
May 25, 2024
Una storia oscura dove la magia esiste e i desideri possono essere avverati, ma bisogna stare attenti ad esprimerli, perché il prezzo per realizzarli potrebbe essere troppo alto.
Il carosello delle curiosità è un fantasy magico di ambientazione storica inglese vittoriana, rivolto ad un pubblico adulto (la storia include tematiche complesse, i personaggi principali sono adulti e la narrazione adotta uno stile da romanzo storico).
Una delle tematiche del libro è quella circense, un circo itinerante e magico con componenti attentamente selezionati che vivono in piena armonia volendosi bene come una famiglia allargata. Poi c'è anche un'altra tematica molto centrale che è quella della morte, del tentativo di eluderla e di quali azioni orribili si è disposti a compiere per salvare sé stessi e i propri torbidi segreti.
Nella storia sono presenti misteri e zone d’ombra dietro ai vari personaggi, che vengono svelati a poco a poco. Il risultato è quello di una storia oscura, stratificata, a volte anche triste, dove il confine tra bene e male è sfumato e dove anche i personaggi dalla parte del bene hanno lati negativi.
Personalmente sono rimasta molto coinvolta dalla storia e dal suo evolversi, ho trovato le tematiche interessanti e non banali nelle riflessioni e le atmosfere della Londra vittoriana sono state la mia tazza di tè. 4,5★ (da tenere conto che non è un fantasy di puro intrattenimento, se cercate una storia per rilassarvi potrebbe non essere la scelta giusta)
Trope: vendetta, magic circus e found family
TW: violenza e morte
Elementi in comune con "Il circo della notte": pochi, giusto il tema del circo magico e il periodo storico (stile di scrittura e atmosfere sono totalmente diversi)
Il carosello delle curiosità è un fantasy magico di ambientazione storica inglese vittoriana, rivolto ad un pubblico adulto (la storia include tematiche complesse, i personaggi principali sono adulti e la narrazione adotta uno stile da romanzo storico).
Una delle tematiche del libro è quella circense, un circo itinerante e magico con componenti attentamente selezionati che vivono in piena armonia volendosi bene come una famiglia allargata. Poi c'è anche un'altra tematica molto centrale che è quella della morte, del tentativo di eluderla e di quali azioni orribili si è disposti a compiere per salvare sé stessi e i propri torbidi segreti.
Nella storia sono presenti misteri e zone d’ombra dietro ai vari personaggi, che vengono svelati a poco a poco. Il risultato è quello di una storia oscura, stratificata, a volte anche triste, dove il confine tra bene e male è sfumato e dove anche i personaggi dalla parte del bene hanno lati negativi.
Personalmente sono rimasta molto coinvolta dalla storia e dal suo evolversi, ho trovato le tematiche interessanti e non banali nelle riflessioni e le atmosfere della Londra vittoriana sono state la mia tazza di tè. 4,5★ (da tenere conto che non è un fantasy di puro intrattenimento, se cercate una storia per rilassarvi potrebbe non essere la scelta giusta)
Trope: vendetta, magic circus e found family
TW: violenza e morte
Elementi in comune con "Il circo della notte": pochi, giusto il tema del circo magico e il periodo storico (stile di scrittura e atmosfere sono totalmente diversi)
October 13, 2023
The Carnivale of Curiosities is a dark and gritty tale, exposing the gruesome and awful deeds people will do to hide the truth.
Gibbs built an incredible atmosphere with her prose. The Carnivale was imaginative and vivid in detail, leaping off the pages. The grim truth of 1887 London was thinly veiled in a clever way. I was simultaneously seeing the real London and the illusion of respectability it tried to cast. Overall, it was reminiscent of The Night Circus in tone.
While the prose built a magnificent world, it hindered the story. I had a hard time truly getting into the plot. At first, the wordiness seemed to hide a weak plot, but as I got further into the story, it became twisted and convoluted. It took about half the book for me to really immerse myself in the mystery and twisted power plays of the characters.
I wish I had gotten to know the characters better. There were too many key players introduced. As I started to sink into one perspective, it would switch to another. While I had strong reactions to the villains, and loved the moral dubiousness of the others, I wanted to know more about them.
Please, check trigger warnings before you read this one. It was darker and gloomier than I anticipated.
TW: incest, rape, violence, gore.
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Gibbs built an incredible atmosphere with her prose. The Carnivale was imaginative and vivid in detail, leaping off the pages. The grim truth of 1887 London was thinly veiled in a clever way. I was simultaneously seeing the real London and the illusion of respectability it tried to cast. Overall, it was reminiscent of The Night Circus in tone.
While the prose built a magnificent world, it hindered the story. I had a hard time truly getting into the plot. At first, the wordiness seemed to hide a weak plot, but as I got further into the story, it became twisted and convoluted. It took about half the book for me to really immerse myself in the mystery and twisted power plays of the characters.
I wish I had gotten to know the characters better. There were too many key players introduced. As I started to sink into one perspective, it would switch to another. While I had strong reactions to the villains, and loved the moral dubiousness of the others, I wanted to know more about them.
Please, check trigger warnings before you read this one. It was darker and gloomier than I anticipated.
TW: incest, rape, violence, gore.
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
July 29, 2023
Ahhh, I LOVED this one! It was dark and creepy, but with a solid plot and remarkable characters! Gothic London at its finest! I hope there’s more to come!!
July 24, 2023
If I could give this 3.5 stars I would - I had a hard time getting into it at the beginning but then couldn’t put it down near the end.
February 11, 2023
This so not my thing. The writing was pretentious. I didn’t care about anything that happened to anyone in this book. The story was okay. For a debut, you can’t really tell it’s a debut. I will give it 2 stars instead of one for the creativity, but that’s about it. Not a fun experience at all. The writing was way too distracting and off-putting.
July 17, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I ended up really enjoying this book! I started out listening to the audiobook and found that I was a bit confused so I decided to go back to the beginning and follow along in the book while a listened to the audio which proved to be a much better experience. I really enjoyed the magic of the carnival and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out in the end.
There is a pretty large cast of characters in this story. Charlotte’s guardian, Odilon Rose, brings her to Aurelius Ashe, who runs the Carnivale of Curiosities. Charlotte is in ill health and after exhausting other avenues Odilon has to to Aurelius for a possible cure. We get to meet all of the key players in the Carnivale with Lucien playing a key role. I liked the way that the story slowly unraveled allowing the reader to learn the backstories of the characters as we worked our way through the story. When all of the pieces fell into place, there were more than a few surprises. The Victorian London was incredibly well done and I liked that we got to see the poorer side of town in addition to the more wealthy area such as where Odilon Rose resides.
I believe that this was my first experience with James Langton’s narration. I thought that he had a very nice range and like the voices that he used while reading the story. I had trouble keeping up with the larger cast of characters with the audiobook alone but once I really got to know the various characters, I had no issue with the audiobook. I would not hesitate to listen to more of this narrator’s work in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. It was an entertaining story full of secrets, magic, and Faustian bargains. I thought that the book was incredibly well written and look forward to future works by this talented author.
I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio.
I ended up really enjoying this book! I started out listening to the audiobook and found that I was a bit confused so I decided to go back to the beginning and follow along in the book while a listened to the audio which proved to be a much better experience. I really enjoyed the magic of the carnival and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out in the end.
There is a pretty large cast of characters in this story. Charlotte’s guardian, Odilon Rose, brings her to Aurelius Ashe, who runs the Carnivale of Curiosities. Charlotte is in ill health and after exhausting other avenues Odilon has to to Aurelius for a possible cure. We get to meet all of the key players in the Carnivale with Lucien playing a key role. I liked the way that the story slowly unraveled allowing the reader to learn the backstories of the characters as we worked our way through the story. When all of the pieces fell into place, there were more than a few surprises. The Victorian London was incredibly well done and I liked that we got to see the poorer side of town in addition to the more wealthy area such as where Odilon Rose resides.
I believe that this was my first experience with James Langton’s narration. I thought that he had a very nice range and like the voices that he used while reading the story. I had trouble keeping up with the larger cast of characters with the audiobook alone but once I really got to know the various characters, I had no issue with the audiobook. I would not hesitate to listen to more of this narrator’s work in the future.
I would recommend this book to others. It was an entertaining story full of secrets, magic, and Faustian bargains. I thought that the book was incredibly well written and look forward to future works by this talented author.
I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio.
August 5, 2023
The synopsis sounded so interesting and so promising, but the prose was so pretentious and it was overwritten so much with wonky pacing that led to an eyebrow raising timeline of events.
I lost count of how many times I thought "just get to the point already." I was bored or distracted almost the entire time from about the halfway point onward. There was no real plot to speak of and it kept bouncing around to different characters that I never learned enough about to care what happened to them.
I lost count of how many times I thought "just get to the point already." I was bored or distracted almost the entire time from about the halfway point onward. There was no real plot to speak of and it kept bouncing around to different characters that I never learned enough about to care what happened to them.
July 31, 2024
I’m always a sucker for anything carnival or circus related so when I saw this one I knew I had to have it! The story had so much potential but the execution just didn’t do it for me. It felt messy and confusing and just didn’t have the magic I was so hoping for. I didn’t hate it but it definitely wasn’t what I was hoping it would be.
August 29, 2023
Ms. Gibbs has a rare talent for creating atmosphere, which kept this story moving and intriguing to the reader. A dark circus set in Victorian London needs a writer who can set the scene well. This is a grim tale, so don't expect a the glitter to be untarnished. More character development would be welcome - although I was immersed in the story, I didn't particularly connect with a character. The end left me believing that this will be a series. I would definitely check out the next book, if so.
July 1, 2023
"The Carnivale of Curiosities" by Amiee Gibbs is a gothic tale that transports readers to the enchanting world of a Victorian London circus. I found that the prose was elegant and evocative, painting vivid imagery of the Carnivale of Curiosities and its intriguing cast of characters, some might find it pretentious.
Speaking of characters, the ensemble in this story is both fascinating and complex. While the main characters may share the spotlight a bit too much, it is the surrounding cast that adds depth and layers to the narrative. The found family dynamic within the circus is heartwarming, showcasing the bonds of loyalty and support amidst the darkness that surrounds them. The author explores the consequences of Faustian bargains and the price one pays for fulfilling their desires in an intriguing way. Another aspect that stood out was the tangled history that connects the characters. Horrific secrets gradually come to light, adding layers of complexity to their relationships.
This is an enchanting read that will captivate fans of Victorian-era settings and mysterious circuses. It masterfully blends dark themes with beautiful prose, creating an atmospheric tale that lingers. With its compelling characters, tangled history, and a touch of magic, this novel offers a mesmerizing journey that is both thrilling and deeply uncomfortable at times.
Thank you to libro.fm, Netgalley, and the publisher for an eARC. This is an honest review.
Speaking of characters, the ensemble in this story is both fascinating and complex. While the main characters may share the spotlight a bit too much, it is the surrounding cast that adds depth and layers to the narrative. The found family dynamic within the circus is heartwarming, showcasing the bonds of loyalty and support amidst the darkness that surrounds them. The author explores the consequences of Faustian bargains and the price one pays for fulfilling their desires in an intriguing way. Another aspect that stood out was the tangled history that connects the characters. Horrific secrets gradually come to light, adding layers of complexity to their relationships.
This is an enchanting read that will captivate fans of Victorian-era settings and mysterious circuses. It masterfully blends dark themes with beautiful prose, creating an atmospheric tale that lingers. With its compelling characters, tangled history, and a touch of magic, this novel offers a mesmerizing journey that is both thrilling and deeply uncomfortable at times.
Thank you to libro.fm, Netgalley, and the publisher for an eARC. This is an honest review.
October 18, 2023
So much happened during the book that it was hard to follow and generally I don’t like books with many povs for this reason. We didn’t get to spend nearly enough time with any of the characters to care for them.
Will it be a series? The abrupt ending seems to suggest so.
thank you to libro.fm, Aimee Gibbs, and Hachette Audio for an advanced listening copy of this book!
Will it be a series? The abrupt ending seems to suggest so.
thank you to libro.fm, Aimee Gibbs, and Hachette Audio for an advanced listening copy of this book!
December 20, 2022
Magical, suspenseful, and 1880's London. This did not disappoint.
July 19, 2023
A perfectly fine read. Darker than I expected! I kept comparing it to other books though, and unfortunately this book usually was the one coming up a little short.
January 25, 2024
Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra bellissima novità arrivata nelle nostre librerie.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare? Assolutamente no.
Mi sono interessata a questo romanzo prima ancora della trama, per il titolo che mi ricordava una bellissima serie creepy londinese che ho visto poco tempo fa, chiamata proprio con lo stesso nome.
Ovviamente poi mi sono sorpresa quando ho scoperto che ci fosse tutt'altra trama dietro seppur lo sfondo sia sempre quello vittoriano e chissà se c'è comunque un collegamento alle due cose?
E non parliamo della copertina? Meravigliosa a dir poco, ti atteae volente o dolente e io adoro i volumi esteticamente stupendi sulls libreria.
Il Carosello delle Curiosità è un circo con numeri itineranti entusiasmanti. Tra esse tante curiosità che collegano i protagonisti tutti diversi, come ad esempio gemelli siamesi, una trapezista albina, una ballerina piccola come una bambola e tanto tanto altro. (Un po' come il circo di The Greatest Showman).
Gli spettacoli si tengono all’Athenaeum nel quartiere di Southwark, ma lo spettacolo inizia semore dietro le quinte, in realtà, perché si dice che il proprietario Aurelius Ashe, sia un mago che può realizzare qualsiasi desiderio.
" Il problema non è per Londra . Esistono altri palcoscenici, altri teatri in cui portare lo spettacolo Potremmo sbancare alla Royal Albert, a Covent Garden…Perché limitarci all’Athenaeum? "
Tra magia e scienza, ho letto molti pareri contrastanti su questo libro che secondo me è stato spesso erroneamente paragonato a Il Circo della Notte, e vi dico erroneamente perché ho letto e amato anche quel libro e posso assicurarvi che sono due opere del tutto diverse e non solo perché si parla di circo allora partiamo con i paragoni.
Quindi, in sostanza, questo è un libro che ha tanto: ottima ambientazione, suspence, personaggi accattivanti e assolutamente una trama che ti lascia col fiato sospeso e la curiosità. Assolutamente consigliato e adorato!
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare? Assolutamente no.
Mi sono interessata a questo romanzo prima ancora della trama, per il titolo che mi ricordava una bellissima serie creepy londinese che ho visto poco tempo fa, chiamata proprio con lo stesso nome.
Ovviamente poi mi sono sorpresa quando ho scoperto che ci fosse tutt'altra trama dietro seppur lo sfondo sia sempre quello vittoriano e chissà se c'è comunque un collegamento alle due cose?
E non parliamo della copertina? Meravigliosa a dir poco, ti atteae volente o dolente e io adoro i volumi esteticamente stupendi sulls libreria.
Il Carosello delle Curiosità è un circo con numeri itineranti entusiasmanti. Tra esse tante curiosità che collegano i protagonisti tutti diversi, come ad esempio gemelli siamesi, una trapezista albina, una ballerina piccola come una bambola e tanto tanto altro. (Un po' come il circo di The Greatest Showman).
Gli spettacoli si tengono all’Athenaeum nel quartiere di Southwark, ma lo spettacolo inizia semore dietro le quinte, in realtà, perché si dice che il proprietario Aurelius Ashe, sia un mago che può realizzare qualsiasi desiderio.
" Il problema non è per Londra . Esistono altri palcoscenici, altri teatri in cui portare lo spettacolo Potremmo sbancare alla Royal Albert, a Covent Garden…Perché limitarci all’Athenaeum? "
Tra magia e scienza, ho letto molti pareri contrastanti su questo libro che secondo me è stato spesso erroneamente paragonato a Il Circo della Notte, e vi dico erroneamente perché ho letto e amato anche quel libro e posso assicurarvi che sono due opere del tutto diverse e non solo perché si parla di circo allora partiamo con i paragoni.
Quindi, in sostanza, questo è un libro che ha tanto: ottima ambientazione, suspence, personaggi accattivanti e assolutamente una trama che ti lascia col fiato sospeso e la curiosità. Assolutamente consigliato e adorato!
March 18, 2023
*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy.
I love a good circus book. Acts, aerialists, you name it, it's fascinating to read about. This one took it a bit different. A little darker. I think I enjoyed the magic and the wonder in this one, but I'm not so sure I care about any of the characters, which ultimately made this book a little less than for me.
A deal with the devil, or something much like it. Strange things go on with this circus, and the family that has formed itself around it. They each have their own talents. And one woman, drawn into their intrigue, will pay a price.
It sounds intriguing right? There are quite a few characters that have that aura of mystery around them. That being said, I didn't find any of the characters really that compelling. We didn't get to understand their backstory soon in the story enough. So it made it hard to connect. I don't think I ever connected to the main character, Charlotte. And Lucien, well, he was intriguing, but again, that slow building to his backstory meant I cared a little too late on what was happening.
The magic was interesting. I liked the deals made and the occult vibe that it gave the book as a whole. I also liked the concept of how magic was used to make those deals. That being said though, again, there wasn't enough to really understand the true purpose behind what that magic generated and why people had it.
Interesting world, and interesting magic, just needed some more compelling characters.
Review by M. Reynard 2023
I love a good circus book. Acts, aerialists, you name it, it's fascinating to read about. This one took it a bit different. A little darker. I think I enjoyed the magic and the wonder in this one, but I'm not so sure I care about any of the characters, which ultimately made this book a little less than for me.
A deal with the devil, or something much like it. Strange things go on with this circus, and the family that has formed itself around it. They each have their own talents. And one woman, drawn into their intrigue, will pay a price.
It sounds intriguing right? There are quite a few characters that have that aura of mystery around them. That being said, I didn't find any of the characters really that compelling. We didn't get to understand their backstory soon in the story enough. So it made it hard to connect. I don't think I ever connected to the main character, Charlotte. And Lucien, well, he was intriguing, but again, that slow building to his backstory meant I cared a little too late on what was happening.
The magic was interesting. I liked the deals made and the occult vibe that it gave the book as a whole. I also liked the concept of how magic was used to make those deals. That being said though, again, there wasn't enough to really understand the true purpose behind what that magic generated and why people had it.
Interesting world, and interesting magic, just needed some more compelling characters.
Review by M. Reynard 2023
September 12, 2023
Overall an interesting story and I was curious enough to know how things ended that I finished the book. That said, the first chapter, which actually occurs later in the story, creates a difficult transition to the beginning of the novel, and I had to go back to reread the first chapter to get a sense of the story line. Her writing style can be very vivid and intriguing, but also sometimes too confusing to follow the storyline. Also found several key editing mistakes. Worth the read in the end.
June 10, 2023
This was 100% a case of the writing style not working for me. The writing seemed overly inflated, and the book was much longer than it needed to be. None of the characters were developed well and since they were all introduced at roughly the same time, it was hard to keep track of them all. I didn’t find any of them particularly likable either. I also found the story kind of convoluted as well. The premise sounded great; unfortunately, this didn’t really work for me.
February 2, 2024
3.5🌟/5
Un fantasy d’esordio che merita attenzione.
Londra vittoriana, autoconclusivo, trope della found family e una piccola storia d’amore.
Mi ha ricordato le vibes oscure e dickensiane di Oscuri Talenti, così anche per i talenti speciali dei personaggi; The prestige per l’illusionismo e la spettacolarità del Carosello e The Greatest Showman per la grande famiglia che inevitabilmente si crea all’interno di realtà di spettacolo del genere. Perché il carosello è una vera e propria famiglia
Un fantasy d’esordio che merita attenzione.
Londra vittoriana, autoconclusivo, trope della found family e una piccola storia d’amore.
Mi ha ricordato le vibes oscure e dickensiane di Oscuri Talenti, così anche per i talenti speciali dei personaggi; The prestige per l’illusionismo e la spettacolarità del Carosello e The Greatest Showman per la grande famiglia che inevitabilmente si crea all’interno di realtà di spettacolo del genere. Perché il carosello è una vera e propria famiglia
July 22, 2023
Overall, I liked this book ok. It was dark and creepy, with a solid plot and many interesting characters! I recently met the author, and she said she loves words... I added many new ones to my vocabulary list, so it's true! But, to me, this book is too wordy... which made it drag. I haven’t read many books set during Victorian times. I’m not sure why because the Victorians loved the macabre, magic, and the occult, which makes for an entertaining story!
January 1, 2024
Felt like YA?? There must’ve been a page quota for the number of times phrases like “his azure sapphire ocean cobalt blue eyes glistened with the ghosts of his past” appeared.
The characters felt so surface-level to me. Everyone had a singular remarkable past tragedy that was basically their only personality trait (other than eye color like I GET IT his eyes are blue so he is therefore HOT and her eyes are verdant emerald forest mint toothpaste GREEN FUCKING GREEN so therefore she is ALSO HOT but they’re both main characters so they HAD TO HAVE DIFFERENT EYES COLORS end rant) and very predictable development.
Ok I’m still pressed over the eye colors like damn NOBODY has brown eyes. It’s either “eyes that pooled like liquid night sky” or “eyes that glowed with an amber warmth flickering with golden flecks like lapping flames” like ma’am I have poo colored eyes and so does everyone else ok EVEN JESUS HAD BROWN EYES
The characters felt so surface-level to me. Everyone had a singular remarkable past tragedy that was basically their only personality trait (other than eye color like I GET IT his eyes are blue so he is therefore HOT and her eyes are verdant emerald forest mint toothpaste GREEN FUCKING GREEN so therefore she is ALSO HOT but they’re both main characters so they HAD TO HAVE DIFFERENT EYES COLORS end rant) and very predictable development.
Ok I’m still pressed over the eye colors like damn NOBODY has brown eyes. It’s either “eyes that pooled like liquid night sky” or “eyes that glowed with an amber warmth flickering with golden flecks like lapping flames” like ma’am I have poo colored eyes and so does everyone else ok EVEN JESUS HAD BROWN EYES
July 10, 2023
Received an ARC of this through my job at Fable Book Parlour in Revelstoke, BC.
Wonderfully constructed backstory with fully developed main and supporting characters. A bit slow to start but worth sticking it out. Love the “found family” themes and the descriptions of the circus acts. An urban fantasy set in London in the late 1800s. The language choices in this are delicious, for my fellow word nerds.
Wonderfully constructed backstory with fully developed main and supporting characters. A bit slow to start but worth sticking it out. Love the “found family” themes and the descriptions of the circus acts. An urban fantasy set in London in the late 1800s. The language choices in this are delicious, for my fellow word nerds.
June 17, 2023
synopsis sounded so good but I was just sooooo bored the entire book
September 3, 2023
DNF. Couldn't get into this at all, it absolutely never captured me and I even restarted it once to see if I just needed a fresh start.
December 17, 2023
Concept wise it had a lot of promise but was difficult to follow what with the constant POV jumping, the very fancy prose, and slow plot.
January 17, 2024
Pretty disappointed with this one. The mystery was pretty cool and the setting was cool but I feel like there was a lot lacking. The description makes it sound as though Lucien and Charlotte are in this wild romance but their relationship was confusing and out of place. The focus is more on the drama and mysteries of the families past and how they are trying to “right the wrongs” of said past.
Some moments that were left as “twists” i felt were very un needed but i suppose it tied it all together?
A lot of things lucien said felt like he was trying to be really edgy and it just felt off.
Overall left with a “eh” feeling from this. There was a lot of potential in there.
Some moments that were left as “twists” i felt were very un needed but i suppose it tied it all together?
A lot of things lucien said felt like he was trying to be really edgy and it just felt off.
Overall left with a “eh” feeling from this. There was a lot of potential in there.
June 12, 2024
Atmosfere gotiche, personaggi ben costruiti e una Londra cupa in piena epoca Vittoriana: Amiee Gibbs è riuscita a costruire un mondo assolutamente convincente. Per certi versi mi ha ricordato un po' "The Night Circus", anche se la trama è abbastanza diversa. Consigliato!
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