briarrose1021's review
4.0
We all know the story of Santa: a jolly old man with a white beard, a red suit, and lots of presents. He lives with his helper elves at the North Pole, makes toys for all the good children of the world, keeps track of the good and bad boys and girls on a list, and then distributes those toys in one night using his flying reindeer. What we don't know is how Santa's worldwide operation got started.
Well, wait no more. Now we do! Thanks to Daniel Parsons, we now have Santa's origin story.
It begins in Victorian England. Well, it actually starts several centuries before that, but THIS story takes place in Victorian England and fills in the history beforehand. We open the story with Toby, a twelve-year-old orphan who lives and works in a workhouse where he is little more than a slave. When he has the opportunity to do so one day, he escapes. After spending the day running around London and enjoying his freedom, Toby quickly realizes he has nowhere to go. He's cold, it's snowing, and Toby ends up lying down on a bench to sleep.
The next thing Toby knows, he's waking up in a tent. He's given new clothes and food and meets Nicko and his elves, which Nicko says is just what he calls the children who work on his Winter Freak Show with him. Nicko demonstrates some magic to Toby, shows Toby how to do the magic himself, and then invites him to join the Winter Freak Show.
Toby is excited to finally have a place to call home and to be living with people who are like an actual family. But things are not perfect. While Toby is enjoying his new life and the daily performances of the Winter Freak Show, children are going missing around the city, and the authorities have no leads on the person the papers are calling the London Monster.
So when Toby finds some information that he thinks points the finger at Nicko, he acts quickly. But is Nicko really the London Monster? Or is there someone else who's responsible? Toby has to act quickly to make sure the real culprit is brought to justice because it's not just the safety of the children of London at stake. The fate of Christmas itself is at risk!
This story began with Annie-like vibes that quickly morphed into a fantastical tale with aspects similar to Toby Tyler or Ten Days with the Circus, then changed again into a whodunnit mystery with devastating consequences. Once the story started, there was very little downtime. Indeed, I kind of wish Parsons had taken more time and space with the story; I was enjoying it so much that I wasn't ready for it to end. At its current length, I think this story is just right for younger readers, in the 9-11 age range, or for struggling readers who are slightly older. I don't think it would be good for younger readers unless they're reading it with their parents because the story does touch on some pretty scary things: child abandonment, child abuse, kidnapping, and public hangings as a spectacle (which they very much were at that time).
I did like the ending of the story, but it felt a little too neat and tidy for me. That said, I doubt kids reading it would have the same reaction, and they will probably really like the ending. I think part of my reaction to the ending was the disappointment I felt at the tropey-ness of it. That said, I am glad that this story is just the first in a trilogy, and that we will get to see more of Toby, Nicko, and the rest of the Winter Freak Show.
So, to make a long review short, if you believe in Santa, know someone who believes in Santa, or remember believing in Santa yourself, and you want to know his origin story, then you should read this book.
Well, wait no more. Now we do! Thanks to Daniel Parsons, we now have Santa's origin story.
It begins in Victorian England. Well, it actually starts several centuries before that, but THIS story takes place in Victorian England and fills in the history beforehand. We open the story with Toby, a twelve-year-old orphan who lives and works in a workhouse where he is little more than a slave. When he has the opportunity to do so one day, he escapes. After spending the day running around London and enjoying his freedom, Toby quickly realizes he has nowhere to go. He's cold, it's snowing, and Toby ends up lying down on a bench to sleep.
The next thing Toby knows, he's waking up in a tent. He's given new clothes and food and meets Nicko and his elves, which Nicko says is just what he calls the children who work on his Winter Freak Show with him. Nicko demonstrates some magic to Toby, shows Toby how to do the magic himself, and then invites him to join the Winter Freak Show.
Toby is excited to finally have a place to call home and to be living with people who are like an actual family. But things are not perfect. While Toby is enjoying his new life and the daily performances of the Winter Freak Show, children are going missing around the city, and the authorities have no leads on the person the papers are calling the London Monster.
So when Toby finds some information that he thinks points the finger at Nicko, he acts quickly. But is Nicko really the London Monster? Or is there someone else who's responsible? Toby has to act quickly to make sure the real culprit is brought to justice because it's not just the safety of the children of London at stake. The fate of Christmas itself is at risk!
This story began with Annie-like vibes that quickly morphed into a fantastical tale with aspects similar to Toby Tyler or Ten Days with the Circus, then changed again into a whodunnit mystery with devastating consequences. Once the story started, there was very little downtime. Indeed, I kind of wish Parsons had taken more time and space with the story; I was enjoying it so much that I wasn't ready for it to end. At its current length, I think this story is just right for younger readers, in the 9-11 age range, or for struggling readers who are slightly older. I don't think it would be good for younger readers unless they're reading it with their parents because the story does touch on some pretty scary things: child abandonment, child abuse, kidnapping, and public hangings as a spectacle (which they very much were at that time).
I did like the ending of the story, but it felt a little too neat and tidy for me. That said, I doubt kids reading it would have the same reaction, and they will probably really like the ending. I think part of my reaction to the ending was the disappointment I felt at the tropey-ness of it. That said, I am glad that this story is just the first in a trilogy, and that we will get to see more of Toby, Nicko, and the rest of the Winter Freak Show.
So, to make a long review short, if you believe in Santa, know someone who believes in Santa, or remember believing in Santa yourself, and you want to know his origin story, then you should read this book.
mistressviolet's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
A great Christmas read. Parsons was very creative with the rolls that his characters assumed. This book does have a bit of a sinister edge, although it is still very much a Christmas book. There's some good teachable moments in this book, as well, relating to perception and fact-checking.
Very good read for Christmas.
kimily's review
3.0
The Winter Freak Show is an fun, creatively written story. I liked the characters and the new twist on an old idea. There were some issues with the flow of the story and redundancy (Toby realizes who the real bad guy is, and then realizes it again later). Much of the story felt rushed, and I wish more attention had been given to character development rather than reaching the climax.
librarianryan's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
There are many stories of how Santa came to be, however this story takes place before Santa who goes by the name of Nico gets his permanent home at the North Pole. Toby Carter was given to an orphanage as a baby and later moved to a work house. He just wants to be free, have a family, and live a normal life. After a daring escape he ends up at the Winter Freek Show and learns that Magic, elf magic to be precise, is what makes the Freek Show and how Nico studies kids for the Naughty and Nice List. This was a wild ride and it’s only book 1 of three. It made for a fun audio listen while christmas crafting.
stephbookshine's review
4.0
*I received free ARCS of these books. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
I’m reviewing The Winter Freak Show and its sequel, Face of a Traitor, together, as I read them together.
They are both quite short novels and quick easy reads, classed as children’s books on Amazon. I think they would be perfect for children who enjoy books like the Harry Potter series and Joan Aiken’s Wolves Chronicles. Much like those classic series, we have here a child protagonist cruelly treated by the ‘real world’ and plunging into a magical adventure which gets darker and more adult as their journey progresses.
The tone quickly escalates between the two novels, as The Winter Freak Show is more of a light-hearted romp through an alternative take on Christmas, elves and Saint Nick, introducing Toby as the ‘Chosen One’ and completing a neatly contained story arc within its pages. This could easily be read as a stand alone, as it has a satisfying ending of its own.
Face of a Traitor however does need to really be read after the first book, as we come back to the same characters but the pace is faster and the peril is more disquieting. There is always something creepy and wrong about characters who can morph their appearances (hence the title), as it means the reader can no longer trust in the narrative of the protagonist, knowing that anyone around them could be part of the deception.
There are certainly plenty of twists and turns here to keep the reader guessing, although thanks to J. K. Rowling I was able to spot one of the reveals before it happened!
Overall these are great quick seasonal reads for children of a strong disposition, but similar to both Harry Potter and the Wolves Chronicles can actually be read at any time of year that you fancy a bit of that Dickensian winter atmosphere with a magical twist.
Toby turned around. It was then that he saw why the others had run so fast into the tent. The costumed performers behind him were no longer human.
Something in the music had transformed them. Like monstrous butterflies from a gothic cocoon, their fur coats and colourful masks clung to their skin and faces. Nature and costume merged and it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. The performers no longer wore the costumes – their costumes were their new skin.
Some shimmered like silver, their fur bristling like falling snow. Others became shocking, furry, animal-human abominations with fangs and pointed ears. Startling, yet beautiful. A few had turned into shadows, melting into the ground and flitting from place to place like ghosts. The scene was surreal. The freaks had revealed themselves.
– Daniel Parsons, The Winter Freak Show
(Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog)
I’m reviewing The Winter Freak Show and its sequel, Face of a Traitor, together, as I read them together.
They are both quite short novels and quick easy reads, classed as children’s books on Amazon. I think they would be perfect for children who enjoy books like the Harry Potter series and Joan Aiken’s Wolves Chronicles. Much like those classic series, we have here a child protagonist cruelly treated by the ‘real world’ and plunging into a magical adventure which gets darker and more adult as their journey progresses.
The tone quickly escalates between the two novels, as The Winter Freak Show is more of a light-hearted romp through an alternative take on Christmas, elves and Saint Nick, introducing Toby as the ‘Chosen One’ and completing a neatly contained story arc within its pages. This could easily be read as a stand alone, as it has a satisfying ending of its own.
Face of a Traitor however does need to really be read after the first book, as we come back to the same characters but the pace is faster and the peril is more disquieting. There is always something creepy and wrong about characters who can morph their appearances (hence the title), as it means the reader can no longer trust in the narrative of the protagonist, knowing that anyone around them could be part of the deception.
There are certainly plenty of twists and turns here to keep the reader guessing, although thanks to J. K. Rowling I was able to spot one of the reveals before it happened!
Overall these are great quick seasonal reads for children of a strong disposition, but similar to both Harry Potter and the Wolves Chronicles can actually be read at any time of year that you fancy a bit of that Dickensian winter atmosphere with a magical twist.
Toby turned around. It was then that he saw why the others had run so fast into the tent. The costumed performers behind him were no longer human.
Something in the music had transformed them. Like monstrous butterflies from a gothic cocoon, their fur coats and colourful masks clung to their skin and faces. Nature and costume merged and it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. The performers no longer wore the costumes – their costumes were their new skin.
Some shimmered like silver, their fur bristling like falling snow. Others became shocking, furry, animal-human abominations with fangs and pointed ears. Startling, yet beautiful. A few had turned into shadows, melting into the ground and flitting from place to place like ghosts. The scene was surreal. The freaks had revealed themselves.
– Daniel Parsons, The Winter Freak Show
(Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog)
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