katiey's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
it was a strange book. read it for book club- def not the worst i read for the club ! it was somewhat enjoyable just had to wrap your mind around the characters and plot. fun to discuss
silenthillda's review
3.0
Overall Rating: 3.5
Rosie and Ivory, twin sisters, working with a found family group and part of a circus troupe. Rosie, an exquisite acrobat performer who although lives in the limelight feels the claustrophobia of it all. Ivory, a behind the scenes backstage hand and inventor who has returned to the circus after a year abroad at engineering school.
Alternating chapters through both girls, we get a story filled with charm and vibes. Although Rosie’s chapters, which are in poetic prose, are delightful at first do become somewhat lackluster. I wanted more from her point of view. Ironic enough, Ivory gets the limelight as she’s mostly the main character. This Fantasy has themes of acceptance and living your true self through adversity. Touches on topics on different races and genders. The antagonists, a religious group wanting the circus to be no more.
I did enjoy my time with The Circus Rose, just wish things were explored a bit more. Granted the story is a retelling of Snow White and Red Rose, which I’ve never read, so I can’t judge it in those merits. What is there as a newcomer to the story is sweet and understanding even if just vibes and character. Overall a cozy and fun journey.
Rosie and Ivory, twin sisters, working with a found family group and part of a circus troupe. Rosie, an exquisite acrobat performer who although lives in the limelight feels the claustrophobia of it all. Ivory, a behind the scenes backstage hand and inventor who has returned to the circus after a year abroad at engineering school.
Alternating chapters through both girls, we get a story filled with charm and vibes. Although Rosie’s chapters, which are in poetic prose, are delightful at first do become somewhat lackluster. I wanted more from her point of view. Ironic enough, Ivory gets the limelight as she’s mostly the main character. This Fantasy has themes of acceptance and living your true self through adversity. Touches on topics on different races and genders. The antagonists, a religious group wanting the circus to be no more.
I did enjoy my time with The Circus Rose, just wish things were explored a bit more. Granted the story is a retelling of Snow White and Red Rose, which I’ve never read, so I can’t judge it in those merits. What is there as a newcomer to the story is sweet and understanding even if just vibes and character. Overall a cozy and fun journey.
inktails's review
3.0
A darling little novel - I wish it had been longer. Enough to explore more of Ivory and Rosie's dynamic, let the book's romances unfold, allow for more world-building... and unpack the fact that Rosie fell in love with a bear. Either way, I enjoyed this as a light read between reading projects, and will probably read more of the authors's work in the future. I appreciate the author's efforts at giving representation and diversity - some of the other reviews I've seen stray into outright homo/transphobia - but proper world-building would have cemented things like Tam's character and the conflict with the Brethren immensely.
Still, the writing style is lush enough to keep you reading. If you like diverse fantasy and circus retelling, The Circus Rose is worth dedicating an afternoon or so to.
Still, the writing style is lush enough to keep you reading. If you like diverse fantasy and circus retelling, The Circus Rose is worth dedicating an afternoon or so to.
uncreativeoops's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Mainly got interested because of the setting (which was great!) but this lacked a bit in other aspects. I didn't really understand the worldbuilding, there wasn't a lot of plot (and especially the big conflict at the end felt very convenient in how it came about), most of the side characters were very thin and while the writung was beautiful in some parts in others it felt wonky. I also didn't care for the main character very much (for being the opposite to her sister priding herself on being rational and not liking the spotlight she was very... dramatic in her emotions). But the message was nice and imagining a circus Show and a giant bear made me finish it:)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Xenophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
amethyst15's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
observantphantomreads's review
1.0
The characters have almost no personality it just jumps straight into romance.
Rose's p.o.v is not even needed because the poetry-like writing is so out of place.
Rose's p.o.v is not even needed because the poetry-like writing is so out of place.
smw33's review
2.0
DNF at 50%. I'm so upset!
I received this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This book quickly became a disappointment. I couldn't finish it. In fact, it hit the trifecta of failure: poor writing, absent plot, and uninteresting characters.
This book concerns two girls who are born of the same mother at the same time, but from different fathers. They are considered twins. One twin is supposed to be logical, technical, and independent while the other is slightly dissociated from the real world, and highly dependent. This is reflected mostly through Ivory as her parts are written in clear (well, clearer) prose while Rose's are in abstract poetry.
It wasn't difficult to follow the writing per se, but the plot required deeper investigation. It was merely description. It told rather than showed. Ivory would describe things that happened, but nothing was happening in the moment. Once I finally trudged through to where I assume the plot finally started, it became confusing and unengaging. I was already tired of the characters I cared so little for.
Then another character is introduced. They are fae. The writer attempted to make the fae in her world genderless. I was intrigued by this idea! The execution of the idea, though, caused yet more confusion and disappointment. The fae have their own pronouns: [insert here]. Again, I see why the writer does this, in support of their genderlessness. However, it suspends the disbelief of the reader who attempts to accept it with little success. This character is also interesting because of their magical abilities. Yet again, though, it feels as if the world of the story changes from what the reader has come to understand. We weren't introduced to fae before this character came, nor were we privy to actual magic. The only nugget we get is when ivory likens her engineering skills to that of magic- which could, arguably, be completely metaphorical as far as the reader is concerned.
It feels like the writer spends time explaining the characters and their world within the circus (except for Ivory's short stint at a school). She should have been building the world.
There's another main character worth mentioning in addition to their mother and the few other circus folks. His name is Bear. He is, in fact, a bear. As far as we are concerned throughout the first third of the book, he has no magical powers. He is simply a circus bear with whom Rose has a weird attachment. It's almost as if he serves as her teddy bear? She goes to him for comfort and often sleeps with him. Ivory discusses this and laments over losing Rose's companionship in this way and states that she's lonely.
She has a crush on the fae, though? We aren't sure if this is authentic or simply a fascination with otherness. I hate that about this book, too- the glorification and fascination of the Other by "typical" characters. I must mention here that this book is discussed and described as being about Queerness. I can see this as the fae are genderless, Ivory clearly isn't heterosexual, and Rose is atypical. This, too, led to disappointment. It appears that Queerness™ was included and labelled for the sake of inclusion rather than authentically.
I finally stopped reading when the circus moves to a different location (okay) and then suddenly the two fathers appear and both propose to their mom...um, what?? I couldn't continue.
This story moved all over the place. I could track it, but failed to see the purpose. The characters invoked no emotions or attachments in me. The writing itself was subpar. This trifecta fueled a negative reading experience and secured a poor rating in my eyes. ⭐⭐
I received this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This book quickly became a disappointment. I couldn't finish it. In fact, it hit the trifecta of failure: poor writing, absent plot, and uninteresting characters.
This book concerns two girls who are born of the same mother at the same time, but from different fathers. They are considered twins. One twin is supposed to be logical, technical, and independent while the other is slightly dissociated from the real world, and highly dependent. This is reflected mostly through Ivory as her parts are written in clear (well, clearer) prose while Rose's are in abstract poetry.
It wasn't difficult to follow the writing per se, but the plot required deeper investigation. It was merely description. It told rather than showed. Ivory would describe things that happened, but nothing was happening in the moment. Once I finally trudged through to where I assume the plot finally started, it became confusing and unengaging. I was already tired of the characters I cared so little for.
Then another character is introduced. They are fae. The writer attempted to make the fae in her world genderless. I was intrigued by this idea! The execution of the idea, though, caused yet more confusion and disappointment. The fae have their own pronouns: [insert here]. Again, I see why the writer does this, in support of their genderlessness. However, it suspends the disbelief of the reader who attempts to accept it with little success. This character is also interesting because of their magical abilities. Yet again, though, it feels as if the world of the story changes from what the reader has come to understand. We weren't introduced to fae before this character came, nor were we privy to actual magic. The only nugget we get is when ivory likens her engineering skills to that of magic- which could, arguably, be completely metaphorical as far as the reader is concerned.
It feels like the writer spends time explaining the characters and their world within the circus (except for Ivory's short stint at a school). She should have been building the world.
There's another main character worth mentioning in addition to their mother and the few other circus folks. His name is Bear. He is, in fact, a bear. As far as we are concerned throughout the first third of the book, he has no magical powers. He is simply a circus bear with whom Rose has a weird attachment. It's almost as if he serves as her teddy bear? She goes to him for comfort and often sleeps with him. Ivory discusses this and laments over losing Rose's companionship in this way and states that she's lonely.
She has a crush on the fae, though? We aren't sure if this is authentic or simply a fascination with otherness. I hate that about this book, too- the glorification and fascination of the Other by "typical" characters. I must mention here that this book is discussed and described as being about Queerness. I can see this as the fae are genderless, Ivory clearly isn't heterosexual, and Rose is atypical. This, too, led to disappointment. It appears that Queerness™ was included and labelled for the sake of inclusion rather than authentically.
I finally stopped reading when the circus moves to a different location (okay) and then suddenly the two fathers appear and both propose to their mom...um, what?? I couldn't continue.
This story moved all over the place. I could track it, but failed to see the purpose. The characters invoked no emotions or attachments in me. The writing itself was subpar. This trifecta fueled a negative reading experience and secured a poor rating in my eyes. ⭐⭐
rustbeltjessie's review
4.0
3.5 stars. Not the greatest book I’ve ever read, but it certainly was compelling enough, and hit a lot of my favorite elements of this type of book, so it pulled me along.
Also, to everyone in the reviews complaining that some of the elements are too disturbing or strange: it’s a story based on a fairytale, about a circus that travels through a fantasy world—what did you expect?!
Also, to everyone in the reviews complaining that some of the elements are too disturbing or strange: it’s a story based on a fairytale, about a circus that travels through a fantasy world—what did you expect?!
southernbellebooks's review
3.0
This book was a super slow burn and it took a long time to get to the point but I was thoroughly enjoyable. There is something so magical about the circus even though we’ve never know anything like this. It was very well written.