sjj169's review against another edition
4.0
A book about psychotic clowns? I couldn't resist that one!
Jamie is pretty much an everyday guy. He lives with one stoner and grocery stealing friends in an apartment. Works a normal job. Then he starts seeing some clowns running around and one of them drops a bag of weird powder. Jamie takes that bag.
BIG MISTAKE!!
The clowns get angry that Jamie has their bag and start paying him visits. Then they leave him a note.
You have two days to pass your audition. You better pass it, Feller. You're joining the circus. Ain't that the best news you ever got?
Jamie ends up as part of the Pilo Family circus. Where he finds out that the real world is not the only world that exists. Once he puts on his clown make-up he becomes JJ...The nicest people become the meanest clowns.
There is also a clown named Goshy who has some plant loving going on with a fern. Who becomes his fiance.
JJ alienates most of the other performers because JJ is pretty much an asshole. Then JJ decides he doesn't want Jamie around anymore.
Then in the about the author you find out:
Elliot began working on this book at the age of nineteen, when he dropped out of law school and with diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Okay then.......................
Jamie is pretty much an everyday guy. He lives with one stoner and grocery stealing friends in an apartment. Works a normal job. Then he starts seeing some clowns running around and one of them drops a bag of weird powder. Jamie takes that bag.
BIG MISTAKE!!
The clowns get angry that Jamie has their bag and start paying him visits. Then they leave him a note.
You have two days to pass your audition. You better pass it, Feller. You're joining the circus. Ain't that the best news you ever got?
Jamie ends up as part of the Pilo Family circus. Where he finds out that the real world is not the only world that exists. Once he puts on his clown make-up he becomes JJ...The nicest people become the meanest clowns.
There is also a clown named Goshy who has some plant loving going on with a fern. Who becomes his fiance.
JJ alienates most of the other performers because JJ is pretty much an asshole. Then JJ decides he doesn't want Jamie around anymore.
Then in the about the author you find out:
Elliot began working on this book at the age of nineteen, when he dropped out of law school and with diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Okay then.......................
linbee83's review against another edition
5.0
Deeply disturbing, yet oddly comical. Definitely added to my favorites pile.
edyth's review against another edition
4.0
One of the weirdest books I have ever read in my life, and I have read some weird shit. Couldn't put it down. Was a little scared I would have a nightmare about clowns :P
trudilibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
What a wicked, intoxicating combination of weird, creepy, horrific and funny; the last thing I expected when I picked up this book was to laugh my ass off in parts, doing so was such a bonus. So I can't say this book is going to be for everyone, but if you're looking for something truly different, that's well-written and a bit depraved, then this just might be for you.
The setup: Jamie is a bit of a wanker -- a well-meaning guy, but without much ambition or direction in his life. Let's say he's surviving by being spectacularly dull, hoping Fate will leave him the hell alone if he keeps flying under the radar unnoticed, unnoticeable. He then makes a stupendous error in judgment when he spies on some nefarious clown activities late one evening and retrieves a small bag one of them discards and brings it home with him.
This act will get him noticed by forces so much worse than Fate -- this act gets him noticed by the Pilo Family Circus and once in its clutches, at the mercy of some pretty deranged and hostile clowns, Jamie will be lucky to escape with his life, let alone his sanity. Once trapped on the circus grounds, he is forced to become a clown and he soon discovers much to his dismay that his clown alter-ego -- J.J. -- is a total dickwad and dangerous to boot. Suddenly Jamie is at war with himself in a twisted, sometimes hysterical battle of wits a la Dr.Jeckyll and Mr.Hyde.
I don't want to say much more because the delight in this book is not knowing what the hell is going to happen next.
The setup: Jamie is a bit of a wanker -- a well-meaning guy, but without much ambition or direction in his life. Let's say he's surviving by being spectacularly dull, hoping Fate will leave him the hell alone if he keeps flying under the radar unnoticed, unnoticeable. He then makes a stupendous error in judgment when he spies on some nefarious clown activities late one evening and retrieves a small bag one of them discards and brings it home with him.
This act will get him noticed by forces so much worse than Fate -- this act gets him noticed by the Pilo Family Circus and once in its clutches, at the mercy of some pretty deranged and hostile clowns, Jamie will be lucky to escape with his life, let alone his sanity. Once trapped on the circus grounds, he is forced to become a clown and he soon discovers much to his dismay that his clown alter-ego -- J.J. -- is a total dickwad and dangerous to boot. Suddenly Jamie is at war with himself in a twisted, sometimes hysterical battle of wits a la Dr.Jeckyll and Mr.Hyde.
I don't want to say much more because the delight in this book is not knowing what the hell is going to happen next.
litwrite's review against another edition
5.0
The Pilo Family Circus is about a young man named Jamie who almost runs over a very disoriented clown, one fateful night. When he picks up a velvet bag that the clown drops on the side of the road, he finds himself suddenly stalked by a group of psychotic clowns who barge their way into his life and slowly assimilate them into their world - the deadly and evil world of The Pilo Family Circus.
It's been a long time since I've read something this original in the horror genre, and I have read a *lot* of horror. Will Elliott does a fantastic job with this modern take of the classic Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde story, but it's not so much the Jamie/JJ protagonist that captures the attention here, it's the side characters that make the story so intriguing and readable. Elliott has really put together a rag tag bunch of psychotic and fascinating creatures within the circus, from the Pilo Brothers themselves, owners of the circus, to the various freaks and performers that seem to be embroiled in constant intrigue and infighting.
Great book to start the year, I never once knew where the story was going to go, and loved the cast of characters. Would recommend to any fans of bizarro fiction or anyone looking for a darkly comedic read.
It's been a long time since I've read something this original in the horror genre, and I have read a *lot* of horror. Will Elliott does a fantastic job with this modern take of the classic Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde story, but it's not so much the Jamie/JJ protagonist that captures the attention here, it's the side characters that make the story so intriguing and readable. Elliott has really put together a rag tag bunch of psychotic and fascinating creatures within the circus, from the Pilo Brothers themselves, owners of the circus, to the various freaks and performers that seem to be embroiled in constant intrigue and infighting.
Great book to start the year, I never once knew where the story was going to go, and loved the cast of characters. Would recommend to any fans of bizarro fiction or anyone looking for a darkly comedic read.
catopus's review against another edition
4.0
One of the weirdest books I have ever read in my life, and I have read some weird shit. Couldn't put it down. Was a little scared I would have a nightmare about clowns :P
lvlarly's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
tyler_j's review
4.5
TW: Homophobia, Fire, Death, Animal Abuse (and death), Murder, Language, Self-Harm, R-word, Drugs
I'm not really sure what to say about this book, other than I loved it! It's horrorific at times, funny at others and tugged at my heart at other times still. It's fast-paced, or maybe that's me as I read it in 3 days because Spookathon. Still I was entertained and wanting to know what was going to happen through-out the entire book. It occasionally made me think. The writing was easy to read.
I fell in love with Jamie. The characters felt well done to me for their purposes. The plot and world-building really shined to me. I fell in love with the carnival! In a weird way sure, but still. Writing a review is difficult for this book but not for lack of love for it! If this sounds at all up your alley give it a shot! I can't wait to get the sequel!
I'm not really sure what to say about this book, other than I loved it! It's horrorific at times, funny at others and tugged at my heart at other times still. It's fast-paced, or maybe that's me as I read it in 3 days because Spookathon. Still I was entertained and wanting to know what was going to happen through-out the entire book. It occasionally made me think. The writing was easy to read.
I fell in love with Jamie. The characters felt well done to me for their purposes. The plot and world-building really shined to me. I fell in love with the carnival! In a weird way sure, but still. Writing a review is difficult for this book but not for lack of love for it! If this sounds at all up your alley give it a shot! I can't wait to get the sequel!