mossydesk's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I hated the way it was written. Way too buys, with constant flashbacks and the points of view changed too quickly. It felt like a chore to finish a book that didn’t get mildly interested until 2/3 through.
I LOVE the concept, but not the execution.
Also: just because you are writing about a time in history that was a lot less sensitive to mental health and gender identity, doesn’t mean that you can write about these issues in a demeaning way.
I LOVE the concept, but not the execution.
Also: just because you are writing about a time in history that was a lot less sensitive to mental health and gender identity, doesn’t mean that you can write about these issues in a demeaning way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Transphobia, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Outing, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Abortion, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Medical content, and Medical trauma
heidimrogers's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up at the library based on the cover alone. A gritty, raw, historical (edited to add: fiction. historical FICTIONAL) account of three lives intertwining in Manhattan and Coney Island around the turn of the century, this is the type of story that has you guessing from the very beginning about how everyone is connected and what is really happening. I called some things, and some twists were a total surprise. I can't say I "enjoyed" this book, because it was not my predictable fare and made me a little nervous at times. However, it was fabulously crafted and a great story with great characters. The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is that I probably wouldn't consider reading it again and I'd be careful about who I recommended it to.
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
2.0
Didn't finish it. Too many plot lines and too many tries at unique characters who weren't engaging.
literatehedgehog's review against another edition
3.0
Conflicted feelings on this one. It was harder to get into than I would have thought, what with leading with "baby found in lavatory trash pile by night soiler workman" beginning scene. I didn't care enough about the characters, even the ones I might have been supposed to like, and I didn't care enough about the gritty but surreal descriptions of 1895 New York, even though there was some theoretically good writing there. I did fall into the story as the time lines and disparate characters converged, although I did feel a little like Gretel picking up bread crumbs that the author purposely left out for me to figure something out a bare page or two ahead of her explanation. There were quite a few twists and reveals, some of which I figured out way before hand and yawned at her explanation, a few that I enjoyed, and some that I felt a little uneasy about. In general, it was an enjoyable book to read on the commute to work, and while I think there were some flaws or some parts that didn't sit right with me, I think this writer will have some great next books...
(serious spoiler!!)
To expand: Some of the gender identities and couples especially were written in a way that made me uncomfortable...were their identities, attributes, and actions truly representative, free of stereotype and bias, and written because they made sense for those characters....or were they written in a way that spiced the plot? (I don't mean that the existence of gay and transgender characters were written to further the plot, but that some of their specific actions or conversations didn't seem to ring true for those characters). Additionally, some of the violence and its description was particularly gruesome, and I didn't necessarily understand its purpose, other than to show this time and place in history as gritty, dark, and often violent. Other times, some of the brutality and cruelty, like on the "lunatic asylum" island, did fit the story and history. It's this hit or miss nature of some parts of the plot, description, and character development that really unsettled me and made this an all right but not excellent read.
(end serious spoiler!!)
(serious spoiler!!)
To expand: Some of the gender identities and couples especially were written in a way that made me uncomfortable...were their identities, attributes, and actions truly representative, free of stereotype and bias, and written because they made sense for those characters....or were they written in a way that spiced the plot? (I don't mean that the existence of gay and transgender characters were written to further the plot, but that some of their specific actions or conversations didn't seem to ring true for those characters). Additionally, some of the violence and its description was particularly gruesome, and I didn't necessarily understand its purpose, other than to show this time and place in history as gritty, dark, and often violent. Other times, some of the brutality and cruelty, like on the "lunatic asylum" island, did fit the story and history. It's this hit or miss nature of some parts of the plot, description, and character development that really unsettled me and made this an all right but not excellent read.
(end serious spoiler!!)
emilyeehaw's review against another edition
4.0
almost did not finish this but i'm glad i did!!! would be interested what people have said about the trans rep in this...i didn't find it horribly offensive but idk ! i liked the story overall and all the characters we followed.
xofeno's review against another edition
4.0
Quite good. Well-written, really atmospheric. The characters are interesting and mostly likable. The story takes a big twist about 2/3 into the book, and it's hard to discuss or even categorize this book without revealing spoilers. But the seemingly unrelated characters do eventually come together nicely, and not just in a fleeting way.
If the basic plot synopsis appeals to you (1890s New York, a 17-year-old girl raised in a Coney Island circus, a young woman in an insane asylum, a young man working as a "night soiler" who finds a discarded baby), you'll probably like this book.
If the basic plot synopsis appeals to you (1890s New York, a 17-year-old girl raised in a Coney Island circus, a young woman in an insane asylum, a young man working as a "night soiler" who finds a discarded baby), you'll probably like this book.
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
4.0
At about 10 pages before the epilogue, I realized that not everything was going to be explained and I got really excited. We aren't going to know who fathered Bella's baby, and we aren't going to know how the fire started in the theater, and that's great because it's not important to know, and it's not real to know. There are all sorts of things that happen in life that hugely change us but we have no idea what was behind them, and it's still interesting how things play out. Allowing the reader to speculate, or to not speculate and to simply accept them as things that happened "before" - that felt really fresh and interesting and exciting.
And then the epilogue explained who fathered Bella's baby, how the fire started, and threw in some last minute curves about the twins' mom not being their mom.
And then the epilogue explained who fathered Bella's baby, how the fire started, and threw in some last minute curves about the twins' mom not being their mom.
teriboop's review against another edition
4.0
Church of Marvels follows four people in 1895 New York. Sylvan is a privvy cleaner who finds a baby left for dead on his rounds. Belle and Odile Church are twins who grew up in the the Coney Island Sideshow whose lives are turned upside down by a fire, Alphie is a young woman imprisoned in Blackwell's Lunatic Asylum. These four characters all from very different backgrounds have secrets that are revealed throughout the story and whose lives are intertwined in the most unusual way.
I ended up really enjoying this book but the first half seemed slow and extremely mysterious. Each chapter is from a different character's point of view, except for Belle's. Although I followed the story in the first half, I just didn't know how these characters would end up interacting and it became frustrating at times. But once you get through that first part, the story sails and I thought it was quite a page turner. I loved the ending.
I ended up really enjoying this book but the first half seemed slow and extremely mysterious. Each chapter is from a different character's point of view, except for Belle's. Although I followed the story in the first half, I just didn't know how these characters would end up interacting and it became frustrating at times. But once you get through that first part, the story sails and I thought it was quite a page turner. I loved the ending.
real_life_reading's review against another edition
3.0
This was a weird story, and for most of the time it was really hard to see where it was going. It got it's third star because the writing itself is beautiful, Parry uses descriptive words that are unique and vivid.
andymoon's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic book about 4 characters (Sylvan, Alphie, Odile, Belle) whose lives are thoroughly connected in a series of events. I liked how I kept discovering secrets and information about each character to the end. Definitely not a book to be rushed through. A lot of details and nuances.