freesien's review against another edition
4.0
Dieses Buch ist mal was ganz Neues für mich! Unglaublich! Aber das Ende hätte ich nun wirklich nicht erwartet.
clauleesi's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this on Audible.
Really enjoyed the world, writing and especially the different creatures/cryptids, as well as the moral behind the story. Vincent painted a beautiful world, although I wish we could have gotten more information on what happened in 1986 - I felt like that was quite a loose thread. All in all, an interesting story.
Really enjoyed the world, writing and especially the different creatures/cryptids, as well as the moral behind the story. Vincent painted a beautiful world, although I wish we could have gotten more information on what happened in 1986 - I felt like that was quite a loose thread. All in all, an interesting story.
opheliablack's review against another edition
5.0
Please note; my star rating on any book is completely subjective and limited to the label for each star.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
1 Star I didn’t like it
2 Stars It was okay
3 Stars I liked it
4 Stars I really liked it
5 Stars It was amazing!
If I do actually have something to say about a book other than what my enjoyment factor was, I will write a review and share my thoughts. If I say I didn’t like a book but there wasn’t anything about it that I thought needed to be shared, then that’s it, I just didn’t like it.
If you’d like to start a discussion about a book or you’d like an actual review, ask any question you like and I’ll be happy to try and comply/respond.
Additional note; I do not feed the trolls. If you don’t have something constructive to say, or if you can’t say it in a respectful way, you won’t get a response from me. Ever.
batkat08's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a very interesting read. I felt instantly drawn into the story and the world. The author definitely throws you into the world without much explanation which for me is a hit and miss way to tell a story. It worked very well here in most ways however because even while I was frustrated at the lack of information about the history of the world and the character's past it was part of why it was so hard to put down. I just had to know more. It took me forever to read this book unfortunately because I never had enough time and I knew that once I really sat down to read it I wouldn't stop. Which was true, I read the first 5 chapters over the period of almost a month I think and then BAM finished the rest in one day.
I will say that I agree with something I read in another review (I'm so sorry I don't remember who) that the random quotes from news sources that seemed to be shoved in for no reason were annoying and off putting. I think that it was possibly added as a way for us to be reminded over and over again about the horrors of the past and the way that the humans are thinking about the non-human species'. It just didn't work for me though because all the blurbs were so similar in that they were either vague to the point of being pointless, or they were just re-stating what we were already told.
I definitely want to read the next one but I'm waiting a little bit. While the bleak and hopeless setting and atmosphere of the book was so good it's hard to read too much of in a row.
Definitely recommend.
I will say that I agree with something I read in another review (I'm so sorry I don't remember who) that the random quotes from news sources that seemed to be shoved in for no reason were annoying and off putting. I think that it was possibly added as a way for us to be reminded over and over again about the horrors of the past and the way that the humans are thinking about the non-human species'. It just didn't work for me though because all the blurbs were so similar in that they were either vague to the point of being pointless, or they were just re-stating what we were already told.
I definitely want to read the next one but I'm waiting a little bit. While the bleak and hopeless setting and atmosphere of the book was so good it's hard to read too much of in a row.
Definitely recommend.
hoping4more's review against another edition
5.0
Original review posted @ Hoping4More Reviews
I actually hugged this book when it came in mail. Why? Because I knew I was about to fall in love with it, as I do with every other Rachel Vincent book I have ever read. She did it again.
Menagerie is very different from Rachel Vincent's other books, but that in no way detracts from it. Even though I knew going into it that Menagerie wasn't an urban fantasy or paranormal romance, I was still surprised by the lack of a MC love story, as I absolutely adore Rachel's romance plotlines in all of her other books, but again I found it didn't take anything away, if anything I found it amped up the importance of all of the other themes and plot points that needed their time in the spotlight.
The story follows Delilah Marlow as she finds out she's a monster, gets sold to a traveling circus and caged for being a monster, and discovers who the monsters really are. Her struggle to maintain her inner-self while being treated like a worthless animal is heart-wrenching and inspiring.
It is dark and twisty and kept me ravenous for more up until the last page. I was rooting for Delilah to overcome her captors while also fully experiencing the helplessness of her situation through Vincent's captivating voice.
I can't wait for Masquerade (Menagerie #2) to be released so I can dive back into this world.
I actually hugged this book when it came in mail. Why? Because I knew I was about to fall in love with it, as I do with every other Rachel Vincent book I have ever read. She did it again.
Menagerie is very different from Rachel Vincent's other books, but that in no way detracts from it. Even though I knew going into it that Menagerie wasn't an urban fantasy or paranormal romance, I was still surprised by the lack of a MC love story, as I absolutely adore Rachel's romance plotlines in all of her other books, but again I found it didn't take anything away, if anything I found it amped up the importance of all of the other themes and plot points that needed their time in the spotlight.
The story follows Delilah Marlow as she finds out she's a monster, gets sold to a traveling circus and caged for being a monster, and discovers who the monsters really are. Her struggle to maintain her inner-self while being treated like a worthless animal is heart-wrenching and inspiring.
It is dark and twisty and kept me ravenous for more up until the last page. I was rooting for Delilah to overcome her captors while also fully experiencing the helplessness of her situation through Vincent's captivating voice.
I can't wait for Masquerade (Menagerie #2) to be released so I can dive back into this world.
amichreads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
ex_libris_lena's review against another edition
4.0
Really good book with good meaning as well. Loved how it made me think and still had an entertaining story.
ginnikin's review against another edition
3.0
Ohh, the slow trickle of exposition makes me so happy! I quite enjoyed this. The writing was good, and the story showed the complexities of the situation very well. I love the idea of what Delilah is.
dani_bugz's review against another edition
3.0
Menagerie is a hard one to rate as it had it's 5 star points and it's 2 star points, which I'm rounding down to 3.5 stars.
I kind of felt like this was more adult fantasy rather than the YA it has been marketed at, which is probably why I enjoyed it less than I otherwise would have. The MC is 25 so that hsould have been a giveaway to begin with! The characters were varied and interesting, and the themes were AMAZING! In that regard, this was an intriguing, interesting, super original book, hence the 5 star points. Unfortunately though, I did find it a bit predictable and the romance was just a bit bleh.
On the whole I would recommend if you're looking for a book with amazing themes of death, violence and the sanctity of life, but the actual writing style left me a little wanting.
I kind of felt like this was more adult fantasy rather than the YA it has been marketed at, which is probably why I enjoyed it less than I otherwise would have. The MC is 25 so that hsould have been a giveaway to begin with! The characters were varied and interesting, and the themes were AMAZING! In that regard, this was an intriguing, interesting, super original book, hence the 5 star points. Unfortunately though, I did find it a bit predictable and the romance was just a bit bleh.
On the whole I would recommend if you're looking for a book with amazing themes of death, violence and the sanctity of life, but the actual writing style left me a little wanting.
alexperc_92's review against another edition
4.0
I was very surprised by this year's releases for Rachel Vincent. Knowing her through her Soulscreamers series (even though I haven't read the books yet) I liked her recent release, "The stars never rise".
A circus in present America within a society from a typical Urban Fantasy setting. After a horrific incident from the 80's the cryptids, aka supernatural and mythical creatures, are hunted from the humans and have lost any possible rights to freedom.
When Delilah visits the circus, and after a horrible accident she becomes part of it, then begins a fight to understand and save the cryptids with the help of Gallagher, the handler of the creatures.
I like anything that combines the supernatural with the circus. The POVs were a little unsettling but I did like the multiple views of the story. The descriptions of the cryptics, their species and how Deli interacted with them showed the discriminations and how easily the human mind fears the different.
There is a base for romance although you have to search really well to find it and I hope to see it developed in the next book. It's a good read with potential. :)
A circus in present America within a society from a typical Urban Fantasy setting. After a horrific incident from the 80's the cryptids, aka supernatural and mythical creatures, are hunted from the humans and have lost any possible rights to freedom.
When Delilah visits the circus, and after a horrible accident she becomes part of it, then begins a fight to understand and save the cryptids with the help of Gallagher, the handler of the creatures.
I like anything that combines the supernatural with the circus. The POVs were a little unsettling but I did like the multiple views of the story. The descriptions of the cryptics, their species and how Deli interacted with them showed the discriminations and how easily the human mind fears the different.
There is a base for romance although you have to search really well to find it and I hope to see it developed in the next book. It's a good read with potential. :)