eh2018's review against another edition
2.0
I really enjoyed Godmother but this one could have used a bit more editing. I liked that it was about the circus and that it was descriptive. It could have been bound more tightly and the characters could have had a bit more depth. Turgeon is much better in Godmother. That one is definitely worth the read. Still want to check out Mermaid...
elenajohansen's review against another edition
1.0
DNF. I wanted to like this book, and some of the imagery was beautiful, but I kept picking it up, reading a chapter or two, and getting tired of the protagonist and her boundless naivete and whining. I stopped reading just when she got to the circus, which should have given the narrative new life as it introduced all these new characters, but all it really was was an endless stream of reminiscing about Mary this and Mary that...
thearosemary's review against another edition
3.0
Carolyn Turgeon once again wove a mystical, dark tale that kept me quite enthralled. The first half of this novel was dark and bittersweet, but misted with this wistful sense of hope. The development of main character Tessa as she discovered the witch of the town—Mary—was intriguing and relatable, in the sense where she treasured and romanticized Mary in an inhuman way.
I unfortunately found the second half to not be as thoughtful as the first half, in the sense that most of it felt like filler to Tessa’s growth. Which again, was beautifully done and felt very authentic. It began to just feel drawn out.
I unfortunately found the second half to not be as thoughtful as the first half, in the sense that most of it felt like filler to Tessa’s growth. Which again, was beautifully done and felt very authentic. It began to just feel drawn out.
heatherinjapan's review
A book where the main character has a visible disability and gets involved with a circus? Original...
stuhlsem's review against another edition
2.0
As far as circus books go, I liked the Phryne Fisher one much more. Tessa didn't really speak to me.
rustmaiden's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, and Suicide
Minor: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body shaming, and Death of parent
audaciaray's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book in 2006 when it was it first released, and gulped it down in about a day. A lot of fragments of the story stuck with me, and I devoured Carolyn's next two books as well (good, but not stunning like Rain Village).
I found it just as magical and lovely on rereading it, and I will read anything Carolyn writes. In addition to great story and great characters, Rain Village is a beautiful meditation on grief, loss, and wounds that don't heal, but become part of us.
I found it just as magical and lovely on rereading it, and I will read anything Carolyn writes. In addition to great story and great characters, Rain Village is a beautiful meditation on grief, loss, and wounds that don't heal, but become part of us.
jodylynnw's review against another edition
3.0
If you like modern fairy tales, then you might like Rain Village. Carolyn Turgeon mixes reality with mystical to weave together a story of love, betrayal, guilt, and redemption.
vabookworm703's review against another edition
1.0
Picked up the book after meeting the author at a Faerie Con; as I read I kept waiting for something to happen; it never did. I found the narrative long winded and heavy, a lot of exposition with little action or dialog. Very disappointing as the basic plot could have been very, very good if handled a bit more delicately.
whatsheread's review against another edition
There is a hazy quality to Rain Village that disguises the harsher aspects of Tessa’s world. Everything from her familial relationships to her time at the circus is impressionistic. Readers get the idea of what happens without having to deal with exacting details. It is very much a coping mechanism for Tessa that spills over into the rest of the novel, one that causes the novel to be more picturesque than it really should be given everything that happens to her over the course of her childhood. Still, the dream-like quality of the narrative works well given the larger-than-life personality of Mary and the fantastic aspects of the circus. There is poetry to the prose that beautifies the imagery and events, making this coming-of-age story even more special.
Tessa is an amazing girl. While the psychological damage done to her by the verbal and physical abuse heaped on her by her family is great indeed and an obvious aspect of her character, she does not understand what it means to give in to despair. She risks her body and her life not only to escape the pain of her childhood but also to prove to herself that she is more than her outward appearance. It is both admirable and painful to watch her tear herself to pieces, literally and figuratively, in order to heal.
The psychology behind Rain Village is intriguing. Not only does Tessa harbor scars from her past, Mary does as well. The mystery behind Mary’s scars is what fuels Tessa and yet prevents her from moving on with her life. In many ways, Mary’s presence in her life is just as damaging to Tessa’s psyche as her father’s physical and mother’s verbal abuse for the simple fact that Tessa cannot let Mary rest in peace. She cannot move forward with her life as a wife and star performer because she is still stuck in the past with Mary – the one person who is most responsible for her rescue. It is an unexpected twist in what appears to be a fairly straightforward story.
Rain Village at its heart is a very simple story about a girl who overcomes adversity through her own tenacity and the guidance of an amazing and eclectic woman. Underneath its surface though lies a morass of psychological and spiritual complications that drive Tessa’s determination and yet cause her growth to halt. It is fascinating take on the nature versus nurture debate of child-rearing, but most importantly, it is a beautiful story about the power of love.
Tessa is an amazing girl. While the psychological damage done to her by the verbal and physical abuse heaped on her by her family is great indeed and an obvious aspect of her character, she does not understand what it means to give in to despair. She risks her body and her life not only to escape the pain of her childhood but also to prove to herself that she is more than her outward appearance. It is both admirable and painful to watch her tear herself to pieces, literally and figuratively, in order to heal.
The psychology behind Rain Village is intriguing. Not only does Tessa harbor scars from her past, Mary does as well. The mystery behind Mary’s scars is what fuels Tessa and yet prevents her from moving on with her life. In many ways, Mary’s presence in her life is just as damaging to Tessa’s psyche as her father’s physical and mother’s verbal abuse for the simple fact that Tessa cannot let Mary rest in peace. She cannot move forward with her life as a wife and star performer because she is still stuck in the past with Mary – the one person who is most responsible for her rescue. It is an unexpected twist in what appears to be a fairly straightforward story.
Rain Village at its heart is a very simple story about a girl who overcomes adversity through her own tenacity and the guidance of an amazing and eclectic woman. Underneath its surface though lies a morass of psychological and spiritual complications that drive Tessa’s determination and yet cause her growth to halt. It is fascinating take on the nature versus nurture debate of child-rearing, but most importantly, it is a beautiful story about the power of love.