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celery's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Gore, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Suicide, and Death of parent
oceanbluetay's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Deadnaming, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
eclipse799's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
bobaduckie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
madi_brown's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Number 1: THIS BOOK WAS SO SLOW!! When I tell you there are parts of the summary that don't even become a part of the story until the second half of the book, you know it's slow. Some people could probably get past the pacing, but ocassionally having a semi-interesting bit of info every 30 pages or so doesn't cut it for me.
Number 2: I wish we learned more of some of the side characters' stories. I was left wanting to know more about Isobel and Tsukiko and their lives outside of the circus. I understand that the author wanted to focus on Celia and Marco more because of a desired effect (not knowing everyone's story and life outside of your experiences with them), but come on! I want more Kiko!
Number 3: I did not enjoy the subtle time jumps that happened almost every chapter. It made it hard for me to get very into the story becuase the time line was all over the place. i.e. going from like 1886 to 1902 in the most causual manner and then in the next chapter going back to like 1889.
Overall I think this would be a book that is better to be an assigned reading at school rather than on your own because there is a lot of symbolism and it involved quite a bit of Googling for me because I don't know tarot meanings or things of that nature.
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Child abuse and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
matonnhermann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death and Dementia
Minor: Child abuse, Drug use, Self harm, and Suicide
mdwsn27's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
lindasoderlundd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol
theirgracegrace's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
My most adored parts of the book are the descriptions of the circus venues, from the enigmatic Labyrinth to the Wishing Tree and the Ice Garden. The symbolism of a circus that is adorned in black and white, and it is the visitors who bring colour to it, shows immaculate sense of the book's themes. I was immediately drawn to the character of Bailey and loved how the narrative slowly incorporates him and the rêveurs. A delightful tale with a bittersweet ending that I look forward to reading next time the circus rolls into town!
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, and Classism
One of the side characters get hit by a train