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A review by jessrock
The Circus of Dr. Lao by Charles G. Finney
3.0
A strange little story for sure, about a circus that arrives in a sleepy Arizona town only to turn out to be packed full of real mythological creatures - a chimera, a satyr, a werewolf, a mermaid, etc. - though what makes the story strange is not the circus itself but the townspeople's disinterest in these impossibilities. They come expecting a "real" circus, are disappointed when it doesn't meet their expectations, and most leave complaining.
The novel is very short, just over 100 pages (with illustrations), but is followed by a 20-page catalogue of everything mentioned in the book (characters, places, animals, people only alluded to in the text, etc.). While the catalogue makes for somewhat awkward reading, the author saved his wittiest writing for this section, and it ends up being not a straight glossary but a mix of definitions, further illuminations, and outright jokes. If you read this book, definitely stick it out for the catalogue as well.
The novel is very short, just over 100 pages (with illustrations), but is followed by a 20-page catalogue of everything mentioned in the book (characters, places, animals, people only alluded to in the text, etc.). While the catalogue makes for somewhat awkward reading, the author saved his wittiest writing for this section, and it ends up being not a straight glossary but a mix of definitions, further illuminations, and outright jokes. If you read this book, definitely stick it out for the catalogue as well.