A review by teriboop
The Swan Gondola by Timothy Schaffert
4.0
Imagine waking to your house a shakin' and realizing it is covered by a deflated hot air balloon. The Egan sisters find themselves rescuing the man in the basket, who has an incredible story to tell. Set in 1898-1899 during the Omaha World's Fair (technically the Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition), Timothy Schaffert's The Swan Gondola is a story about love and longing in a time of chaos. Ferret Skerritt, a struggling ventriloquist, chronicles his story of falling in love with the eccentric Cecily whom he briefly meets during a stage performance in Omaha. He follows her about town, finally tracking her down at the fair. He begins to woo her but life is not all that it appears in the "new white city" of the fair. This story has a full cast of bizarre and crazy characters. The main character, Ferret, is inspired by the Wizard in Frank L. Baum's The Wizard of Oz.
I really liked the overall story, although the first half of the story seemed to drag on a bit. However, at that cathartic moment, the book becomes a page turner. I think it's worth sticking with it and I loved the ending.
I really liked the overall story, although the first half of the story seemed to drag on a bit. However, at that cathartic moment, the book becomes a page turner. I think it's worth sticking with it and I loved the ending.