Author: Betsy Cornwell
Publication Date: 16 June 2020
Publisher: Clarion Books
Page Count: 291
Reading Method: Digital ARC
Synopsis:
Twins Rosie and Ivory have grown up at their ringmaster mother’s knee, and after years on the road, they’re returning to Port End, the closest place to home they know. Yet something has changed in the bustling city: fundamentalist flyers paper the walls and preachers fill the squares, warning of shadows falling over the land. The circus prepares a triumphant homecoming show, full of lights and spectacle that could chase away even the darkest shadow. But during Rosie’s tightrope act, disaster strikes.
In this lush, sensuous novel interwoven with themes of social justice and found family, it’s up to Ivory and her magician love—with the help of a dancing bear—to track down an evil priest and save their circus family before it’s too late
Review:
I loved the concept of this story! The writing was beautiful and atmospheric. The setting was compelling and mysterious. It’s told from alternating POV – Ivory and Rosie. I had a really hard time connecting with Rosie’s POV as it was told in poetry. The poetry didn’t really seem to flow… it felt more like thought fragments and sentences chopped in half. Ivory’s perspective was easier to connect to and is where most of the story is told but, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I *need* dialogue. The vast majority of this was narrative and description, which was beautifully written, but made it hard for me to focus.
I loved the openness and exploration of the characters in regards to their sexuality and relationships. I did feel that the world building was a bit lacking, making it hard to understand where some people where coming from and how things worked in their world. Finally, the ending felt a bit rushed.
Personally, I felt major The Night Circus vibes from this book. I didn’t dislike it by any means, it just wasn’t for me
You can purchase a copy of The Circus Rose here
