This is a difficult review to write, so Im going to cheat and use this format instead:
Plot: This is a book about magic and misdirection. It is not an action-packed, spell-slinging thriller but a book about more subtle forms of magic that is set to a decidedly slower pace. It reminded me (vaguely) of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, but was nowhere near as polished and it certainly lacked the period authenticity of Ms. Clarkes Victorian-era masterpiece. The relative non-ending, while frustrating, does fit in with the thread of uncertainty that runs throughout the entire novel.
Characters: In truth, Le Cirque des Reves was the best character in the book, and Ms. Morgenstern illustrated the depth, mystery and magic surrounding it beautifully. The remainder of the characters, while interesting, never truly seemed to gain the depths that I would have preferred. I was interested in their stories, but I cannot say that I was unreservedly invested in them. As mentioned earlier, I also don't feel like the characters truly embodied the speech and mannerisms of the era as well as they probably should have.
Writing: It frustrates me when I am distracted from the story because of silly issues with the writing. For example: He waits for an hour after he is certain everyone is asleep, and then another hour for good measure. Though he has become rather proficient at slipping in at abnormal hours, sneaking out is a different matter. That particular use of though was used throughout the novel, but at one point it was used THREE TIMES on the SAME PAGE. Once, I can forgive. Three in a row is asking too much.
Timeline: Ill be honest: the non-chronological timeline served no purpose other than to make things unnecessarily confusing. Instead of creating suspense in the plot, I found that it only served to frustrate me as a reader and to distract me from what should have been a seamless narrative. Instead of adding to my overall reading experience, the mixed-up timelines took something away from me instead.
Overall opinion: Despite some of my petty complaints, I actually did enjoy the book. The air of uncertainty that lingers over every page like a mist is actually very well done. The pace is certainly slow, but that seemed appropriate for the story. People keep trying to nail this book to a category (fantasy, magic, magical realism, a drug-induced dream sequence) but in the end it doesn't really matter what you call it. This was a beautifully imagined, mostly realized story with a few minor hiccups. Overall, my reading experience was good. Its unfortunate that, with only a few minor changes, it could have been truly great.
Plot: This is a book about magic and misdirection. It is not an action-packed, spell-slinging thriller but a book about more subtle forms of magic that is set to a decidedly slower pace. It reminded me (vaguely) of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, but was nowhere near as polished and it certainly lacked the period authenticity of Ms. Clarkes Victorian-era masterpiece. The relative non-ending, while frustrating, does fit in with the thread of uncertainty that runs throughout the entire novel.
Characters: In truth, Le Cirque des Reves was the best character in the book, and Ms. Morgenstern illustrated the depth, mystery and magic surrounding it beautifully. The remainder of the characters, while interesting, never truly seemed to gain the depths that I would have preferred. I was interested in their stories, but I cannot say that I was unreservedly invested in them. As mentioned earlier, I also don't feel like the characters truly embodied the speech and mannerisms of the era as well as they probably should have.
Writing: It frustrates me when I am distracted from the story because of silly issues with the writing. For example: He waits for an hour after he is certain everyone is asleep, and then another hour for good measure. Though he has become rather proficient at slipping in at abnormal hours, sneaking out is a different matter. That particular use of though was used throughout the novel, but at one point it was used THREE TIMES on the SAME PAGE. Once, I can forgive. Three in a row is asking too much.
Timeline: Ill be honest: the non-chronological timeline served no purpose other than to make things unnecessarily confusing. Instead of creating suspense in the plot, I found that it only served to frustrate me as a reader and to distract me from what should have been a seamless narrative. Instead of adding to my overall reading experience, the mixed-up timelines took something away from me instead.
Overall opinion: Despite some of my petty complaints, I actually did enjoy the book. The air of uncertainty that lingers over every page like a mist is actually very well done. The pace is certainly slow, but that seemed appropriate for the story. People keep trying to nail this book to a category (fantasy, magic, magical realism, a drug-induced dream sequence) but in the end it doesn't really matter what you call it. This was a beautifully imagined, mostly realized story with a few minor hiccups. Overall, my reading experience was good. Its unfortunate that, with only a few minor changes, it could have been truly great.
