Nights at the Circus

Paperback, 368 pages

English language

Published 1994 by Vintage U. K..

ISBN:
978-0-09-938861-6
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2 stars (1 review)

Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction

From the master of the literary supernatural and author of The Bloody Chamber, her acclaimed novel about the exploits of a circus performer who is part-woman, part-swan

Sophi Fevvers--the toast of Europe's capitals, courted by the Prince of Wales, painted by Toulouse-Lautrec--is an aerialiste extraordinaire, star of Colonel Kearney's circus. She is also part woman, part swan. Jack Walser, an American journalist, is on a quest to discover Fevvers's true identity: Is she part swan or all fake? Dazzled by his love for Fevvers, and desperate for the scoop of a lifetime, Walser joins the circus on its tour. The journey takes him--and the reader--on an intoxicating trip through turn-of-the-century London, St. Petersburg, and Siberia--a tour so magical that only Angela Carter could have created it.

7 editions

Review of 'Nights at the circus' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

Seems to me the "style" of the novel changed in each of the three parts - the first (from Jack's point of view) had many large words (Brobdingnagian!), and I enjoyed that quite a bit. I was lost through the second section - it didn't seem to coalesce, and had a third person point of view. Didn't like that section. The third jumped back and forth with an omniscient Jack as one point of view - the only one that works in this case, considering what happened to him. And yes, it brought the story together - mostly. Then there was the last few pages, which talked of a subplot I really didn't see.

Reading through some other reviews which rave about this book, I find it hard to figure out what I missed. I'd like to chat with someone who loves this book, but I doubt I will read …

Subjects

  • General
  • Fiction - General