Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book is unlike anything I usually pick up, and I mean that in the best possible way. It reads part historical drama, part travelling circus memoir, part political satire, and part fever dream. One moment you are watching acrobats and dancers take the stage, the next you are caught in Cold War paranoia, culture clash, and the messy private lives of people trying to reinvent themselves far from home.
What struck me most is how boldly it shifts tone. It can be funny, outrageous and almost theatrical, then suddenly reflective and surprisingly tender. The Ringmaster’s voice ties it all together, constantly stepping in and out of the action, commenting on events, time, memory and truth itself. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does, giving the whole story the feeling of being both performance and confession.
The circus acts themselves are vividly described and genuinely thrilling, but the real story happens around them: the tensions between old Soviet control and new American excess, the power struggles behind the scenes, the fragile friendships and dangerous attractions forming in the gaps. It feels chaotic and alive, as if anything could happen next.
I’m not too sure what to make of the constant references and the QR codes linking to real songs and historical speeches that are scattered through the book, but they certainly make the experience unusual. For the most part I did ignore them as I was too engrossed in the story to come away from it.
Although the book is inspired by real events, it openly leans into exaggeration and satire, which gives it licence to be wild, provocative and sometimes shocking. It definitely isn’t a neat or comfortable story, and it’s not suitable for younger readers, but that rough edge is part of its appeal.
By the end, nothing is neatly resolved. Instead you are left hanging in mid-air, like a trapeze artist between swings, which feels completely intentional. It leaves plenty of room for the second book, and I finished it feeling slightly dazed, very curious, and keen to see where this strange, ambitious circus goes next.
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Many thanks for the wonderful review and for being part of the tour
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful take on my story, Kathy. You have a whole new series of adventures to live and enjoy when Circus Bim Bom: The Great Escape, arrives, hopefully, at the end of the year. Till then, cheers!
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