Pantomime (Pantomime, #1)

May 12, 2013 Laura Lam added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: fantasy, strange-chemistry, read-20x-or-more-because-i-wrote-it, young-adult, circus, glbt, quiltbag

Hello! This is my book. I'm pretty fond of it and stuff.

It's got an official blurb up above, but I thought I would add a more informal one here with pictures. Credit where credit is due: totally got this idea from Elizabeth May's review of her book The Falconer, though I have decidedly less animated gifs and wit, alas.

Pantomime has a girl, named Gene, who isn't completely content with her lot in life.

A boy named Micah becomes an aerialist:

Gene & Micah have a secret.

Most of the book is set in...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Experiment BL626 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, netgalley, lgbt, fantasy, reviewed

CAUTION: Long Review, Controversial Viewpoint*

*Comments on this thread are heavily moderated. For a similar but less ranty viewpoint, check out the fabulous review by TheBookSmugglers.

How the Description is Offensive (to me)

I’m offended that the description for Pantomime misled me into thinking this was a story about star-crossed lovers. It is not. This is not a spoiler; I repeat, this not a fucking spoiler. Gene and Micah are the same person. This is a story about an intersex protagonist.

Also:...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy-or-paranormal, fantasy, romance, other

With the magical wonders of the circus, and a story concept so unique and extraordinary, it is not difficult to recognise Laura Lam’s debut novel as the refreshingly imaginative book that it is. However, while its originality is most certainly something to relish, very little else about this story is quite as substantial. Although reasonably satisfied overall, I am also somewhat underwhelmed.

The strengths of this book lie in the opening chapters, where the innovative character twist is slowly re...more With the magical wonders of the circus, and a story concept so unique and extraordinary, it is not difficult to recognise Laura Lam’s debut novel as the refreshingly imaginative book that it is. However, while its originality is most certainly something to relish, very little else about this story is quite as substantial. Although reasonably satisfied overall, I am also somewhat underwhelmed.

The strengths of this book lie in the opening chapters, where the innovative character twist is slowly revealed. It is not a jaw-dropping revelation – it is hinted at almost immediately and not difficult to figure out – but it is a brilliantly clever idea and worthy of applause, nonetheless. Unfortunately, I cannot expand any further than that without spoiling it. One thing that I will say is that the book description is misleading, and wonderfully so. Regardless, I enjoyed meeting Micah Grey, and I enjoyed meeting Gene Laurus. Following the character progression in this story is not a conventional journey, but it is a bizarre and interesting one. Two stories run in parallel, with one set in the spring and focused on the taut life of nobility, and the other set in the summer, following the enchanting life of circus performers.

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is a cherished novelty in the fictional world of Ellada. Lam wonderfully builds the surreal and theatrical atmosphere of the travelling circus – a circus filled to the brim with trapeze acts, clown routines, and the delightful horrors of the freakshow and its accompanying carnival. Outside of the circus is where the worldbuilding is lacking in elegance. While there are several intriguing aspects to this world mentioned, from the dead Alder lifestyle and the remnants of Vestige artefacts, there is little attempt to tie these together or provide a better explanation. Very little, in fact, is addressed by the end of this book, resulting in a trail of far too many unanswered questions. The plot progression is disappointingly insignificant for an opening novel – nothing truly worth recalling takes place until the final chapters, making the vast majority of the story irrelevant.

Character-wise, identity and sexuality are two aspects that are subtly touched on. There is a slight romantic element to the story, though not one that is particularly affecting or memorable. While the character development is not entirely non-existent, it is difficult to fully invest in any of the personalities, especially that of the main character. This is not because of the ‘twist’ – of that, I am fairly sure – but rather that something is missing. An emotional connection with the reader, perhaps. Though, despite that, Micah and Gene are not at all unlikeable. Both are, in fact, easy to understand, with Micah’s infectious passion for the circus and Gene’s boyish tendencies and dislike of formal social events being well-portrayed. The contrast is an interesting one. The characters are interesting, even if forgettable.

I am being somewhat vague, I realise, but it is impossible to elaborate without revealing all. My thoughts on this debut novel are, fair to say, widely scattered. Had the story progressed further, or my investment in the characters been greater, I am fairly certain it would have fulfilled my high expectations. Nevertheless, I anticipate a promising, if not better, sequel.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Nov 25, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-or-edelweiss, 2013-faves, all-time-faves, amazing-authors, believable-romance, books-i-want-to-marry, covergasm, creatively-original, deserves-the-hype, faves, heroes-i-adore, heroines-i-adore, made-me-smile, my-emotions-i-cannot, wish-i-could-write-like-that

This review is also available over at my blog.

___________________

Peculiar. Unusual. Enchanting. Those are just a few words I would use to describe Pantomime.

Okay, first of all, I will say this right now: I cannot for the life of me talk about the characters or the romance in this book without spoiling everything. I'm sorry. ._. But there is a very big twist at the beginning of the book that completely fools you, if you read the blurb. I think the twist deserves an extra star, by the way, because...more This review is also available over at my blog.

___________________

Peculiar. Unusual. Enchanting. Those are just a few words I would use to describe Pantomime.

Okay, first of all, I will say this right now: I cannot for the life of me talk about the characters or the romance in this book without spoiling everything. I'm sorry. ._. But there is a very big twist at the beginning of the book that completely fools you, if you read the blurb. I think the twist deserves an extra star, by the way, because never have I seen another YA novel go about in doing something like that. Those of you who have read this know exactly what I'm talking about. Those of you who haven't, I will let you experience it for yourself.

Anyway, the world of this book is very strange, and even confusing at times. Because the whole book, everything is like a historical fiction, like it takes place in like the 16th century or something. But I read in the book that it's already past the 106th century. The exact year was never mentioned, though. I thought that was very interesting. But I do wish that there was maybe a map of Ellada at the beginning of the book, like most authors add when they have a book with a world of their own creation.

The writing is beautiful. It alternates between Spring and Summer chapters. Spring chapters take place in the past, while Summer ones progress further into the story during the present. There are also some Autumn chapters, but there are only about two of them and they both appear nearing the end. I enjoyed the writing especially during the parts with the circus performances. I actually felt like I was in the audience.

There is a fantasy element in this book, but it's very subtle. I mean, there is a lot of fantasy in the world of the book but most of them, if not all, are only considered myths. There are also quotes at the beginning of every chapter, taken from various history books, folktales, etc, from Ellada that tell of some of the myths, like the Lord of the Sun and the Lady of the Moon, which I think the Elladans worship? I'm not quite sure, though. But yeah, the fantasy element is definitely there, but very very subtle. I hope there will be more in the sequel.

The ending parts were very intense, and one part even brought tears to my eyes. I was also very pissed when the book ended with a cliffhanger, and Goodreads doesn't even have a page for the second book yet. D: That makes me a little worried if there will be a sequel or not. There has to be! You can't just end a standalone with a cliffhanger, cause that's just mean. And the author can do so much with the world of the book and the story.

Again, I wish I could talk about the characters but I can't. >_< All I can say is that I loved them. I loved Gene and Micah and Aenea and Cyril and Drystan. That's all I'm gonna say, because it's better if you experience the twist yourself.

Overall I thought this was a gorgeous book, very different from anything I've ever read. Like, really, this book was SO unique, and it went where no other YA book I've read had ever gone before. I definitely recommend it, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed. <3

Many thank you's to NetGalley and Angry Robot for sending me this galley!(less)

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Mar 15, 2013 TheBookSmugglers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, lgbt, misleading-covers, young-adult

Original review posted on The Book Smugglers

Ana’s Take:

I will start by simply saying: Pantomime’s cover copy is supremely misleading. One would think that this is a run-of-the-mill PNR YA featuring two protagonists that seem to be about to fall in love with each other whilst a secre–zzzz, BORING. I would never had picked up this book based on this blurb had I not known from the get go what it is really about.

Allow me to rephrase the blurb slightly:

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest c...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-ya-debut, ya-fantasy

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

First off, this review isn't going to be a full review. There is a big secret within the pages of Pantomime - a very big secret - and both Laura Lam and the publishers, Strange Chemistry, want the secret to stay well under wraps until Pantomime is released. To talk about it would be to spoil a major part of this book, but it's something I want to talk about. So, with Strange Chemistry's permission, I am writing a mini-esque review now (it might not be th...more Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

First off, this review isn't going to be a full review. There is a big secret within the pages of Pantomime - a very big secret - and both Laura Lam and the publishers, Strange Chemistry, want the secret to stay well under wraps until Pantomime is released. To talk about it would be to spoil a major part of this book, but it's something I want to talk about. So, with Strange Chemistry's permission, I am writing a mini-esque review now (it might not be that mini), and my full review after publication. But now, on with this review!

Pantomime is absolutely amazing! It's a fantastic character driven fantasy, that will draw you in from the very first page and have you caring deeply about it's brilliant main characters, Gene and Micah.

When I asked her on Twitter about the genre of Pantomime, Lam said, "I've been calling it gaslight fantasy, since it's sort of steampunk without the steam." I'm going to describe the genre based on my experience of reading fantasy. I haven't read any steampunk, it's definitely not dystopia or urban fantasy, so for me, that leaves high fantasy. Except, it only just fits into my idea of high fantasy; an imagined world that feels historical, with magical people and creatures. This Pantomime has - the very different way of living, the magic in the chimaera and the Alders - but it doesn't have so much of the politics or any of the epic battles that most high fantasies I've read I have, or at least not in this book. But the fantasy elements of the story - the magic, the chimaera and the Alders - are not a massive part of this story. Pantomime is very much about the characters, and so feels more like a historical about historical teenagers, though I have a feeling that the fantasy elements will play a much bigger part in future books.

So on to Gene and Micah. Gene is the teenage daughter in a noble family; she's expected to go to balls and wear beautiful dresses, to enjoy embroidery and high tea, but she doesn't. It's just not her. Micah is a teenage runaway who has joined the circus in order to find his own way in life. For both characters, Pantomime is very much about being true to yourself, and working out just exactly who that is. It's about fighting against being pigeon-holed - especially when you, a square peg, are being forced into a round hole. These characters are brilliant, and they're unlike any other characters I've read before. You can't help but fall in love with each of them in turn, and want so badly for them to be accepted for who they are, rather than being made to do what is expected of them. Your heart goes out to each of them; there are moments where I was so disturbed by the way they were treated, and moments when my heart just broke over the crappy choices they had in front of them. These are characters with terribly hard lives; lives where only more difficulty lies ahead.

As I said, I feel the fantasy elements will play a much bigger part in the next books. Which means the questions you have relating to our characters and the fantasy elements aren't all answered. In any other book, this would be quite frustrating, but I'm so invested in the lives of the Micah and Gene, in the people they are, that I almost don't care that I have unanswered questions, because the characters - who have found a permanent home in my heart - are much more important than the questions I have.

Pantomime is not only an amazing story, but an important one. You're not wowed because of the world building, the mythology behind the chimaera and the Alders, or the cliffhanger ending - which are all incredible - but by the truly beautiful, enthralling people we find in Micah and Gene. There's is a story that needs to be told, and that everyone should read. A completely eye-opening, enthralling debut, and I can't thank Lam enough for writing it. Another book to add to the favourites list.

Thank you to Strange Chemistry for the ARC.(less)

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Feb 09, 2013 The Book Tart rated it 4 of 5 stars

To pantomime is to tell a story with your body and facial expressions, and what a story this Pantomime is.I'm struggling to write a review and not spoil the story... It’s not at all what I expected. I was just imagining a simple tale about a teen running off to the circus in a fantasy world setting. It is so much more. It’s a study in differences, male and female, colorful and dark, normal and abnormal, safe and daring. It’s a fascinating and at times uncomfortable commentary on expectations and...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Ingrid Jonach rated it 5 of 5 stars

Um... where do I start? Brilliant. Magical. Unique. Shocking. These are the words that come to mind when I think about this utterly gripping and deliciously bizarre novel.

There is not a lot I can say here without giving away the twist (and trust me your jaw will DROP), but I will say that Laura Lam handles a complex and emotional issue in a mature and accessible way.

The love story is endearing - as are the motley band of characters: circus freaks and performers, and the bourgeoisie. You will lo...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Rabiah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-event, arrived

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...

Pantomime by Laura Lam was absolutely brilliant. I'm seriously at a loss for words! It was a gorgeous mix of fantasy and contemporary, with historical elements, all in the backdrop of a circus and the world of Ellada.
I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. It was quite a long book, but from the beginning there's a huge twist which I really didn't see coming. Not to give too much away, but there is a touch of LGBT in this nov...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for my copy of Pantomime.

WOW. Pantomime is a very interesting book. I am SOOOOOOOO impressed with Laura Lam. Her writing is amazing. She is one of the best storytellers that I have ever had the opportunity to read. I usually don't love super discriptive books, but this one brings the circus to life. And you feel like you are seeing it for the fisrt time. Her characters all have depth, even the lesser ones.
That being said..... I did have some very uncomfor...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, young-adult, romance, lovely-prose, fantasy, debut-authors, 2013-reads, 2013-in-2013-team-a

I really have to apologize for the lateness of my pretty long overdue review and a huge thanks to Goodreads and Strange Chemistry for an ARC copy of Pantomime which I won in a GR giveaway.

The circus had been unlike anything I could ever imagine and I could not walk away. I wanted to be a part of the magic, create it and wield it with such skill that it looked effortless. I wanted to fly.

This quote perfectly describes how I felt when I was reading Pantomime. To be honest, I have never read a boo...more I really have to apologize for the lateness of my pretty long overdue review and a huge thanks to Goodreads and Strange Chemistry for an ARC copy of Pantomime which I won in a GR giveaway.

The circus had been unlike anything I could ever imagine and I could not walk away. I wanted to be a part of the magic, create it and wield it with such skill that it looked effortless. I wanted to fly.

This quote perfectly describes how I felt when I was reading Pantomime. To be honest, I have never read a book that took place in a circus and I'm quite appalled at myself because I really do quite like the circus. Pantomime has taken that liking and deepened it into a fascination and love, in particular for this very circus. What I really loved about this book was that the world building was done beautifully. The vivid descriptions of the circus and various acts transported me into the circus tents and I felt like I was one of the circus go-ers, looking at everything in awe and wonder. Pantomime is one of those books that you have to read and savor every detail to appreciate the atmosphere.

I also really liked the characters in this book, from Gene and Micah, our protagonists, down to the characters Micah meets in the circus. This is when I don't really want to spoil the book by going too much into the characters because there's a pretty huge secret revolving around our protagonists and well, I think it's better for readers to uncover it themselves. But let's just say, that Micah is a pretty unique character, in my eyes at least. It took me a while to really connect with this character but his journey of self-discovery got me rather emotionally invested and I grew to love him.

Unfortunately, Pantomime ends on a cliffhanger which caught me by surprise because I actually expected it to be a standalone and it did annoy me just a bit. There is also a love triangle present which didn't irk me hugely but I think I would enjoy it more if it didn't exist. I do think it's essential for a certain character's growth though, so well, I'll let this one slide.

All in all, I would recommend Pantomime purely for it's amazing circus elements, gorgeous prose and world building. If you love circuses, this one will not disappoint you. And if you don't, I have a feeling this book will make you just the bit more intrigued by the circus.

Also posted on rabbitsfortea (less)

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Mar 03, 2013 Aa'Ishah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy, arc-or-galley, reviewed

3.5 stars

I had my eyes on Pantomime for quite a while before I got the chance to read it. Just by looking at it and reading the synopsis, it's easy to see that this is not something you come across very often - a story against the backdrop of a circus. A world that seems almost beyond time itself, where you will find references to the Alder and the Vestige and Penglass, and a more specific setting in the city of Ellada. While Pantomime was by no means perfect, it was enjoyable nonetheless.

It is...more 3.5 stars

I had my eyes on Pantomime for quite a while before I got the chance to read it. Just by looking at it and reading the synopsis, it's easy to see that this is not something you come across very often - a story against the backdrop of a circus. A world that seems almost beyond time itself, where you will find references to the Alder and the Vestige and Penglass, and a more specific setting in the city of Ellada. While Pantomime was by no means perfect, it was enjoyable nonetheless.

It is difficult to say anything about what the book is about without spoiling anything. Even while I was reading the book I was wondering how I could possibly write this review without giving anything away. The description provided is misleading, but in the best possible way. I don't really see how the author could have worked around it, either. Meeting Gene and Micah was a wonderful experience; reading from both perspectives showed them to be likeable characters. I enjoyed seeing Gene rebel against society's expectations of her, doing more of what were considered to be boyish activities. Her home life was not at all easy and I was very sympathetic towards her. Micah's love of the circus and determination to work hard to become something more than just an outsider in the eyes of those working in the circus was also appreciable.

Of course the thing that sets Pantomime apart is the world in which the story takes place. Laura Lam's mind is clearly an incredible place to be. It kind of makes me wish it was real, so I could physically experience it for myself. But let's move on from my weirdness. The setting is very complex. It's magical, it's mysterious, there's this idea that perhaps it's set at some point in the future. At the same time there's this sort of Victorianism to the way society is set out and how it works, the idea of markets and trade and merchants. It's very hard to pinpoint when this might actually be taking place. And while this world is amazing, and while I did truly love seeing the circus, in some ways it was all almost too much. I wanted to know more about the Alders. Who were they? I wanted to know more about the Vestige, artefacts from the time the Alders were living. With the Penglass, I found it difficult to imagine. Maybe it was just me, but that was something else that made it difficult for me to completely connect with the book.

One thing that did surprise me was how early on the plot twist came. After a moment of confusion I suddenly realised what I'd just read and then checked back to a couple of reviews to see if that was actually the twist. The twist itself is ingenious. It's something that hasn't been broached before and it introduces key themes. The way that Lam dealt with it was expert. It did mean that not a great deal happened for a long time, but this wasn't a particularly massive issue. The ending was a lot better in terms of pacing, and I quite liked the turn the story took, presenting a wonderful opening for the sequel. The presence of romance also ties into a couple of the issues that the plot twist brings in, and it's certainly something that gets you thinking.

Trying to write this review was somewhat tricky, and I'm aware it's not exactly one of my finest. But despite the issues that the book presents, it's still worth reading, at the very least for the originality it brings. There are a diverse range of characters to meet, and quite a bit of mystery, so in some ways you do get a lot. I definitely will be reading the sequel.

This review is also posted on my blog.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Lola added it · review of another edition

I have never been one for the circus, as I am terrified of clowns (true story). However, books like Water for Elephants and The Night Circus have instilled in me a love for all circus-related books. There is an air of mystery and magic that comes with the circus, so when I had the opportunity to read and review Laura Lam's upcoming Pantomime, I was ecstatic! Perhaps Lam's strongest element of this story is the world building. In no-time, I was caught up in Micha's and Gene's world. The descripti...more

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Jun 04, 2013 LH Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

We've come a long way, you and I. You've listened to me obsess over the nuances of the Chalet School, the way Clara Vulliamy is so perfect in her picture book construction and the way I get slightly evangelical when somebody tells me that Children's Literature does not matter and if any of that counts for anything, I would ask that you do not read the blurb on this book.

Because this book is not about that blurb.

Pantomime is one of those curious fantasy books that worked for me, and it worked...more

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May 11, 2013 Jessica Meats rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

(This review is also posted on my blog)

Pantomime by Laura Lam is both an unusual fantasy novel and an exploration of gender identity and what it means to belong. The protagonist was raised Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene for short, daughter of a noble family. The problem was she preferred playing with her brother and following “boyish” pursuits than the things her mother thought suitable for a young lady. On running away from home, the protagonist (I’m going to struggle with suitable pronouns in this...more (This review is also posted on my blog)

Pantomime by Laura Lam is both an unusual fantasy novel and an exploration of gender identity and what it means to belong. The protagonist was raised Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene for short, daughter of a noble family. The problem was she preferred playing with her brother and following “boyish” pursuits than the things her mother thought suitable for a young lady. On running away from home, the protagonist (I’m going to struggle with suitable pronouns in this review) takes the identity Micah Grey, a teenage boy with a love of climbing (I don't think this is a spoiler as it's obvious from very early on that this is going on). Micah is accepted by the circus as a trainee for the trapeze act and finds a place where even freaks and misfits can belong – but will they accept someone as strange as him/her?

The novel flips back and forth between two timelines. Each chapter is labelled spring or summer (and later, autumn), with the spring chapters being about Iphigenia at home, the events that led to her running away and taking the Micah identity. The summer chapters are about Micah and his time in the circus. This allows the story to start in the middle and then explain the background while exploring what happens next. It’s an unusual technique but one that worked for this book.

I liked Gene/Micah as a protagonist. There was a lot of normal teen issues in her/him about figuring out who she/he is, what she/he wants with her/his life and who she/he wants to be (apologies for the awkward pronoun use – I’m not sure what the appropriate gender neutral pronoun would be). The issue of gender identity isn’t one I’ve seen addressed in many novels and I think Pantomime handles it is a really genuine way. It’s shown as being much more complicated than just being a choice between one gender or the other, particular when it comes to romance. I would recommend this book to anyone struggling with their own gender identity or to those struggling to understand a friend or family member’s trans state.

Despite that, it’s not written as a lecture or being trans. It’s written as a story that’s very emotional and very gripping. You feel Micah’s fear of being discovered throughout the book and it provides a lot of tension. This was one of those books where I’d decide to read a chapter and end up reading several because I didn’t want to put it down.

The book gripped me because of the characters rather than the plot. The plot itself was quite gentle. Things happen gradually through the story rather than in twists and turns. As such, it had less action than I usually go for in books, but that didn’t stop me enjoying it immensely.

The setting of the book deserves a mention as well because it’s very unusual. I spent several chapters trying to figure out whether this was a fantasy world or a post-future sci-fi world that had reverted to a lower level of technology with a few gadgets left-over. In the end, I decided it was the former. It’s a world that has its own geography, politics, mythology and culture. Most of this is barely touched on, but it serves as a background to the story, giving a sense of the world in which Gene was raised as a noblewoman as well as the place the circus fit in society. There was a lot of depth to the world and mysteries that weren’t quite answered in the book.

I really hope that Laura Lam is writing a sequel because I’d love to see some of those mysteries explored. Of course, I also want to know what happens to Micah/Gene next.

This is definitely a book I’d recommend.
(less)

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Apr 26, 2013 Abby Hearn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book was beautifully written. Each chapter alternates between being narrated by Gene and Micah.

Gene is the daughter of a noble family and forced into dresses and situations that make her immensely uncomfortable by her overpowering mother. All she wants to do is go out with her brother, Cyril and his best friend Oswald. But it becomes harder and harder for her to do so with the debutante ball coming up.

Micah is a young boy who has run away from his troubles to join the circus. He i...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My full review can be found at A Secret Book Affair

Wow... where to even start with this one. While there are so many words that could describe this amazing little gem, I find I'm at a loss for the perfect word to use to wrap the book up in a nice little bow. Outrageously smart, uniquely strange, and otherworldly are a few short descriptions that could weakly sum up Luara Lam's circus themed novel. Pantomime completely caught me by surprise. I can't go into too much detail on certain aspects of...more My full review can be found at A Secret Book Affair

Wow... where to even start with this one. While there are so many words that could describe this amazing little gem, I find I'm at a loss for the perfect word to use to wrap the book up in a nice little bow. Outrageously smart, uniquely strange, and otherworldly are a few short descriptions that could weakly sum up Luara Lam's circus themed novel. Pantomime completely caught me by surprise. I can't go into too much detail on certain aspects of the book because I don't want to ruin the main plot twist for anyone else, and I promise it's a huge twist worth not knowing till Lam reveals it within her well written pages.

One of the things I will let out is that even though the synopsis hints at an epic star-crossed lovers theme, that isn't really the case. The idea of it though helps set up the plot line and the illusion for the twist. This twist that I speak of by the way isn't one that is revealed at the end of the novel or even at some untimely random moment that you completely don't see coming. It's built up throughout about, I would say less than the first half of the book. Also Lam gives you subtle hints that make you suspect the truth just before it's revealed.

Now on to the characters and setting. The wild variety of characters that you will find in Pantomime will definitely keep you on your toes to keep up with the two different worlds that Lam provides all wrapped up in one magical story. In Pantomime you find the world is much like what you would image the Victorian era (or even earlier) of London to have been like, but Lam goes further and creates her own world altogether. Not only do you get the posh Nobility side of a grand life of debutant balls but you also get the magically intriguing side of the circus life. I was also pleasantly surprised that although there are magical elements throughout Pantomime they are subtle and don't overwhelm the storyline. There is also a subtle delightfully steampunk element involved within Lam's world.

The one issue I have with this book is the rather abrupt cliffhanger ending. Just as the story had reached a pivotal moment, it ended and left you wondering if there was going to be a second installment or not. If there is indeed a sequel in the works than great! I can honestly say I can't wait to read it then. If there is not however, a second part to Gene and Micah's story then the ending was most definitely weak. I don't think this is the case though based on how the last chapter played out, and I truly believe that there is more to come from Lam and her brilliantly created world that I highly recommend checking out.(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 Bat Reader rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5

This was a very interesting story, and very well written. The reason I did not rate it higher was the fact that I felt a bit mislead. I understand a book with a twist and the need to keep that twist on the down low, but there that is not the same thing as deliberately making something out to be what it isn't.

I will not give anything away, but the genre that this book actually turned out to be is one I do not like. There is nothing wrong with it, and a lot of people do love it, but for some re...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Binturong rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy-romance-adventure

Pantomime was so interesting to me I did not put it down from the moment I started reading it until the second I finished it, about 5 am.

What set Pantomime apart for me was the main character's special circumstances. Although certain other reviewers on this page feel that outing these circumstances is not a spoiler, I believe it is. I was spoiled before I read the novel. However, I am somewhat grateful for being spoiled because the book description alone was flat. Not enough to distinguish this...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Arref Mak rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So this is a book about deception and secrets and self worth.

You may see in other reviews that there is some controversy with respect to the cover/blurb/reviews and marketing of the book. ?There is no bad PR, yes? And the cover/blurb/reviews include some deception and secrets, yes?

We move on then.

I find the story elegant where many narratives today are not. I find the voice of the protagonist refined and believable in the context. Youth and doubt vibrate from the pages. And yet, people in the st...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Burgoo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

A quick disclaimer: I’ve never been much of a YA reader. But with the growth of the genre, I’ve checked out a few things & have been pleasantly surprised. Pantomime, however, seems much closer to the core of the genre, & as such I’ve had some problems.

It’s very difficult to discuss any sort of plot points without dropping massive spoilers. The majority of the book centers on Micah, a teenager who has run off to join the circus. In the background we have vestigial technology from a former...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Micah Grey runs away from his life as a privileged aristocrat and joins R.H. Ragona's Circus of Magic. He wants the chance to discover who he is, rather than who his parents expect him to be, especially after learning something rather unexpected about his past and unwelcome about his future right before running.

He doesn't fit into the circus immediately. He might be an outsider and an outcast, but he has to endure the other performers' hazing in order to prove it. He must work hard at grunt work...more Micah Grey runs away from his life as a privileged aristocrat and joins R.H. Ragona's Circus of Magic. He wants the chance to discover who he is, rather than who his parents expect him to be, especially after learning something rather unexpected about his past and unwelcome about his future right before running.

He doesn't fit into the circus immediately. He might be an outsider and an outcast, but he has to endure the other performers' hazing in order to prove it. He must work hard at grunt work and train to be an aerialist. He starts a relationship with Aenea Harper, one of the circus's experienced aerialists, and feels a strange attraction to Drystan, the circus's head clown. But it's difficult for Micah to keep his secrets and gain the trust of the performers.

PANTOMIME is also the story of Iphigenia Laurus, who wants to be called Gene, though only her brother bothers. She's old enough to make her debut, but she's not interested in courting and being a lady. She'd rather climb trees and hang with her brother's friends, just like she did as a little kid. She chafes under society's expectations and lives in fear of being married off to some dolt, because a clever man would discover her secrets rather quickly.

The fantasy elements of PANTOMIME are subtle. Most of Ellada's magic is relics, rare and losing power. But not all magic is gone. Micah might have a connection to those vanished Civilizations, though he's often too busy trying to conceal it than to bother trying to discover how.

I rather enjoyed PANTOMIME and its examination of class, society, and gender combined with the classic stories of a boy running away to join the circus and a girl avoiding an unpleasant marriage. Some of the story's reveals are obvious, but other twists are very surprising. And it all builds to a sudden, violent conclusion. PANTOMIME is only the beginning of the story. It's a lovely, quiet story but I expect the sequel will be more explosive, given everything that happens.

I recommend PANTOMIME for fantasy fans looking for something slightly offbeat and full of subtle magics, as well as for people looking for something to follow the bestselling THE NIGHT CIRCUS. It's a magical, romantic tale and I think Laura Lam is an author to watch. (less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-bridget

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This book had an interesting plot but it was defiantly not a book for me.

Opening Sentence: “Well, boy,” the ringmaster said. “What can you do?”

The Review:

Micah Grey has just recently run away from home. He has wondered the streets for a time and he decides to spend his last bit of money on the Circus. The Circus is magical and he decides that he would love to be a part of it. He ends up getting a chance to join as a trainee for the trapeze a...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Marie Parsons rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf-fantasy

Forget all you think you know about the circus.

Pantomime refers to a "play" which takes place within a performance of a remarkably ordinary (but not really so ordinary) travelling circus. This circus tours in a strange, alien land called Ellada. Ellada, which has colonized or conquered some of the outer lands, has an ancient history, involving Chimaera, and alien Alder.

Iphigenia Laurus comes from a fairly noble mercantile family. At 16 years of age, she has a secret, known initially only to her...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, fantasy, young-adult, fiction

The world of Ellada sits poised between two eras, remembering the magic and wonder of the past while groping its way into a modern future. Just as its citizens don't how much of its past myths are true, so too is the reader left wondering and dreaming.

That uncertainty is the perfect backdrop for Micah's story. Like many a Paranormal YA hero, Micah is exceptional and strange. Unlike most, however, the gifts that set Micah apart will never magically disappear. Much more satisfying and human, howe...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Lyndsey Rushby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

Pantomime was one of those books that instantly interested me. The plot synopsis sounded amazing and something completely different and exciting compared to everything else I have been reading recently.

The book begins with young Micah Grey trying to join the circus. The setting is completely magical and mesmerising, especially in the descriptions about what goes on under the big top. The world of the circus is initially what got me hooked to Pantomime, after liking The Night Circus, although th...more Pantomime was one of those books that instantly interested me. The plot synopsis sounded amazing and something completely different and exciting compared to everything else I have been reading recently.

The book begins with young Micah Grey trying to join the circus. The setting is completely magical and mesmerising, especially in the descriptions about what goes on under the big top. The world of the circus is initially what got me hooked to Pantomime, after liking The Night Circus, although these books are very different. The actual world that Laura Lam has created is very different from our own, with cities being dissimilar to each other and having a whole range of characters living there. The ways of life in each city is different and in the circus, are people from all over, giving us an eclectic mix of characters.

Although the circus setting and world created were fantastic, the protagonist was even better. As a young runaway, Micah is trying to find a place in the world. For some of the book, the chapters alternate between circus life and where Micah came from. The alternating chapters make it possible to really realise the situation that Micah is in and why the initial need to run away was there. I really loved Micah as a character as there was so much to relate to.

Pantomime has a massive twist which makes writing a review quite difficult. One wrong word could give away the whole story and this is a twist that you are definitely going to want to discover for yourself. This massive twist is what sets this book apart from other young adult novels and what makes it so unique and exciting. Laura Lam has found a gap in the young adult market and filled it perfectly, showing that authors can take risks and people will love them even more for it.

This is one of those books which keeps you thinking about it for hours, or more like days, after you finish reading it. It was also a book that I instantly wanted to read again, which is something I haven’t felt for such a long time now. I seriously cannot get enough of this book and if there is one young adult book you’re going to buy this year, this should be it!
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Dec 04, 2012 Inkyfox rated it 4 of 5 stars

Also posted here: http://ireviewyalit.blogspot.ca/2012/...

*My first NetGalley ARC! Many thanks!

Introduction
Iphigenia Laurus, also known as Gene, is the daughter of a wealthy family, being raised in the typical fashion. She learns to dance, sing, sew...but her real purpose as a woman is to marry. And she hates this life. She feels that she does not belong and that life as a pampered woman is ill-suited for her. On the other hand, we have Micah. He has run away from his parents with the police on...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Jade Walker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, rated-a

This book has a secret, a big secret. I won't tell you what that secret is, I will make this review very cryptic just so that I don't even let out any clues about that secret, but just remember that this book has a secret. It's a pretty awesome secret that makes this book amazing and twisty and completely unique and yet this book will appeal to so many fans of YA fantasy fiction. So yeah, I will start this review by saying that you should read this book. It's pretty amazing.

Strange Chemistry hav...more This book has a secret, a big secret. I won't tell you what that secret is, I will make this review very cryptic just so that I don't even let out any clues about that secret, but just remember that this book has a secret. It's a pretty awesome secret that makes this book amazing and twisty and completely unique and yet this book will appeal to so many fans of YA fantasy fiction. So yeah, I will start this review by saying that you should read this book. It's pretty amazing.

Strange Chemistry have this knack for picking out appealing and original books and this one is no exception. I swear that I went into this book expecting something magical and fun and came out feeling very shocked and twisted but not disappointing at all. This book was everything that I never expected it to be and more, in the best possible way. Keep doing what you're doing, Laura Lam and Strange Chemistry, I have a feeling that you'll be impressing me for a long time.

The characters in Pantomime just jump off the page, the main characters, Gene and Micah are both fantastic characters that seemed so real. Gene's story of living in a world that she doesn't quite fit into and Micah's story of running away from something in his past are emotionally written and when the two stories cross the result is amazing. I liked the secondary characters as well; Drystan the clown is a fun and multi-dimensional character, I never quite knew what his intentions were but I always sure that he was a good and caring person, I also grew to like Aenea, Micah's romantic interest despite disliking her towards the beginning.

The pacing of this book was great, though it does have a bit of a slow start. By about three chapters in I couldn't put this book down and it pulled me out of an awful reading slump. The ending was fantastic and this book had a fantastic climax.

Overall, Pantomime was an amazing book that kept me gripped. The characters and plotlines were both written superbly and the twist in this book is just shocking and unique. I've never quite read anything like it, and I loved it.

Overall Rating: A(less)

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Nov 15, 2012 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars

If any book could make you want to run away and join the circus, this one would be it. Right from page one I was transported to another world by Laura Lam’s vivid and detailed descriptions – I could almost smell the greasepaint, see the colours of the glass globes and hear the crowd cheer as the aerialists swung and soared high above. Waiting in the wings is a line-up of equally colourful characters – the intimidating ringmaster, trickster clowns, exotic Kymri tumblers, performing otters, contor...more If any book could make you want to run away and join the circus, this one would be it. Right from page one I was transported to another world by Laura Lam’s vivid and detailed descriptions – I could almost smell the greasepaint, see the colours of the glass globes and hear the crowd cheer as the aerialists swung and soared high above. Waiting in the wings is a line-up of equally colourful characters – the intimidating ringmaster, trickster clowns, exotic Kymri tumblers, performing otters, contortionists and the freaks (there’s even a bearded lady!). They all co-exist within a complex social structure which Micah, as an outsider, must try to decipher. The runaway impresses with his agility, but to gain full acceptance to their exclusive ranks he must undergo the unpleasant process of ‘hazing’ – just one of the harsh aspects of circus life that the author describes so well.

The circus is a place of illusion and magic, where nothing is quite as it seems. It’s the perfect setting for the central themes of secrets and identity that play out in this book, and also the perfect arena for our protagonist’s journey of discovery, but I can’t tell you very much about that because it would ruin a very skilfully set up surprise that the author has in store for you. You will just have to read for yourselves. But I can tell you that it is a story with real substance, in which characters strive to come to terms with their true natures and lies often prove more painful and dangerous than the truth.

In sharp contrast to the circus is the high society of the cities of Ellada, in which girls like Gene wear elaborate dresses and attend afternoon tea parties, croquet matches and debutante balls, where they are paraded in front of potential suitors. It all has a very quaint, Victorian, almost steampunk vibe to it. Lurking in the background are the mysterious Penglass domes and Vestige, both relics of a long-lost and possibly magical civilisation – and those elements gave the story more of a fantasy feel. In fact, it seems fitting that the book flirts with different genres but doesn’t fit properly into any! One thing I really loved were the poems and extracts at the start of each chapter, each giving a snippet of Ellada’s beguiling culture and history.

It is a truly enchanting world that I was sad to leave behind when I turned the last page. But more engrossing than that world were the characters – the trials and decisions they must face are so challenging that you can’t help but be on their side, willing them to succeed. In Micah, the author has created a protagonist like none other I have come across in YA fiction. It really is the perfect escapism. And I have a feeling that there will be yet more secrets to uncover in the sequel, and that there is much more to the land of Ellada that its people themselves don’t yet know.

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Oct 30, 2012 Shawn DeMille rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book blew me away. Not only is this story bold, adventurous and amazing, but the characters are some of the most fleshed-out, complicated characters I have seen in YA fiction in a long time.

Pantomime may take place in the fantasy world of Ellada, but this book is more a character drama than a heavy fantasy book. The fantastic elements of the book, Vestige, Penglass, the Alder and Chimaera, add to the intrigue of the world of Ellada, and they also leave us with questions that begged to be a...more

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Mostly Lesfic: Win an ARC of Pantomime by Laura Lam (Giveaway Hop)	1	11	Feb 08, 2013 08:42am
Book Haven: Win an ARC of Pantomime by Laura Lam (Giveaway Hop)	1	3	Feb 08, 2013 08:37am
The Indie Exchang...: Win an ARC of Pantomime by Laura Lam (Giveaway Hop)	1	3	Feb 08, 2013 08:36am
Book Bloggers Ano...: International Giveaway of Pantomime - YA Circus Fantasy	1	17	Oct 09, 2012 08:52am
Bloggers Unite™ : International Giveaway of Pantomime - YA Circus Fantasy	1	8	Oct 09, 2012 08:51am

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