Midway

by Brent Mason

"The remnant asphalt heat still shimmers at 3 a.m. It emanates off the blacktop, from wrist-thick power cables that snake their way throughout the grounds, from the corrugated metal skin of the rides that have sprung from the lifeless earth. It is felt and seen, on the ramps that lead to the Ferris Wheel; on the synthetic blue-and-red fur of the hanging, plush bears jammed tight under the cover of rope-tourniquet canvas; on the undulating, shape-shifting mirror that casts its reflection from the House of Fun."

From above the carnival burns bright. Double-looping neon-sequined roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and dozens of other rides spin wild screams into the ink-black sky. A labyrinth of games branches out onto the asphalt, and barkers beckon the river of passers-by with spinning wheels and bouncing balls, promising a quick buck or a giant stuffed bear. They come from miles.

On the ground, behind the curtain, a different world exists: the sugar-high promise of the Midway has an underside, where unwritten rules are applied without concern for causality or casualty. The impossible can be dreamed here.

When Wyatt finds himself pulled into the carnival, time loosens its hold. He becomes magnetized by the Midway. The frenetic 24/7 physical and mental demands force him to become a part of the fabric, whatever form it takes. It's an unrelenting, unforgiving realm where all who enter are either abandoned or consumed.

235 pages, Paperback

Published December 10, 2024

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

For people of a certain age, memories of the summer exhibition moving into town and setting up for business in whatever space was available evoke images of flashing lights, raucous music, cotton candy, games of chance, terrifying rides and children screaming with unbridled excitement. Brent Mason’s novel Midway is set behind the scenes in one such establishment. Our hero is Wyatt, a vulnerable young man from New Brunswick who’s in mourning following the collapse of a relationship. Leaving behind family and grad school, he drifts west in search of employment and distraction, eventually finding himself, “empty as a pocket, broken as a promise,” at the Red River Exhibition Fairgrounds in Winnipeg betting against the odds on a job offer made by a man he met in a bar. Wyatt soon meets up with Jonah Jensen, a veteran with the carnival, whose good-humoured bonhomie and positive outlook impress on Wyatt that he really wants to make a go of this and do everything he can to remain in Jonah’s good graces. Jonah sets Wyatt up at the Milk Can Game, where his colleagues are Scott and Bruce. Wyatt quickly gets a taste of both success and failure and, with Scott’s departure, sees that not everyone is cut out for a job where the aim is to lure people into a tent where they’ll spend their hard-earned cash on a game with a 95% failure rate for a chance to win a stuffed toy. The backdrop of the story is the carnival, which as the novel proceeds moves from Winnipeg to Calgary to Edmonton. But the thrust of the drama that Wyatt finds himself part of is the complex relationship dynamic that evolves among the carnival workers and their bosses, a dynamic that turns ominous and perverse when drugs are added to the mix. Brent Mason’s novel generates considerable suspense as Wyatt, who mostly maintains a degree of separation from the worst behaviour of his mates, is drawn into the cocaine-fueled morass when the physical demands of his job become overwhelming. Midway is set in a world that most of humanity will never experience. But it’s a world that Brent Mason is obviously familiar with, and his treatment of the material creates a sense of universality that reminds the reader of other novels, such as Lord of the Flies, where a closed community of individuals begins to turn on each other like lab rats as conditions deteriorate. The result is a daring and engaging novel that, while not recommended for the faint of heart, exposes the extremes of depravity that human beings are capable of.

[Steve Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Midway" by Brent Mason is a gritty exploration of life on the road, a mashup between Brett Easton Ellis and Jack Kerouac. The novel takes us into the dark underbelly of a traveling carnival, exposing the raw, often cruel, realities of its crew. As the story unfolds, a sense of angst permeates Wyatt's journey, mirroring the growing discomfort and disillusionment he experiences amidst the sensory overload and moral ambiguity of the midway. The narrative pulls no punches in depicting the harshness and exploitation inherent in this transient world, creating a sense of unease that lingers throughout.

Mason masterfully portrays the complexities of human nature through his characters, revealing both their capacity for true evil and moments of unexpected compassion. Characters grapple with their own demons, seeking solace and connection in a world that often feels isolating and unforgiving. The novel explores themes of identity, belonging, and the search for meaning in a society that marginalizes and commodifies its outcasts. This creates a compelling narrative that challenges readers to confront the uncomfortable truths about themselves and the world around them.

[Jim Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult to rate. Better than a three, and four feels generous, but for atmosphere and the world of a carny this book excels. There's always been a malevolent side to the denizens of the midway games, and the author has evidently either worked as one or has researched the carnival extensively.
Another interesting release from Galleon books.

[John A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeously written story about a subculture I’ve rarely considered and now realize is fascinating. If Kerouac and Whitman had collaborated on a novel about carnie life this would be the result.

[Mani · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Go to the fair”, they said. “It’ll be fine”

Morgan freeman voiceover. “It was not fine.”

It was lyrical and a little spiritual until it wasn’t.

Enjoyed this book for the dance of the carnival and the dark stories that kept all the balls in the air.

[Doug Varty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Multitalented musician/songwriter Brent Mason's first novel is an engaging and fast-moving story of a young man's venture into the mysterious and cloistered world of the carnival midway. It's written from the viewpoint of Wyatt, a twenty-something university dropout who is on the rebound from a failed relationship (about which much is hinted but little revealed) who has found work in the midway via a chance meeting with a fairground boss in a bar one night.
The story follows Wyatt and his friends and associates as they travel from town to town, working crazy hours, fueled by booze and drugs, hounded by the higher-ups to increase the take from the fair-goers and to do what they can to avoid giving away too many prizes.
Mason paints wonderfully detailed images of his main characters, each unique in his or her own way, and all, it would seem, on the run from some part of their past they desperately want to bury.
The conversations are animated and witty, and at times deeply thought provoking. But it is in Mason's descriptive passages where his talents as a writer truly shine and capture the mood of Wyatt's experience.
If you have seen the movie "Carney," you may find some resemblance, but "Midway" is generally less dark, more cerebral, and more introspective. And, as I mentioned, the dialogue is very good.
Looking forward to his next book!

[Francis-Adrien Morneault · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Midway"!
If Kerouac had lived the carnival lifestyle, he might have written this book himself! The evocative writing style, rich with vivid imagery, brings depth to the setting, characters, and story. The confessional-style dialogue between characters adds a human touch, making them feel authentic and relatable.

[Lee Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was perhaps a little foolish to accept this novel based on what, 30 pages? Foolish to write the author and say hey, let's do it, hoping the little eager homunculus running (away with) things didn't mess up, didn't just get lazy and say shit, why read it when you can gamble? Deal with disaster later? And then there's even a contract and oh ho, this better be good - but you know what? I could tell. Not my first rodeo, carnival, circus show. And those early lines, that opening paragraph - the atmosphere, the layers, and then I found myself reading it (to edit!) and finding the sinister and the magical mixed with the painfully quotidian - a life lived, yes, yes, you could tell. This was going to be good, deep, layered, surprising.

It reads like a dream in places - a nightmare at times - like a memory that haunts the author. (Author rolls his eyes.) It's the story of Wyatt, of Good vs Evil in the Milk Can Game, the magical appearance of Miss Stampede, the lizard boy, and layers and layers underneath. It's like Dante's Hell (the title, huh?), but with prizes.

An extraordinary novel; not a whole lot happens, but it's all you can handle.

Quotable: A smart, funny, strange, and deeply literary near-memoir (with hallucination) that does a masterful job of portraying the (de)evolving group dynamics amongst deeply flawed characters, all too smart for their own good, and one sacrificial lamb. All bow down to the Clown.