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Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet
May 1904. Coney Island’s newest amusement park, Dreamland, has just opened. Its many spectacles are expected to attract crowds by the thousands, paying back investors many times over.
Kitty Hayward and her mother arrive by steamer from South Africa. When Kitty’s mother takes ill, the hotel doctor sends Kitty to Manhattan to fetch some special medicine. But when she returns, Kitty’s mother has vanished. The desk clerk tells Kitty she is at the wrong hotel. The doctor says he’s never seen her although, she notices, he is unable to look her in the eye.
Alone in a strange country, Kitty meets the denizens of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet. A relic of a darker, dirtier era, Magruder's is home to a forlorn flea circus, a handful of disgruntled Unusuals, and a mad Uzbek scientist. Magruder’s Unusuals take Kitty under their wing and resolve to find out what happened to her mother.
But as a plague spreads, Coney Island is placed under quarantine. The gang at Magruder’s finds that a missing mother is the least of their problems, as the once-glamorous resort town is abandoned to the freaks, anarchists, and madmen.
** Not a Children's or YA book **
Kitty Hayward and her mother arrive by steamer from South Africa. When Kitty’s mother takes ill, the hotel doctor sends Kitty to Manhattan to fetch some special medicine. But when she returns, Kitty’s mother has vanished. The desk clerk tells Kitty she is at the wrong hotel. The doctor says he’s never seen her although, she notices, he is unable to look her in the eye.
Alone in a strange country, Kitty meets the denizens of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet. A relic of a darker, dirtier era, Magruder's is home to a forlorn flea circus, a handful of disgruntled Unusuals, and a mad Uzbek scientist. Magruder’s Unusuals take Kitty under their wing and resolve to find out what happened to her mother.
But as a plague spreads, Coney Island is placed under quarantine. The gang at Magruder’s finds that a missing mother is the least of their problems, as the once-glamorous resort town is abandoned to the freaks, anarchists, and madmen.
** Not a Children's or YA book **
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2016
89 people are currently reading
3571 people want to read
About the author
H.P. Wood
2 books100 followersH. P. Wood is the granddaughter of a mad inventor and a sideshow magician. Instead of making things disappear, she makes books of all shapes and sizes. She has written or edited works on an array of topics, including the history of the Internet, the future of human rights, and the total awesomeness of playing with sticks. She lives in Connecticut with a charming and patient husband and a daughter from whom she steals all her best ideas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews
August 9, 2017
This is my book. I don't think I'm the one to review it. I can tell you it's not for everybody. But I do sincerely hope it's for you!
Editing this to add: My website has a few features that you might enjoy checking out if you liked the book. Magruder's Library lists books that informed my writing, Magruder's Scrapbook has photos, and Magruder's Victrola will introduce you to some of the music that either appears in the book or influenced it. It's all at hpwood.net. Cheers!)
June 8, 2016
This is a fantastical and magical story during the heyday of the freakshows and carnivals of 1904 Coney Island, in which we meet a large cast of odd characters. We have Zeph the legless dreadlocked black guy, Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet mad scientist and inventor Doc Timur, the Tibetan Priestess Yeshi Ripoche, P-Ray the mute Turkish boy, Miss Vivi Leveque the leopard lady, and so many more. These so called Unusuals come together when a plague is causing mysterious deaths and the island is put under quarantine. In the middle of this chaos, Kitty is frantically searching for her mother, one of those who have disappeared and receives the help of the Unusuals.
Themes as discrimination, gender roles, family and hope are tackled and the plot is well-driven through the portrayal of the strong characters. Rosalind, the half-and-half was my favorite and most interesting character showing each of her sides when needed. Coney Island is the perfect backdrop for this intriguing read and there is never a dull moment.
“Bride & Groom" by Zorita
Extra:
An inspirational background music list when the author was working on the book.
A scrapbook compiled by the author.
word gems
gewgaws: a showy thing, especially one that is useless or worthless.
hair of the dog: a colloquial expression used to refer to alcohol that is consumed with the aim of lessening the effects of a hangover.
Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.
Themes as discrimination, gender roles, family and hope are tackled and the plot is well-driven through the portrayal of the strong characters. Rosalind, the half-and-half was my favorite and most interesting character showing each of her sides when needed. Coney Island is the perfect backdrop for this intriguing read and there is never a dull moment.
“Bride & Groom" by Zorita
Extra:
An inspirational background music list when the author was working on the book.
A scrapbook compiled by the author.
word gems
gewgaws: a showy thing, especially one that is useless or worthless.
hair of the dog: a colloquial expression used to refer to alcohol that is consumed with the aim of lessening the effects of a hangover.
Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.
July 8, 2016
Oh god did I love this book. I had such a fun time reading it. And I actually think this may be my first carnival/freakshow/circus/magician type book so I haven't had time to get jaded yet, but this was just a load of fun despite a few flaws. It made me want to visit Coney Island and eat a hotdog and ride the Wonder Wheel.
Really the only thing that's made me even kind of familiar with this storyline and genre was this
This novel takes place in a time when real estate investors and businessmen are the law and order, when people are split into two different groups, "Normals" and "Unusuals" and the people who don't quite fit into either group are alienated and different. Even on Coney Island, birds of a feather flock together, and the magic in this book lies in embracing individuality and accepting people for being different and the same in one breath. This novel takes place in Coney Island in 1904, a time and a place where the privileged and "normal" looked down on anything that wasn't like them. Anything abnormal or different. People with different skin color, missing limbs, people who were too tall or too short, or too fat, or too skinny. Anybody who had a condition that wasn't understood, or who did not identify with one specific gender. And yes, all of these things are present in this novel, but what made this stand out was the opposite end of it all. The people who were different looked down on people who were born "normal" who had functioning limbs and the right color skin, who were born to privilege and obligation and rights that different people couldn't share in. There was prejudice and hatred on both sides, and the beauty of the novel was seeing both sides come together once circumstances forced it. An outbreak of the plague comes to Coney, and the thing about diseases is that they don't know skin color or financial status or gender or situation. Diseases don't care whether you are a "normal" or an "unusual." They will take out either one without mercy.
I loved the setting, the characters, the time period, the history. But I loved the subtle lines this novel crossed. Lines involving both science and magic. It reminded me of why I love magic so much. Not of the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones variety, but of the more sophisticated and old-fashioned art of illusion.
The characters in this were amazing. Deeply rendered, flawed, relatable, interesting, funny, charming, charismatic, you name it. And what was awesome was that nobody was perfect nor wholly bad. Each character was a very real blend of hero and antihero. I applaud this author for writing about racism at the turn of the twentieth century and creating a wonderful hero in Zeph, the man who runs the titular Curiosity Cabinet. Zeph lost both his legs in a tractor accident and knew he needed to find people who accepted him when even his family viewed him as a freak of lesser intelligence afterward. Once he finds Coney Island and Magruder's, Zeph fits in with the other freaks he meets, but is still ostracized for being a black man. Zeph takes it all in stride though, and has a courage and an inner strength that were both written beautifully.
Also on my list of favorites is Rosalind, "the half and half" as others call him. Rosalind was born a male, but loves to dress in women's clothing, and doesn't totally identify with either gender. It was an absolute delight reading about and rooting for an absolutely incredible genderfluid character that is neither cliche nor glossed over, especially in a time period before the words "transgender" or "pansexual" were even understood concepts, much less discussed or accepted in polite conversation. Ros is innvolved with a burly Italian man named Enzo who prefers that he be much more ladylike instead of who Ros actually is, and Ros absolutely refuses to be anybody else but who he is. And for that I applauded him the entire way through the book. He quickly became my favorite character in this novel, but also one of my favorites ever.
A far cry from the cliches and misconceptions that prevail in the area of gender identity today and back then, Rosalind is a total breath of fresh air. When I first became introduced to his character, I thought of Angela Basset's hermaphrodite character from AHS.
But as the story progressed, and Rosalind's character grew, I realized that Rosalind's "difference" had less to do with biology than it had to do with identity. Rosalind could have walked around Coney Island as a biological male, fully blending in with countless other "Normals" who spent their livelihood and summer afternoons gawking at those who were physically different. Rosalind fully embraced his difference and his identity, and never for a second let his fear of being isolated allow him to be anything less than himself. That shows a tremendous strength and power in and of itself.
A special mention also must be made to the character of Nazan Celik, a woman born in New York to Turkish immigrant parents who has dark skin and unruly curly hair and who prefers learning and reading to looking pretty and finding herself a husband. She captures the attention of Spencer Reynolds, the rich son of the owner of Dreamland, Coney Island's premiere amusement park also known as "The Prince of Coney Island." Both Nazan and Spencer are considered "Normals" however their mindsets do not always fit in perfectly with the rest of their cronies. They decide to visit Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet together one afternoon and both find themselves strangely attracted to the Unusuals who live there. Both Nazan and Spencer were fabulous and deeply flawed characters who didn't fit into either box of "Normal" or "Unusual" well, and the ambiguity of their characters were what made them so dynamic. Nazan especially became such a crucial part of this world, and I enjoyed reading about her every step of the way. Her intelligence and wit were inspiring, as was her strength to be a smart dark-skinned woman traversing a man's world.
I could go on and on about every single character in this thing because there was not a single one I would consider one-dimensional or flat. Every single one added something to the overall story and each one had their purpose in the book, and for that I am very grateful. From Whitey, the Lilliputian fire chief and head Casanova of Dreamland, to Archie, the conflicted and sometimes downright sleazy con artist, always looking for the next score, every character will stick with me for a long time.
And yes there is some history here that was fascinating, there was some science sprinkled with magic, a bit of fun, and also a fair amount of dark. If I had a criticism it was that the end was a bit too much. Too much Michael Bay-type action and not enough nuance. But honestly, by the time I got there I was on board so much that it really didn't matter anymore. This book is awesome guys, and I cannot recommend it more. It's been a long time since I've read a novel I enjoyed this much and I will definitely look forward to anything else this author puts out.
4.5 stars.
Thank you toe Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Really the only thing that's made me even kind of familiar with this storyline and genre was this
This novel takes place in a time when real estate investors and businessmen are the law and order, when people are split into two different groups, "Normals" and "Unusuals" and the people who don't quite fit into either group are alienated and different. Even on Coney Island, birds of a feather flock together, and the magic in this book lies in embracing individuality and accepting people for being different and the same in one breath. This novel takes place in Coney Island in 1904, a time and a place where the privileged and "normal" looked down on anything that wasn't like them. Anything abnormal or different. People with different skin color, missing limbs, people who were too tall or too short, or too fat, or too skinny. Anybody who had a condition that wasn't understood, or who did not identify with one specific gender. And yes, all of these things are present in this novel, but what made this stand out was the opposite end of it all. The people who were different looked down on people who were born "normal" who had functioning limbs and the right color skin, who were born to privilege and obligation and rights that different people couldn't share in. There was prejudice and hatred on both sides, and the beauty of the novel was seeing both sides come together once circumstances forced it. An outbreak of the plague comes to Coney, and the thing about diseases is that they don't know skin color or financial status or gender or situation. Diseases don't care whether you are a "normal" or an "unusual." They will take out either one without mercy.
I loved the setting, the characters, the time period, the history. But I loved the subtle lines this novel crossed. Lines involving both science and magic. It reminded me of why I love magic so much. Not of the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones variety, but of the more sophisticated and old-fashioned art of illusion.
The characters in this were amazing. Deeply rendered, flawed, relatable, interesting, funny, charming, charismatic, you name it. And what was awesome was that nobody was perfect nor wholly bad. Each character was a very real blend of hero and antihero. I applaud this author for writing about racism at the turn of the twentieth century and creating a wonderful hero in Zeph, the man who runs the titular Curiosity Cabinet. Zeph lost both his legs in a tractor accident and knew he needed to find people who accepted him when even his family viewed him as a freak of lesser intelligence afterward. Once he finds Coney Island and Magruder's, Zeph fits in with the other freaks he meets, but is still ostracized for being a black man. Zeph takes it all in stride though, and has a courage and an inner strength that were both written beautifully.
It's been Zeph's experience that Normals have no idea how much most Unusuals like him enjoy the discomfort of spectators. Normals, even the well-meaning ones, think things like: How sad to be so strange, it must be terrible. How tragic they are, who can never be like us. Not necessarily. Unease, disquiet, fear? Heebie-jeebies? This is the daily bread of the Unusual. This, Unusuals understand, is power. However fleeting, however meaningless, this is the only power Unusuals will ever know, and most of them drink it down in big thirsty gulps.
Also on my list of favorites is Rosalind, "the half and half" as others call him. Rosalind was born a male, but loves to dress in women's clothing, and doesn't totally identify with either gender. It was an absolute delight reading about and rooting for an absolutely incredible genderfluid character that is neither cliche nor glossed over, especially in a time period before the words "transgender" or "pansexual" were even understood concepts, much less discussed or accepted in polite conversation. Ros is innvolved with a burly Italian man named Enzo who prefers that he be much more ladylike instead of who Ros actually is, and Ros absolutely refuses to be anybody else but who he is. And for that I applauded him the entire way through the book. He quickly became my favorite character in this novel, but also one of my favorites ever.
Rosalind grins. 'As a matter of biology, I am most tediously male. Lots of people assume my male half is the act--that I'm a woman dressing as a man. I suppose it obliterates their peace of mind to contemplate the alternative. But there's no denying.'
'Do you wish you were female?'
He considers the question. 'You know, I don't think anyone ever asked me what I want before. And the answer....is no. No, I don't. Which is not to say I'm particularly attached to being male. My parents named me Edward Butler.' He pronounces the name like its a synonym for vomit. 'I took the name Rosalind because I like it better. Some days, I wear dresses because I like them; sometimes I wear trousers because I like those too. Frankly, I don't know why it all has to be so complicated. Actually, that's not true. Of course I know why; I've just chosen not to care very much. Isn't our little earth grim enough without denying ourselves the perfect lipstick? It's not so much that I wish to be female--what I wish is that they'd stop insisting I choose.'
A far cry from the cliches and misconceptions that prevail in the area of gender identity today and back then, Rosalind is a total breath of fresh air. When I first became introduced to his character, I thought of Angela Basset's hermaphrodite character from AHS.
But as the story progressed, and Rosalind's character grew, I realized that Rosalind's "difference" had less to do with biology than it had to do with identity. Rosalind could have walked around Coney Island as a biological male, fully blending in with countless other "Normals" who spent their livelihood and summer afternoons gawking at those who were physically different. Rosalind fully embraced his difference and his identity, and never for a second let his fear of being isolated allow him to be anything less than himself. That shows a tremendous strength and power in and of itself.
'Look at me." Rosalind speaks very quietly. 'Look at the way I choose to live. Ask yourself just how tough a person has to be to live like this.'
A special mention also must be made to the character of Nazan Celik, a woman born in New York to Turkish immigrant parents who has dark skin and unruly curly hair and who prefers learning and reading to looking pretty and finding herself a husband. She captures the attention of Spencer Reynolds, the rich son of the owner of Dreamland, Coney Island's premiere amusement park also known as "The Prince of Coney Island." Both Nazan and Spencer are considered "Normals" however their mindsets do not always fit in perfectly with the rest of their cronies. They decide to visit Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet together one afternoon and both find themselves strangely attracted to the Unusuals who live there. Both Nazan and Spencer were fabulous and deeply flawed characters who didn't fit into either box of "Normal" or "Unusual" well, and the ambiguity of their characters were what made them so dynamic. Nazan especially became such a crucial part of this world, and I enjoyed reading about her every step of the way. Her intelligence and wit were inspiring, as was her strength to be a smart dark-skinned woman traversing a man's world.
I could go on and on about every single character in this thing because there was not a single one I would consider one-dimensional or flat. Every single one added something to the overall story and each one had their purpose in the book, and for that I am very grateful. From Whitey, the Lilliputian fire chief and head Casanova of Dreamland, to Archie, the conflicted and sometimes downright sleazy con artist, always looking for the next score, every character will stick with me for a long time.
And yes there is some history here that was fascinating, there was some science sprinkled with magic, a bit of fun, and also a fair amount of dark. If I had a criticism it was that the end was a bit too much. Too much Michael Bay-type action and not enough nuance. But honestly, by the time I got there I was on board so much that it really didn't matter anymore. This book is awesome guys, and I cannot recommend it more. It's been a long time since I've read a novel I enjoyed this much and I will definitely look forward to anything else this author puts out.
4.5 stars.
Thank you toe Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2019
MAGRUDER'S CURIOSITY CABINET is a peculiar book with a large cast of odd and colorful characters.
In 1904, Coney Island draws thousands of visitors to its spectacular new amusement park called Dreamland. Seventeen-year old Kitty arrives there with her mother from South Africa, only to end up alone and homeless when her mother falls ill, then mysteriously disappears. Kitty befriends the "Unusuals" working at Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet, a museum of the strange and unusual, and they agree to help her find her mother.
This book was quirky, but also rather dark and sad. My favorite parts were meeting the "Unusuals," who at the time were society's outcasts. They got by the best they could. Though I enjoyed the characters, there were too many, and at times they were hard to keep track of. Magruder's museum sounds like a place I'd love to explore. So many exhibits - from fascinating and creepy to gross!
MAGRUDER'S was an ok read for me. I never felt fully invested in the story, but I thought the author did a wonderful job bringing Coney Island at the turn of the last century to life.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher thorough NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓪 | Instagram | Pinterest | ✿
In 1904, Coney Island draws thousands of visitors to its spectacular new amusement park called Dreamland. Seventeen-year old Kitty arrives there with her mother from South Africa, only to end up alone and homeless when her mother falls ill, then mysteriously disappears. Kitty befriends the "Unusuals" working at Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet, a museum of the strange and unusual, and they agree to help her find her mother.
This book was quirky, but also rather dark and sad. My favorite parts were meeting the "Unusuals," who at the time were society's outcasts. They got by the best they could. Though I enjoyed the characters, there were too many, and at times they were hard to keep track of. Magruder's museum sounds like a place I'd love to explore. So many exhibits - from fascinating and creepy to gross!
MAGRUDER'S was an ok read for me. I never felt fully invested in the story, but I thought the author did a wonderful job bringing Coney Island at the turn of the last century to life.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher thorough NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓪 | Instagram | Pinterest | ✿
December 13, 2015
Wow. What an incredible read. The cast of characters is very well developed and the writing pulls you into this dark, somewhat dreary, world. Everything about this book is addictive and entertaining, it was one of those books I would classify as “unputdownable!”.
May 3, 2016
Okay, first: I usually try to give out stars based on how much I enjoyed a book, not whether it's well-written or if I think other people might enjoy it.
Granted, usually I will enjoy books more that are well-written, with nice prose, good characterization, beautiful settings, and tightly-woven plots, but that doesn't mean that simply because I don't enjoy a book, and give it a low rating, that it lacks any or all of those criteria.
This book is set in New York of ago, and I thought (based on the blurb) that it would be about a lost girl who is rescued by the freaks and oddities who make their living by performing at Coney Island. I thought that sounded fun and interesting and I was so excited to get into it.
That is not what this book is about. This book is about a pandemic of influenza that decimates the population of New York and Coney Island. This book is about disease and death and desperation and the inhumanity of the upper classes to the poor souls who reside at Coney.
In short, this book is depressing. Very, very depressing.
But I gave you the caveat at the beginning so you'd know that just because I didn't enjoy this book, and rated it so low, doesn't mean you won't. It's not badly written. It's even compelling. This may be one of those times where I'd say to this book: it's me, not you.
Many people will probably enjoy this book. Give it a try - just don't expect sideshows or circuses or romance or a high survival rate.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
TL;DR: Definitely not for me. Doesn't mean this is a bad book, it's just not for me.
************************************
Thank goodness THAT'S over. My God.
I never drink. I'm practically a teetotaller. But I tell you what, I could use a double after that.
Review to come.
Granted, usually I will enjoy books more that are well-written, with nice prose, good characterization, beautiful settings, and tightly-woven plots, but that doesn't mean that simply because I don't enjoy a book, and give it a low rating, that it lacks any or all of those criteria.
This book is set in New York of ago, and I thought (based on the blurb) that it would be about a lost girl who is rescued by the freaks and oddities who make their living by performing at Coney Island. I thought that sounded fun and interesting and I was so excited to get into it.
That is not what this book is about. This book is about a pandemic of influenza that decimates the population of New York and Coney Island. This book is about disease and death and desperation and the inhumanity of the upper classes to the poor souls who reside at Coney.
In short, this book is depressing. Very, very depressing.
But I gave you the caveat at the beginning so you'd know that just because I didn't enjoy this book, and rated it so low, doesn't mean you won't. It's not badly written. It's even compelling. This may be one of those times where I'd say to this book: it's me, not you.
Many people will probably enjoy this book. Give it a try - just don't expect sideshows or circuses or romance or a high survival rate.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
TL;DR: Definitely not for me. Doesn't mean this is a bad book, it's just not for me.
************************************
Thank goodness THAT'S over. My God.
I never drink. I'm practically a teetotaller. But I tell you what, I could use a double after that.
Review to come.
January 19, 2016
Love, love, love love love this. It has a classic freakshow/carnie setting, characters who break through traditional stereotypes, and it is historically (somewhat) accurate.
Our characters here are by far the strongest part of the book. We have Kitty the classically pretty British girl, Zeph the black man with dreadlocks but no legs, P-Ray the mute Turkish boy, Nazan the "exotic" (Turkish) high society girl, Enzo the half-burned man, Rosalind who is gender-fluid, Spencer the seemingly uptight traditional rich boy, Whitey the Jewish little person, Archie the ultimate con-man, and finally Timur the eccentric inventor whose building keeps them all together.
They were all incredibly strong and surprisingly well fleshed out. With so many characters to throw in, I expected them all to be pretty one-dimensional. And while they probably aren't as three-dimensional as they would be if the story had been longer, there's still a good amount of depth to them. Really, it's a story about unconventional families and how they can work together to boost each other up.
Coney Island provides a perfect backdrop for this band of oddballs. It's the early 1900s, and I adored the historical elements that were thrown in. Kitty scoffing at the idea of a flying machine, not just a glider. The way poor P-Ray is treated for not being white, and how Rosalind is treated for choosing to defy traditional gender roles. I loved how the author included all these people and yet made them feel real instead of as just fake kids on a college brochure.
The plot itself is well done, too. There's a rapid-moving disease running rampant through Coney Island, infecting everyone in grotesque ways. People get giant bulbous growths that pop and squirt everywhere and their veins turn black like spider legs. The entire thing is the family trying to save all the ones they care about through all the myriad issues that crop up. There's a good amount of action, enough to never let things get dull. There's variety, there's constant movement, there's offbeat love stories. And I loved every bit of it.
Our characters here are by far the strongest part of the book. We have Kitty the classically pretty British girl, Zeph the black man with dreadlocks but no legs, P-Ray the mute Turkish boy, Nazan the "exotic" (Turkish) high society girl, Enzo the half-burned man, Rosalind who is gender-fluid, Spencer the seemingly uptight traditional rich boy, Whitey the Jewish little person, Archie the ultimate con-man, and finally Timur the eccentric inventor whose building keeps them all together.
They were all incredibly strong and surprisingly well fleshed out. With so many characters to throw in, I expected them all to be pretty one-dimensional. And while they probably aren't as three-dimensional as they would be if the story had been longer, there's still a good amount of depth to them. Really, it's a story about unconventional families and how they can work together to boost each other up.
Coney Island provides a perfect backdrop for this band of oddballs. It's the early 1900s, and I adored the historical elements that were thrown in. Kitty scoffing at the idea of a flying machine, not just a glider. The way poor P-Ray is treated for not being white, and how Rosalind is treated for choosing to defy traditional gender roles. I loved how the author included all these people and yet made them feel real instead of as just fake kids on a college brochure.
The plot itself is well done, too. There's a rapid-moving disease running rampant through Coney Island, infecting everyone in grotesque ways. People get giant bulbous growths that pop and squirt everywhere and their veins turn black like spider legs. The entire thing is the family trying to save all the ones they care about through all the myriad issues that crop up. There's a good amount of action, enough to never let things get dull. There's variety, there's constant movement, there's offbeat love stories. And I loved every bit of it.
June 4, 2016
I should have liked this book more, it is definitely my kind if book, historical fiction with colorful characters set in New York. However I kept putting it down and wasn't really interested in picking it up again. Probably just me, but I was not enchanted.
Kitty, an English teenager has come to New York with her mother and her brother's dead body. That may sound interesting, but the brother is really only an irrelevant detail. The mother goes missing during a plague epidemic that is spreading across New York, but seems localized in Coney Island. On Coney Island, Kitty is taken in by a collection of Unusuals who work at the various Coney Island attractions. By birth or accident each of them has some characteristic that sets them apart from the Dozens (the normal people who are a dime a dozen). I never had any doubt that the plucky group of Unusuals would prevail. This book was just ok for me.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Kitty, an English teenager has come to New York with her mother and her brother's dead body. That may sound interesting, but the brother is really only an irrelevant detail. The mother goes missing during a plague epidemic that is spreading across New York, but seems localized in Coney Island. On Coney Island, Kitty is taken in by a collection of Unusuals who work at the various Coney Island attractions. By birth or accident each of them has some characteristic that sets them apart from the Dozens (the normal people who are a dime a dozen). I never had any doubt that the plucky group of Unusuals would prevail. This book was just ok for me.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 19, 2016
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
I had a rather pessimistic approach to this book, because I believed, and still do, that the world has had just about enough carnival books, movies and shows. I, personally, have read and watched too many to count, some of which so bad and boring that I don't even want to remember them.
Luckily, even though they sell it as such, Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet is not a carnival book. There are a number of strange people, who consider themselves separate from the normal ones, in this book, but they are not the typical cliches: bearded lady, strongman, giant, dwarf and a pretty main heroine who feeds the animals a.k.a. the usual cliche.
This was the first thing I liked about Magruder's. They break stereotypes in the genre and have a balanced mix of Unusuals and Dozens(the book slang for the weirdos and the mundanes). I liked following the cooperation between the different people, instead of the black and white heroes vs villains routine that usually happens. Having an Uzbek leader of sorts was also fun. And, as my fate is, there were also Turkish characters, so... ha-ha. This was one of those times when the author likes to mix foreign languages, a thing I usually criticize, but this time they were actual foreigners mixing the English they more or less knew with their native tongues, so I am willing to take it easy on the book.
My favourite aspect of Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet, however, was the fact that it was not a struggle for a great love or "who will rule the circus" or whatever, but a story about the yellow fever. That was actually the first book that I read on this topic and it was both interesting and informative, even though it is fiction. I was curious to see how they quarantined everything off, how they reacted - a situation much closer to the present and therefore easier to analyze than, say, the Black death.
What I did not like was the fact that there were too many main characters so even though we were provided sufficient information about their personalities, we could not spend enough time in their private space to connect to them and care about them. I did not feel specific affection to anyone, including the child, which was obviously meant to play with reader's feelings and make things more personal. I read the book with a detached interest but the good or the bad moments of the characters were just that, the moments of some random character that I will forget. It did not go beyond that and that really affected my attitude toward the book in general.
I had a rather pessimistic approach to this book, because I believed, and still do, that the world has had just about enough carnival books, movies and shows. I, personally, have read and watched too many to count, some of which so bad and boring that I don't even want to remember them.
Luckily, even though they sell it as such, Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet is not a carnival book. There are a number of strange people, who consider themselves separate from the normal ones, in this book, but they are not the typical cliches: bearded lady, strongman, giant, dwarf and a pretty main heroine who feeds the animals a.k.a. the usual cliche.
This was the first thing I liked about Magruder's. They break stereotypes in the genre and have a balanced mix of Unusuals and Dozens(the book slang for the weirdos and the mundanes). I liked following the cooperation between the different people, instead of the black and white heroes vs villains routine that usually happens. Having an Uzbek leader of sorts was also fun. And, as my fate is, there were also Turkish characters, so... ha-ha. This was one of those times when the author likes to mix foreign languages, a thing I usually criticize, but this time they were actual foreigners mixing the English they more or less knew with their native tongues, so I am willing to take it easy on the book.
My favourite aspect of Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet, however, was the fact that it was not a struggle for a great love or "who will rule the circus" or whatever, but a story about the yellow fever. That was actually the first book that I read on this topic and it was both interesting and informative, even though it is fiction. I was curious to see how they quarantined everything off, how they reacted - a situation much closer to the present and therefore easier to analyze than, say, the Black death.
What I did not like was the fact that there were too many main characters so even though we were provided sufficient information about their personalities, we could not spend enough time in their private space to connect to them and care about them. I did not feel specific affection to anyone, including the child, which was obviously meant to play with reader's feelings and make things more personal. I read the book with a detached interest but the good or the bad moments of the characters were just that, the moments of some random character that I will forget. It did not go beyond that and that really affected my attitude toward the book in general.
September 27, 2017
3 and half, rounded down because I won't be re-reading it.
I almost feel guilty for not liking this book more than I did. I think I got really excited because it had so many elements I love and can’t get enough of and got my hopes too high. I enjoyed it and I really recommend it to those who, like me, love a circus freak story, but it wasn’t as satisfying as I expected.
The story centers around Kitty, a young British girl who is, for lack of a better word, lost on Coney Island. Her mother and her are staying at a hotel, and when Kitty comes back to the hotel after running an errand for her mother, the management claims to have never seen her before and that no one by her mother’s name is staying there… A con-man named Archie finds Kitty on a bench by the beach and takes her under his wing. This means helping him weasel a few bucks out of people, but it also means being introduced to the world of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet, a mostly ignored museum filled to brim with strange and beautiful artefacts which also serves at home and meeting place for many of the island’s freaks. The regulars of Magruder’s decide to help Kitty figure out what happened to her mother, but a sudden and virulent epidemic turns their world upside down.
The premise of this book hooked me instantly. I loves me circus stories!! I’ve had a very successful reading streak with books about carnies in the last year, so I immediately got myself a copy of “Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet”, expecting to be as thrilled with it as I had been with “The Church of Marvels” and the “Night Circus”. The idea of a world where “Unusuals” stick together and where the “Normals” are the strange ones is something that attracts me almost irresistibly, and I am always very excited to dive into a book set in precisely that sort of place.
Alas. While “Magruder’s” brought me to an amazing place (turn of the century Coney Island), introduced me to a broad cast of lovable and unique characters (Rosalind, Zeph and the doc were my favorites) and kept me on the edge of my seat with its fast-paced and often surprising narrative, it fell a little bit flat. If I had to sum up what bothered me about this book in one word, it would be “superficial”. You see, while everything in it was great, it was all so under-developed. I felt like we were barely grazing the surface of a fascinating place and time, and just getting acquainted with the Magruder’s regulars when I wanted to become their best friend. The book could have used about 100 more pages, room enough to flesh out the characters, solidify the world-building and atmosphere.
I must add that as mentioned above, I am crazy about some of the characters H.P. Wood created, but a special mention must to go Rosalind. This character defies clichés, has the biggest, kindest heart I have seen in fiction in a long time and is unabashedly themselves. Rosalind embraces difference and sees a beauty in it that Normals would never understand. I want a whole book just about Rosalind please!
To sum it up, I enjoyed the book, but it left me hungry for more. I recommend it for people who also like stories about carnies, but be prepared: this one I a bit on the “diet” side…
I almost feel guilty for not liking this book more than I did. I think I got really excited because it had so many elements I love and can’t get enough of and got my hopes too high. I enjoyed it and I really recommend it to those who, like me, love a circus freak story, but it wasn’t as satisfying as I expected.
The story centers around Kitty, a young British girl who is, for lack of a better word, lost on Coney Island. Her mother and her are staying at a hotel, and when Kitty comes back to the hotel after running an errand for her mother, the management claims to have never seen her before and that no one by her mother’s name is staying there… A con-man named Archie finds Kitty on a bench by the beach and takes her under his wing. This means helping him weasel a few bucks out of people, but it also means being introduced to the world of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet, a mostly ignored museum filled to brim with strange and beautiful artefacts which also serves at home and meeting place for many of the island’s freaks. The regulars of Magruder’s decide to help Kitty figure out what happened to her mother, but a sudden and virulent epidemic turns their world upside down.
The premise of this book hooked me instantly. I loves me circus stories!! I’ve had a very successful reading streak with books about carnies in the last year, so I immediately got myself a copy of “Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet”, expecting to be as thrilled with it as I had been with “The Church of Marvels” and the “Night Circus”. The idea of a world where “Unusuals” stick together and where the “Normals” are the strange ones is something that attracts me almost irresistibly, and I am always very excited to dive into a book set in precisely that sort of place.
Alas. While “Magruder’s” brought me to an amazing place (turn of the century Coney Island), introduced me to a broad cast of lovable and unique characters (Rosalind, Zeph and the doc were my favorites) and kept me on the edge of my seat with its fast-paced and often surprising narrative, it fell a little bit flat. If I had to sum up what bothered me about this book in one word, it would be “superficial”. You see, while everything in it was great, it was all so under-developed. I felt like we were barely grazing the surface of a fascinating place and time, and just getting acquainted with the Magruder’s regulars when I wanted to become their best friend. The book could have used about 100 more pages, room enough to flesh out the characters, solidify the world-building and atmosphere.
I must add that as mentioned above, I am crazy about some of the characters H.P. Wood created, but a special mention must to go Rosalind. This character defies clichés, has the biggest, kindest heart I have seen in fiction in a long time and is unabashedly themselves. Rosalind embraces difference and sees a beauty in it that Normals would never understand. I want a whole book just about Rosalind please!
To sum it up, I enjoyed the book, but it left me hungry for more. I recommend it for people who also like stories about carnies, but be prepared: this one I a bit on the “diet” side…
December 12, 2015
It is 1904, Coney Island, and a terrible illness is spreading. Called at first the Cough, the Plague is fast moving. Coney is under quarantine and those affected are moved out to an isolated pair of islands to be disposed of.
It is in this place and time that a group of people become a family and Magruder's is part home, part clubhouse and part sanctuary. We meet "normal" folks, referred to as Dozens (as in a dime a dozen) and Unusuals from Coney Island. Together the unlikely friends and allies fight to save Magruders and themselves.
This is a fabulous book. One of the best I've read. The ensemble of characters and the full development of each is stunning. I felt deeply for poor Rosalind who knows who he is and his love Enzo who struggles to be okay with himself, for Kitty and her loss, for Zeph the center of the group, for Spencer as he learns what is important, for conman Archie who is plagued by one decision, for Nazan thrown from her dreary existence into what she could become and many more. The author doesn't shy from big themes but nothing felt contrived or like I was being lectured to. The characters feel true and, by the end, like family.
Full disclosure - I was so lucky to receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
It is in this place and time that a group of people become a family and Magruder's is part home, part clubhouse and part sanctuary. We meet "normal" folks, referred to as Dozens (as in a dime a dozen) and Unusuals from Coney Island. Together the unlikely friends and allies fight to save Magruders and themselves.
This is a fabulous book. One of the best I've read. The ensemble of characters and the full development of each is stunning. I felt deeply for poor Rosalind who knows who he is and his love Enzo who struggles to be okay with himself, for Kitty and her loss, for Zeph the center of the group, for Spencer as he learns what is important, for conman Archie who is plagued by one decision, for Nazan thrown from her dreary existence into what she could become and many more. The author doesn't shy from big themes but nothing felt contrived or like I was being lectured to. The characters feel true and, by the end, like family.
Full disclosure - I was so lucky to receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
August 1, 2016
I really didn’t know what to expect when I requested and received this book from Netgally. I knew from the blurb that it would most likely have to do with the black plague (which it did), and “carnies” (which is also did), but I wasn’t sure what the overall feel would be.
We start the story with a Miss Kitty Hayward sitting alone on a bench in front of the sea, just outside of Coney Island. Her and her mother checked into a hotel, and because her mother was ill, the staff suggested some medicine Kitty could obtain to help. When Kitty returns to the hotel, they all claim to have never seen her or her mother before. Kitty is stranded with no money, no food, and no home. Her and her mother had just barely arrived via steamer from South Africa, where they went to pick up the body of her brother who died in war.
What follows is Kitty’s introduction to Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet. A “little shop of horrors” of a kind. We’re talking the old school carnival productions of fake half human/half fish skeletons, shrunken heads, flea circuses, and all sorts of curiosities floating in petrified yellow liquid. For only a few cents you can wonder the cabinet and marvel at the curiosities.
Magruder’s is also the safe haven to the “Unusuals”. The freaks and carnies of Coney Island. Kitty gradually becomes ingratiated into this crazy world and finds friends and a new home. All while looking for her mother and trying to figure out what is happening to the people on Coney Island. Everyone is getting sick, mad with fever, and dying. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only “sickness” going on, as all the well to doers blame and attack the Unusuals insisting that they are dirty and disgusting and the reason the plague has been brought down. Discrimination, ignorance, and judgement abound in this book as we have cross-dressers, a legless black man who rides around in a motorized wheel chair, invented by the curious and oft thought crazy Doc Timur, the owner of Magruder’s. (I only mention his race as this book takes place in 1904, so the racial discrimination was a heck of a big deal at that time so it gives some more background on why someone would be judged so harshly just for not having any legs). There are good guys and bad guys and all matter of the in between.
I don’t feel like I can really say more on this except to insist that you read it. It is beautiful, magical, surreal, and heart-breaking. A must read, in my own opinion.
I received a copy of this story for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
We start the story with a Miss Kitty Hayward sitting alone on a bench in front of the sea, just outside of Coney Island. Her and her mother checked into a hotel, and because her mother was ill, the staff suggested some medicine Kitty could obtain to help. When Kitty returns to the hotel, they all claim to have never seen her or her mother before. Kitty is stranded with no money, no food, and no home. Her and her mother had just barely arrived via steamer from South Africa, where they went to pick up the body of her brother who died in war.
What follows is Kitty’s introduction to Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet. A “little shop of horrors” of a kind. We’re talking the old school carnival productions of fake half human/half fish skeletons, shrunken heads, flea circuses, and all sorts of curiosities floating in petrified yellow liquid. For only a few cents you can wonder the cabinet and marvel at the curiosities.
Magruder’s is also the safe haven to the “Unusuals”. The freaks and carnies of Coney Island. Kitty gradually becomes ingratiated into this crazy world and finds friends and a new home. All while looking for her mother and trying to figure out what is happening to the people on Coney Island. Everyone is getting sick, mad with fever, and dying. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only “sickness” going on, as all the well to doers blame and attack the Unusuals insisting that they are dirty and disgusting and the reason the plague has been brought down. Discrimination, ignorance, and judgement abound in this book as we have cross-dressers, a legless black man who rides around in a motorized wheel chair, invented by the curious and oft thought crazy Doc Timur, the owner of Magruder’s. (I only mention his race as this book takes place in 1904, so the racial discrimination was a heck of a big deal at that time so it gives some more background on why someone would be judged so harshly just for not having any legs). There are good guys and bad guys and all matter of the in between.
I don’t feel like I can really say more on this except to insist that you read it. It is beautiful, magical, surreal, and heart-breaking. A must read, in my own opinion.
I received a copy of this story for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2016
Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet!!! First things first: I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
The book is already out and I really recommend it.
Book summary:
After Kitty Hayward’s mother vanishes from their Coney Island hotel in 1904, Kitty finds herself alone, hungry, penniless, and far away from her native England. The last people she’d expect to help her are the cast of characters at Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet, a museum of oddities that is home to a handful of freaks. But even the unusual inhabitants of Magruder’s may not be a match for the insidious sickness that is plaguing Coney Island...
I just finished this and AAAAH!!!! Easily one of my favorite books this year.
Right from the fIrst page I was sucked into the story and the scenery. The author's writing was just so amazing and described everything so beautifully. I'm just In awe. I hope to read many more books by her.
The characters. I loved them all (except maybe three or four people. But oh well.). I loved all the different stories and backgrounds that these characters had. Especially the main group, Zeph, Timur, Kitty, Nazan, Enzo, little P-Ray. They are all so close to my heart now. I'm a sucker for people getting together and just form this kind of family bond and find a home with people that were complete strangers once.
The story itself was tragic but also very beautiful. I don't exactly know why I thought that would be a fun read. Cause it's not. It's super sad. But it has so many great moments. It's not what I excepted but somehow that made it so much greater. I'm absolutely in love with it.
The book is already out and I really recommend it.
Book summary:
After Kitty Hayward’s mother vanishes from their Coney Island hotel in 1904, Kitty finds herself alone, hungry, penniless, and far away from her native England. The last people she’d expect to help her are the cast of characters at Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet, a museum of oddities that is home to a handful of freaks. But even the unusual inhabitants of Magruder’s may not be a match for the insidious sickness that is plaguing Coney Island...
I just finished this and AAAAH!!!! Easily one of my favorite books this year.
Right from the fIrst page I was sucked into the story and the scenery. The author's writing was just so amazing and described everything so beautifully. I'm just In awe. I hope to read many more books by her.
The characters. I loved them all (except maybe three or four people. But oh well.). I loved all the different stories and backgrounds that these characters had. Especially the main group, Zeph, Timur, Kitty, Nazan, Enzo, little P-Ray. They are all so close to my heart now. I'm a sucker for people getting together and just form this kind of family bond and find a home with people that were complete strangers once.
The story itself was tragic but also very beautiful. I don't exactly know why I thought that would be a fun read. Cause it's not. It's super sad. But it has so many great moments. It's not what I excepted but somehow that made it so much greater. I'm absolutely in love with it.
May 24, 2016
This just wasn't for me, I couldn't get into the story and all the characters were a bit to much.
January 15, 2016
Margruder's Curiosity Cabinet is full of characters I loved, characters I hated, and characters I just can't get out of my head. The entire plot is so well described and thought out. Full scene and character development really makes this book phenomenal.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read and review.
Read this full review along with other book reviews at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read and review.
Read this full review along with other book reviews at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
December 14, 2015
Thanks SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and netgalley for this ARC.
Truly remarkable how into this quirky and lovable book I became. Worth the short time it takes to read because there is so much packed into it. Classic
Truly remarkable how into this quirky and lovable book I became. Worth the short time it takes to read because there is so much packed into it. Classic
February 6, 2016
I got this book for an honest review on Netgalley. So when I saw this book the cover caught my attention,so I then read the overview and became interested. I didn't expect to love this book as much as I do now.
Mrs. Kitty Hayward thrown out of her hotel room with no reason as to why. Her mother still at the hotel. Kitty finds herself sitting on a bench on Coney Island far from her home with no money and no family. When an old thief approaches her and changes her life forever.
I loved every single thing about this story. I l loved every character,well actually there were just a couple I found revolting. Because well let's face it with names like Crumbly Pete and Goo-Goo Knox how can you like them?lol I will tell you this I've never thought some deserved to die in a story than Goo-Goo. I really loved Rosalind! He was probably my favorite only second to Zeph. I pretty much loved all of the Unusuals. They are the kind of people you want to be friends with.
I wasn't expecting all the craziness at the end! Took me completely off guard! I was crying then exhaling in relief as I found out more and more. I really can't explain how much I loved this book! I've never read anything like it. And the people in it were fantastic! All of their personalities bouncing off one another worked so well.
Mrs. Kitty Hayward thrown out of her hotel room with no reason as to why. Her mother still at the hotel. Kitty finds herself sitting on a bench on Coney Island far from her home with no money and no family. When an old thief approaches her and changes her life forever.
I loved every single thing about this story. I l loved every character,well actually there were just a couple I found revolting. Because well let's face it with names like Crumbly Pete and Goo-Goo Knox how can you like them?lol I will tell you this I've never thought some deserved to die in a story than Goo-Goo. I really loved Rosalind! He was probably my favorite only second to Zeph. I pretty much loved all of the Unusuals. They are the kind of people you want to be friends with.
I wasn't expecting all the craziness at the end! Took me completely off guard! I was crying then exhaling in relief as I found out more and more. I really can't explain how much I loved this book! I've never read anything like it. And the people in it were fantastic! All of their personalities bouncing off one another worked so well.
January 15, 2016
Coney Island, 1904 - a place spilling over with manufactured delights, amusements, and oddities. Strangest among these is Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet, a magnet for sideshow performers and confidence tricksters who make their living on a boardwalk. When a lost British heiress stumbles into their circle, the denizens of Magruder's find themselves caught up in a mystery that threatens to destroy Coney Island, and the lives of those who live there.
H.P. Wood offers a convincing and detailed depiction of turn-of-the 2oth Coney Island, populated with a large cast of engaging characters. The story is unique and compelling, full of humor, mystery, and horror. Beautifully written and utterly engrossing.
H.P. Wood offers a convincing and detailed depiction of turn-of-the 2oth Coney Island, populated with a large cast of engaging characters. The story is unique and compelling, full of humor, mystery, and horror. Beautifully written and utterly engrossing.
January 18, 2016
What a marvelous adventure into history. I had read a book several years ago that had a cabinet of curiosity in it. So I already knew something about the history of these places. That part drew my attention to this book initially. I want to say that I truly enjoyed the well drawn characters, the trip into history including not only the cabinet of curiosity but the circus too! And all on Coney Island! Young Kitty is the main character who finds herself alone in New York without any friends. She goes to Coney Island to sit and think and there she meet the people who will change her world through the course of this novel as the learns and grows as a person. This is a must read!
February 12, 2016
I really enjoyed this story! Thank you NetGalley!
The characters are absolutely loveable, strange, but so loveable. I laughed, cried and was horrified at times.
The characters are absolutely loveable, strange, but so loveable. I laughed, cried and was horrified at times.
November 11, 2016
There are a few fictional settings I just never get sick of, no matter how many stories I’ve read about them: boardings schools, especially if they’re of the mysterious or magical kind (*coughs* Hogwarts *coughs*), desert islands with wicked secrets or the dark and dangerous streets of the Victorian London. Another setting that’s on this „never gets boring“ list are amusement parks and carnivals and that’s what instantly attracted me to H.P. Wood’s novel „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“. The story is set in the early 20th century and mostly takes place on Coney Island, the famous peninsula in New York that has always been well known for its amusement parks and beach resorts and in 1904 it’s the home of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet, a strange and a bit shabby tourist attraction that combines an old museum full of odd things and a bar in the basement. While this place rarely belongs to the most popular points of interest on Coney Island, it’s also the gathering place for the workers and residents of the newly opened „Dreamland“ amusement park.
You want diverse characters? Come to early 20th century’s Coney Island!
And those people are not only what makes Magruder’s such a special place, but also one of the outstanding points of this novel. If you have ever complained about not diverse enough characters and feel that they’re underrepresented in fiction, then „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ will have you scream with joy because it gives you diversity galore. For example there’s Zeph Andrews, a black man in his early twenties who lost his legs in a terrible tractor accident and now runs the business for his employer Doc Timur, an eccentric scientist who spends his days up on his attic obsessively working on his inventions that often can later be visited in the old museum. Zeph is the heart and soul of Magruder’s but only a small part of the great cast in this book. Another amazing character is Rosalind, a „doublesexed“ (that’s the expression she prefers for herself) character that performs as half man, half woman and has to face a lot of revulsion and hate for her otherness – always struggling for being accepted and being able to live the life she wants. Then there’s Enzo, Rosalind’s Italian lover who immigrated to America where he is now working as part of a fireworks show – a profession that has already cost him half of his face and left him with some ugly scars. Or take P-Ray, a young mute boy who lost his parents and found refuge in the cabinet, or Whitey Lovett, a growth-restricted Jew who works as a fire chief in a Lilliputian show. All those „Unusuals“ are the core of this story and I did not only love that they were so diverse and represent almost every imaginable fringe group but especially how the author never pities them because of their handicaps or social statuses but makes them the heroes in this story while it’s the „normal“ people that stand out for not being special – a circumstance that even „earned“ them the term „Dozens“, deriving from the saying „a dime a dozen“.
Lost souls, a desperate search and a conspiracy
While I’m usually not one of the readers that would prefer a character-driven novel over a story-driven book I just can’t deny that all those weird but lovable characters completely won me over and I loved being surrounded by this odd bunch of people that always stood up for each other and welcomed everyone that approached them with respect and and open mind. Nonetheless „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ also comes with an interesting story that puts another unlucky character in the spotlight: Kitty Hayward, another immigrant that came all the way from South Africa to New York with her mother and her brother to start all over again but whose dreams already seem to scatter soon after the arrival when her mom suddenly gets sick and then mysteriously disappears while Kitty is out to fetch her some medicine. Kitty’s desperate search for her mother soon leads her to Magruder’s where the Unusuals join her and give everything to reunite her with her family and quickly begin to realize that there are much bigger things going on on Coney Island…
A charming, dark and magical story with a great atmosphere
Yes, „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ is a rather slow-paced story but that didn’t bother me at all. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of this story with the amusement park setting that felt like a weird world in itself full of life and weird characters and interesting places. Also I very much appreciated how the mood of this story slowly got more sinister and tragedy and darkness were added to the plot – let me tell you that this novel is definitely adult fiction despite the young main character. H.P. Wood’s book often reminded me of Libba Bray’s Diviners series and I don’t mean this in a plagiarizing way but rather that it had a similar atmosphere and a comparable „lost souls in a big city“ story where every character had to face its own struggle but found support in people alike. So if you like historical fiction, character-driven stories and wish for more diversity in books, then you should definitely buy yourself a ticket to „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ and enter this magical place full of quirky characters where you will find a well-written story and a captivating atmosphere. Side note: If you read this novel and afterwards want to learn a bit more about this special setting and the actual historical background of this story, then you might want to visit the author’s website where you can find further and interesting information about her writing process and historical facts and people that inspired this book.
You want diverse characters? Come to early 20th century’s Coney Island!
And those people are not only what makes Magruder’s such a special place, but also one of the outstanding points of this novel. If you have ever complained about not diverse enough characters and feel that they’re underrepresented in fiction, then „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ will have you scream with joy because it gives you diversity galore. For example there’s Zeph Andrews, a black man in his early twenties who lost his legs in a terrible tractor accident and now runs the business for his employer Doc Timur, an eccentric scientist who spends his days up on his attic obsessively working on his inventions that often can later be visited in the old museum. Zeph is the heart and soul of Magruder’s but only a small part of the great cast in this book. Another amazing character is Rosalind, a „doublesexed“ (that’s the expression she prefers for herself) character that performs as half man, half woman and has to face a lot of revulsion and hate for her otherness – always struggling for being accepted and being able to live the life she wants. Then there’s Enzo, Rosalind’s Italian lover who immigrated to America where he is now working as part of a fireworks show – a profession that has already cost him half of his face and left him with some ugly scars. Or take P-Ray, a young mute boy who lost his parents and found refuge in the cabinet, or Whitey Lovett, a growth-restricted Jew who works as a fire chief in a Lilliputian show. All those „Unusuals“ are the core of this story and I did not only love that they were so diverse and represent almost every imaginable fringe group but especially how the author never pities them because of their handicaps or social statuses but makes them the heroes in this story while it’s the „normal“ people that stand out for not being special – a circumstance that even „earned“ them the term „Dozens“, deriving from the saying „a dime a dozen“.
Lost souls, a desperate search and a conspiracy
While I’m usually not one of the readers that would prefer a character-driven novel over a story-driven book I just can’t deny that all those weird but lovable characters completely won me over and I loved being surrounded by this odd bunch of people that always stood up for each other and welcomed everyone that approached them with respect and and open mind. Nonetheless „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ also comes with an interesting story that puts another unlucky character in the spotlight: Kitty Hayward, another immigrant that came all the way from South Africa to New York with her mother and her brother to start all over again but whose dreams already seem to scatter soon after the arrival when her mom suddenly gets sick and then mysteriously disappears while Kitty is out to fetch her some medicine. Kitty’s desperate search for her mother soon leads her to Magruder’s where the Unusuals join her and give everything to reunite her with her family and quickly begin to realize that there are much bigger things going on on Coney Island…
A charming, dark and magical story with a great atmosphere
Yes, „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ is a rather slow-paced story but that didn’t bother me at all. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of this story with the amusement park setting that felt like a weird world in itself full of life and weird characters and interesting places. Also I very much appreciated how the mood of this story slowly got more sinister and tragedy and darkness were added to the plot – let me tell you that this novel is definitely adult fiction despite the young main character. H.P. Wood’s book often reminded me of Libba Bray’s Diviners series and I don’t mean this in a plagiarizing way but rather that it had a similar atmosphere and a comparable „lost souls in a big city“ story where every character had to face its own struggle but found support in people alike. So if you like historical fiction, character-driven stories and wish for more diversity in books, then you should definitely buy yourself a ticket to „Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet“ and enter this magical place full of quirky characters where you will find a well-written story and a captivating atmosphere. Side note: If you read this novel and afterwards want to learn a bit more about this special setting and the actual historical background of this story, then you might want to visit the author’s website where you can find further and interesting information about her writing process and historical facts and people that inspired this book.
February 25, 2016
Special thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the electronic ARC of this novel.
“Magruder’s Curiousity Cabinet” is almost indescribable. It is most definitely eccentric, creative, smart and intriguing and at the same time it is bizarre, unusual, disturbing and even funny.
Kitty Hayward is traveling to New York City with her mother after the death of her beloved brother. When her mother disappears, Kitty finds herself alone and desperate. She is rescued by an old gentleman who brings her to a place beyond her wildest imaginings- Magruder’s. There, Kitty meets all sorts of “curiosities”, from a half-man, half-woman, to giants, midgets and even a man with no legs. Kitty finds a home among these beings (self-proclaimed “Unusuals”) and they agree to help her find her mother. However, at the same time, a deadly illness (called “The Cough”) is plaguing the island and Kitty and her entire clan (and the place they call home) is under serious threat.
“Magruder’s” reminds me, in a way, of Ransom Riggs’ “Miss Peregrine’s” novels (without the associated pictures of course). However, as even the author suggests, “Magruder’s” is not a novel for children. The book features a lot of gruesome illness, death and the downright rottenness of human kind. However, that is not to say that the book is totally and completely morose and devoid of joy. The characters are extremely human (be they “Unusuals” or “Dozens”- the nickname for those born normal) and have diverse personalities all their own.
Wood’s writing is most definitely imaginative. This novel is entirely about the characters; each with their own story to tell. Woods reveals the true nature of the human spirit, even in those that society has deemed “inhuman”. It is a novel that surprised me on so many levels and was in fact witty, insightful and thought-provoking. There are characters to love, characters to hate and characters to cheer for, all while exploring the backdrop of 1904 Coney Island.
Woods’ novel will take you by complete surprise, in a good way. The creatively developed characters will not soon be forgotten.
“Magruder’s Curiousity Cabinet” is almost indescribable. It is most definitely eccentric, creative, smart and intriguing and at the same time it is bizarre, unusual, disturbing and even funny.
Kitty Hayward is traveling to New York City with her mother after the death of her beloved brother. When her mother disappears, Kitty finds herself alone and desperate. She is rescued by an old gentleman who brings her to a place beyond her wildest imaginings- Magruder’s. There, Kitty meets all sorts of “curiosities”, from a half-man, half-woman, to giants, midgets and even a man with no legs. Kitty finds a home among these beings (self-proclaimed “Unusuals”) and they agree to help her find her mother. However, at the same time, a deadly illness (called “The Cough”) is plaguing the island and Kitty and her entire clan (and the place they call home) is under serious threat.
“Magruder’s” reminds me, in a way, of Ransom Riggs’ “Miss Peregrine’s” novels (without the associated pictures of course). However, as even the author suggests, “Magruder’s” is not a novel for children. The book features a lot of gruesome illness, death and the downright rottenness of human kind. However, that is not to say that the book is totally and completely morose and devoid of joy. The characters are extremely human (be they “Unusuals” or “Dozens”- the nickname for those born normal) and have diverse personalities all their own.
Wood’s writing is most definitely imaginative. This novel is entirely about the characters; each with their own story to tell. Woods reveals the true nature of the human spirit, even in those that society has deemed “inhuman”. It is a novel that surprised me on so many levels and was in fact witty, insightful and thought-provoking. There are characters to love, characters to hate and characters to cheer for, all while exploring the backdrop of 1904 Coney Island.
Woods’ novel will take you by complete surprise, in a good way. The creatively developed characters will not soon be forgotten.
January 31, 2016
**I was given a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
What a ride! This book was fantastic. I really expected more magic than there was. It wasn't so much fantasy, as it was about the "unusuals" who lived on Coney Island in 1905. H.P. Wood did a great job showing how the people who considered themselves unusual, had to deal with not fitting in. It was great how they came together and really were a family. Even the ones they didn't like that much, were still offered a place. The outsiders in this story were the "Normals" or "Dozens" as in "a dime a dozen" lol.
In this eerily beautiful scene, there are a few normals who are allowed in, and there is an outbreak of the plague. Will they be able to save themselves before it's too late?
The characters are deep and complicated. Rosalind does a show as a half and half, half male, half female. He is really just an effeminate gay man living in 1905, and he likes what he likes. Going between male and female dress as he desires when he isn't on stage.
Zeph is a black man who lost his legs. Being black is enough of a burden in 1905, but add to that no legs...but he's wickedly intelligent and has found his home at Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet - a dime museum full of Believe it or Not type stuff. Sounds like a fun place.
As far as Zeph knows, it is owned by Dr. Timur. And reclusive and brilliant inventor. He often invents things that even he doesn't know what they do. But he leaves the museum in the care of Zeph and does his thing.
Kitty comes from England, but has lost her family and has no money. She is welcomed with the kind of generosity rarely seen in the "normal" world. They go out of their way to help her, and I think she has found her new home.
I just loved the people in this, and the story was often dark and scary, as a plague can be. Can you imagine if there was an outbreak like this today? Quarantine? Does that even happen anymore?
Just check this one you, you won't be disappointed.
What a ride! This book was fantastic. I really expected more magic than there was. It wasn't so much fantasy, as it was about the "unusuals" who lived on Coney Island in 1905. H.P. Wood did a great job showing how the people who considered themselves unusual, had to deal with not fitting in. It was great how they came together and really were a family. Even the ones they didn't like that much, were still offered a place. The outsiders in this story were the "Normals" or "Dozens" as in "a dime a dozen" lol.
In this eerily beautiful scene, there are a few normals who are allowed in, and there is an outbreak of the plague. Will they be able to save themselves before it's too late?
The characters are deep and complicated. Rosalind does a show as a half and half, half male, half female. He is really just an effeminate gay man living in 1905, and he likes what he likes. Going between male and female dress as he desires when he isn't on stage.
Zeph is a black man who lost his legs. Being black is enough of a burden in 1905, but add to that no legs...but he's wickedly intelligent and has found his home at Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet - a dime museum full of Believe it or Not type stuff. Sounds like a fun place.
As far as Zeph knows, it is owned by Dr. Timur. And reclusive and brilliant inventor. He often invents things that even he doesn't know what they do. But he leaves the museum in the care of Zeph and does his thing.
Kitty comes from England, but has lost her family and has no money. She is welcomed with the kind of generosity rarely seen in the "normal" world. They go out of their way to help her, and I think she has found her new home.
I just loved the people in this, and the story was often dark and scary, as a plague can be. Can you imagine if there was an outbreak like this today? Quarantine? Does that even happen anymore?
Just check this one you, you won't be disappointed.
January 5, 2016
If you like the spirit of Coney Island that’s the book for you. It’s crazy, mysterious and intriguing at the point you can’t put it down.
*This book was kindly sent to me via NetGalley by SOURCEBOOKS Landmark*
*This book was kindly sent to me via NetGalley by SOURCEBOOKS Landmark*
May 11, 2016
How utterly marvelous this book was.
It all begins with a blonde girl sitting on a bench on a beach. Despite the families playing in the sand not far from her, she is as alone as anyone can be. She is picked up by a conman who introduces her to a whole new world – that of Coney Island and its denizens. "You call us Unusuals, freaks, monsters… Did you never think we’d have our own name for you […normal people]? Dozens. As in, dime a.” I think I like that even better than "Muggles".
I'll admit, it took me a few minutes to adapt to following as a main character, as our hero, a young man – Zeph – who lost half of himself in an accident with a tractor, and who now travels on his hands. I also admit that it took a moment to settle in with Rosalind and several others of the Unusuals. But after those few minutes I discovered in him one of my favorite characters of the year. On top of all the laudable attributes – courage and strength and loyalty and sheer indefatigability – he's also funny. “Aw, now. He paid enough to fix the tractor, so…"
If this had just been a tale set amid the Unusuals of Coney Island, it would still have been a special story. But the reason Kitty Hayward – that blonde girl – was all alone on the beach was that her mother was suddenly taken sick, and seems to have, somehow, disappeared from their hotel. () And as bubonic plague washes over Coney Island like a tsunami (no, it didn't really happen – it's all "what-if?"), Kitty finds a new clan among these folk who make their living off the prurience of Dozens. The story at times becomes brutal – as survivors on "The Walking Dead" discover, the healthy are to be feared at least as much as the diseased, and very often, through fire and water and blood and death, it seems like anyone at all can be lost. And the beauty of the storytelling is that this means I was on the edge of my proverbial seat: every death was hard, because I was wholeheartedly part of the clan as well.
Quotes saved:
People who plunk down for the Hell Gate ride— what do they want? A thrill? A good scare? Perhaps that’s all it is. Or perhaps they fear, deep down, that there’s nothing more to their existence than the fifty or sixty years they’ll spend scrabbling around this benighted planet. Maybe they’ll plunk down their hard-earned cash at Hell Gate just to feel, if only for a few minutes, that there’s more to human experience than that.
“What’s that mean, darling,” Rosalind asks.
“Is, ah, ‘into mouth of the wolf.’ But means more ‘good luck.’ Is like actors say ‘break a leg,’ you know this? And your response is ‘Crepi il lupo.’”
“Crepi il lupo,” Rosalind repeats. “And this means?”
“May the wolf die.”
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
It all begins with a blonde girl sitting on a bench on a beach. Despite the families playing in the sand not far from her, she is as alone as anyone can be. She is picked up by a conman who introduces her to a whole new world – that of Coney Island and its denizens. "You call us Unusuals, freaks, monsters… Did you never think we’d have our own name for you […normal people]? Dozens. As in, dime a.” I think I like that even better than "Muggles".
I'll admit, it took me a few minutes to adapt to following as a main character, as our hero, a young man – Zeph – who lost half of himself in an accident with a tractor, and who now travels on his hands. I also admit that it took a moment to settle in with Rosalind and several others of the Unusuals. But after those few minutes I discovered in him one of my favorite characters of the year. On top of all the laudable attributes – courage and strength and loyalty and sheer indefatigability – he's also funny. “Aw, now. He paid enough to fix the tractor, so…"
If this had just been a tale set amid the Unusuals of Coney Island, it would still have been a special story. But the reason Kitty Hayward – that blonde girl – was all alone on the beach was that her mother was suddenly taken sick, and seems to have, somehow, disappeared from their hotel. () And as bubonic plague washes over Coney Island like a tsunami (no, it didn't really happen – it's all "what-if?"), Kitty finds a new clan among these folk who make their living off the prurience of Dozens. The story at times becomes brutal – as survivors on "The Walking Dead" discover, the healthy are to be feared at least as much as the diseased, and very often, through fire and water and blood and death, it seems like anyone at all can be lost. And the beauty of the storytelling is that this means I was on the edge of my proverbial seat: every death was hard, because I was wholeheartedly part of the clan as well.
Quotes saved:
People who plunk down for the Hell Gate ride— what do they want? A thrill? A good scare? Perhaps that’s all it is. Or perhaps they fear, deep down, that there’s nothing more to their existence than the fifty or sixty years they’ll spend scrabbling around this benighted planet. Maybe they’ll plunk down their hard-earned cash at Hell Gate just to feel, if only for a few minutes, that there’s more to human experience than that.
“What’s that mean, darling,” Rosalind asks.
“Is, ah, ‘into mouth of the wolf.’ But means more ‘good luck.’ Is like actors say ‘break a leg,’ you know this? And your response is ‘Crepi il lupo.’”
“Crepi il lupo,” Rosalind repeats. “And this means?”
“May the wolf die.”
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
January 8, 2016
I received this book via Netgalley for honest review.
This transports the reader back to the heyday of Coney Island and all its magic, weirdness and glory. A time when misunderstood DNA mutations, disease or tragedy left people with physical challenges or deformities and many of these "unusual" people were often found in carnivals, traveling circuses, etc. Filled with side show attractions, immigrants, con-men, corporate opportunists and those just trying to make a living. Adding quite a bit of artistic license along the way.
How do I rate this? I hated Magruder's - I loved Magruder's - I.... I don't really know how I feel. Relieved it is over, saddened it didn't continue? Reading this story is like watching a major disaster - train wreck - or tsunami unfold before your eyes. You want to divert your eyes, you NEED to look away, but are thoroughly and completely enraptured and incapable of doing so. It's horrible and wonderful all at the same time. This has a cast of characters you won't soon forget. A story of the magical, the awful and the wonderful human condition. Some rise above it, many do not.
Alternate history with a slight nod to steampunk, though there really isn't anything beyond a single automaton. It has several occasions of foul language. However, do to it's story and the characters, this is understandable. For bibliophiles, several book titles are mentioned and occasionally have direct influence upon some characters. Many topics hit on the nose what is happening today, racial discrimination, disease, greed, corporate corruption, apathy, intolerance, etc. etc. etc. But the underlying thread is hope, family, acceptance whether your an "unusual" or a "dozen".
My favorite quote comes from the author's notes at the end, which not only applies to some of the "magical or mystical" sideshow attractions in the story, but to many mysteries one comes into contact throughout life:
"The truth, once known, can't be unknown".
This transports the reader back to the heyday of Coney Island and all its magic, weirdness and glory. A time when misunderstood DNA mutations, disease or tragedy left people with physical challenges or deformities and many of these "unusual" people were often found in carnivals, traveling circuses, etc. Filled with side show attractions, immigrants, con-men, corporate opportunists and those just trying to make a living. Adding quite a bit of artistic license along the way.
How do I rate this? I hated Magruder's - I loved Magruder's - I.... I don't really know how I feel. Relieved it is over, saddened it didn't continue? Reading this story is like watching a major disaster - train wreck - or tsunami unfold before your eyes. You want to divert your eyes, you NEED to look away, but are thoroughly and completely enraptured and incapable of doing so. It's horrible and wonderful all at the same time. This has a cast of characters you won't soon forget. A story of the magical, the awful and the wonderful human condition. Some rise above it, many do not.
Alternate history with a slight nod to steampunk, though there really isn't anything beyond a single automaton. It has several occasions of foul language. However, do to it's story and the characters, this is understandable. For bibliophiles, several book titles are mentioned and occasionally have direct influence upon some characters. Many topics hit on the nose what is happening today, racial discrimination, disease, greed, corporate corruption, apathy, intolerance, etc. etc. etc. But the underlying thread is hope, family, acceptance whether your an "unusual" or a "dozen".
My favorite quote comes from the author's notes at the end, which not only applies to some of the "magical or mystical" sideshow attractions in the story, but to many mysteries one comes into contact throughout life:
"The truth, once known, can't be unknown".
May 25, 2016
Set on Coney Island in 1904, this story follows an unlikely group of friends as the island is thrown into quaratine due to an outbreak of the plague.
Although there is some historical basis for the book, the plague never did hit Coney Island (or the east coast of the US), so for the most part this is a work of fiction about what may have happened if it did.
So, if not exploring historical events what is this book about? There is a quote that I highlighted
"...But here on Coney Island, we learn to take each other as we are"
and for me this is the overriding theme and purpose of the novel. We have such an interesting bunch of characters including a man with no legs, a young boy with a flea circus, a con artist, a politician's son, and English lady, a leopard trainer, a "half and half" (one side male, one side female) and even an automaton. This doesn't even cover all of the characters, who call themselves "unusuals", but gives you a flavour of whom you will meet.
Towards the end of the book there is quite a bit happening, and I think that the sheer volume of characters did the book a disservice as the end felt like it was a rushed attempt to let the reader know what happened to everyone. However, I did really enjoy this novel and felt like I was on Coney Island right along with them.
3.5 stars
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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Although there is some historical basis for the book, the plague never did hit Coney Island (or the east coast of the US), so for the most part this is a work of fiction about what may have happened if it did.
So, if not exploring historical events what is this book about? There is a quote that I highlighted
"...But here on Coney Island, we learn to take each other as we are"
and for me this is the overriding theme and purpose of the novel. We have such an interesting bunch of characters including a man with no legs, a young boy with a flea circus, a con artist, a politician's son, and English lady, a leopard trainer, a "half and half" (one side male, one side female) and even an automaton. This doesn't even cover all of the characters, who call themselves "unusuals", but gives you a flavour of whom you will meet.
Towards the end of the book there is quite a bit happening, and I think that the sheer volume of characters did the book a disservice as the end felt like it was a rushed attempt to let the reader know what happened to everyone. However, I did really enjoy this novel and felt like I was on Coney Island right along with them.
3.5 stars
Visit me here
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
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January 1, 2016*I was given an advance copy of this book, but the review is my own*
This book is an absolute treasure. The beginning reminded me of a tale I'd once read in Scary Stories You Tell After Dark and I was curious where it would go.
HP Wood creates a fairytale land full of horror and tragedy. The characters are strong and resilient, and you find yourself cheering some on and wishing some would perish. It doesn't always go the way you want, but the story resolves well.
There always seem to be many things going on at once, but Wood weaves the story together quite well. The reader is never left confused about what's going on and the story races along.
While Kitty seems to be the main character, you come to know all of the characters fairly well. There is more to each of them than you expect. Ultimately, it is a story of strength and redemption.
Many of the issues regarding race and class have parallels today. All readers should walk away thinking about the world and where they fall in it.
This book is an absolute treasure. The beginning reminded me of a tale I'd once read in Scary Stories You Tell After Dark and I was curious where it would go.
HP Wood creates a fairytale land full of horror and tragedy. The characters are strong and resilient, and you find yourself cheering some on and wishing some would perish. It doesn't always go the way you want, but the story resolves well.
There always seem to be many things going on at once, but Wood weaves the story together quite well. The reader is never left confused about what's going on and the story races along.
While Kitty seems to be the main character, you come to know all of the characters fairly well. There is more to each of them than you expect. Ultimately, it is a story of strength and redemption.
Many of the issues regarding race and class have parallels today. All readers should walk away thinking about the world and where they fall in it.
January 25, 2016
Picture Coney Island in 1904. A young British girl is wandering around after coming to the states on a ship and separated from her ill mother. She has no home, no money and no food. Kitty is taken in by the wonderfully diverse group of freaks who call Coney Island home. Soon she is a regular at Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet where she is taken in by a transvestite, half man and a con man. There is a storm coming and it arrives in the form of a plague where the inhabitants of the island are used as political collateral. This diverse group will try to save the freaks and carnies of Coney Island and at the same time help Kitty find her mom. It is a historic epic where politics and privilege rule over the city's underbelly. Corruption and disease try to win over compassion and love. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
April 27, 2019
Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet is an engaging novel set in the early 1900’s on Coney Island, New York.
It’s 1904, and seventeen year old Kitty Hayward finds herself stranded in Coney Island when her ailing mother, and all their belongings, inexplicably disappears from the hotel room they were sharing. Friendless, homeless, and penniless, she must rely on the kindness of a stranger who introduces her to the extraordinary employees and hanger-ons of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet.
“Theophilus P. Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet is just an ugly old building with blacked-out windows and a faded sign. Thousands of souls may visit Coney Island, but few of those souls are hearty enough to peer inside Magruder’s heavy oak door.”
The characters of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet are extraordinarily rendered, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Magruder’s is a rundown dime museum crowded with oddities, staffed solely by Zeph, a legless black man. Upstairs lives Timur, a reclusive inventor, and Rosalind, who has a carny act as a half woman half man in a tent on the boardwalk. In the basement of the building is an unlicensed pub which welcomes the unusual employees of the Coney Island attractions after hours. It is with this eccentric family, which also includes Rosalind’s lover Enzo, and a mute orphan boy the call P-Ray, that Kitty unexpectedly finds refuge, and help.
“That’s what we call you…normal people. You call us Unusuals, freaks, monsters… Did you never think we’d have our own name for you? Dozens. As in, dime a.”
Wood takes a little liberty with some of the historical elements in this novel, but the story is richer for it. Coney Island becomes the epicentre of an outbreak of plague (inspired by a similar event which actually occurred on the country’s west coast) threatening both ‘freaks’ and ‘dozens’ alike. It is this tragedy that drives much of action, as the wealthy owners Coney Island’s businesses attempt to hide the virulent disease they call the ‘Calcutta Cough’ in order to protect their profits, and their employees are left to fend for themselves as the dead pile up around them.
“We must keep those hotels filled, miss! Keep those dancehalls crowded, keep that Shoot the Chute flying down the track. And if you develop a slight cough, if your complexion goes a bit lumpy? The men in masks will scoop you up and take you away...”
Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet is a thoughtful exploration of oppression, corruption, belonging, and compassion. Often delightful and charming yet also dark and challenging, its also a story of perseverance and redemption in the face of tragedy.
With lively characters, a colourful setting and a rich and interesting plot I found Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet to be an entertaining and enchanting read.
It’s 1904, and seventeen year old Kitty Hayward finds herself stranded in Coney Island when her ailing mother, and all their belongings, inexplicably disappears from the hotel room they were sharing. Friendless, homeless, and penniless, she must rely on the kindness of a stranger who introduces her to the extraordinary employees and hanger-ons of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet.
“Theophilus P. Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet is just an ugly old building with blacked-out windows and a faded sign. Thousands of souls may visit Coney Island, but few of those souls are hearty enough to peer inside Magruder’s heavy oak door.”
The characters of Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet are extraordinarily rendered, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Magruder’s is a rundown dime museum crowded with oddities, staffed solely by Zeph, a legless black man. Upstairs lives Timur, a reclusive inventor, and Rosalind, who has a carny act as a half woman half man in a tent on the boardwalk. In the basement of the building is an unlicensed pub which welcomes the unusual employees of the Coney Island attractions after hours. It is with this eccentric family, which also includes Rosalind’s lover Enzo, and a mute orphan boy the call P-Ray, that Kitty unexpectedly finds refuge, and help.
“That’s what we call you…normal people. You call us Unusuals, freaks, monsters… Did you never think we’d have our own name for you? Dozens. As in, dime a.”
Wood takes a little liberty with some of the historical elements in this novel, but the story is richer for it. Coney Island becomes the epicentre of an outbreak of plague (inspired by a similar event which actually occurred on the country’s west coast) threatening both ‘freaks’ and ‘dozens’ alike. It is this tragedy that drives much of action, as the wealthy owners Coney Island’s businesses attempt to hide the virulent disease they call the ‘Calcutta Cough’ in order to protect their profits, and their employees are left to fend for themselves as the dead pile up around them.
“We must keep those hotels filled, miss! Keep those dancehalls crowded, keep that Shoot the Chute flying down the track. And if you develop a slight cough, if your complexion goes a bit lumpy? The men in masks will scoop you up and take you away...”
Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet is a thoughtful exploration of oppression, corruption, belonging, and compassion. Often delightful and charming yet also dark and challenging, its also a story of perseverance and redemption in the face of tragedy.
With lively characters, a colourful setting and a rich and interesting plot I found Magruder’s Curiosity Cabinet to be an entertaining and enchanting read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews