The Museum of Extraordinary Things in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Jul 10, 2014 Erin rated it it was ok

Shelves: book-club

Oh, book, you sounded so promising.....Triangle Shirtwaist fire, museum of oddities, the Dreamland fire, but despite some lovely passages ("Names don't matter. Our God knows how to call us to him when he wants us" "The steel skeletons of the rides still being constructed were silver in the dark. I imagined they shivered in anticipation of all they would become," and "[Mitts] was to be his master's companion, and in doing so he became himself, the essence of a dog.") I was.....well, bored.

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Feb 04, 2016 Astrid Lim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller-mystery, historical-fiction, bbi, america, dramatic

Love the setting of the book - Coney Island in 1911 was pretty fascinating. The love story is not too lovey dovey so I can still live with it :D Love the narrative as well, Alice Hoffman knows how to weave beautiful language with engaging plot. Recommended.

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Nov 29, 2014 Jenny rated it really liked it

I really liked this novel set in early 20th Century New York against the backdrop of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the rise of Coney Island. It tells the story of two interesting individuals. The first is Coralie Sardie, the daughter of “The Professor,” the owner of a Coney Island freak show entitled “The Museum of Ordinary Things.” Because of a small physical deformity, Coralie has been trained by her father to become an excellent swimmer so that she can appear as the “Mermaid” in her father ...more

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Mar 25, 2014 Holly McKinley rated it really liked it

Beautifully written. Engaging. Structure was confusing at times but not much. Mostly the structure made it interesting. Stayed with me long after I finished reading. Almost didn't want to start my next book because I was reluctant to leave that world. ...more

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