From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
About 100 pages into the book, I debated why I was spending time with it at all. I kept reading expecting some kind of surprise that would justify the accolades this book has received. Fifty pages later, I read querulously with intent to finish so I could read something else. I never found the characters to be authentic. They seemed like actors acting out a story instead of characters in the story. The plot was sound enough but predictable. It seemed as though the author had to make up for a thi
...more
The beginning was boring. Really boring. But after around 150 it's getting better.
I really liked the style of writing and the switching between the present and the past.
From the beginning the reader knows that something bad will happen where Jacob tries to find her (he's not mentioning her name) between all the chaos. Seriously I didn't stopped the book because i wanted to know how this scene will end because of its tragedy.
And it was worth waiting for it. The last quarter of the book was extr ...more
I really liked the style of writing and the switching between the present and the past.
From the beginning the reader knows that something bad will happen where Jacob tries to find her (he's not mentioning her name) between all the chaos. Seriously I didn't stopped the book because i wanted to know how this scene will end because of its tragedy.
And it was worth waiting for it. The last quarter of the book was extr ...more
Meh. Plot and character development were no better than "dark and stormy night" caliber but Gruen did her homework on Depression era train circuses.
...more
I really liked this book. An engaging storyline. Lots and lots of circus bits, which I find fascinating. The alternating between the present and the Depression really worked, in my opinion.
I checked this book out yesterday and it was so good, I read it so very fast...It's filled with love, excitement, tragedy, emotions...I must read her other books!!!!!
...more
Jul 26, 2008
Jen
marked it as to-read
Aug 02, 2008
Curlysue
marked it as to-read
Aug 08, 2008
Juliana Philippa
marked it as to-read
Mar 03, 2009
Nanosynergy
marked it as to-read
Sep 16, 2010
Kimberly
marked it as to-read
Jun 07, 2011
Jessica
added it
