I finished it. It had it's moments, but if I hadn't been able to finish it for some reason it wouldn't have bothered me. In fact, at one point, I couldn't remember if I had read the end or not...I hadn't.

What a very satisfying read! I bought this book some time ago and had it in my pile to read. I'm sorry I didn't pick it up sooner. This is an entertaining and touching coming of age story in the late 1890's that explores what makes us unusual and what makes all the same.

Overall, this book was really quite good. I felt it took a bit too long to set up the world and get into the action, but once things started happening it became a really fast read.
As a warning, there is slight sexual content. Nothing truly explicit or anything, but worth noting.

Fun romp through 19th-century US via a circus boy who wants to be normal and then finds normal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Distinguished by energy, compassion, and some mild but unusual attention to race.

Brilliantly gripping!!!Immensely ejoyable from start to finish! Reading this novel reminded me of another novel, The Night Circus (which is rich with imagery and details as well). The characters are all endowed with very human emotions and are especially adept at eliciting surprise at every turn of the page! To me, the last two chapters are the very best in the book as the characters leap in to action and off the pages. I laughed heartily at the sheer bravado of all of them. I applaud the author of this book!

I read this when I was younger and it was just as good as when I was young. It's one of those stories which is so different that you without even remembering the name of the book you'll remember the story at moments.

Loved this book! I fear the circus something fierce, but I wasn't bothered by the scenes occurring in a circus. Far from it, I could identify with each character and feel their pain and desires. The last chapter resonated as good advice to abide by in life. I've already recommended it to people and had them read it.

This is an interesting read. A little tedious with the "coming of age" discussion with the boy, but the rest of it was good.
I think the author made a successful attempt at making these fictional freaks appear real.
Great characters and unusual.
You can leave home, but home never leaves you....

NOT SO PLEASED WITH THIS.

Entertaining, colorful characters with some actual depth beyond their physical being. Got a little tedious with the main character and his constant woody... alright already, he's horny. Move along!

I was not sure about this book at the start. It took a while, getting into the book. I felt like I knew what would happen during the whole book. Can't say anything took my by suprise, really. However, overall it was a good book.

it was very well written and had very good descriptions of the charaters but was a little depressing