REVIEW: Pantomime by Laura Lam

Pantomime
Published in 2013

R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass - remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone - are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimeras is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

Odd little story here. But deliciously so.

This is sort of a historical fiction, sort of a fantasy. I say sort of historical fiction, because it clearly takes place in a less modern time, but it isn't the history we would know--it literally is a different world from ours. The mild fantasy element has to do with "other" beings that no longer exist that were supernatural, at least as compared to the "average" human.

Lam's writing is awesome. She weaves beautiful language and a compelling story line together. She spins her story in Spring and Summer chapters--Spring is Gene's life before, and Summer is her life today. The life before explains exactly why she has made the choices she has, and how she struggles with the ones she must make, and the secrets she keeps.

I can't give you much more without spoilers, and this book really must be read with a clean slate. I haven't read a book that gives you so very much more than you expect in a very long time. 

Here's an excerpt from the story.

Open publication - Free publishing - More circus

This is apparently set to be a series...thank goodness, because that cliffhanger ending is hard to deal with!

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Angry Robot through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.