Menagerie (Menagerie #1)
Menagerie (Menagerie #1) by Rachel Vincent
Blurb:
When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger’s Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she’s forced to “perform” in town after town.
But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other “attractions”—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she’ll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.
Menagerie somehow just didn't quite do what I hoped it would. It was a really interesting concept and it was quite fast-paced yet I couldn't connect with the story or the characters or the world. Overall, I would recommend checking this book out of the synopsis sounds interesting to you, it does have its merits, and I am planning on reading the second book in this series but had I known how I feel about the book that I've read it I wouldn't have picked it up and spent my time with another story. Which is to say this book is quite the average read for me. Neither something I can gush about, nor something I can really criticize emphatically.
One of the aspects I was a little put-off from was how Vincent handled the "lore" of her world. Keeping the past and politics in a mysterious shadow for most of the book would have been more impactful if the past and politics were ever explained comprehensively. Particularly the issue of politics was really confusing. At times it seemed like the entire world had strict laws against cryptics but then it turned out it was just the US, I think? I couldn't really follow the whole thing and I don't think I could answer even simple questions about the Menagerie world. I did enjoy, however, that Vincent never really tries to explain how/where/why cryptics came into being, they just are and have always been.
Then there was the whole issue of the characters. (Proceed with caution! This is a total personal-preferences-thing) I truly don't know why but I couldn't connect to anyone of the major characters. Some of the minor characters I really liked hearing from (such as Rommily if you haven't guessed) but they're no near as prominent as Delilah or Gallagher. Both of whom I struggled immensely to relate to. Delilah, particularly, annoyed me a lot. And it's not that she's an unlikeable character but simply that I couldn't relate to her. She's all up in arms about humanoids being locked-up, which was maybe one of the most relatable aspects of her characters, but then that kind of gets stripped away from her with the big reveal about her being (I'm, once again, being extremely vague and I'm sorry but I also really don't want to spoil anything for any potential reader). Gallagher, however, is just creepy until I'm suddenly expected to like him? Frankly, I never understood the appeal.
But, but, but! I can't deny that I truly loved the Menagerie-setting. The whole wandering circus-aspect is super interesting and sometimes it was the main reason for me to continue reading. I do wish it had been a little more explored and more of the cryptics had been introduced.
Lastly, I disliked the ending. It was rushed and too happy-go-lucky for my taste.
(It's one more reason to read the next book, though.)
But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other “attractions”—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she’ll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.
Review:
Rommily knew that she understood more of the world than it understood of her since that night, but that frustrated her much less than the brutal realignment of her divination. Her third eye saw mostly the end of life now, and each vision chipped away a little more of her sanity. Mirela worried that she was too far gone already. Rommily worried that Mirela was right.
Menagerie somehow just didn't quite do what I hoped it would. It was a really interesting concept and it was quite fast-paced yet I couldn't connect with the story or the characters or the world. Overall, I would recommend checking this book out of the synopsis sounds interesting to you, it does have its merits, and I am planning on reading the second book in this series but had I known how I feel about the book that I've read it I wouldn't have picked it up and spent my time with another story. Which is to say this book is quite the average read for me. Neither something I can gush about, nor something I can really criticize emphatically.
One of the aspects I was a little put-off from was how Vincent handled the "lore" of her world. Keeping the past and politics in a mysterious shadow for most of the book would have been more impactful if the past and politics were ever explained comprehensively. Particularly the issue of politics was really confusing. At times it seemed like the entire world had strict laws against cryptics but then it turned out it was just the US, I think? I couldn't really follow the whole thing and I don't think I could answer even simple questions about the Menagerie world. I did enjoy, however, that Vincent never really tries to explain how/where/why cryptics came into being, they just are and have always been.
Then there was the whole issue of the characters. (Proceed with caution! This is a total personal-preferences-thing) I truly don't know why but I couldn't connect to anyone of the major characters. Some of the minor characters I really liked hearing from (such as Rommily if you haven't guessed) but they're no near as prominent as Delilah or Gallagher. Both of whom I struggled immensely to relate to. Delilah, particularly, annoyed me a lot. And it's not that she's an unlikeable character but simply that I couldn't relate to her. She's all up in arms about humanoids being locked-up, which was maybe one of the most relatable aspects of her characters, but then that kind of gets stripped away from her with the big reveal about her being (I'm, once again, being extremely vague and I'm sorry but I also really don't want to spoil anything for any potential reader). Gallagher, however, is just creepy until I'm suddenly expected to like him? Frankly, I never understood the appeal.
But, but, but! I can't deny that I truly loved the Menagerie-setting. The whole wandering circus-aspect is super interesting and sometimes it was the main reason for me to continue reading. I do wish it had been a little more explored and more of the cryptics had been introduced.
Lastly, I disliked the ending. It was rushed and too happy-go-lucky for my taste.
(It's one more reason to read the next book, though.)
Rating:
Overall, there are many cool elements in this book but they're somewhat held back by elements I don't really like. I do, still, think that there is merit in reading this book and I wouldn't want to take it away from anyone. So, please, be my guest and give this a try. Meanwhile I'm giving Menagerie 3 out of 5 stars.
Details:
Name: Menagerie
Series: Menagerie
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: MIRA
Pages: 504
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