Nights at the Circus

"Is she fact or is she fiction?" This is the central question that drives journalist Jack Walser to join the circus in an investigative attempt to follow the source of his inquiry-the aerialiste Sophie Fevvers, renown for her uncanny ability to fly thanks to her seemingly magical endowment-a pair of wings. A fancifully imaginative tale, Nights at the Circus takes the reader on a journey from fin de ciecle London to St. Petersburg and finally to the wilderness of Siberia, as the tale grapples with such themes as love and female identity. The story itself is altogether fun with a cast of charmingly eccentric characters ranging from the outlandish, entrepreneurial circus owner Colonel Kearney, whose companion is an oracular pig named 'Sybil,' to the character of Boffo the Clown, whose outwardly comical appearance belies the disturbing and tragic pagliaccio figure within. The most prominent aspect of the portrayals in the text, however, is found in the female characters who are presented as strong and triumphant, outshining their often emotionally infantile male cohorts. From the naïf turned musical ingenue Mignon to the main character Fevvers, whose wit and charm is balanced by her down to earth portrayal (a woman who eats!), the representation of females challenges the depiction of women by the male authorial voice that had dominated throughout the centuries. Smartly set at the tail end of the Victorian Era, the images of femininity in the text are made to break free from the restrictive representation of women in literature as either the goddess on the pedestal or the imbecilic whore.Carter has an amazing ability to subtly incorporate philosophical and historical elements in her humor, ranging from existential musings on the nature of the self to a satiric portrayal of the impact of sensationalist journalism on proto-revolutionary peasants in turn of the century Russia. With the overarching structure of the circus setting, the tale is amusing and funny with its lively romp through the lives of its characters, while maintaining an awareness of the more darkly disturbing aspects of life and human behavior. Nights at the Circus is an enjoyable read that also delivers a more profound and intelligent assessment of society and culture.

This story is a fable to be enjoyed on several levels. A journalist, devoted to the debunking of false claims, tackles the legend of Fevvers, the winged woman aerialist at the circus. But in the rarified air of the big top, things seem to be a little more complicated than just science can explain. Love and fascination bring him to a totally different way of thinking, and ultimately, he no longer cares how she weaves her magic spell, for he is caught up in it.This book is a great read; poetic and evocative. It is one that will be a lasting favorite of any thinking and feeling reader.

I can never do this book justice. Riproaringly funny one moment, thought-provoking the next. The whole cast of characters are fascinating, as are their bizarre life stories (what other writer could turn a circus clown into some kind of mystical figure?) but over and above them all is the winged heroine Fevvers, larger-than-life in all respects. I love all of Angela Carter's books, but this is my favourite. Carter's death a few years ago was a tragic loss, just as she was beginning to get the recognition she deserved.

The main story here is about Fevvers, a boisterous, flamboyant, captivating swan-woman with a big heart, who is the star of an (in)famous circus...as seen through the eyes of the besotted young reporter Jack Walser. The book is a treasure chest brimming with thoughtful, dark, emotionally tinged vignettes with multidimensional (to say the least) characters...the sad stories of several "freaks," Buffo the Great, the manic clown philosopher, kind murderesses, lechers, posers for the dead...I cannot do Carter's creativity justice, and I don't want to ruin the story. It is a bit graphic and kinky; I wouldn't recommend it to all of my friends. But if you're at all interested in Carter, feminism, magical realism, fantasy, circuses, unconventional fiction, the late 19th century, a rollicking good read...pick the book up now!!!

Angela Carter mixes satire and feminism to create an unusual but funny character in Sophie Fevvers. She is a non-traditional "woman" who burps and farts in the company of one certain man who ends up falling for this 6 foot two circus arialiste who sports dyed blonde feathers and an outfit of sequends. A very interesting look at life without men; circus clowns without a circus; etc