The premise of this book was intriguing
– two dwarves (well, I suppose four) touring America during the
Civil War. With PT Barnum at the helm, no less. I have to admit that
I've always been fascinated with the psychology of the circus and
“freak shows.” But the plot only skimmed the surface and since it
was in first person, fell to the trap of being too introspective.
Sure, I knew what the main characters were thinking, but I didn't
feel like it led anywhere significant.
The main problem, I think, was lack of
dynamo. And by that, I mean a driving force, a reason to move forward
and keep fighting. The characters traveled all over the place
throught the novel, but as far as development, seemed to be running
in place. I enjoyed the questions this book posed about war,
identity, and life; just wish it had gone further.
*For a bit of good non-fiction writing
on this topic, there's a piece by Joseph Mitchell called “Lady
Olga,” written about a bearded lady named Jane Barnell. You can
find it in his book Up in the Old Hotel.
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