The Palace of Curiosities

by Rosie Garland

Before Eve is born, her mother goes to the circus. She buys a penny twist of coloured sugar and settles down to watch the heart-stopping main attraction: a lion, billed as a monster from the savage heart of Africa, forged in the heat of a merciless sun. Mama swears she hears the lion sigh, just before it leaps...and when Eve is born, the story goes, she didn't cry - she meowed and licked her paws. When Abel is pulled from the stinking Thames, the mudlarks are sure he is long dead. As they search his pockets to divvy up the treasure, his eyes crack open and he coughs up a stream of black water. But how has he survived a week in that thick stew of human waste? Cast out by Victorian society, Eve and Abel find succour from an unlikely source. They will become The Lion Faced Girl and The Flayed Man, star performers in Professor Josiah Arroner's Palace of Curiosities. And there begins a journey that will entwine their fates forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Magical Realism, Victorian, Adult

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Born in London to a runaway teenager, Rosie has always been a cuckoo in the nest. She's an eclectic writer and performer, ranging from singing in post-punk gothic band The March Violets, through touring with the Subversive Stitch exhibition in the 90s to her alter-ego Rosie Lugosi the Vampire Queen, cabaret chanteuse and mistress of ceremonies.

She has published five solo collections of poetry and her award-winning short stories, poems and essays have been widely anthologized. She is winner of the DaDa Award for Performance Artist of the Year and a Poetry Award from the People's Café, New York. Her most recent poetry collection, 'Everything Must Go' (Holland Park Press 2012) draws on her experience of throat cancer.

She won the Mslexia Novel competition in 2012 and her debut novel 'The Palace of Curiosities' was published in March 2013 by HarperCollins. Her second novel, 'Vixen', (Borough Press 2014) is now available in all formats.

Reviews

[Mieneke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot on the heels of another book with a Victorian circus-esque flavour, I got to read an early ARC for The Palace of Curiosities by Rosie Garland. While it is a debut novel, Garland is an award-winning author in other disciplines and it definitely shows in her first long-form offering. It's a stunning piece of work, with strong themes of identity, acceptance of the Other, and a touchingly unique love story between two fabulous main characters. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the benchmark against which the rest of this year's debuts will have to measure itself and it's only the first Monday of the year. 2013 is certainly off to an amazing start.

Told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Eve and Abel, The Palace of Curiosities goes a step further to differentiate between the two narrative strands: both are told in first person, but Eve's chapters are in the past tense, while Abel's are in the present. This is not just a way to differentiate between the two; it also reflects Abel's condition. While Abel's otherness is left largely unexplained, one of its features is that he wakes up every day as a blank slate; he's literally forgotten who he is, where he is, and what he is supposed to do. Only holding on to a strict routine and the fact that his best friend Alfred looks after him and tells him what he needs to know when he wakes, allows him to move through his days and slowly regain his memories, as if jogging them awake, only to lose them again when he goes to sleep. As a result, Abel lives in a continuous now, with no past and mostly no thoughts of the future, as such, his story can only be told in the present tense.

Due to his strange memory state, his continual present, Abel remains a mystery for much of the book. He's a kind man, with sometimes surprising skills, since his body remembers what he can do – even if he can't – but is also rather childlike in his innocence and helplessness. This makes him appealing, as he's a sweet, vulnerable character in the harsh lower class world of Victorian London. The only times the reader is given glimpses of Abel's past is through his dreams, which of course are more than just dreams. Through these we see his quest to discover the reason behind his endless resurrections and his numerous attempts to end his existence. They lend this strange, fathomless man some darker edges and only deepen his mystery. Abel's continual struggle to regain – and keep – his memories is very much connected to a search for identity, to understand who he is, where he came from, and what his raison d'être is. If one doesn't know their past, how can they know who they are? When Abel finds a way to anchor his memories, through writing them down or through Eve or Alfred, he becomes more distinct and stronger in his sense of self.

Eve on the other hand starts off strong and confident in her otherness. She refuses to shave her pelt and to conform; she regards herself as beautiful as she is, thanks to her imaginary companion Donkey-Skin. But during the novel, Eve slowly seems to lose herself, seems to be whittled down and robbed of her confidence by her husband, Mr Arroner. She loses Eve in being Mrs Arroner and in her desire to be loved and its only once she meets Abel that she starts to find Eve again. Once she starts to assert herself again, with the help of Lizzie, one of Arroner's other Curiosities, and Abel, she frees herself and instead of being the Other that needs to be feared, creates an environment for herself where she is the celebrated Other; the neighbourhood mascot, instead of a freak.

Abel and Eve find each other when Abel is recruited by George to be part of Mr Arroner's collection of human curiosities. In each other they slowly find their way back to themselves; in each other's eyes they see the truth of themselves, not that which makes them different. It is a sweet romance, though due to Eve's married state their feelings go unacknowledged for much of the narrative. I loved their slow dance and the air of danger that hangs around their gradual attraction. This unlikely courtship takes place under the scrutiny of the other freaks to be either helped, used to their own advantage or be ignored. The others in the household, mountainous, matronly Lizzie, the painted man George, who is covered in tattoos that tell the stories of Scheherazade and rubber boy Bill, are all fascinating in their own right, especially the first two who have larger role than young Bill. They are all outcasts, either by choice or by fate, and they all have different ways of coping with it. Within the household however, the one 'normal' person, Eve's avaricious and cruel husband, Mr Arroner, is the outcast, disliked by all, except Eve; in this strange house, he is the odd one out.

Garland's writing is exquisite, feeling both contemporary to its setting, without feeling dated and incredibly atmospheric. The sights, sounds, and smells of the Victorian streets are evoked in full measure, through both a keen ear for speech and dialogue and wonderful descriptive passages. My one complaint here would be that it didn't feel set beyond Victorian Britain. The story is ostensibly set in London, but it could have been set in another large British town as easily, as it didn't seem firmly rooted in its London environment.

The Palace of Curiosities is a curious beast; part fantasy, part historical fiction, part magical (sur)realism, it's all parts amazing. For such a slim book, it contains a big story, with deep themes and wonderful characters. It was an enchanting read, which deeply impressed me. I think this will be one of the must-read books on 2013, though not everyone might be as taken with it as I am. The book will be released in the UK at the end of March. Be sure to pick a copy and discover the delights of The Palace of Curiosities for yourself.

This book was provided for review by the publisher.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Victorian London, a girl named Eve is born covered in hair, a coat she comes to think of as her fur. Unloved by her mother and mocked by strangers, she is swept off her feet by the avaricious Josiah Arroner, who fills her with hopes of romance but leaves her trapped in a loveless - and sexless - marriage. Instead, he cruelly parades her as 'the Lion-Faced Girl', the central attraction of his 'Unique and Genuine Anatomical Marvels', a variety performance with the air of a freakshow. Meanwhile, elsewhere in London, a man who should be dead is pulled out of the mud of the Thames. This is Abel, who has few clear memories of his past, but is seemingly unable to suffer injury, illness or death. His rescuer happens to be another of Arroner's performers, a coincidence which leads to a fateful meeting between Eve and Abel.

Inevitably compared to Angela Carter (obviously a major influence on Garland's prose style here) and Sarah Waters, this is an engaging adventure-slash-romance that will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and magical realism. Since the antagonist, Arroner, is so despicable, it's easy to root for Eve and Abel, who take turns narrating the story; and Abel's mysterious history adds an extra layer of intrigue to the plot. I was captivated early on by Eve's inner struggle over whether to reject or embrace her condition (the voice in favour of this is represented by an imaginary friend she dubs Donkey-Skin), and Abel's uneasy relationship with his 'friend' Alfred, which he fails to perceive correctly due to his straightforwardness and naivety.

I enjoyed The Palace of Curiosities - it's a fast and easy read - but I felt that, despite all its luscious, vivid description and eccentric characters, there was a certain emptiness at the heart of it. I love books that present a simple narrative which reveals itself to have hidden depths and layers, and this was the opposite: once you strip away the florid language, it's a very uncomplicated story. For me, there was never a true sense of drama - it was obvious (to the reader if not Eve) that Arroner was 'bad' from his first appearance, and I never believed there would be any real barriers to the protagonists' eventual happiness. Overall, a pleasant and diverting read but too lacking in tension to be particularly memorable.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magical realism is always a strange genre; you don’t always know what you’re going to get. In The Palace of Curiosities, a novel about performers in a Victorian freak show, I think I got a little more than I wanted. Garland offers readers a potentially charming romance between two misfits, told in rich, evocative prose…but also manages to be unexpectedly gruesome. I finished the novel feeling that I’d just read a very beautiful book that nevertheless unsettled me.

In chapters that alternate perspective, Rosie Garland shows readers two “freaks”: Eve, the woman who is covered in fur like a lion, and Abel, the man who cannot die. After mishaps and general miserableness, both find themselves as attractions in a popular freak show. Of course, neither Eve nor Abel them the circus act particularly enjoyable either, and so they eventually make plans for their escape, to live a more “normal” life.

Yet while I think we could certainly think of The Palace of Curiosities as a romantic novel, I also feel like the author was trying to say more. The way Eve feels trapped in her role of submissive wife, for instance, could be a commentary on historical sexism, or it could just be a convenient plot device. I’m not a reader who always searches for “deeper meaning” in my books or believes that symbolism is everywhere, but I can’t help but wonder if Garland didn’t have some broader message in mind. Is this just a book about to strange people find each other, or is it something else? I’m not sure, and that uncertainty affects how I think about this book.

There is also the issue of gore, which I mentioned previously. Prior to his arrival at the freak show, Abel works as a slaughterer for a meat plant. The entire process is described. In excruciating detail. How the beeves are killed (apparently “beeves” is the plural of “beef”), how their blood is drained, how they’re gutted, how they’re skinned, on and on and on. While I most definitely appreciate that realism, and while I thought Garland’s imagery was good…surely such explicit gore had a purpose?

And, of course, there’s more. Since Abel is a man who cannot die, he must prove his deathlessness by cutting himself. His act is basically to cut himself with knives over and over again while the audience watches his body magically heal. This process is, again, described in lengthy detail. Even after he escapes the freak show with Eve, Abel doesn’t stop cutting himself. See, in order for him to maintain an erection, Abel must cut himself. So the entire time the two of them are having sex, he’s knifing himself. Er…that’s some “erotic” imagery I could do without, thank you very much.

Unsettled as I was by the blood and detailed violence in The Palace of Curiosities, I thought Garland was able to create a very evocative, magic-tinged look at Victorian London and the kinds of abnormal entertainments the common man sought. We see a seedy side of life, falsely elegant, but full of cons and threats and ambition. That was very well done, especially when set against Abel and Eve, two people who want only to be happy in a manner of their own choosing.

The Palace of Curiosities isn’t your typical circus romance. Rosie Garland’s prose is lush and hints at darker things, while telling a story that unsettles the reader as much as it engrosses. This novel is certainly well-written, but perhaps it lacks a particular something that would bring everything together. But even so, it’s a worthwhile book.

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[Lynne · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a strange, depressing, violent book. I did not read it so much as endure it. The characters are bags of meat constantly being slashed open by knives, pokers, fire, and dogs. They are mocked, abandoned, raped, tortured, and killed during their pointless, miserable existences. After a particularly sickening scene in which two black men are torn apart by dogs while a mob places bets on which dog will "win", I put the book down and didn't pick it up again. I hated it. Unless you have an appetite for misery and disturbing violence, choose a different book.

Aside from the overwhelming violence of the story, there are other aspects of the book that are disappointing. The characters have no personalities. One of the main characters, Abel, in particular. He is not neurotic or quirky, which implies a person who has a personality with some bits that are exaggerated or out of focus - he is just a vacuum. As I said, just a bag of meat being cut open all the time. Because the book is about people who were exhibited as freaks during the Victorian era, I didn't expect the book to be all rainbows and sparkles. But I did expect the people to have something beyond their physical anomalies to make them interesting.

Despite the violent bits making me feel sick, the book was really boring.

The book felt to me like a complete nut-job of an author indulging in dark fantasies. This book is just not for me.

[Sanaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

[2.5 Stars] Wow. I really disliked this book which is such a shame because it had such potential. The two main characters, Eve and Abel, were just so... Well... Boring? Abel was interesting during the first part of the book but Eve was boring all the way through. The story was predictable and the entire book just felt like it fell flat. The one thing it had going for it was that the writing was quite lyrical and I enjoyed how unnerving and weird some of the book was, but I just couldn't get over how boring the plot and the characters were.

[Cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was the cover that captured my attention. I admit it. And then I thought I was picking up a book with a story on the lines of Erin Morgenstern The Night Circus which I truly liked. Liked a lot. I guess it is a mistake to choose a book by its cover, because it may not live to our expectations. Or to the beauty of the cover.

This means that, as much as I liked the cover of this The Palace of Curiosities, I couldn't find any delight in the story within.

The two narrators are Eve and Abel and they tell the story alternately. Eve tells her in past tense (except for the first chapter, which is told in present tense, despite the fact that it is about an event that took place before Eve was born); Abel always uses the present tense.

Eve was born with fur covering her body like a lion (and we never fully understand why) and Abel is a man who cannot die. Rare and different as they are, both become part of Josiah Arroner's freak-show, along with other people who display weird features. Arroner is a cruel and greedy man, who does not care about the people who make up his show, only trying to make out as much profit as possible from them.

While we immediately see what is "wrong" with Eve, Abel's "condition" is not readily revealed. The first simptom we see is the fact that everytime he wakes up in the morning, he has to be reminded of who he is and what he does; Abel forgets his past with remarkable easiness. Slowly we start to realise he displays other features, like an incredible capacity to heal himself. But it takes a while for the realisation that the man doesn't die to hit.

I understand these facts are more than enough to be appealing to anybody and to make a great and fantastic story. But I didn't like it, I could not find it appealing. There were moments I didn't even want to open the book and resume my reading. I wanted to like the book, but I couldn't.

And why-oh-why?

Well, to begin with, I though the beginning of the story was very confusing. It starts with Eve telling us (in present tense!) of a night when her mother, already pregnant with her, goes to a circus with a man called Bert. Now, who this Bert is, we never find out. I suppose he is Eve's father, but he could also be Eve's mother's pimp, or something like that. Because it is never clear. But Eve's mother is clearly in love with the guy, so I don't really know. At the circus, something involving a lion happens (I don't want to spoil the surprise for whoever might want to read the book, and anyway I'm not sure I would be able to explain), and I finished that first chapter without understand what had happened, a feeling I usually don't like in books. The only thing that seemed clear to me was that the lion incident might have something to do with Eve being
born such a furry and cat-like person. But I am not sure. Then we have Abel not remembering a bit of who he is and acting weird. Abel acted like a dumb person for most of the book. He couldn't remember who he was, which I can understand it must be afflicting, but it was not that which really got on my nerves regarding Abel: he was too good, too submissive. Abel, in his confusion and amnesia, was everybody's favourite doormat. People laughed at him, called him nasty names, and he still kept his cool. Always. I didn't mind to have a character with the gift (or curse) of immortality. What bothered me was his character, the way he behaves. He kept saying he didn't mind the abuses; for me, that made Abel very unlikely as a character. Eve is also a bit of a doormat, especially after joining Arroner's freak-show. She becomes known as the Lion-Faced Woman, but behaves like a little kitten. She submites completely to Arroner's wishes, not quite seeing what was beneath.

So, characterisation was poor, in my opinion. Both main characters are weak. And Abel's sexuality is something I found most puzzling.

Another thing that didn't work for me was the amount of gruesome scenes. Not only is Abel constantly cutting himself and exposing everything a person has under the skin (yes, everything is described in detail), his job before Arroner's is at a slaughter-house butchering animals. And the description of the job... Oh dear! Yes, we get to know very well what is done at a slaughter-house. There is always a limit regarding gruesomeness, and mine was reading about this (which I didn't want to) while having breakfast. There I was, enjoying my morning meal, the first of the day. Reading about a man killing a bullock in a very bloody way. I won't go into details, because it was desgusting, but Abel's second chapter is about his work as a slaughter-man, and I can only wish somebody had warned my about this. I guess this was the first time my reading-while-eating habit thwarted me. In a most horrible way.

Before reading this, I was feeling confused. Then I got nauseated and really started wondering about having made a mistake by having bought The Palace of Curiosities. But I was obviously hoping the rest of the story would make up for my not being able to enjoy breakfast as I wished, so I kept reading. Some improvement must be ahead, I hoped.

It is a fact that I'm wrong a lot of times, and the story didn't improve. I didn't like Abel and Eve because of their characters, I didn't care for the other "curiosities". Arroner was despicable and I couldn't like the guy (he deserved all the punches), but that was expected of him. I couldn't care about their performances, of which there is only one in the whole book, and which I found confusing.

I suppose 'confusion' is a fitting word for this book. What was the purpose? To show how weird, different people, freaks, were treated in the Victorian society of London? That doesn't happen, not to a wide extent. Do the characters rebel against discrimination? No, not really, not in a great way. Is this a love story between misfits? Sort of, but love between Eve and Abel comes about in a most abrupt way, that has to be with them being the only ones to see each other beyond their weirdness. Something like that. This is not even a book about how the characters came into the world the way they did. Although we get to know stuff about Abel's past, we are never told how was that possible, not even some hints. The same goes to Eve. So I felt that there was a lot left hanging in the air.

Also, Eve's mother quite puzzled me in the way she behaves towards her daughter. In the first chapter she seems to know what her child will be like and does not seem to mind. But while Eve is growing up, the woman she lives with is completely ashamed to have a hairy daughter. It was really strange, puzzling even. So my assumption to explain such behaviour was that Eve was swapped after birth, and the woman she calls 'mother' is not her true mother. There may be another explanation, but, once more, we are never told about why Eve's mother behaves like that.

Bert, the guy at the beginning, never shows up again, and Eve never mentions her father. She doesn't even question who he might have been.

Are there any more things I can say I didn't like about this book? Maybe, but I'm not remembering which are they. I regret having purchased this, thinking it could be another The Night Circus. There is no magic in this book, so why did I think there could be? It was the cover, that's the only explanation. And my desire to read a bit of fantasy with some freakishness.

What a failure! What a disappointment! I wished I could have enjoyed this story. Trust me, I wished. But I couldn't.

1.5 stars rounded up to 2, because this had potential. And it wasn't as bad as a certain book concerning a 100-year-old dude who decides to leave his nursing house and engages in utter nonsense. The Palace of Curiosities is a tad better than that. Only a tad.

[Bex Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rosie Garland has a beautiful way with words, each sentence unfurling in to the next as the scene forms in the readers mind. From the very opening I was transported back to Victorian London, I can imagine everything, but the problem is that I care about none of it. By about midway it became a chore to finish.

Her writing style has been compared to Nabokov and I can see why, but she has none of the skill in character or storyline development. What happens in The Palace of Curiosities? Bugger all that I care about. There were places when the writing seemed completely out of place and out of character, which made it even more jarring.

There are long repetitive sections of explicit and detailed self harm. Few books have made me this uncomfortable since America Psycho, which is fine, but here it quickly becomes unnecessary and doesn't bring anything to the overall storyline. I found myself just skimming over whole sections as a result. It was very repetitive in a number of ways.

The icing on the cake was the rape scene. I really hate the inclusion of this simply as a way of moving the storyline on. It brought nothing to the character development and was glossed over pretty fast. Donkey-faces response was one of the most terrible parts of the book, "now you are crying because you've had your pigtails pulled". Ummmm she was just raped????

I really wanted this to enchant me the way Geek Love did, no Circus or Carnival themed book has quite made it there yet, and it had so much promise! This fact makes it even more disappointing. Great idea, badly executed.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a promising debut novel which will appeal to fans of quirky fiction peppered with a dash of magical realism. Alternate chapters tell the stories of Abel, the Flayed Man and Eve, the Lion Faced Girl whose lives intertwine when they both perform in Josiah Arroner's Palace of Curiosities. Estranged from "normal" society, they share a basic human need for acceptance and love.

Their story is told in the present tense, similar to The Night Circus and like Erin Morgenstern's debut, this will probably be a "marmite" read. There are elements of the grotesque as you might expect in a tale about those characters considered freaks by the rest of society - probably not to be recommended for those of a sensitive nature!

I really enjoyed this whimsical tale of unconventional characters set against the backdrop of a murky Victorian London. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful debut novel was way outside my usual comfort zone, but I found it mesmerising. The writing is wonderful, and I’ve spent the last day living in Josiah Arroner’s Palace of Curiosities with Abel, the Flayed Man and Eve, the Lion Faced Girl. At the start, I thought the present tense telling would be difficult – it’s a great tribute to the author’s mastery of her craft that I stopped being aware of it very quickly, and it only helped to draw me in to the here and now of this murky and disturbing world. There are some pretty horrifying, repulsive and explicit scenes, and the book certainly wouldn’t appeal to everyone - but I witnessed them all willingly and with my eyes wide open. The Victoran backdrop is familiar enough – and so well drawn – but I adored the distorted lens through which everything else is seen. What an imagination – I’ll look forward to reading more by Rosie Garland.

[Elizabeth Judd Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably a 4.5, but I enjoyed it so much I'm going to round up rather than down.

This is a dark, sometimes violent, yet ultimately uplifting book about 2 "freaks"--one a hairy lion-faced lady, and the other a confused, forgetful man who cannot die and fears the memories that haunt his dreams. This is not the stuff of happy fairy tales, but rather the story of 2 outsiders who come to value and exult in their otherness. I loved the fact that the lion-faced lady was at her happiest when exulting in her "strangeness," and that the other members of the freak show were not people who wanted or invited pity or disgust. My only dislike was that I wanted the ending to be a bit bigger and more exultant, but in its own way it worked very well so that's just my personal preference. This is really an odd little gem of a book and I'm glad I found it.

[Dan Sumption · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit, I came to this novel with low expectations: comparisons with Angela Carter left me expecting some steampunk pastiche of Nights At The Circus, or an inferior version of Katherine Dunn's Geek Love. I was wrong though. Initially, the book won me over with the cleverness of its writing. It's extremely easy to read, but constantly carries the reader's mind ahead of the story with subliminal prompts. Visceral with pungent recurring themes of hair, flesh, sweat and innards, the story itself is a charming and compelling (albeit not particularly profound or original) faux-Victorian tale of love between freaks. I very much enjoyed reading it.

[[ J o ] · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think if I didn't have approximately 126 books in piles in my room to read I might have given this more time, but I really couldn't get behind it. The writing was quite good, and it held me briefly, but there were turns off phrases that put me off, and random words that turned up out of the blue: flowing sentences that were abruptly ruptured by "titties" and the inability to call it a penis, or a vagina, or sex. Also the idea that a foetus, not even nearly 9 months old, can smell or have claws. It may be a book for another time, but for now it is worthless.

[Marjorie Newson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting story and I did like the main characters only I wished that it hadn't ended as abruptly as it did. I suppose I was only being greedy. I would recommend.

[Cat Hellisen]

Loved loved loved this one.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways a very beautiful book, but at the same time...for all its eloquence and what not, it was a bloody boring book.

[Saturday's Child · Rating 1 out of 5]

When Abel’s work as a Slaughterman was so vividly described in an early chapter I almost stopped reading but I kept going thinking it would get better. It didn’t.

[Georgina · Rating 3 out of 5]

in pursuit of incredible books centred around funfairs, carnivals, freak shows and circuses, i stumbled upon ‘the palace of curiosities’ after seeing rosie garland perform with her goth band ‘the march violets’. i have been a fan of hers for a long time, and reading her fiction has only deepened my feelings of admiration.
this novel centres around two characters called eve and abel; eve is a woman covered in fur, similar to that of a lion - abel is a man who can never die. he cuts himself and does not bleed, often falling into nightmares in the darkest hours of the nighttime which remind him of his past lives and the thwarted attempts of bodily freedom.
they suffer individually until a freakshow proprietor, mr arroner, marries eve and brings her into the show’s shared house. abel is eventually led to work there, too, and together they begin to fight for each other and the quality of life that they both deserve.
this book, in many ways (and alongside many other things), is a feminist masterpiece. eve’s empowerment is something to hold on to when you feel that you don’t fit in, and reminds you of your worth no matter how you look or how others treat you.
as well as this, it really does read like an angela carter novel. it reminded me of ‘the memory police’ by yoko ogawa in many ways, too, which i won’t spoil here in case any of you decide to read this. i highly recommend that you do 🖤
(3.5 stars because i really wanted to know more about abel’s past lives, it felt as though they were mentioned far too often to barely be touched on at the end of the novel.)

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book like few other. I would never have found this on my own but I am fortunate enough to have great friends who keep an eye out for books like this. If you have read The Night Circus, The Golem and the Jinni, The Particular Sadness of Lemoncake, Like Water For Chocolate, or The Museum of Extraordinary Things and loved any of these books then the rest of them are all for you. They all defy description and need to be experienced to know if they are for you. The Palace of Curiosities was an amazing adventure into a very different life than I would ever live or ever want to live but to think that somewhere in Rosie Garland's imagination there was this story that needed to be told. I am thankful that she wrote it and that HarperCollins Publishers saw the beauty in it so that it was published. I hope many others will find it too.

[Amanda Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved loved loved this book! I discovered it in the sales room in a bookshop in Bath, England. Cost me only 1 pound coin! I spent every moment inhaling this book and it finished by the time my plane was leaving Heathrow to head home. It reminded me show much of The Night Circus with elements of Sarah Waters! If you ever come across this book, READ IT!

[Michelle Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a good circus story! This book alternated chapters about two people and the freak show that is their lives.

[Tayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wrote a whole review for this book and then lost it so I’ll try and remember everything again. 🙈

This book depicts a lot of sexual acts, some of which are non-consensual (with the reader seeing the individual trying to convince themselves that it’s ok and what they want) as well as violence including animals used for torture/murder.

This was weird from page one. The book opens with a scene of Eve’s mother on a date with a man going to a show. During this show one of the acts goes horribly wrong resulting in death. This scene then goes on to a weird sex scene (with Eve being referred to as a blood clot or something like that in her mothers womb).

From here we then see Eve and her mothers life. Eve is a girl? (Question mark because she refers to paws and purring a lot through the book) who is covered in fur much to her mothers disgust. Her mothers deals with this by hiding even in the house as much as possible and shaving her if they have to go out. Then one day they receive a visit from a man Mr Arroner who declares he wants to marry Eve. Everything progresses very quickly and Eve is married and moving in with her husband who will barely even look at her or express this love he supposedly has. We later learn Mr Arroner’s true motive for marrying Eve; he runs a show (essentially a freak show) and Eve is his new top act.

Alongside Eve’s story we also follow Abel. The first time we see Abel, George and some other boys have pulled him out of the Thames after he has drowned and Abel seems to recover very quickly. We then see Abel a few years later where he wakes up not knowing where or who he is. He blindly follows Alfred on their routine and starts work in the slaughterhouse on autopilot for most of the morning. As the day progresses Abel remembers more but the next morning has forgotten everything. After a freak accident where Abel is deeply cut, Abel discovers that rather than dying he heals up within a matter of minutes. Abel is also having random dreams or memories come to him of trying to kill himself and different places/jobs that he’s done.

We see a scene in which Abel and Alfred go out drinking. After Abel dances with a man, Alfred claims he is too drunk and needs to go home which Abel is happy to help him to do. Once home, Alfred essentially is about to rape Abel (who’s lay on the floor telling himself it’s ok and that Alfred will be happy) when Alfred snaps back and starts shouting at Abel, claiming he made him do this. This is where their friendship starts to breakdown completely and after Abel has lost his job, he ends up trying to find a new life for himself.

I don’t know if I’ve just forgotten or if there was something missing, but Abel is reunited with George somehow who gets him work and a place to live with Mr Arroner - the newest freak show member. Abel and Eve seem to be falling for each other.

Then a new show in town claims to have a conjoined woman and Mr Arroner flips, especially when he learns Bill has left them to join the show. (Again I don’t know if I missed something or if the plot has holes) after freaking out and disappearing Mr Arroner comes back and tells Eve they’re going out. He takes her to a crowded alley and they wait until they see two black men brought out. This scene seemed unnecessary for the plot in my opinion and used racial slurs (the N word) and calling the men savages with no backstory about who they are, and shows them being chained up, bet on and then murdered in front of the crowd by dogs. I understand that the book is set in the 1800’s so unfortunately this was something that happened and the slurs were commonly used, but it made me incredibly uncomfortable and like I said before, I didn’t see the need for it in the plot when later events happened leading to the ending.

After this there is another rape scene (again with the character justifying it to themselves), we discover Mr Arroner is cheating and then we get the ending that we all knew was coming: the bad guy is finished and the good guys get a happy ending. Disappointing.

Overall I felt like this was just a very strange and uncomfortable read for me. While it was a very quick read for me, I can’t say that I really enjoyed it, more just that it flowed well so went by fast. The only reason I even picked up this book was because it was selected for me from my local libraries click and select service (you choose genres, they choose the books) and I thought I’d give it a try.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Received in exchange for an honest review*
*Thank you, Harper Collins*

If you blend in Angela Carter's The Magic Toyshop, Sarah Waters' Fingersmith and Barbara Chase-Riboud's Hottentot Venus the result would be The Palace of Curiosities. A mystical and entrancing novel which explores the Other within society, it is definitely well worth a read. It's once again another of those novels that would be fascinating to study. The exploration of what it means to be human is done so thoroughly and poetically, it really was one of those one of a kind reads. I loved that it held elements of books that I love to read or to study, it gave the novel more depth as I once again followed the path which displays the horrendous mistreatment of those that are not considered to be the 'norm'.

I love books that are set in the Victorian era. It just sucks me in and I feel like I can almost smell the smoke and gaslight that surrounds it. This book was no different with the twisting alleys, dark atmosphere and descriptions of poverty. It's a setting I instantly lost myself in. The backdrop seemed fitting to portray the group of unique characters that are exploited by Mr Arroner. The story follows the story of Abel and Eve, both with their own quests ahead of them. Eve, a character that was duped into becoming the wife of Mr Arroner is known as the 'Lion-Faced Girl'. Covered in hair and with paws, she is used and exploited in order for her husband to earn money. Abel, known as the 'Flayed Man' appears to be immortal and without the ability to bleed no matter how much he cuts himself or attempts suicide. The paths of these two characters collide and make for such a dark story.

The unfolding of this abuse is so in depth and disturbing. I felt myself longing for Abel and Eve to find a way out of their situations. It's sad to realise that the same attitude to those that are different from the 'norm' are treated horribly still. This book is an exploration of the dangerous societal attitudes and is deeply moving. A very different book and if Carter, Waters or neo-Victorian literature is your thing, this will definitely be for you.

[Suzanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Arroner might ask, "Are you brave enough for The Palace of Curiosities? Are you fearless, and of firm resolve?"

I notice one of the common complaints amongst reviewers is the challenge of reading through some of the explicit details of this book. I'll say that is not an accident. I will also say, there is a part of us, in each of us, at least a bit curious about gore and fear. One check into the popular reality television programming, a glance at the haunted tours every Halloween, and a look at the popularity of horror films and crime shows, and it's obvious, there is something we all wish to see that makes us a bit uncomfortable.

So you see, freak shows, so to speak, are still popular. As is violent entertainment. Michael Vick wouldn't trouble himself with dog fights if not. The author probes this aspect of our nature somewhat indelicately, I suppose, but not indulgently.

Another theme is loving and understanding one another as we are, truly, without ulterior motives, which unfortunately was lost on many readers, per their own reviews. There is some lovely symbolism as well, which I always enjoy. I avoid spoilers, but the names of the two main characters give some pretty obvious offerings I'll throw out as an appetizer to those thinking of trying the book - the heroine is Eve and her hero is Abel.

This is an interestingly imagined story with unique vision and voice. It’s a bit of Beauty and the Beast, a nod to the Elephant Man, with an interesting twist on the quote from The Merchant of Venice, regarding human beings bleeding when pricked.

At this point I’ll address the complaint some readers express regarding Eve’s apparent disinterest in her own background. I felt this was deliberate by the author. Eve turns from her past, which is compared with Abel attempting to retrieve his.

I found the book a page turning delight. If you are faint-hearted, or prefer novels that don't peer into the less attractive aspects of human nature, definitely pass this one by.

[Aliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Palace of Curiosities – I was really looking forward to this book knowing that it had won the esteemed Myslexia women’s writing competition which had been judged by Sarah Waters.
The original title ‘The Beast in all her loveliness’ sounded good and fitting for one of the two protagonists, Eve, the ‘lion faced woman.’ However the final agreed title ‘The Palace of Curiosities’ sounded even better and would seemingly encompass the group which Eve joins of unusual people who perform before an audience for the greedy Mr. Arroner. After all, there is also another protagonist, Abel, a man who cannot die.
The narrative voice shifts between these two characters until they inevitably come together. But that it the problem – the characters don’t seem to be realistic enough to me – I can understand that it must be hard to write from the perspective of a hairy woman or immortal man if you aren’t either, but the problem for me was that I couldn’t really relate to either of them. I thought that an exploration into isolation and being an outcast in society would be explored but this is merely touched upon.
First and foremost this is a story and it is told really well, with lots of dazzling descriptions, but I struggled to find what the point of it was. There were also some pretty gruesome scenes which I thought the writer seemed to revel in but I didn’t see the point in them. The characters should have been more developed.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Victorian England where life is cold and cruel for the poor and different, this is a story of hope and fortitude. Against all incredible odds, is the fortitude to live and love.

Excellently written, Garland takes the reader to the seemly underbelly of England. Eve is born with the very unique deformity of a lion-faced girl. With paws for hands and abundant fur, she is found by Josiah Arroner. In love with the concept of love and normalcy, Eve agrees to marry him.

Too late, she realizes he simply wanted to add her to his "palace of curiosities" where the gentrified and not-so refined can pay a fee to see wonders of the age. As she sits on stage, dressed in elaborate clothing, timidly waving a colorful fan, the audience gaps at her, at times making lewd remarks.

Abel is a man cursed with the fact that he can never die. Living over and over again, forgetting much and longing to be free, many times he attempts to kill himself. Unsuccessful in freeing himself of the chain of perpetual life, Abel resides as a curiosity in "Professor" Josiah Arroner's house of the abnormals.

Exploited by their keeper, they struggle for freedom and begin a life changing journey.

Three Stars.

[༺Kiki༻ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:

✱ Wonder Show
✱ Somewhere Beneath Those Waves
✱ Pantomime series

[Laura Bux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult to rate. I am the kind of person that will abandon a book if I am not enjoying it so I am certain that I did enjoy this. I think I expected more and found the ending lacking. I found the two main characters underdeveloped. The idea was fantastic and I loved a lot of the writing - the author's style. The novel left me with more questions than answers and I found myself a little disappointed.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautifully written book! I highly recommend reading it, especially if you're a fan of Erin Morgenstern's 'The Night Circus'.
The way the writer uses language in this book is just beautiful! She is a master and I can't wait to see more from her. A very visceral and engrossingly descriptive read!

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved this book. I could not put it down, it had that weird and wonderful supernatural quality that completely enthralled me. Would give it 5 stars, but some of it was a bit too graphic and gory.

[HeatherLynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abandoned. I wanted to like this, but found it a chore to read. Other books are waiting. Depressing, slow moving.