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Circus Escape
Nessie dreams of escaping her sheltered life to become a mechanical engineer with mechas. But wanting and doing are two very different things, and outer confidence hides inner fears—until she meets Joy.
Joy is tough and self-reliant, used to looking out for no one but herself. As her job keeps her always on the move, keeping to herself is the best way to survive. The very last person she expects to break her solitude is the prim and proper Nessie.
Joy is tough and self-reliant, used to looking out for no one but herself. As her job keeps her always on the move, keeping to herself is the best way to survive. The very last person she expects to break her solitude is the prim and proper Nessie.
60 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2014
About the author
Lilliana Rose
86 books600 followersLilliana Rose writes romance in the subgenres of contemporary and paranormal romance. She enjoys helping characters overcome problems or issues, and the misunderstandings that often plague relationships, to help them fall in love. Whether its city heels being replaced with country work boots, or some magic beyond this world, each story shows how love can prevail. She has poetry, middle grade, picture book, novellas, and novels published under various pen names.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 18, 2014
Quick review for a quick read. Man, I wanted to love this particular novella, but the reading experience felt far too empty and too short for me to care. I couldn't get into either of Nessie or Joy's respective experiences (nor their purported relationship), I couldn't get into the technology that was described, the worldbuilding was barely drawn, and I couldn't help but notice the amount of telling, not showing. The repetition of details was a problem as well.
The overarching story focuses on two young women in a steampunk era, only there's no such details to be had in this short piece about where it takes place or when. Nessie is a young woman who is interested in mechanical engineering and loves mechanized parts. Absolutely gushes over them, even. Joy is the constructor of "Sally Spider" a mech slated to perform in the night's events at the circus nearby. But when her owner asks her to throw the tournament style performance, Joy is not so happy. Nessie, in the meantime, is both taken by Joy's masterpiece of a construction, but also Joy herself.
It's a very loosely drawn story - one that I'll admit the blurb makes it sound more fascinating than it actually comes across. Sadly, I was left wanting more from it.
Overall score: 1.5/5 stars
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
The overarching story focuses on two young women in a steampunk era, only there's no such details to be had in this short piece about where it takes place or when. Nessie is a young woman who is interested in mechanical engineering and loves mechanized parts. Absolutely gushes over them, even. Joy is the constructor of "Sally Spider" a mech slated to perform in the night's events at the circus nearby. But when her owner asks her to throw the tournament style performance, Joy is not so happy. Nessie, in the meantime, is both taken by Joy's masterpiece of a construction, but also Joy herself.
It's a very loosely drawn story - one that I'll admit the blurb makes it sound more fascinating than it actually comes across. Sadly, I was left wanting more from it.
Overall score: 1.5/5 stars
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
March 16, 2014
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I love steampunk. A carryover from my days spent reading naught but fantasy and science fiction, I think a wonderfully fun genre and adore how different author interpret the industrial clockwork elements that characterize the genre which is what led me to pick up Lilliana Rose's Circus Escape.
To be blunt, the novella has three major issues. One, the mechanical elements are cheesy and crudely described. Two, there is absolutely no chemistry between Rose's leads. And three, the plot is rushed and poorly presented with key elements literally materializing out of nowhere.
At only thirty-nine pages I can't say it wasted much of my time, but I've seen authors do a lot with novellas and was disappointed at finding so little between these pages.
I love steampunk. A carryover from my days spent reading naught but fantasy and science fiction, I think a wonderfully fun genre and adore how different author interpret the industrial clockwork elements that characterize the genre which is what led me to pick up Lilliana Rose's Circus Escape.
To be blunt, the novella has three major issues. One, the mechanical elements are cheesy and crudely described. Two, there is absolutely no chemistry between Rose's leads. And three, the plot is rushed and poorly presented with key elements literally materializing out of nowhere.
At only thirty-nine pages I can't say it wasted much of my time, but I've seen authors do a lot with novellas and was disappointed at finding so little between these pages.
April 2, 2014
Review originally posted: http://francesandlynne.wordpress.com/...
“Nessie could not believe she hadn’t heard anything about the mecha fight tonight. She loved a good battle performance, especially when it came to mechas. A circus of metal, mayhem and fights stirred the blood in her veins and made her feel alive.”
Circus Escape by Lilliana Rose
After being so pleasantly surprised by The Only Way by Jamie Sullivan from Less Than Three Press, I thought I would try another lesbian story from them. I have been a fan of Less Than Three Press since before it started (having followed the three women who started it on LiveJournal back in the day), but have almost exclusively read their male-male romances, and mostly by one author. Also, I have been a fan of steam-punk for over six years, so I requested a NetGalley for Circus Escape. The combination of a good publisher and a steam-punk based plot around mechas (anything from automatons to fighting units with a person inside) sounded great.
Circus Escape is a short story that follows Nessie and Joy. Nessie is a sheltered, upperclass young lady who dreams of seeing and working on mechas. She happens to see that there is a huge mecha fight later in the evening, which is her first chance to see her dream up close. She happens to stumble across Joy, the mecha pilot and engineer of Sally Spider, the new mecha fighting that evening. As Joy takes Nessie to see the mecha up close, the women feel a pull to each other, but as they separate so that Joy can prepare for the fight. Joy is told by her boss that she must lose the fight. What will Joy do? And how will these two have a happy ending?
I will be perfectly honest; I was completely underwhelmed by this short story. It is hard to put my finger on what left me underwhelmed, but it just feels a really amateur attempt at a lesbian story. Many of the elements in the story had potential, but were just mishandled. The most obvious to me is the plot. There was potential with the plot to be a really interesting story, one that I haven’t read before, mostly the females and mechas. Instead, everything felt a bit clunky and too easy. It reminded me of when little kids think ‘if you like someone you marry them.’ It felt like that simple logic.
I probably could have forgiven the author for the lack of complexity in the plot if the writing style or characters had saved the story, but they didn’t. My least favourite thing about the story was the dialogue. Most of the lines between Joy and Nessie were horrible innuendos. For example, “Joy placed her finger on Nessie’s lips, silencing her. ‘You’re the only one over-lubricating here!’”. Without a slapstick-style story, these innuendos felt gross. Also Joy’s accent is rather inconsistent, with phrases being used in ways that felt forced and strange. For example, “salty pomegranate flavour,” sticks out in my mind.
The story wasn’t completely without good points though. The mechas in the story were interesting and different from others that I have read. The description of Sally Spider and the other two fighting mechas were interesting, as well as the glimpses at the finer details of the mechanics. I am not very mechanically minded myself, so I was glad the descriptions never got too technical. The world building in the story was also interesting, with the mecha fighters being a modern circus act that travels world to world performing shows.
While I have certainly read worse stories, this was a disappointment to me. I was hoping for a really good story. The author has potential, but this Circus Escape was not for me. I would not be able to recommend it, especially as I have read a number of much better thought out and executed fanfics.
Final Verdict: Unless you receive a free copy, just skip Circus Escape and read some fanfics from your favourite fandom instead.
“Nessie could not believe she hadn’t heard anything about the mecha fight tonight. She loved a good battle performance, especially when it came to mechas. A circus of metal, mayhem and fights stirred the blood in her veins and made her feel alive.”
Circus Escape by Lilliana Rose
After being so pleasantly surprised by The Only Way by Jamie Sullivan from Less Than Three Press, I thought I would try another lesbian story from them. I have been a fan of Less Than Three Press since before it started (having followed the three women who started it on LiveJournal back in the day), but have almost exclusively read their male-male romances, and mostly by one author. Also, I have been a fan of steam-punk for over six years, so I requested a NetGalley for Circus Escape. The combination of a good publisher and a steam-punk based plot around mechas (anything from automatons to fighting units with a person inside) sounded great.
Circus Escape is a short story that follows Nessie and Joy. Nessie is a sheltered, upperclass young lady who dreams of seeing and working on mechas. She happens to see that there is a huge mecha fight later in the evening, which is her first chance to see her dream up close. She happens to stumble across Joy, the mecha pilot and engineer of Sally Spider, the new mecha fighting that evening. As Joy takes Nessie to see the mecha up close, the women feel a pull to each other, but as they separate so that Joy can prepare for the fight. Joy is told by her boss that she must lose the fight. What will Joy do? And how will these two have a happy ending?
I will be perfectly honest; I was completely underwhelmed by this short story. It is hard to put my finger on what left me underwhelmed, but it just feels a really amateur attempt at a lesbian story. Many of the elements in the story had potential, but were just mishandled. The most obvious to me is the plot. There was potential with the plot to be a really interesting story, one that I haven’t read before, mostly the females and mechas. Instead, everything felt a bit clunky and too easy. It reminded me of when little kids think ‘if you like someone you marry them.’ It felt like that simple logic.
I probably could have forgiven the author for the lack of complexity in the plot if the writing style or characters had saved the story, but they didn’t. My least favourite thing about the story was the dialogue. Most of the lines between Joy and Nessie were horrible innuendos. For example, “Joy placed her finger on Nessie’s lips, silencing her. ‘You’re the only one over-lubricating here!’”. Without a slapstick-style story, these innuendos felt gross. Also Joy’s accent is rather inconsistent, with phrases being used in ways that felt forced and strange. For example, “salty pomegranate flavour,” sticks out in my mind.
The story wasn’t completely without good points though. The mechas in the story were interesting and different from others that I have read. The description of Sally Spider and the other two fighting mechas were interesting, as well as the glimpses at the finer details of the mechanics. I am not very mechanically minded myself, so I was glad the descriptions never got too technical. The world building in the story was also interesting, with the mecha fighters being a modern circus act that travels world to world performing shows.
While I have certainly read worse stories, this was a disappointment to me. I was hoping for a really good story. The author has potential, but this Circus Escape was not for me. I would not be able to recommend it, especially as I have read a number of much better thought out and executed fanfics.
Final Verdict: Unless you receive a free copy, just skip Circus Escape and read some fanfics from your favourite fandom instead.
May 31, 2014
Originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on Apr 8th 2014:
Fluttering Thoughts:
Worldbuilding: Nice steampunk world, loved the mechas theme.
Characters: Nessie and Joy were interesting characters, but I can’t say I was totally into either of them. I think I liked Joy better. Considering this is a short story there wasn’t any hardcore character building but I felt that characters were well drawn.
Their chemistry was sweet, the kind of thing I don’t really respond to myself, but if you’re into that, this is a short story you should check out.
Plot: The story had a rapid rhythm and a satisfying though maybe slightly over-optimistic ending (I mean, someone could have been crushed by the mechas for instance :D Yes, I’m a very, very evil reader, lol).
Writing: Third person narrative, her and her POV, lol – Nessie & Joy.
Curb Appeal: Awesomesauce cover, hooking blurb – a good option for my steampunk f/f cravings.
All in all, this was a nice short story and I loved the theme. I’m labeling it as YA since there’s some very fluffy, sweet chemistry going on and a kiss or two.
Fluttering Thoughts:
Worldbuilding: Nice steampunk world, loved the mechas theme.
Characters: Nessie and Joy were interesting characters, but I can’t say I was totally into either of them. I think I liked Joy better. Considering this is a short story there wasn’t any hardcore character building but I felt that characters were well drawn.
Their chemistry was sweet, the kind of thing I don’t really respond to myself, but if you’re into that, this is a short story you should check out.
Plot: The story had a rapid rhythm and a satisfying though maybe slightly over-optimistic ending (I mean, someone could have been crushed by the mechas for instance :D Yes, I’m a very, very evil reader, lol).
Writing: Third person narrative, her and her POV, lol – Nessie & Joy.
Curb Appeal: Awesomesauce cover, hooking blurb – a good option for my steampunk f/f cravings.
All in all, this was a nice short story and I loved the theme. I’m labeling it as YA since there’s some very fluffy, sweet chemistry going on and a kiss or two.
April 10, 2014
If you’re a fan of the much loved, but under-appreciated, TV show Firefly (and its companion movie Serenity), you’ll probably enjoy this short story. It’s got the same kind of wild-west-meets-space-age Steampunk vibe going on with a whole lot of robot-vs-robot thrown in. Nessie is a proper young lady with a strong fascination for mecha (manually operated Steampunk robots). Joy is an anything-but-proper young woman who lives, breathes, and works with mecha everyday. The two share a fascination with mecha – and with each other. When Nessie comes to see a battle Joy’s mecha Sally Spider is fighting in, circumstances come to a head that will either ruin both their lives, or entwines their lives in ways they both didn’t even dare hope for.
The romance between Nessie and Joy is sweet, but all very surface level. They only share a sweet kiss or two, but they have an obvious connection and it’s a start to what may be a great relationship. And that’s where we get to the downside of this short story – it all felt like a start. This would make an awesome prequel (I would read it if the author decided to write a longer novel based on this), but I didn’t feel like there was any solid meat here as a standalone. It’s a quick and light story with the potential to be so much more. The deus ex machina ending wasn’t doing it any favors either.
All and all, lovers of Firefly, robot battles, and Steampunk may want to give this one a peak and I will cross my fingers that the author will take the potential present in this short story as a jumping off point for what may be a very interesting full length novel (or at least a novella).
*I received an ARC of this short story to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
The romance between Nessie and Joy is sweet, but all very surface level. They only share a sweet kiss or two, but they have an obvious connection and it’s a start to what may be a great relationship. And that’s where we get to the downside of this short story – it all felt like a start. This would make an awesome prequel (I would read it if the author decided to write a longer novel based on this), but I didn’t feel like there was any solid meat here as a standalone. It’s a quick and light story with the potential to be so much more. The deus ex machina ending wasn’t doing it any favors either.
All and all, lovers of Firefly, robot battles, and Steampunk may want to give this one a peak and I will cross my fingers that the author will take the potential present in this short story as a jumping off point for what may be a very interesting full length novel (or at least a novella).
*I received an ARC of this short story to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
April 6, 2014
This will be a short review, since Circus Escape is a novella. I was drawn in by the cover, and some of the key words in the description that I love. Steampunk, circus, lesbian themes? Sign me up. Unfortunately, this is a novella that leaves a lot to be desired, and I was left disappointed.
I never got a sense of... Anything, really. I didn't grow to know much about either of the main characters, let alone get a sense of the chemistry that is supposed to be between them. I didn't learn much about the setting or the era. I know that this is a short novella, so there's only so much space to describe such things, but I've seen others handled much better. I also didn't care much for the writing itself, it seemed overly simple and a bit choppy.
It's my understanding that this novella is the first in a series, but Circus Escape didn't satisfy me enough to be interested in continuing onward with the series. This might be one of the examples where it would have been better in a one piece book as opposed to a series. All in all, this one just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Less Than Three Press for the chance to read this. I wanted to like it, I really did. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
I never got a sense of... Anything, really. I didn't grow to know much about either of the main characters, let alone get a sense of the chemistry that is supposed to be between them. I didn't learn much about the setting or the era. I know that this is a short novella, so there's only so much space to describe such things, but I've seen others handled much better. I also didn't care much for the writing itself, it seemed overly simple and a bit choppy.
It's my understanding that this novella is the first in a series, but Circus Escape didn't satisfy me enough to be interested in continuing onward with the series. This might be one of the examples where it would have been better in a one piece book as opposed to a series. All in all, this one just wasn't for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Less Than Three Press for the chance to read this. I wanted to like it, I really did. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
Read
April 15, 2020Circus Escape lives up to its title. It is a wonderful short story that is a perfect afternoon read if you need some “escape” time for yourself.
Nessie is ready to break the shackles of being the perfect daughter and explore the fascinating world of mechas. Unexpectedly she meets Joy who is a designer of these mechanical marvels and from there is drawn into the behind the scenes world of mechas at a circus.
Nessie finds that there is more to the mecha competitions than meets the eyes. Backroom deals and temperamental, devious people try to rule this specific mecha circle. Whilst Joy and Nessie are trying to establish their mutual attraction to each other into the beginnings of a relationship together, they need to fight to break free from the corruption and their old lives to forge a new one together.
Lilliana Rose has the beginnings of a potential series of short stories in this mecha world. The description of the machines was particularly well done. I do not usually read the steampunk genre, but as Ms Rose did a wonderful job in the mecha’s detail, I could visually picture them and understand this fascinating domain.
A special mention must be made of the gorgeous front cover!
Nessie is ready to break the shackles of being the perfect daughter and explore the fascinating world of mechas. Unexpectedly she meets Joy who is a designer of these mechanical marvels and from there is drawn into the behind the scenes world of mechas at a circus.
Nessie finds that there is more to the mecha competitions than meets the eyes. Backroom deals and temperamental, devious people try to rule this specific mecha circle. Whilst Joy and Nessie are trying to establish their mutual attraction to each other into the beginnings of a relationship together, they need to fight to break free from the corruption and their old lives to forge a new one together.
Lilliana Rose has the beginnings of a potential series of short stories in this mecha world. The description of the machines was particularly well done. I do not usually read the steampunk genre, but as Ms Rose did a wonderful job in the mecha’s detail, I could visually picture them and understand this fascinating domain.
A special mention must be made of the gorgeous front cover!
August 14, 2015
This is the second short story of Lilliana Rose’s that I’ve read, and I could definitely tell this one was written prior to the last, which is a great thing. It means her writing is vastly improving. This story would have been four and half star rating had the writing been a lot smoother and less choppy.
That said, the plot of this fantastic little short was highly entertaining. The damsel in distress was not so damsely, which I love. On top of that, a woman in overalls with grease is about as sexy as they get! I loved the innovation with the mechas and how each was different, the fighting and how it was “improper” for a woman yet each Operator was a woman.
It’s a contrast within a contrast. The two worlds colliding in one where equality seems to be just out of grasp until the end. Overall a very innovative story, where the hero wins out in a great steampunk world.
**I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads**
~AJ
That said, the plot of this fantastic little short was highly entertaining. The damsel in distress was not so damsely, which I love. On top of that, a woman in overalls with grease is about as sexy as they get! I loved the innovation with the mechas and how each was different, the fighting and how it was “improper” for a woman yet each Operator was a woman.
It’s a contrast within a contrast. The two worlds colliding in one where equality seems to be just out of grasp until the end. Overall a very innovative story, where the hero wins out in a great steampunk world.
**I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads**
~AJ
October 19, 2015
This is the second short story of Lilliana Rose’s that I’ve read, and I could definitely tell this one was written prior to the last, which is a great thing. It means her writing is vastly improving. This story would have been four and half star rating had the writing been a lot smoother and less choppy.
That said, the plot of this fantastic little short was highly entertaining. The damsel in distress was not so damsely, which I love. On top of that, a woman in overalls with grease is about as sexy as they get! I loved the innovation with the mechas and how each was different, the fighting and how it was “improper” for a woman yet each Operator was a woman.
It’s a contrast within a contrast. The two worlds colliding in one where equality seems to be just out of grasp until the end. Overall a very innovate story, where the hero wins out in a great steampunk world.
**I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads**
That said, the plot of this fantastic little short was highly entertaining. The damsel in distress was not so damsely, which I love. On top of that, a woman in overalls with grease is about as sexy as they get! I loved the innovation with the mechas and how each was different, the fighting and how it was “improper” for a woman yet each Operator was a woman.
It’s a contrast within a contrast. The two worlds colliding in one where equality seems to be just out of grasp until the end. Overall a very innovate story, where the hero wins out in a great steampunk world.
**I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads**
March 12, 2015
Imagine you're making gravy. Instead of taking the time to melt the butter before whisking in the flour, you smush cold butter and flour together with your fork and claim it's a roux. You keep the broth and the cream in separate pots until the very end, and then, instead of sausage or TVP or mushrooms or anything someone might expect in a gravy, you add a handful of Fruity Pebbles cereal. Oh, also, you only make a quarter-batch.
This, in a nutshell, was my experience with Circus Escape. Rose's characters are individually strong, and I was so freakin' intrigued by the glimpses of worldbuilding we were shown. But: Nessie and Joy are kissing and imagining long-term relationship options within minutes of meeting each other; they then proceed to spend the majority of the story not interacting with each other at all, and then, after a needless (IMO) and needlessly overwrought scene between Nessie and her mother,
This was a pretty okay story. With a couple thousand more words of world description and character development, it could've been a great one.
This, in a nutshell, was my experience with Circus Escape. Rose's characters are individually strong, and I was so freakin' intrigued by the glimpses of worldbuilding we were shown. But: Nessie and Joy are kissing and imagining long-term relationship options within minutes of meeting each other; they then proceed to spend the majority of the story not interacting with each other at all, and then, after a needless (IMO) and needlessly overwrought scene between Nessie and her mother,
This was a pretty okay story. With a couple thousand more words of world description and character development, it could've been a great one.
November 7, 2015
I wanted to like this story more than I did, but it felt like a novel's worth of potential worldbuilding had been sacrificed for the sake of a novella's worth of plot and the whole then shoehorned into a short story.
There was plenty of potential there, though, and I'd like to see the concepts expanded into something longer, even if a few copyediting misses jarred my reading experience.
There was plenty of potential there, though, and I'd like to see the concepts expanded into something longer, even if a few copyediting misses jarred my reading experience.
December 17, 2017
Enjoyed the world building of steampunk with sci-fi elements mixed. Would have liked to have had a novel length story but a good introduction into the characters and mechas.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn't reflect my star rating.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn't reflect my star rating.
January 5, 2025
Good writing by Lilliana Rose. However, the truth is I didn't pay enough attention and found myself reading a steampunk novel. It just wasn't my scene, and I stopped after the first couple of chapters.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews