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The Wonders
What happens when three ordinary people undergo radical medical treatments that make them international curiosities? They become wonders.
Leon has a small visible mechanical heart; Kathryn has been cured of a rare genetic disorder but is now covered in curly black wool; while performance artist Christos has metal wings implanted into his back. Brought together by a canny entrepreneur, the Wonders are transformed into a glamorous, genre-defying, twenty-first-century freak show. But what makes them objects of fascination also places them in danger.
Challenging our ideas about celebrity, disability and the value of human life, The Wonders is a boldly inventive, acute and moving novel from one of Australia's finest authors.
Leon has a small visible mechanical heart; Kathryn has been cured of a rare genetic disorder but is now covered in curly black wool; while performance artist Christos has metal wings implanted into his back. Brought together by a canny entrepreneur, the Wonders are transformed into a glamorous, genre-defying, twenty-first-century freak show. But what makes them objects of fascination also places them in danger.
Challenging our ideas about celebrity, disability and the value of human life, The Wonders is a boldly inventive, acute and moving novel from one of Australia's finest authors.
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2014
9 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Paddy O'Reilly
19 books27 followersPaddy O'Reilly is a writer from Victoria, Australia. Her work has been published and broadcast widely both in Australia and internationally.
Paddy's short story collection, The End of the World (University of Queensland Press) was released to critical acclaim in April, 2007. The stories in the collection have won a number of national and international story awards including 'The Age', the 'Judah Waten', 'Zoetrope All-Story' (USA) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation (UK).
The End of the World was chosen as one of the year's best books in various publications from Australian Book Review to The Financial Review. It was shortlisted in the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards and commended in the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards.
Paddy's debut novel, The Factory, was also in the best books of the year lists in Australian Book Review and the Sydney Morning Herald and was Highly Commended in the FAW Christina Stead Award for Fiction. It was broadcast in fifteen episodes as the ABC Radio National Book Reading during July 2009.
Her novella 'Deep Water' was published in 2007 as one of four in the novella anthology, Love and Desire (The Five Mile Press).
contact
Contact my agent:
Sophie Hicks at edvictor.co.uk
Email Paddy
news, events, new stories, stuff, click here
She has also written screenplays and worked as additional screenwriter for films which have been nominated for AFI awards and screened nationally and internationally.
Paddy has been Asialink writer-in-residence in Japan, a fellow at Varuna: the Writers' House, writer-in-residence at Kelly Steps Cottage, Tasmania, and The Lockup, Newcastle, presenter and reader at the International Conference on the Short Story in Toronto and a full fellow at the Vermont Studio Center, USA.
Paddy has spent several years living in Japan, working as a copywriter and translator.
Paddy's short story collection, The End of the World (University of Queensland Press) was released to critical acclaim in April, 2007. The stories in the collection have won a number of national and international story awards including 'The Age', the 'Judah Waten', 'Zoetrope All-Story' (USA) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation (UK).
The End of the World was chosen as one of the year's best books in various publications from Australian Book Review to The Financial Review. It was shortlisted in the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards and commended in the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards.
Paddy's debut novel, The Factory, was also in the best books of the year lists in Australian Book Review and the Sydney Morning Herald and was Highly Commended in the FAW Christina Stead Award for Fiction. It was broadcast in fifteen episodes as the ABC Radio National Book Reading during July 2009.
Her novella 'Deep Water' was published in 2007 as one of four in the novella anthology, Love and Desire (The Five Mile Press).
contact
Contact my agent:
Sophie Hicks at edvictor.co.uk
Email Paddy
news, events, new stories, stuff, click here
She has also written screenplays and worked as additional screenwriter for films which have been nominated for AFI awards and screened nationally and internationally.
Paddy has been Asialink writer-in-residence in Japan, a fellow at Varuna: the Writers' House, writer-in-residence at Kelly Steps Cottage, Tasmania, and The Lockup, Newcastle, presenter and reader at the International Conference on the Short Story in Toronto and a full fellow at the Vermont Studio Center, USA.
Paddy has spent several years living in Japan, working as a copywriter and translator.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 15, 2015
The Wonders is about a "freak show". But then again, it isn't. While the traditional freak show offered human abnormalities of nature, the three protagonists that make up the touring attraction in Paddy O'Reilly's sensitive and thoughtful novel became what they are later in their life and through three different medical circumstances. Kathryn is cured of Huntington by a unique treatment that leaves her covered in black wool. Christos is a performance artist who has wings transplanted into his back. Leon has an artificial heart that resembles clockwork and is visible through a transparent window in his chest. Rhona Burke, an entrepreneur who has had success with various circuses and side shows bring them together for a 21th century celebration of oddities.
Paddy O'Reilly is an Australian writer who has a light touch and a subtle wisdom. Her style is easy going even though her themes in this book can be on the heavy side. She explores a number of topics including the role of the celebrity, our perceptions of what it means to be human (and humane), and our obsession with our own mortality. Most of the book is through the perspective of Leon. After multiple heart attacks and heart transplant rejections, he receives an unique artificial heart. He is naturally a quiet and somewhat isolated man who is given the chance to live out his life and to be able to risk his emotions again. Kathryn goes through life as a victim with her words and wit as her only weapon and sees her new role as performer as a way to become independent and to fulfill her wish to live alone on an island. Christos is the only one who chose his uniqueness, becomes defined by it, and strives for control over everything and others. It is Rhona who runs the show, so to speak, and she strives to balance both her no nonsense business sense with her sincere concern for the three singular individuals she brings together. She tries to prepare them for their celebrity knowing t will change them and will introduce them to other aspects of human nature that one may not want to see.
The real wonder is how this novel breezes through some heavy topics and still manages to tackles them with ease. I am reminded by her style of John Irving, especially of The World According to Garp which tackles some of the same themes. The Wonders is a bit of a wonder itself as we become involved with the three main characters as they deal with their inflictions and the notoriety it brings them. One ongoing theme is how they perceive their own humanness versus how the spectators view it with their own baggage and interpretation. How does one remain true to himself when even the most trusted person admits to the exploitation that comes with the territory?
There is lots to explore in this book but what makes it so good is that you can simply read it for the pleasure. It is both amusing and sensitive while examining important parts of the character's lives . Eventually there is danger and possibly even tragedy with hard choices for our protagonists but it is packed so well into the book that we become surprised at the turn.
The book was a surprise to me. I have not heard of the author before this and didn't know what to expect. In a lot of ways it comes across as a bit of existentialism without the heaviness and the cynicism. It is a positive existential novel which makes it a bit of a find and a bit of a contradiction. It is not a prefect novel . There are interactions between the characters that never really take off. For instance, Leon's romance with his doctor seems forced and there is never any real passion in it. Also, there is an ongoing situation with Leon and the maker of his mechanical heart that starts as a strong plot point, is dropped, then comes back at the end. I brings with it an important turn of event at the climax but it also felt a bit manipulative. Yet taken as a whole, the novel is magical and begs for a second reading for parts that you know are there but may have missed in all that literary magic going on. The Wonders is the first really great novel I have read in 2015 and it may be hard for the rest of the contenders to surpass. We will see.
Paddy O'Reilly is an Australian writer who has a light touch and a subtle wisdom. Her style is easy going even though her themes in this book can be on the heavy side. She explores a number of topics including the role of the celebrity, our perceptions of what it means to be human (and humane), and our obsession with our own mortality. Most of the book is through the perspective of Leon. After multiple heart attacks and heart transplant rejections, he receives an unique artificial heart. He is naturally a quiet and somewhat isolated man who is given the chance to live out his life and to be able to risk his emotions again. Kathryn goes through life as a victim with her words and wit as her only weapon and sees her new role as performer as a way to become independent and to fulfill her wish to live alone on an island. Christos is the only one who chose his uniqueness, becomes defined by it, and strives for control over everything and others. It is Rhona who runs the show, so to speak, and she strives to balance both her no nonsense business sense with her sincere concern for the three singular individuals she brings together. She tries to prepare them for their celebrity knowing t will change them and will introduce them to other aspects of human nature that one may not want to see.
The real wonder is how this novel breezes through some heavy topics and still manages to tackles them with ease. I am reminded by her style of John Irving, especially of The World According to Garp which tackles some of the same themes. The Wonders is a bit of a wonder itself as we become involved with the three main characters as they deal with their inflictions and the notoriety it brings them. One ongoing theme is how they perceive their own humanness versus how the spectators view it with their own baggage and interpretation. How does one remain true to himself when even the most trusted person admits to the exploitation that comes with the territory?
There is lots to explore in this book but what makes it so good is that you can simply read it for the pleasure. It is both amusing and sensitive while examining important parts of the character's lives . Eventually there is danger and possibly even tragedy with hard choices for our protagonists but it is packed so well into the book that we become surprised at the turn.
The book was a surprise to me. I have not heard of the author before this and didn't know what to expect. In a lot of ways it comes across as a bit of existentialism without the heaviness and the cynicism. It is a positive existential novel which makes it a bit of a find and a bit of a contradiction. It is not a prefect novel . There are interactions between the characters that never really take off. For instance, Leon's romance with his doctor seems forced and there is never any real passion in it. Also, there is an ongoing situation with Leon and the maker of his mechanical heart that starts as a strong plot point, is dropped, then comes back at the end. I brings with it an important turn of event at the climax but it also felt a bit manipulative. Yet taken as a whole, the novel is magical and begs for a second reading for parts that you know are there but may have missed in all that literary magic going on. The Wonders is the first really great novel I have read in 2015 and it may be hard for the rest of the contenders to surpass. We will see.
September 15, 2014
A book with no heart, that never took wings, and a very woolly storyline.
Unfortunately you would have had to have read the book to get the allusions. It is a Wonder that I finished it.
Unfortunately you would have had to have read the book to get the allusions. It is a Wonder that I finished it.
August 24, 2014
I was left a bit disappointed by this, having gone in with high hopes. The idea is clever and there are thought provoking bits on identity, family, fame and values, but the whole thing never really took flight for me. The characters were flat and their interactions not particularly convincing (particularly the relationship between Leon and Minh), and the plot was unevenly paced. The writing is readable and clear, with some neat descriptive flashes. I like the O'Reilly is trying to tackle some big ideas, but I really wanted to care more about the story that she was hanging the ideas off.
January 19, 2016
I am a big fan of Paddy O’Reilly’s writing, and so I had been waiting impatiently for The Wonders, her third novel. I read it over the weekend between sessions at the Bendigo Writers’ Festival and I am not at all surprised that it is already racing up the bestseller lists at indie bookshops.
If you read my thoughts about Angela Meyer’s anthology The Great Unknown you may recall that Paddy had a story called ‘Reality TV’ in that collection. Little did I realise when I noted that the story skewers the hideousness of reality TV without mercy that Paddy’s interest in celebrity was to morph into an irresistible novel! In The Wonders she exposes the morbid curiosity that lies behind not just the freak shows of the 19th century but also those contemporary ‘human interest’ stories that feature disabled people. This is a novel that will engage your interest and your empathy, make you laugh and perhaps cry, but it will also make you think deeply about your own behaviour.
As you will know if you read The Fine Colour of Rust (see my review) Paddy O’Reilly is brilliant at creating memorable characters. In The Wonders, Leon, Kathryn and Christos form the troupe managed by Rhona, an American entrepreneur, and from the beginning the author inverts expectations about who’s doing the gawking:
What a shock, then , to meet Rhona at the station in Melbourne. She was waiting to greet him off the train, wearing cowboy boots and rhinestone jewellery. Titian red hair. A big white handbag studded with fake rubies. Leon had been stewing in indignation about how he was to be displayed as a monster, gawked at by strangers, until he stepped onto the platform and found himself staring at Rhona as if she was the exhibit. Around him the other travellers were staring too.
‘My Hyland, a pleasure to meet you, ‘ she said in her big American voice, stretching out her hand to shake. ‘Geez. honey, they told me that Aussies always shut their lips tight to keep out the flies.’ (p. 11)
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/08/13/th...
If you read my thoughts about Angela Meyer’s anthology The Great Unknown you may recall that Paddy had a story called ‘Reality TV’ in that collection. Little did I realise when I noted that the story skewers the hideousness of reality TV without mercy that Paddy’s interest in celebrity was to morph into an irresistible novel! In The Wonders she exposes the morbid curiosity that lies behind not just the freak shows of the 19th century but also those contemporary ‘human interest’ stories that feature disabled people. This is a novel that will engage your interest and your empathy, make you laugh and perhaps cry, but it will also make you think deeply about your own behaviour.
As you will know if you read The Fine Colour of Rust (see my review) Paddy O’Reilly is brilliant at creating memorable characters. In The Wonders, Leon, Kathryn and Christos form the troupe managed by Rhona, an American entrepreneur, and from the beginning the author inverts expectations about who’s doing the gawking:
What a shock, then , to meet Rhona at the station in Melbourne. She was waiting to greet him off the train, wearing cowboy boots and rhinestone jewellery. Titian red hair. A big white handbag studded with fake rubies. Leon had been stewing in indignation about how he was to be displayed as a monster, gawked at by strangers, until he stepped onto the platform and found himself staring at Rhona as if she was the exhibit. Around him the other travellers were staring too.
‘My Hyland, a pleasure to meet you, ‘ she said in her big American voice, stretching out her hand to shake. ‘Geez. honey, they told me that Aussies always shut their lips tight to keep out the flies.’ (p. 11)
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/08/13/th...
December 21, 2014
The word 'circus' has many uses in today's English: aside from the regular, traditional circus, featuring clowns and elephants, there is also the (arguably) metaphorical circus of the media, or politics. Coupled with the concept of a circus as a performance for the sake of entertainment, is entangled the concept of a feeding frenzy, a loud, seemingly chaotic ambush of a multitude of gazes. The freak shows of the 19th century may have officially ended, but our rapt attention to 'reality TV' shows - featuring people at their worst as well as their best - is testament to our ongoing love, obsession and fascination with the strange, the flawed, the bizarre or simply anyone who makes us feel better about ourselves. Paddy O'Reilly's latest book, The Wonders, does a superb job of shining a light on the blurred lines between what is normal and what is not, as well as our own rabid interest in creating the 'Other' as a way to position and understand who we are, collectively and individually.
I absolutely loved O'Reilly's previous novel, The Fine Colour of Rust ; while The Wonders is written with the same light touch, and there are some moments of humour, these are two very different books. The Wonders is a more serious, more issues-based examination of society and its foibles, as well as our insecurities, fears and obsessive natures.
The story centres around Leon, whose heart began to give out when he was twenty-six; a year after his first (of many) heart attacks, he's given a new heart, but his body begins to reject the transplant. Living with his mother again while he waits to die, at the bottom of the heart transplant list because it would be his second transplant, Leon is contacted by a surgeon offering a possible chance at life - a highly illegal, unauthorised chance. The doctor, Susan Nowinski, and her husband, Howard, an engineer, have a radical plan to install a mechanical heart in Leon's chest. An excruciating procedure over the course of a year is followed by a recovery in isolation, until a local GP spills the beans after a routine check-up. Leon is contacted by many in the media (the expression 'media circus' comes to mind early on in the book, in the sense of a noisy, persistent menagerie), offering him money in exchange for his story, or from scientists and doctors wanting to study him, but it is a call from an American woman that draws him down to Melbourne to hear a more unique offer.
Rhona is a wealthy entrepreneur behind many successful shows, and her new idea is a winner - if she convince Leon to sign up for it. Not a conventional circus, to be sure, but it would require him to be on display, to be looked at. Rhona already has two others in the show: Kathryn Damon, an Irish woman "whose gene therapy for Huntington's had cured the Huntington's but left her covered in wool" [p.15]; and Christos Petridis, a performance artist from Greece who had special implants put into his back that enable him to bear - and flex - metal wings. After a few months of training and working out at Rhona's large home, called Overington, which is also home to rescued and ex-circus animals, they are introduced to the world as 'the Wonders', appearing at private dinners for exorbitant prices.
But fame always comes at a cost, not least for these three who are so different. They are both highly visible figures, and hidden, secluded ones, enveloped in a façade of disguise and illusion. Yet, that, too, is an illusion. Just as they cannot take off the very identities which have made their names - Lady Lamb, Seraphiel (which later changed to the more simple Angel), and Clockwork Man (later, Valentino) - neither can they be protected from the craziness in humanity that responds to difference.
Where The Wonders really delivers is on the themes and issues at its heart. The novel is deceptively light and easy to read: much like what we see on TV, on the surface at least it doesn't require effort to 'watch' what unfolds. But unlike with TV, O'Reilly constantly (and gently) encourages us to think, and question, and wonder. The wondrousness of life, the sparkling beauty of an individual and an appreciation of our differences is present, but juxtaposed against an encroaching darkness, a manic edge of fear, insecurity, greed and fetishistic obsessiveness. There are a few places where humanity's complex nature is explored overtly, such as when a group of disabled people - veterans, victims, unfortunates - ambush the Wonders after a show and declare their anger at what they see as shameless exploitation, calling the Wonders 'whores in a peep show' [p.136] and not contributing to society in a meaningful way. Kathryn, never one to back down or keep her own thoughts quiet, responds just as aggressively, but being faced with 'real' disability makes Leon feel empathetic.
[caption id="attachment_20618" align="alignleft" width="193"]
I love the North American cover! (The Wonders is due out in February 2015.)[/caption]Lingering at the periphery of such scenes - encouraged by the circus parallels - is the constant question of what is real and what is fake, what is illusion, disguise, and what is the 'real deal'. Christos, a self-absorbed artiste, changed his body for art - willingly, and with intent. Leon allowed others to experiment on his body on the slim chance of a second life. Kathryn, though, has become a true freak through no fault of her own, and has a truly horrible pre-Wonders past: her husband took advantage of her, taking demeaning photos of her, subjecting her to scrutiny in an attempt to make money, and even now that they're divorced, continues to harass her and Rhona, demanding a share of her income from the Wonders. What they each show, individually, and together, collectively, is just how complex humans are, how complex our lives are: the more we try to define, categorise and label in an attempt to understand and, ultimately, judge, the more difficult it becomes to do just that without distorting perception.
The characters are tangible, memorable and interesting, helping to propel the story forward. There is only minimal foreshadowing, and some backtracking into Leon's ground-breaking surgery, to break up the chronological flow. It is a coming-of-age story for Leon, who must grow as a person, let fame get to his head and then become grounded once more, but he must also learn how to let himself feel. For the man without a beating heart (it really would be freaky, not having a pulse!), Leon realises he can still feel, but more than that: that it is necessary to let others know that you feel, especially if they're to accept you as human.
While the idea of what it means to be human - or who is human - is at the heart of The Wonders and is brilliantly handled, I found that the style and structure of the novel itself was where I was slightly, ever-so-slightly, disappointed. Perhaps it is testament to O'Reilly's ability in crafting generous, fascinating and believable characters, but I felt cheated at the story's narrative style: it skims along the surface, dipping down into a scene and then coasting along the surface again, covering weeks and months in the space of a breath. It was partly because of this that I felt confused and not very convinced by Leon's relationship with Minh (and perhaps because of the context in which she's introduced into the story, I was suspicious of her too, which didn't help). I never really got to know Kathryn and Christos to an extent that would have satisfied - they remained displays, figures made up of their personas, people you couldn't touch. Maybe that's the point, and maybe it's a point too far, if it is.
Quite likely it will improve for me with further readings; I've learned from previous experience that those novels written in a deceptively simple way hold onto their secrets and their wonders - pun intended - for longer than those written in fancier language. Despite the unevenness of my initial reading experience, this is a subtle, layered tale, combining classic circus stories of showmanship, subterfuge and illusion (I couldn't help but be reminded of Angela Carter's excellent, and mind-bending, Nights at the Circus), as well as family, loyalty and generosity of spirit, with a perceptive social commentary on 21st-century attitudes, obsessions and prejudice. I heartily recommend The Wonders, which is a book that will satisfy in many ways, even if it didn't quite satisfy me, personally, in all of them.
I absolutely loved O'Reilly's previous novel, The Fine Colour of Rust ; while The Wonders is written with the same light touch, and there are some moments of humour, these are two very different books. The Wonders is a more serious, more issues-based examination of society and its foibles, as well as our insecurities, fears and obsessive natures.
The story centres around Leon, whose heart began to give out when he was twenty-six; a year after his first (of many) heart attacks, he's given a new heart, but his body begins to reject the transplant. Living with his mother again while he waits to die, at the bottom of the heart transplant list because it would be his second transplant, Leon is contacted by a surgeon offering a possible chance at life - a highly illegal, unauthorised chance. The doctor, Susan Nowinski, and her husband, Howard, an engineer, have a radical plan to install a mechanical heart in Leon's chest. An excruciating procedure over the course of a year is followed by a recovery in isolation, until a local GP spills the beans after a routine check-up. Leon is contacted by many in the media (the expression 'media circus' comes to mind early on in the book, in the sense of a noisy, persistent menagerie), offering him money in exchange for his story, or from scientists and doctors wanting to study him, but it is a call from an American woman that draws him down to Melbourne to hear a more unique offer.
Rhona is a wealthy entrepreneur behind many successful shows, and her new idea is a winner - if she convince Leon to sign up for it. Not a conventional circus, to be sure, but it would require him to be on display, to be looked at. Rhona already has two others in the show: Kathryn Damon, an Irish woman "whose gene therapy for Huntington's had cured the Huntington's but left her covered in wool" [p.15]; and Christos Petridis, a performance artist from Greece who had special implants put into his back that enable him to bear - and flex - metal wings. After a few months of training and working out at Rhona's large home, called Overington, which is also home to rescued and ex-circus animals, they are introduced to the world as 'the Wonders', appearing at private dinners for exorbitant prices.
But fame always comes at a cost, not least for these three who are so different. They are both highly visible figures, and hidden, secluded ones, enveloped in a façade of disguise and illusion. Yet, that, too, is an illusion. Just as they cannot take off the very identities which have made their names - Lady Lamb, Seraphiel (which later changed to the more simple Angel), and Clockwork Man (later, Valentino) - neither can they be protected from the craziness in humanity that responds to difference.
Where The Wonders really delivers is on the themes and issues at its heart. The novel is deceptively light and easy to read: much like what we see on TV, on the surface at least it doesn't require effort to 'watch' what unfolds. But unlike with TV, O'Reilly constantly (and gently) encourages us to think, and question, and wonder. The wondrousness of life, the sparkling beauty of an individual and an appreciation of our differences is present, but juxtaposed against an encroaching darkness, a manic edge of fear, insecurity, greed and fetishistic obsessiveness. There are a few places where humanity's complex nature is explored overtly, such as when a group of disabled people - veterans, victims, unfortunates - ambush the Wonders after a show and declare their anger at what they see as shameless exploitation, calling the Wonders 'whores in a peep show' [p.136] and not contributing to society in a meaningful way. Kathryn, never one to back down or keep her own thoughts quiet, responds just as aggressively, but being faced with 'real' disability makes Leon feel empathetic.
Rhona tugged at Leon's sleeve and pulled him further into the passage. The gesture made Leon think about how no one would dare touch the empty sleeve or the hard gnarly stub of the man who waited below. If the man was not married, he probably felt the same loneliness Leon had been experiencing since he was implanted with his brass heart. It was more than sexual frustration. It was a deep ache of physical loneliness. A hunger. Wanting to be gripped by the wrist when a friend was making a point, or to have a hand pressed against his back as he was guided through a doorway. Leon was nervous of being touched and yet he craved it. And he knew from experience how disfigurement caused such discomfit and, at the same time, such fascination in most people that they were afraid to touch you even though it was the one thing they longed to do. [pp.136-7]
[caption id="attachment_20618" align="alignleft" width="193"]
I love the North American cover! (The Wonders is due out in February 2015.)[/caption]Lingering at the periphery of such scenes - encouraged by the circus parallels - is the constant question of what is real and what is fake, what is illusion, disguise, and what is the 'real deal'. Christos, a self-absorbed artiste, changed his body for art - willingly, and with intent. Leon allowed others to experiment on his body on the slim chance of a second life. Kathryn, though, has become a true freak through no fault of her own, and has a truly horrible pre-Wonders past: her husband took advantage of her, taking demeaning photos of her, subjecting her to scrutiny in an attempt to make money, and even now that they're divorced, continues to harass her and Rhona, demanding a share of her income from the Wonders. What they each show, individually, and together, collectively, is just how complex humans are, how complex our lives are: the more we try to define, categorise and label in an attempt to understand and, ultimately, judge, the more difficult it becomes to do just that without distorting perception. The characters are tangible, memorable and interesting, helping to propel the story forward. There is only minimal foreshadowing, and some backtracking into Leon's ground-breaking surgery, to break up the chronological flow. It is a coming-of-age story for Leon, who must grow as a person, let fame get to his head and then become grounded once more, but he must also learn how to let himself feel. For the man without a beating heart (it really would be freaky, not having a pulse!), Leon realises he can still feel, but more than that: that it is necessary to let others know that you feel, especially if they're to accept you as human.
While the idea of what it means to be human - or who is human - is at the heart of The Wonders and is brilliantly handled, I found that the style and structure of the novel itself was where I was slightly, ever-so-slightly, disappointed. Perhaps it is testament to O'Reilly's ability in crafting generous, fascinating and believable characters, but I felt cheated at the story's narrative style: it skims along the surface, dipping down into a scene and then coasting along the surface again, covering weeks and months in the space of a breath. It was partly because of this that I felt confused and not very convinced by Leon's relationship with Minh (and perhaps because of the context in which she's introduced into the story, I was suspicious of her too, which didn't help). I never really got to know Kathryn and Christos to an extent that would have satisfied - they remained displays, figures made up of their personas, people you couldn't touch. Maybe that's the point, and maybe it's a point too far, if it is.
Quite likely it will improve for me with further readings; I've learned from previous experience that those novels written in a deceptively simple way hold onto their secrets and their wonders - pun intended - for longer than those written in fancier language. Despite the unevenness of my initial reading experience, this is a subtle, layered tale, combining classic circus stories of showmanship, subterfuge and illusion (I couldn't help but be reminded of Angela Carter's excellent, and mind-bending, Nights at the Circus), as well as family, loyalty and generosity of spirit, with a perceptive social commentary on 21st-century attitudes, obsessions and prejudice. I heartily recommend The Wonders, which is a book that will satisfy in many ways, even if it didn't quite satisfy me, personally, in all of them.
February 3, 2015
The Wonders is a book that can be deceptive in its depth. On the surface, it's the story of The Wonders, a group of three extraordinary people and their rise to fame. Leon has a hole in his chest through which can be viewed his mechanical heart. Kathryn is covered in black wool as a side effect of her treatment for Huntington's disease. Christos is a performance artist and has made himself into art by implanting giant metal wings onto his back. Rhona is the American entrepreneur with a history in the circus who brings them all together. They travel the country basically letting the public ogle them. Underneath, it's a commentary on the media, the price of fame, disability and what it means to be human.
The book basically follows the Wonders as they rise to fame. They start as three people with what some might call disabilities and Rhona brings them together and convinces them that they are special and should present themselves to the public. Like an old-school side-show, the three put themselves on display, starting with small private gatherings and working up to large public venues. Between shows, they live together at Rhona's compound where she also keeps retired circus animals.
I generally liked the plot. It was somewhat slow moving, although there is some excitement at the end, and I can see how some readers would not be satisfied. For me, that was ok in this case because I was fascinated by the characters and what was happening to them.
Leon, in particular, was intriguing. He is the books narrator, so we live the story through his eyes. He is the least confident and is somewhat socially inept. He is not a social person and putting himself on display is extremely uncomfortable for him although as the story progresses, he learns the draw of an adoring audience. His heart is visible to the world and that leaves him vulnerable both physically and psychologically. His relationships with the other characters, and even his wife are somewhat stilted because of it as well. What I found particularly fascinating is that, although Leon is himself a Wonder, the reader will find that he is a keen observer and is just as fascinated by his friends and fellow Wonders as the general public is. The idea of the public vs. the performer is turned on its head a little bit because Leon watches and forms opinions just like the viewing public does.
At its heart, this book is a thought provoking commentary on celebrity and our hunger for more, disability and our fascination with things different from the norm. What does it mean to be famous? How does that affect both the performer and the viewer? What really constitutes a disability? This is the type of book that has a decent story, but it's strength really lies in its ability to make you think without smacking you across the face with an agenda. It's the type of book that will only gain meaning on re-reading it.
The book basically follows the Wonders as they rise to fame. They start as three people with what some might call disabilities and Rhona brings them together and convinces them that they are special and should present themselves to the public. Like an old-school side-show, the three put themselves on display, starting with small private gatherings and working up to large public venues. Between shows, they live together at Rhona's compound where she also keeps retired circus animals.
I generally liked the plot. It was somewhat slow moving, although there is some excitement at the end, and I can see how some readers would not be satisfied. For me, that was ok in this case because I was fascinated by the characters and what was happening to them.
Leon, in particular, was intriguing. He is the books narrator, so we live the story through his eyes. He is the least confident and is somewhat socially inept. He is not a social person and putting himself on display is extremely uncomfortable for him although as the story progresses, he learns the draw of an adoring audience. His heart is visible to the world and that leaves him vulnerable both physically and psychologically. His relationships with the other characters, and even his wife are somewhat stilted because of it as well. What I found particularly fascinating is that, although Leon is himself a Wonder, the reader will find that he is a keen observer and is just as fascinated by his friends and fellow Wonders as the general public is. The idea of the public vs. the performer is turned on its head a little bit because Leon watches and forms opinions just like the viewing public does.
At its heart, this book is a thought provoking commentary on celebrity and our hunger for more, disability and our fascination with things different from the norm. What does it mean to be famous? How does that affect both the performer and the viewer? What really constitutes a disability? This is the type of book that has a decent story, but it's strength really lies in its ability to make you think without smacking you across the face with an agenda. It's the type of book that will only gain meaning on re-reading it.
September 10, 2014
I failed to connect with this one. I'm not sure why because the premise is intriguing. Perhaps it wasn't exciting enough: there are a few happenings, but no sense of rising tension. Or maybe it's just me.
November 20, 2014
2.5. For once in my life I agree with Marieke Hardy -- this just wasn't all that good. The premise was OK -- there are three people who are some form of "wonder", and they're exploited/convinced/maybe agree to become celebrities, but it went no deeper than that. The transition to celebrity was glossed over; the effects of celebrity were discussed, but with little reflection. The plot meandered, the actions of the characters reactive to external stimuli; there was no sense of building to a climax, and by the time the climax came, it felt like a random encounter in D&D.
I also found the portrayal of women was pretty on-the-nose; Lady Lamb is treated appallingly by people in the narrative and by the characterisation choices that made for her. She's either an abused woman or a sharp, cold bitch; a shallow idiot who wants to run away; someone who receives a comeuppance for not keeping up with the rest of the flock. It was unclear why at least some of this couldn't be one of the others; the others also have interesting things going on with bodily autonomy that could have been explored instead.
The most interesting thing in the book -- the operation that keeps the protagonist alive -- is glossed over, hinted at, has a fairly disappointing denouement. It feels for much of this novel that the characters are people having things done to them so that, like the slavering fans in the book, we as readers will feel for them, love them, whatever. For me, this gave a distance that just didn't work; a pity, with such a promising premise.
I also found the portrayal of women was pretty on-the-nose; Lady Lamb is treated appallingly by people in the narrative and by the characterisation choices that made for her. She's either an abused woman or a sharp, cold bitch; a shallow idiot who wants to run away; someone who receives a comeuppance for not keeping up with the rest of the flock. It was unclear why at least some of this couldn't be one of the others; the others also have interesting things going on with bodily autonomy that could have been explored instead.
The most interesting thing in the book -- the operation that keeps the protagonist alive -- is glossed over, hinted at, has a fairly disappointing denouement. It feels for much of this novel that the characters are people having things done to them so that, like the slavering fans in the book, we as readers will feel for them, love them, whatever. For me, this gave a distance that just didn't work; a pity, with such a promising premise.
November 24, 2014
Story of three physical and psychological misfits living and working together in a "circus". I couldn't really get into this story as I didn't relate to the characters - couldn't form a picture of what they looked like or why they acted as they did.
September 25, 2014
I gave up after 100 pages so couldn't give an honest review. Not my kind of book. Will look forward to Tuesday Night Bookclub in ABC to see what they thought.
July 6, 2019
"We're not animals," Leon said.
"We're all animals."
I really liked this book. It's one of those ones were I don't have an overwhelming surge of love for it, but I didn't dislike it. This one just leaves me with an overall positive view, and that's fine. The synopsis sounded cool to me, and I really like reading work by Australian authors.
I appreciated how much it went into the medical side of their oddities, and how real it felt when portraying how people build fame. I did think that the plot thing that happened at the end was really sudden, but I do see how it was there to provide some climax to the story, so I'm not too mad.
"We're all animals."
I really liked this book. It's one of those ones were I don't have an overwhelming surge of love for it, but I didn't dislike it. This one just leaves me with an overall positive view, and that's fine. The synopsis sounded cool to me, and I really like reading work by Australian authors.
I appreciated how much it went into the medical side of their oddities, and how real it felt when portraying how people build fame. I did think that the plot thing that happened at the end was really sudden, but I do see how it was there to provide some climax to the story, so I'm not too mad.
November 4, 2018
I liked it, well enough. Not sure how I felt about the protagonist; I didn't dislike him, but I never warmed up to him, never really sympathized with him at all. I thought it was an interesting premise, and certainly enlighting: the rise to fame, what it does to a normal person, craving adulation, the dangers, and the fall from fame, all the while trying to get along with people. Worth reading.
November 13, 2017
Interesting, but fell short of depth. This a story of three humans that have been altered enough to perform for audiences as a kind of updated sideshow attraction. While it moves toward introspection, it never really quite gets there.
March 7, 2019
I felt like I was waiting through the whole story for something to actually happen and then...it just did and it was over. Didn't find any of the characters particularly charming and the story line was just kind of lacking.
April 29, 2019
An interesting premise but it failed to captivate. It lacked intrigue and I didn't like any of the characters. I expected the characters to grow and develop through the story, none of their actions demonstrated this. This story feels strained. This book leaves me disappointed.
December 30, 2017
Hands down the most curious and bizarre book I've ever read - I really enjoyed it.
July 25, 2018
I really like the concept of the book and I enjoyed reading it but felt a little disappointed with the ending
August 14, 2018
BOOOOOORRRRRRIIIINNNGGG!
I gave up about two thirds into the book. Not very enjoyable.
I gave up about two thirds into the book. Not very enjoyable.
November 28, 2021
Just plain heartbreaking. What is wrong with people? Human does not equal humane!
May 27, 2022
I loved this book. The first few chapters were kinda confusing but boy did it all come together in such a beautiful and tragic way.
October 12, 2022
Interesting concept.
on-hold
June 10, 2024Not a bad start. Interesting. Our main chara seems decent enough at least.
February 25, 2015
A man suffers from heart failure and becomes a celebrity after a life-changing surgery turns him into a human anomaly. He joins two other people in similar situations, and the three of them form the latest international sensation. They experience the ups and downs of public life together and learn to navigate the emotional challenges that come with that life. Paddy O’Reilly gives readers this premise in the touching but sometimes ambivalent novel The Wonders.
Leon Hyland’s heart has failed, and he receives a heart transplant. When his body starts to reject the second heart, however, Leon decides this is it. There’s no point in prolonging the inevitable: he should just accept the fact that he will die. Then he gets a phone call that literally gives him another life.
A surgeon and a scientist couple in Leon’s native Australia tell him about a highly risky surgery. They have technology at their disposal that hasn’t received any kind of approval, but they also believe it could help Leon. After some deliberation Leon decides to undergo the ordeal. The worst that could happen, he reasons, is that he would die.
Against every imaginable odd Leon survives and feels better than he has in ages. The trade off? His privacy. The new heart is unlike anything anyone has ever seen, and he finds it difficult to stay anonymous. An American entrepreneur gets in touch about turning Leon’s newfound fame into a business venture. She tells him about two other people she’s met who have also undergone dramatic physical transformations and how she’s convinced them to join her.
Once again Leon does a mental shrug. In this way he meets Kathryn, an Irish woman who suffered from a terrible condition and who now has sheep wool growing from her skin. Leon also meets Christos, a statuesque man from Greece who uses his body as his personal canvas; he had ceramic implants inserted into his back to support a pair of wings that he can open and close with muscle strength.
The entrepreneur, Rhona, acts as their manager and confidante by turns. With a solid background in the circus, Rhona uses all of her experience along with twenty-first century technology to make Leon, Kathryn, and Christos—collectively The Wonders—as the next big thing. Within weeks the entire world has begun talking about The Wonders.
The three discover the real meaning of the word “celebrity” and do what they can to navigate every avenue their new status brings. They deal with crazed fans, religious fanatics, awestruck attendees, and the people from their past that everyone wants to forget. Through it all The Wonders start to learn what it means to be a family.
Australian author Paddy O’Reilly treats her characters with sympathy and humor. She also keeps them refreshingly real; while Leon accepts his life as a public figure, he does so with reluctance. Kathryn doesn’t mind standing strong and proud and accepting financial compensation for her affliction, and Christos seeks it out as much to feed his vanity as to satisfy his creative urges. Readers will find elements of regular people in all three characters.
The book’s aforementioned ambivalence comes in the medical issues that turn the three characters into The Wonders in the first place. As the sole point-of-view character for the entire novel, Leon’s medical issues should have received more attention. O’Reilly describes Leon’s new heart with just enough detail to make readers wonder about it but not quite enough to create a full mental picture.
Because readers get the benefit of Leon’s observations they’ll find out more about Kathryn and Christos’ circumstances than about Leon himself, which is a shame. Leon is an incredibly likeable character. Also Leon’s introverted nature prevents him from getting to know everything about Kathryn and Christos’ medical histories, and readers suffer the same fate.
The camaraderie the three main characters share provides rich material for interesting situations, although for a while the book might make readers feel like O’Reilly is treading water before getting to the climax. A little bit of editing for content would have helped tighten a few of those spots.
Loose spots in the plot and mild ambivalence aside, readers will most likely enjoy The Wonders. I recommend they look for it at their libraries.
Leon Hyland’s heart has failed, and he receives a heart transplant. When his body starts to reject the second heart, however, Leon decides this is it. There’s no point in prolonging the inevitable: he should just accept the fact that he will die. Then he gets a phone call that literally gives him another life.
A surgeon and a scientist couple in Leon’s native Australia tell him about a highly risky surgery. They have technology at their disposal that hasn’t received any kind of approval, but they also believe it could help Leon. After some deliberation Leon decides to undergo the ordeal. The worst that could happen, he reasons, is that he would die.
Against every imaginable odd Leon survives and feels better than he has in ages. The trade off? His privacy. The new heart is unlike anything anyone has ever seen, and he finds it difficult to stay anonymous. An American entrepreneur gets in touch about turning Leon’s newfound fame into a business venture. She tells him about two other people she’s met who have also undergone dramatic physical transformations and how she’s convinced them to join her.
Once again Leon does a mental shrug. In this way he meets Kathryn, an Irish woman who suffered from a terrible condition and who now has sheep wool growing from her skin. Leon also meets Christos, a statuesque man from Greece who uses his body as his personal canvas; he had ceramic implants inserted into his back to support a pair of wings that he can open and close with muscle strength.
The entrepreneur, Rhona, acts as their manager and confidante by turns. With a solid background in the circus, Rhona uses all of her experience along with twenty-first century technology to make Leon, Kathryn, and Christos—collectively The Wonders—as the next big thing. Within weeks the entire world has begun talking about The Wonders.
The three discover the real meaning of the word “celebrity” and do what they can to navigate every avenue their new status brings. They deal with crazed fans, religious fanatics, awestruck attendees, and the people from their past that everyone wants to forget. Through it all The Wonders start to learn what it means to be a family.
Australian author Paddy O’Reilly treats her characters with sympathy and humor. She also keeps them refreshingly real; while Leon accepts his life as a public figure, he does so with reluctance. Kathryn doesn’t mind standing strong and proud and accepting financial compensation for her affliction, and Christos seeks it out as much to feed his vanity as to satisfy his creative urges. Readers will find elements of regular people in all three characters.
The book’s aforementioned ambivalence comes in the medical issues that turn the three characters into The Wonders in the first place. As the sole point-of-view character for the entire novel, Leon’s medical issues should have received more attention. O’Reilly describes Leon’s new heart with just enough detail to make readers wonder about it but not quite enough to create a full mental picture.
Because readers get the benefit of Leon’s observations they’ll find out more about Kathryn and Christos’ circumstances than about Leon himself, which is a shame. Leon is an incredibly likeable character. Also Leon’s introverted nature prevents him from getting to know everything about Kathryn and Christos’ medical histories, and readers suffer the same fate.
The camaraderie the three main characters share provides rich material for interesting situations, although for a while the book might make readers feel like O’Reilly is treading water before getting to the climax. A little bit of editing for content would have helped tighten a few of those spots.
Loose spots in the plot and mild ambivalence aside, readers will most likely enjoy The Wonders. I recommend they look for it at their libraries.
January 3, 2016
I didn't know much about this book before I started reading, but given I think of Paddy O'Reilly as a 'literary' author, I was most struck by the unsentimental directness and modernity of her prose. Jane Sullivan's
Little People
is also about the fraught relationships within a sideshow troupe, but aesthetically is much more traditional.
By contrast, I'd compare this to Max Barry's technocratic transhumanism: it's the same kind of bleak satire of corporate and media culture. O'Reilly's prose is deft, bold and accessible (more like commercial fiction than literature) and dispassionate to the point of seeming scornful. Perhaps this is because the story unfolds through the eyes of Leon, a nebbishy loner whose transplanted mechanical heart seems conveniently to mirror his emotional alienation.
O'Reilly is interested in the human body as the locus of celebrity, dignity and power. Leon and his fellow Wonders – Kathryn, an Irish woman whose gene therapy for Huntington's disease has left her covered in black wool, and Christos, a Greek performance artist who has had metal wings bionically implanted in his body – encounter strong reactions wherever they go, and their bodies are carefully groomed into a spectacular performance by the shrewd, enigmatic Rhona Burke, Texan daughter of a circus king.
There's an unsettling Christian undertone to this entire fable. Leon has 'died' and been resurrected; Kathryn is a reformed magdalene and an innocent sacrificial lamb; Christos (note that name!) is an angel who frequently makes bold pronouncements, and whose arrogance could be his downfall.
Because I love a backstage show-business story, I immensely enjoyed the segments of the book that focused on the careful preparation for and staging of the Wonders roadshow. O'Reilly seems especially to relish describing the parallel circus of fandom, gossip media and spinoff merchandise that enfolds the Wonders, who spend most of their time cloistered away in a luxurious Vermont retreat. In many ways, the Wonders are like the Kardashians – privileged yet pilloried, repulsive yet beautiful, mercilessly commercial and culturally omnipresent.
The flipside of power is vulnerability, and the Wonders experience that, too. Their unique, famous bodies put them at risk from obsessed stalkers, religious fanatics and exploitative handlers. There's also a subplot in which the Wonders become targeted by hostile disability activists, highlighting the dissonance between fetishising/envying and disavowing/rejecting non-normative bodies. I don't think the differences between disability, mutation, corrective surgery and voluntary body modification are something O'Reilly ever really resolves.
The threads of other inequalities – those based on race, class and sexuality – aren only loosely woven in. Much of Kathryn's trauma stems from her previous impoverishment and from being trapped in an abusive relationship, rather than being specifically to do with her body. The troupe's in-house doctor, Minh, speaks harshly but proudly of using education to transcend the limits of being from a Vietnamese immigrant family. And Christos's younger Russian lover Yuri is presented as a hapless, timid servant – we're rarely granted insight into their relationship.
The Wonders is probably not going to satisfy anyone looking for nuanced philosophical answers to the questions it raises. Even X-Men more convincingly depicts non-normative bodies as analogies for trauma, social exclusion and persecution. But it was a colourful, even cinematic read, and is at its most knowing and persuasive in depicting the ugliness, venality and capriciousness of celebrity culture. I could easily see this adapted as a film or TV series. I tore through it in a day, and found it immensely absorbing and entertaining.
By contrast, I'd compare this to Max Barry's technocratic transhumanism: it's the same kind of bleak satire of corporate and media culture. O'Reilly's prose is deft, bold and accessible (more like commercial fiction than literature) and dispassionate to the point of seeming scornful. Perhaps this is because the story unfolds through the eyes of Leon, a nebbishy loner whose transplanted mechanical heart seems conveniently to mirror his emotional alienation.
O'Reilly is interested in the human body as the locus of celebrity, dignity and power. Leon and his fellow Wonders – Kathryn, an Irish woman whose gene therapy for Huntington's disease has left her covered in black wool, and Christos, a Greek performance artist who has had metal wings bionically implanted in his body – encounter strong reactions wherever they go, and their bodies are carefully groomed into a spectacular performance by the shrewd, enigmatic Rhona Burke, Texan daughter of a circus king.
There's an unsettling Christian undertone to this entire fable. Leon has 'died' and been resurrected; Kathryn is a reformed magdalene and an innocent sacrificial lamb; Christos (note that name!) is an angel who frequently makes bold pronouncements, and whose arrogance could be his downfall.
Because I love a backstage show-business story, I immensely enjoyed the segments of the book that focused on the careful preparation for and staging of the Wonders roadshow. O'Reilly seems especially to relish describing the parallel circus of fandom, gossip media and spinoff merchandise that enfolds the Wonders, who spend most of their time cloistered away in a luxurious Vermont retreat. In many ways, the Wonders are like the Kardashians – privileged yet pilloried, repulsive yet beautiful, mercilessly commercial and culturally omnipresent.
The flipside of power is vulnerability, and the Wonders experience that, too. Their unique, famous bodies put them at risk from obsessed stalkers, religious fanatics and exploitative handlers. There's also a subplot in which the Wonders become targeted by hostile disability activists, highlighting the dissonance between fetishising/envying and disavowing/rejecting non-normative bodies. I don't think the differences between disability, mutation, corrective surgery and voluntary body modification are something O'Reilly ever really resolves.
The threads of other inequalities – those based on race, class and sexuality – aren only loosely woven in. Much of Kathryn's trauma stems from her previous impoverishment and from being trapped in an abusive relationship, rather than being specifically to do with her body. The troupe's in-house doctor, Minh, speaks harshly but proudly of using education to transcend the limits of being from a Vietnamese immigrant family. And Christos's younger Russian lover Yuri is presented as a hapless, timid servant – we're rarely granted insight into their relationship.
The Wonders is probably not going to satisfy anyone looking for nuanced philosophical answers to the questions it raises. Even X-Men more convincingly depicts non-normative bodies as analogies for trauma, social exclusion and persecution. But it was a colourful, even cinematic read, and is at its most knowing and persuasive in depicting the ugliness, venality and capriciousness of celebrity culture. I could easily see this adapted as a film or TV series. I tore through it in a day, and found it immensely absorbing and entertaining.
April 12, 2020
You can also read this review on my blog at: http://oddfeather.co/2015/12/07/revie...
*this review contains spoilers!*
This is a wonderful book, and I’m not even saying that as a pun: it really is wonderful. O’Reilly’s work explores the notion of being a ‘freak’, a celebrity and a human being. Her characters are vivid, flawed and relatable, their hopes, relationships and lives fragile and fascinating.
After being implanted with an illegal and experimental mechanical heart, Leon is approached by Rhona, a marketing and performance expert, to become part of a trio that will travel the world performing shows. The other two performers are Kathryn, a woman cured of Huntington’s disease and left with the curious side-effect of being covered in black sheep’s wool, and Christos, a performance artist with metal wings implanted in his back. The three become The Wonders, achieving international super-stardom for their ‘uberhuman’ qualities. But fame of this magnitude comes with a price, and a tragic event overshadows their celebrity and fortune; the line between fame and privacy, humanity and inhumanity are soon crossed by both celebrity and fanatic.
This work is overshadowed from the beginning by a sense of foreboding; small clues in Leon’s narration and reflection pre-empt a tragedy brought on by their fame and their difference from others. It is also pre-empted by the presence of circus animals rescued by Rhona who need constant protection from the outside world. Parallels are drawn between the circus animals, who have often suffered cruelly at the hands of trainers and audience members alike, and The Wonders, who are often described as ‘inhuman’ or ‘animals’ by those opposed to them. However, the pre-empted tragic event comes very late in the narrative and is not exactly as expected. In fact there are several events that do not transpire as expected, lending the work a sense of being unfinished, as though it needs another layer to achieve wholeness. The plot binds together, the characters are suitably flawed and whole, so there is no specific complaint to be made, just a sense that something hasn’t quite happened; perhaps an opportunity was missed.
O’Reilly’s writing style is plain and unembellished, her characters and plot pleasingly offbeat and human, and the whole work appropriately satirical. The Wonders is a very enjoyable read, particularly for those interested in the concepts of fame, celebrity, humanity and inhumanity.
*this review contains spoilers!*
This is a wonderful book, and I’m not even saying that as a pun: it really is wonderful. O’Reilly’s work explores the notion of being a ‘freak’, a celebrity and a human being. Her characters are vivid, flawed and relatable, their hopes, relationships and lives fragile and fascinating.
After being implanted with an illegal and experimental mechanical heart, Leon is approached by Rhona, a marketing and performance expert, to become part of a trio that will travel the world performing shows. The other two performers are Kathryn, a woman cured of Huntington’s disease and left with the curious side-effect of being covered in black sheep’s wool, and Christos, a performance artist with metal wings implanted in his back. The three become The Wonders, achieving international super-stardom for their ‘uberhuman’ qualities. But fame of this magnitude comes with a price, and a tragic event overshadows their celebrity and fortune; the line between fame and privacy, humanity and inhumanity are soon crossed by both celebrity and fanatic.
This work is overshadowed from the beginning by a sense of foreboding; small clues in Leon’s narration and reflection pre-empt a tragedy brought on by their fame and their difference from others. It is also pre-empted by the presence of circus animals rescued by Rhona who need constant protection from the outside world. Parallels are drawn between the circus animals, who have often suffered cruelly at the hands of trainers and audience members alike, and The Wonders, who are often described as ‘inhuman’ or ‘animals’ by those opposed to them. However, the pre-empted tragic event comes very late in the narrative and is not exactly as expected. In fact there are several events that do not transpire as expected, lending the work a sense of being unfinished, as though it needs another layer to achieve wholeness. The plot binds together, the characters are suitably flawed and whole, so there is no specific complaint to be made, just a sense that something hasn’t quite happened; perhaps an opportunity was missed.
O’Reilly’s writing style is plain and unembellished, her characters and plot pleasingly offbeat and human, and the whole work appropriately satirical. The Wonders is a very enjoyable read, particularly for those interested in the concepts of fame, celebrity, humanity and inhumanity.
August 22, 2015
Curious idea, isn't it? A work of fiction that addresses what it is to be a celebrity, the definition of what it is to be disabled and the price of human life...I thought so too.
When I finished this book, I was confused. Is this a book about the price of being a celebrity? Is it about the meaning of disability? Is it about the varying degrees human exploitation? Or is it a love story? The answer is yes...this book is all of the above.
What began as a fictitious novel about three individuals with physical abnormalities who, depending on how you view the circumstances, exploit themselves and the public for money, became a soapbox for the woes of celebrity, and the definition of disability. I amend the author for their efforts to highlight some of the more overlooked parts of society, but I am unsure about O'Reilly's success.
For me, the book was about human nature's need assign labels and put people into categories, the reaction when someone doesn't exactly fit and in the end how little this method of ordering the universe actually matters. For example, when "The Wonders" were introduced to the world, the disabled community struggle with their identity because why are these people making money from their disability? Or is having a mechanical heart, wool instead of skin and mechanical wings even considered a disability? What does this mean for the rest of the community? Are they "freaks" and therefore make us "freaks?"
While the public panics to label "The Wonders," Leo, Kathryn and Christos discover who they are aside from their various abilities. Leo falls in love, Kathryn finds her independence, and Christos learns to love and respect someone other than himself.
The ending of this book is odd. **SPOILER ALERT** We are left with Christos and Leo after Kathryn is murdered from a kidnapping/ransom gone wrong. And each of the remaining "Wonder's" moves on with their life. **END SPOILER** It is here, at the end of the book, that I stretch to find any value of entertainment or meaning in the book. I read books to make me think or loose myself in the dreams or life of another, but this book just narrated the bazaar situation of three unique people leading (what I would deem) "ordinary" lives. (Get a job, make money...just...life!?!) Nothing special.
When I finished this book, I was confused. Is this a book about the price of being a celebrity? Is it about the meaning of disability? Is it about the varying degrees human exploitation? Or is it a love story? The answer is yes...this book is all of the above.
What began as a fictitious novel about three individuals with physical abnormalities who, depending on how you view the circumstances, exploit themselves and the public for money, became a soapbox for the woes of celebrity, and the definition of disability. I amend the author for their efforts to highlight some of the more overlooked parts of society, but I am unsure about O'Reilly's success.
For me, the book was about human nature's need assign labels and put people into categories, the reaction when someone doesn't exactly fit and in the end how little this method of ordering the universe actually matters. For example, when "The Wonders" were introduced to the world, the disabled community struggle with their identity because why are these people making money from their disability? Or is having a mechanical heart, wool instead of skin and mechanical wings even considered a disability? What does this mean for the rest of the community? Are they "freaks" and therefore make us "freaks?"
While the public panics to label "The Wonders," Leo, Kathryn and Christos discover who they are aside from their various abilities. Leo falls in love, Kathryn finds her independence, and Christos learns to love and respect someone other than himself.
The ending of this book is odd. **SPOILER ALERT** We are left with Christos and Leo after Kathryn is murdered from a kidnapping/ransom gone wrong. And each of the remaining "Wonder's" moves on with their life. **END SPOILER** It is here, at the end of the book, that I stretch to find any value of entertainment or meaning in the book. I read books to make me think or loose myself in the dreams or life of another, but this book just narrated the bazaar situation of three unique people leading (what I would deem) "ordinary" lives. (Get a job, make money...just...life!?!) Nothing special.
February 4, 2015
It's hard to be much more than... indifferent about Paddy O'Reilly's "The Wonders: A Novel."
There are things that work, and work fairly well, but there are more things that don't really work. There's just enough to make you want to see the story through to the end but... there's every chance you'll get to the end and be unsatisfied. But you'll still be glad you read it. It's not a book you'll regret reading but it's not a book you'll badger everyone you meet into reading.
The plot mostly centers on Leon, a twenty-something Australian guy whose heart failed him. Just greedy enough to want to live, he agrees to an illegal, super secret procedure which all but alienates him from his family and the world around him. Until Rhona, a vaguely sketchy American woman looking to restart a 21st century, politically correct circus like the one her father (and there's a "big" secret there that kind of fizzles for lack of relation to the larger plot) ran in the mid-20th century, shows up and offers him a new world. Together with Kathryn, a wool-coated woman thanks to a "miracle" cure for Huntington's Disease, and Christos, a performance artist who gave himself wings (literally), Leon becomes one of "The Wonders."
The idea - a politically correct "freak show" - would seem to be a commentary on modern society's fascination with celebrity, weirdness, and fame and fortune. That part makes sense; The Wonders are feted around the world and get very rich in the few years before collective attention turns to someone else.
What doesn't work is the slightly underdeveloped cast of supporting characters a reader is clearly supposed to be suspicious of, the constant allusions to earth-shattering secrets and revelations that come but certainly not with enough power to make a reader gasp.
I wish there had been more too it. I really do.
(I received a copy of "The Wonders" through NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an original and honest review. This review will be cross-posted on Goodreads, NetGalley, and my blog.)
There are things that work, and work fairly well, but there are more things that don't really work. There's just enough to make you want to see the story through to the end but... there's every chance you'll get to the end and be unsatisfied. But you'll still be glad you read it. It's not a book you'll regret reading but it's not a book you'll badger everyone you meet into reading.
The plot mostly centers on Leon, a twenty-something Australian guy whose heart failed him. Just greedy enough to want to live, he agrees to an illegal, super secret procedure which all but alienates him from his family and the world around him. Until Rhona, a vaguely sketchy American woman looking to restart a 21st century, politically correct circus like the one her father (and there's a "big" secret there that kind of fizzles for lack of relation to the larger plot) ran in the mid-20th century, shows up and offers him a new world. Together with Kathryn, a wool-coated woman thanks to a "miracle" cure for Huntington's Disease, and Christos, a performance artist who gave himself wings (literally), Leon becomes one of "The Wonders."
The idea - a politically correct "freak show" - would seem to be a commentary on modern society's fascination with celebrity, weirdness, and fame and fortune. That part makes sense; The Wonders are feted around the world and get very rich in the few years before collective attention turns to someone else.
What doesn't work is the slightly underdeveloped cast of supporting characters a reader is clearly supposed to be suspicious of, the constant allusions to earth-shattering secrets and revelations that come but certainly not with enough power to make a reader gasp.
I wish there had been more too it. I really do.
(I received a copy of "The Wonders" through NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an original and honest review. This review will be cross-posted on Goodreads, NetGalley, and my blog.)
February 3, 2015
When Leon gets a mechanical heart – his third heart after his biological heart and a donor heart fail – he has no idea of what lies in store. When he is recruited by a canny entrepreneur, he finds himself a living wonder, where freedom, attention and love are given and taken in the most unusual ways.
This was a really interesting book, looking at the ways technology might be used in the most extreme medical and cosmetic circumstances. Leon’s mechanical heart keeps him alive, but makes him an object of curiosity and in some ways, makes him exceedingly fragile. As he travels across the world, to join the exhibition and touring with it, he is confronted with the strange and wonderful as well as the most grotesque parts of life.
This isn’t a book where a lot of stuff happens for most of it. In making quiet, reserved Leon the main character, the choice is made to view the experience through quieter, calmer eyes than others. There’s a sense of silent monotony to most of the things Leon goes through – even moments which should be bigger are depicted in a quiet, even rhythm, much like the artificial heart Leon carries. It’s not until the end that the action ramps up, and there’s a feeling of dread and anticipation as you wait for it to come.
In some ways, I think it’s the outsiders – the families, the staff – who provide a lot of the interest. They serve as a mirror to the three wonders – a look back at what they were and what might have been. They also drive a lot of the action too – pushing the three Wonders away from monotony.
I don’t know if this would be a book for everyone. It’s rather quiet and reflective and you almost have to let yourself go a little to be taken along for the ride. If you are in the mood for that kind of book, though, this is a wonderful one to pick up and enjoy.
Originally reviewed at Subversive Reader
This was a really interesting book, looking at the ways technology might be used in the most extreme medical and cosmetic circumstances. Leon’s mechanical heart keeps him alive, but makes him an object of curiosity and in some ways, makes him exceedingly fragile. As he travels across the world, to join the exhibition and touring with it, he is confronted with the strange and wonderful as well as the most grotesque parts of life.
This isn’t a book where a lot of stuff happens for most of it. In making quiet, reserved Leon the main character, the choice is made to view the experience through quieter, calmer eyes than others. There’s a sense of silent monotony to most of the things Leon goes through – even moments which should be bigger are depicted in a quiet, even rhythm, much like the artificial heart Leon carries. It’s not until the end that the action ramps up, and there’s a feeling of dread and anticipation as you wait for it to come.
In some ways, I think it’s the outsiders – the families, the staff – who provide a lot of the interest. They serve as a mirror to the three wonders – a look back at what they were and what might have been. They also drive a lot of the action too – pushing the three Wonders away from monotony.
I don’t know if this would be a book for everyone. It’s rather quiet and reflective and you almost have to let yourself go a little to be taken along for the ride. If you are in the mood for that kind of book, though, this is a wonderful one to pick up and enjoy.
Originally reviewed at Subversive Reader
September 7, 2016
Can someone please call Tim Burton? I found his next project.
The Wonders by Paddy O'Reilly is dark, quirky, slightly humorous, and deeply provoking. Leon has a metal heart. Without it, he would die. Kathryn is cured of Huntington's disease, only to sprout thick black wool all over her body. Christos, artist extraordinaire, takes his art to a whole new level by implanting large metal wings onto his back. Discovered by Rhona, the trio become internationally known as The Wonders. They each create a persona and travel the world entertaining the masses. In short, cash is King and they're going to the bank--not laughing, though. They soon tire of being a freakish display for others entertainment. More than anything, they long for their former obscurity.
The Wonders isn't a light fun read. If anything, it's dark and depressing at times. Still, you want to keep turning the pages because the characters are so compelling. Their stories are entrancing as much as they are devastating. The pain and anguish leaps off the pages and settles into your soul. You get a small sense of how celebrities feel--the deep price they pay just to earn a living. I encourage you to read this book and stick with it to the end. The ending is a rich reward for the sacrifice of enduring this story. I award it 4.5 out of 5.
The Wonders by Paddy O'Reilly is dark, quirky, slightly humorous, and deeply provoking. Leon has a metal heart. Without it, he would die. Kathryn is cured of Huntington's disease, only to sprout thick black wool all over her body. Christos, artist extraordinaire, takes his art to a whole new level by implanting large metal wings onto his back. Discovered by Rhona, the trio become internationally known as The Wonders. They each create a persona and travel the world entertaining the masses. In short, cash is King and they're going to the bank--not laughing, though. They soon tire of being a freakish display for others entertainment. More than anything, they long for their former obscurity.
The Wonders isn't a light fun read. If anything, it's dark and depressing at times. Still, you want to keep turning the pages because the characters are so compelling. Their stories are entrancing as much as they are devastating. The pain and anguish leaps off the pages and settles into your soul. You get a small sense of how celebrities feel--the deep price they pay just to earn a living. I encourage you to read this book and stick with it to the end. The ending is a rich reward for the sacrifice of enduring this story. I award it 4.5 out of 5.
May 21, 2015
The premise of this book is promising: three medical anomalies are being promoted as Uberhumans. Their promoter, a vibrant American woman, brings all three wonders to her private compound where she will prepare them for their life in the public eye. Leon, who has a metal heart, is the main point of view in the book. I think his story is interesting, but nothing much happens in the way of plot. With any of the characters. Christos is a performance artist that has attached wings surgically to his body. Christos is larger than life and has a big personality, but, again, nothing much happens with him. And the same goes with Kathryn (cured of one illness only to be covered in lamb's wool).
Things get somewhat interesting towards the final third of the book, but prior to that, we are given scenes of life in the compound, but not much else. A disappointing read for me. I had high hopes since this one was recommended to me and I rarely buy books without hearing anything about them.
Things get somewhat interesting towards the final third of the book, but prior to that, we are given scenes of life in the compound, but not much else. A disappointing read for me. I had high hopes since this one was recommended to me and I rarely buy books without hearing anything about them.
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