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Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician
From the author of Big Fish comes this haunting, tender story that weaves a tragic secret, a mysterious meeting with the Devil, and a family of charming circus freaks recounting the extraordinary adventures of their friend Henry Walker, the Negro Magician.
In the middle of a dusty Southern town, in the middle of the twentieth century, magician Henry Walker entertains crowds at Jeremiah Musgrove’s Chinese Circus. Though not the world-famous illusionist he once was, Henry, with his dark skin and green eyes, is still something of a novelty to the patrons who pay a dime to see his show. Most of the patrons, anyway.
As the novel begins, one May night in 1954, Henry is confronted by three menacing white teens, and soon thereafter disappears. With his fate uncertain, his friends from the circus—Jenny the Ossified Girl, Rudy the Strong Man, and JJ the Barker—piece together what they know of Henry's mysterious and extraordinary life. The result is a spellbinding adventure that begins when ten-year-old Henry meets the devil, who gives him the art of magic and then steals the one thing that means the most to him. As Henry’s friends recount the remarkable adventures and incredible heartache that result from this childhood encounter, only one thing seems certain about Henry's life: nothing is as it appears.
Brimming with surprising twists and turns, and peopled with a literal circus of memorable characters, Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician is Daniel Wallace at his finest. As in his beloved debut, Big Fish, Wallace once again conjures a wondrous tale with an emotional punch. This is a story of love and loss, identity and illusion, fate and choice; a story that will capture your heart and your imagination and not let go until the very last page.
In the middle of a dusty Southern town, in the middle of the twentieth century, magician Henry Walker entertains crowds at Jeremiah Musgrove’s Chinese Circus. Though not the world-famous illusionist he once was, Henry, with his dark skin and green eyes, is still something of a novelty to the patrons who pay a dime to see his show. Most of the patrons, anyway.
As the novel begins, one May night in 1954, Henry is confronted by three menacing white teens, and soon thereafter disappears. With his fate uncertain, his friends from the circus—Jenny the Ossified Girl, Rudy the Strong Man, and JJ the Barker—piece together what they know of Henry's mysterious and extraordinary life. The result is a spellbinding adventure that begins when ten-year-old Henry meets the devil, who gives him the art of magic and then steals the one thing that means the most to him. As Henry’s friends recount the remarkable adventures and incredible heartache that result from this childhood encounter, only one thing seems certain about Henry's life: nothing is as it appears.
Brimming with surprising twists and turns, and peopled with a literal circus of memorable characters, Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician is Daniel Wallace at his finest. As in his beloved debut, Big Fish, Wallace once again conjures a wondrous tale with an emotional punch. This is a story of love and loss, identity and illusion, fate and choice; a story that will capture your heart and your imagination and not let go until the very last page.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
33 people are currently reading
1199 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Wallace
91 books452 followersDaniel Wallace is author of five novels, including Big Fish (1998), Ray in Reverse (2000), The Watermelon King (2003), Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician (2007), and most recently The Kings and Queens of Roam (2013).
He has written one book for children, Elynora, and in 2008 it was published in Italy, with illustrations by Daniela Tordi. O Great Rosenfeld!, the only book both written and illustrated by the author, has been released in France and Korea and is forthcoming in Italy, but there are not, at this writing, any plans for an American edition.
His work has been published in over two dozen languages, and his stories, novels and non-fiction essays are taught in high schools and colleges throughout this country. His illustrations have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Italian Vanity Fair, and many other magazines and books, including Pep Talks, Warnings, and Screeds: Indispensible Wisdom and Cautionary Advice for Writers, by George Singleton, and Adventures in Pen Land: One Writer's Journey from Inklings to Ink, by Marianne Gingher. Big Fish was made into a motion picture of the same name by Tim Burton in 2003, a film in which the author plays the part of a professor at Auburn University.
He is in fact the J. Ross MacDonald Distinguished Professor of English, and director of the Creative Writing Program, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his alma mater (Class of '08). He lives with his wife, Laura Kellison Wallace, in Chapel Hill. More information about him, his writing, and his illustrations can be found at www.danielwallace.org and www.ogreatrosenfeld.org.
He has written one book for children, Elynora, and in 2008 it was published in Italy, with illustrations by Daniela Tordi. O Great Rosenfeld!, the only book both written and illustrated by the author, has been released in France and Korea and is forthcoming in Italy, but there are not, at this writing, any plans for an American edition.
His work has been published in over two dozen languages, and his stories, novels and non-fiction essays are taught in high schools and colleges throughout this country. His illustrations have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Italian Vanity Fair, and many other magazines and books, including Pep Talks, Warnings, and Screeds: Indispensible Wisdom and Cautionary Advice for Writers, by George Singleton, and Adventures in Pen Land: One Writer's Journey from Inklings to Ink, by Marianne Gingher. Big Fish was made into a motion picture of the same name by Tim Burton in 2003, a film in which the author plays the part of a professor at Auburn University.
He is in fact the J. Ross MacDonald Distinguished Professor of English, and director of the Creative Writing Program, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his alma mater (Class of '08). He lives with his wife, Laura Kellison Wallace, in Chapel Hill. More information about him, his writing, and his illustrations can be found at www.danielwallace.org and www.ogreatrosenfeld.org.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
June 11, 2011
Anybody who has read the book or seen the enjoyable movie "Big Fish" knows that this author writes of Southern tinged fantasy. Though the title is regrettable the truth is that in the 40s and 50s South Black people were called Negroes. So I forgave him (a White author) that. I even forgave the fact that the Negro in the title was not actually a Negro but a White man who used his ability to become a Negro to his advantage. And as is repeatedly pointed out, this is an insane strategy in 1950's Alabama. Although the first chapter deals with the effects of that strategy and end in the (near) death and lynching of this Black impostor, 95 percent is not at all about race but a fantasy magician-devil battle for Henry's (the Magician) soul. OK..so what could started out as and could have been an amazing book on the consequences of mistaken race identity by a magician who could walk in either society turns into a rather mundane fight with the devil and forces of evil...I'm still with that. But then the author put in this line after he has killed his nemesis the devil: 'Henry entered the house white, but when he left he was black, the color he would remain the rest of his life". WTF! And mind you for the last 30 pages of the book after this Henry's skin color never literally turns Black. So I can only conclude that it is murder (he wasn't really the devil) and mayhem which makes one Black?
I presume the author thought by showing white peoples reactions to "Black" Henry...brutally beating him within an inch of his life...that he was dealing with the race issue only to perpetuate one of the most vile stereotypes I have been unfortunate enough to read.
I presume the author thought by showing white peoples reactions to "Black" Henry...brutally beating him within an inch of his life...that he was dealing with the race issue only to perpetuate one of the most vile stereotypes I have been unfortunate enough to read.
September 23, 2008
This is possibly the first time that national mood has significantly affected my ability to enjoy a book. I finished it, but kept returning to the beginning scenes, where an elderly Black magician repeatedly fails in front of a white audience that has paid to see him do just that. It has the effect of soothing their racial anxieties and signaling that the social upheaval around them has left their position undisturbed. An admittedly long excerpt: "A black man with green eyes- a Negro- and this, in the end, is why Jeremiah hired him. A marketing tool of these dimensions was not something he could let pass by. For a magician was nothing, really, the same way a cow was nothing. But a Negro magician- or, say, a two-headed cow- now that was something. Better even than a Chinese acrobat. Jeremiah felt that Henry's inability to do anything truly amazing (Henry thought of it as a kind of impotence, after so many potent years) might actually work in his favor, at least with the crowds of the small southern towns where Jeremiah made his living. So he hired him, and his prediction came true. Watching a Negro fail was amusing. It was life-affirming. A white magician who performed as Henry did- fumbling his cards, accidentally smothering a bird in his jacket, and who, while sawing a woman in half, almost actually did (she was fine, after they bandaged her up)- would have been a sad and pathetic display of simple ineptitude. But Henry, the Negro Magician- the extremely unmagical Negro magician- well, it was comedy, and the crowds could not get enough of it. He played to a full tent every night."
In an election year where too many folks are hoping, needing, and praying that Obama will fail mightily and that even some who support him severely confine the terms on which he should succeed, I didn’t ever really move beyond this scene because I needed the book to resolve this. I wanted Wallace to make it right. And he didn’t. Yeah, yeah he had a different project and the story ends up miles away from this, but I couldn’t go along for the ride. Price was too high for my psyche these days.
I do love a misfit so I enjoyed the self-described circus freaks who rotated around Henry’s character – in particular the Ossified Lady who was well-employed in concept and in dialogue. But again, all that is eventually revealed about Henry through various characters, perspectives, and truths did not move me past the scenes in the tent. As I watch the Obamas contort themselves in every way possible to drag this country along the road to maturity, I need the magic to be real for a minute. So maybe a post-November revisit is best.
In an election year where too many folks are hoping, needing, and praying that Obama will fail mightily and that even some who support him severely confine the terms on which he should succeed, I didn’t ever really move beyond this scene because I needed the book to resolve this. I wanted Wallace to make it right. And he didn’t. Yeah, yeah he had a different project and the story ends up miles away from this, but I couldn’t go along for the ride. Price was too high for my psyche these days.
I do love a misfit so I enjoyed the self-described circus freaks who rotated around Henry’s character – in particular the Ossified Lady who was well-employed in concept and in dialogue. But again, all that is eventually revealed about Henry through various characters, perspectives, and truths did not move me past the scenes in the tent. As I watch the Obamas contort themselves in every way possible to drag this country along the road to maturity, I need the magic to be real for a minute. So maybe a post-November revisit is best.
September 4, 2013
I love anything to do with magic and magicians, but it is seldom one comes across a book about magic that is actually magical. This is such a book. A story so full of wonder, so beautiful and sad and moving, so entertaining and so completely awesome. The main protagonist, Henry Walker, is essentially a tragic figure, there is not enough love in his life and much too much death, he struggles to fit in in the world, whether his skin is black or white. His magic is either too good or not good enough for the masses. Yet through his very own magic that is exceptionally good writing Wallace makes Henry's story (as told by the many colorful characters in his life) incredibly compelling and, despite its sadness, not actually depressing. Reading this book was a totally immersive experience, one afternoon, impossible to put down. I loved this book. Highly recommended.
June 4, 2007
Do you find it creepy when a book is cute AND disturbing? Because this one has all of the cuteness of "Big Fish" but also deals with beatings, horrendous sex, child abduction, and racism. On that last note, it is also a little weird to deal with the issue of 50's southern racism without [50th page spoiler alert] having a single character who is, actually, black. Still, an entertaining read.
August 27, 2020
3.5 stars
Good story, whimsical, dark magic. Unsatisfied with vague ending. In depth review later.
Good story, whimsical, dark magic. Unsatisfied with vague ending. In depth review later.
January 8, 2024
One of my all time favorites reality is perception. Nothing could be truer to the little boy who thought he lost his sister and lived his life doling out his own consequences without realizing. To those who do read this and I highly recommend, I found a 3 of hearts card from a deck all alone in a parking lot on my way to work after reading this story. Something the universe put in my path.
June 12, 2017
Определено изненадваща книга.
Започнах я с намерението да търся загубени магьосници... и всъщност точно това получих, но магьосникът бе изгубен по друг, различен начин.
Изгубен в самия себе си.
http://knigoqdec.blogspot.bg/2017/06/...
Започнах я с намерението да търся загубени магьосници... и всъщност точно това получих, но магьосникът бе изгубен по друг, различен начин.
Изгубен в самия себе си.
http://knigoqdec.blogspot.bg/2017/06/...
January 5, 2010
I bought this book because I liked the movie Big Fish, and the premise seemed intriguing.
I heard a quote once that said something like, "Every author has one story to tell", the implication being that an author often tells the same story over and over. This seems to be the case with Daniel Wallace.
The themes of Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician are very similar to Big Fish. Again we are reminded that the way someone tells a story can be closer to the truth than a mere recounting of facts. In this book, four or five different people recount what they knew about Henry Walker, a magician with a mysterious history.
The only gripe I have is that only a couple of the characters' stories were really any different, which leaves the reader with a fairly straightforward narrative, except the few surprises that we find out near the end of the book. To his credit, Wallace does a pretty good job of capturing different characters' voices and dialects.
Despite a few misgivings like this, the character of Henry Walker is interesting, as is his sketchy history, and we never doubt the unwavering pain that destroys his life.
This story is quite a big darker than Big Fish, but with similar conclusions. A quick read that will probably be enjoyed by fans of Big Fish, movie or book.
I heard a quote once that said something like, "Every author has one story to tell", the implication being that an author often tells the same story over and over. This seems to be the case with Daniel Wallace.
The themes of Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician are very similar to Big Fish. Again we are reminded that the way someone tells a story can be closer to the truth than a mere recounting of facts. In this book, four or five different people recount what they knew about Henry Walker, a magician with a mysterious history.
The only gripe I have is that only a couple of the characters' stories were really any different, which leaves the reader with a fairly straightforward narrative, except the few surprises that we find out near the end of the book. To his credit, Wallace does a pretty good job of capturing different characters' voices and dialects.
Despite a few misgivings like this, the character of Henry Walker is interesting, as is his sketchy history, and we never doubt the unwavering pain that destroys his life.
This story is quite a big darker than Big Fish, but with similar conclusions. A quick read that will probably be enjoyed by fans of Big Fish, movie or book.
September 13, 2007
In the growing genre of circus-set literature, "Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician" beats "Water For Elephants," at least where sophistication of writing is concerned. Wallace's characters are more evocatively drawn than Gruen's, and their destinies more rattling. Gruen supplies a page-turner; Wallace, a rumination that serves to illuminate the darkness inherent in every brightly lit carnival.
August 2, 2017
Even though I like the style of this story, I think it's good writing and captivating, I can't say I enjoyed the story. I was a bit thrown off by the black face magician and couldn't recover from that. The deeper you went the weirder it was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2008
sad story!
April 17, 2025
Read this book for the book hoarder surprise prompt a title with the word AND in it. My favorite part was when Henry got his first deck of playing cards ever and they were a brand new pack. His dad was adamant about showing him how to shuffle; against his wishes. In the process the cards fall all over the place and Henry scrambles everywhere to retrieve the cards. I’m sure this part resonates with me because I’ve been collecting decks of playing cards since I was a kid and have easily over 1,000 decks. A very cool part of my card collecting is that my friends and family share this collection with me as I have received hundreds as gifts. Playing cards are so unique and fun. I don’t like people ruining my cards so I 100% understand Henry’s reaction. Otherwise, the rest of the story was meh and I could have gone without.
June 27, 2021
Не знам защо дълго време чисто инстинктивно отбягвах този роман - подарък от Артлайновци при една от промоциите им през първата карантина. Все пак най-накрая издърпах книжката от рафта "чакащи" и попаднах на сносно написана история, достатъчно любопитна, че да ме грабне на мига. Даниел Уолъс определено е сладкодумник, а героите от "Китайския цирк", разнищващи с разкази и спомени мистериозната съдба на техния колега, "магьосника" Хенри Уокър, притежаваха ясно отчетливи гласове... Уви, финалът не успя да ми се понрави, вярвам, че можеше да се получи малко по-засукан... Но, ако ви попадне, не се колебайте, дайте шанс на това заглавие.
July 21, 2025
I will more than likey not pick this up again.
October 16, 2016
Даниел Уолъс се е справил майсторски със сюжета. Напомняше ми на "Престиж", но намя да омаловажава тази творба, като я сравнявам. Изказът на Уолъс е богат, а светът, в който те пренася е изпълнен с много разкази и един Черен магьосник, който беше бял.
October 20, 2014
Wait-what?!
That's the summary of my review for this book in case you don't want to go over the whole thing. Not that it's going to be very long. I can't say much about something I don't understand. Well, I do understand but kind of not and really ... I stared at the last page for a few minutes after I read it. Okay maybe just seconds. Normally, I don't like writing a summary of the book in a book review because that's what a blurb is for but just so I can prove I understood (lol), I'm going to write one along with why I found the stuff confusing.
This is the story of a colored (but not really) magician, Henry Walker. It's narrated by different characters whose lives were touched by (or at least who encountered) Henry. (That in itself can be confusing. In this book it is especially confusing because one narrator isn't confined to one chapter. You just have to be quick on the uptake and if you're not then I'm sorry.) The series of events from the day her mother died went from bad to worse for him. Henry was taught Magic by the devil (or so he believed), Mr. Sebastian, who also took his sister from her. He believed that was the payment for the "knowledge and power" he gave him which is actually just a few card tricks. From then on, it has been his mission to find him and kill him and maybe retrieve his sister too. That was when he traveled the world and became famous and joined the circus in the end. That was when he met all these people narrating in the book.
I thought at this point I was catching up but the most puzzling part for me came towards the end. Was the private detective able to talk to Henry or not? Because he was supposed to be missing, that was what the circus/carnival people told him. It was even dated at the beginning of the chapter but then those dates were also messed up. Normally (again), I'd go back to the pages that I think might answer my question but I just feel so tired and emotionally drained after reading this sad, sad story.
I'm not even fussing about Henry supposedly killing Mr. Sebastian. Everything that took place in Henry's life was because of that lie. He couldn't explain how things happened and this, I think, made him just create an explanation for it. One that he could understand. One that would help him cope and keep going on.
About the genre, this is a fantasy, I was thinking this should be some sort of psychological ... mystery ... genre ... something. But then there's the part when Henry's mother's ghost was narrating too. And the thing about the magician's assistant I don't even remember her name she was sort of uneventful for me.
So there. Even my review is confusing. And it turned out long-ish after all.
That's the summary of my review for this book in case you don't want to go over the whole thing. Not that it's going to be very long. I can't say much about something I don't understand. Well, I do understand but kind of not and really ... I stared at the last page for a few minutes after I read it. Okay maybe just seconds. Normally, I don't like writing a summary of the book in a book review because that's what a blurb is for but just so I can prove I understood (lol), I'm going to write one along with why I found the stuff confusing.
This is the story of a colored (but not really) magician, Henry Walker. It's narrated by different characters whose lives were touched by (or at least who encountered) Henry. (That in itself can be confusing. In this book it is especially confusing because one narrator isn't confined to one chapter. You just have to be quick on the uptake and if you're not then I'm sorry.) The series of events from the day her mother died went from bad to worse for him. Henry was taught Magic by the devil (or so he believed), Mr. Sebastian, who also took his sister from her. He believed that was the payment for the "knowledge and power" he gave him which is actually just a few card tricks. From then on, it has been his mission to find him and kill him and maybe retrieve his sister too. That was when he traveled the world and became famous and joined the circus in the end. That was when he met all these people narrating in the book.
I thought at this point I was catching up but the most puzzling part for me came towards the end. Was the private detective able to talk to Henry or not? Because he was supposed to be missing, that was what the circus/carnival people told him. It was even dated at the beginning of the chapter but then those dates were also messed up. Normally (again), I'd go back to the pages that I think might answer my question but I just feel so tired and emotionally drained after reading this sad, sad story.
I'm not even fussing about Henry supposedly killing Mr. Sebastian. Everything that took place in Henry's life was because of that lie. He couldn't explain how things happened and this, I think, made him just create an explanation for it. One that he could understand. One that would help him cope and keep going on.
About the genre, this is a fantasy, I was thinking this should be some sort of psychological ... mystery ... genre ... something. But then there's the part when Henry's mother's ghost was narrating too. And the thing about the magician's assistant I don't even remember her name she was sort of uneventful for me.
So there. Even my review is confusing. And it turned out long-ish after all.
February 9, 2018
Mister Sebastian and the Negro Magician is possibly one of the most problematic novels I’ve read in a very, very long time, and here’s why:
The gist of the novel is, as a child, Henry Walker inadvertently makes a deal with the devil, Mr. Sebastian. It’s a deal that tears apart his family and haunts him for the rest of his life. When Henry disappears from his job as magician in Jeremiah Mosgrove’s Chinese Circus, his friends from the circus recount the story of his life in their own voices.
Peppered with unreliable narrators, numerous plot twists, and a healthy dose of magic realism it’s a well-written, entertaining yet problematic read. A read that left me, as a black man, highly disappointed with its wasted potential and poor handling of its subject matter.
The gist of the novel is, as a child, Henry Walker inadvertently makes a deal with the devil, Mr. Sebastian. It’s a deal that tears apart his family and haunts him for the rest of his life. When Henry disappears from his job as magician in Jeremiah Mosgrove’s Chinese Circus, his friends from the circus recount the story of his life in their own voices.
Peppered with unreliable narrators, numerous plot twists, and a healthy dose of magic realism it’s a well-written, entertaining yet problematic read. A read that left me, as a black man, highly disappointed with its wasted potential and poor handling of its subject matter.
December 1, 2014
For me, this was neither a clean nor a tidy book. The narrative is filled with many sudden twists and turns, and quite frankly, I fell off a few cliffs along the way. Sure, there are a few things and minor details I would have loved to have seen elucidated by the end. I would have appreciated receiving answers to questions I have about what really happened -- just who WAS he, then? But there is something Bigger at hand here, and I, gratefully, was able to accept it.
For those who demand a coherent, chronological plot, expect every loose end to be knotted by the last page, well . . . perhaps you skip this one. If you are thinking to yourself "Well, I really enjoyed Big Fish," and it is on that affection alone that you go into Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician, I fear you may be disappointed. This book is not Big Fish. An obvious observation, I know, but after reading so many reviews wherein the main complaint is this book is not Big Fish, I would be remiss if I didn't mention it here, one time, in my review. So. Can you let go of your confusion in exchange for compelling characters and stunning precision of language and evocative, heart-stirring sentences? If it is in your disposition to accept a book for what it is and release prior conceived notions, I think you will really enjoy this.
Now, it's very possible Daniel Wallace wrapped up his gorgeous story with a big red bow, and I just didn't see it. But the beauty of it all is that in writing a complex, surreal, devastatingly human story, I care very little about the big red bow. The answers are less important than the journey one takes to reach them, I think. I feel like I have traveled; through people, through time, through worlds of emotion. This book touched me, made me feel, which is really all that I ask from a book.
Brilliant writing, Daniel, thank you!
For those who demand a coherent, chronological plot, expect every loose end to be knotted by the last page, well . . . perhaps you skip this one. If you are thinking to yourself "Well, I really enjoyed Big Fish," and it is on that affection alone that you go into Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician, I fear you may be disappointed. This book is not Big Fish. An obvious observation, I know, but after reading so many reviews wherein the main complaint is this book is not Big Fish, I would be remiss if I didn't mention it here, one time, in my review. So. Can you let go of your confusion in exchange for compelling characters and stunning precision of language and evocative, heart-stirring sentences? If it is in your disposition to accept a book for what it is and release prior conceived notions, I think you will really enjoy this.
Now, it's very possible Daniel Wallace wrapped up his gorgeous story with a big red bow, and I just didn't see it. But the beauty of it all is that in writing a complex, surreal, devastatingly human story, I care very little about the big red bow. The answers are less important than the journey one takes to reach them, I think. I feel like I have traveled; through people, through time, through worlds of emotion. This book touched me, made me feel, which is really all that I ask from a book.
Brilliant writing, Daniel, thank you!
January 31, 2013
Dall'autore del grandioso "Big Fish", ecco arrivare da parte di Daniel Wallace un altro racconto che parte dal mondo dei circhi di provincia e dei "freaks" intravisti nel già citato "Big Fish". "Il Circo Del Diavolo", pessimo titolo italiano e completamente diverso dal più sobrio originale, è la storia di Henry Walker, un mago di media caratura con alle spalle grossi problemi familiari (padre alcolizzato, madre morta e la sorella Hannah scomparsa), e che si crea come unica ragione di vita la morte di tale Mr. Sebastian, reo di aver rapito ed ucciso la propria sorella Hannah, ma anche suo mentore per quanto riguarda la sua abilità di prestigiatore. Tra illusione e realtà, tra fantasia ed mezze verità, il librio segue un andamento piuttosto simile a quello di "Big Fish", ossia raccontare attraverso diversi punti di vista la tragica vita di Henry Walker, svelando e ripulendo dalle vuote fantasie ossessive di Henry, la pura realtà dei fatti, che risultano essere più misere ed umane rispetto a quelle raccontate ad inizio libro. Nonostante si parli del mondo del circo e della magia, c'è ben poco di circense e di magico in questa storia, e le tanto declamata influenze dai "Freaks" di Browning non sono così importanti come potrebbero sembrare a prima vista. Il finale è tragico, ma forse ben centrato con la storia in generale, mentre in libro in se ogni tant si perde per seguire le ossessioni continue di Henry, risultando pesante e ripetitivo. Non è un libro che mi ha fatto impazzire, ma godibile lo è certamente, pur non nascondendo una punta di delusione, sapendo che proviene dall'autore che ha scritto "Big Fish".
January 27, 2016
This book, this wonderfully enthralling tale, could be said to be Magic Realism. It does have overtones of the works of Kafka, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Haruki Murakami. But I am still uncertain to the validity of such an expression. It could be classified as 'Southern Gothic' but I think that that term is too narrow for such a broad ranging novel as this. I think a book as fantastical as this is a fantasy and like all good such works, Homer for example, there are echoes of humanity revealed in ways only great works can depict. Make no mistake this is a great book. Within the story we meet the devil then a cast of misfits from the circus who, upon the protagonist 19s disappearance, reveal his character bit by bit.
The authors pacing is remarkable. He steers us by the use of intermittent short chapters, if chapters they are, that are short, sharp and that thrust the story forward at high velocity. These are followed by a series of longer ones that profile the characters personalities so that we are given a small world peopled by the odd; curiosities that sit outside our existence and yet by this trick expose what it is to be human.
There are shades of colour used that highlight both light and dark.
The 'sting in the tail' is, as it shoul be, in the closing pages when all that has been foggy becomes crystal clear.
This book is a 'must read.'
The authors pacing is remarkable. He steers us by the use of intermittent short chapters, if chapters they are, that are short, sharp and that thrust the story forward at high velocity. These are followed by a series of longer ones that profile the characters personalities so that we are given a small world peopled by the odd; curiosities that sit outside our existence and yet by this trick expose what it is to be human.
There are shades of colour used that highlight both light and dark.
The 'sting in the tail' is, as it shoul be, in the closing pages when all that has been foggy becomes crystal clear.
This book is a 'must read.'
November 14, 2009
It took me a long time to get through this book, and while it's due to a few factors like me just having completed yet another cross-country move and starting up a new/old job, I must admit that it took several pages for the book to even grab me.
I couldn't decide if the tone was indeed being mysterious and magical for its own sake, or if it was cribbing off the success of the charm of Big Fish, or if it just felt insulting to read.
This indecision changed up a bit as I began to realize that the book was being narrated by several authors, with some confusing chronology that had me wondering exactly what the hell happened, really, for real.
And what happened was that a young boy was convinced of several ugly, sad, and self-destructive delusions, and was never once given respite from his horribly deceptive life, even right up to the end, when so many things could have gone right, but nothing did.
Maybe it's just because I've had a hell of a year, but I didn't really feel grateful for having read the book, after it slimed me with negativity and hopelessness.
The writing was not bad, and was actually pretty capable, but unfortunately for Wallace, I was not in the frame of mind at all to find the journey of reading this book at all valuable.
I couldn't decide if the tone was indeed being mysterious and magical for its own sake, or if it was cribbing off the success of the charm of Big Fish, or if it just felt insulting to read.
This indecision changed up a bit as I began to realize that the book was being narrated by several authors, with some confusing chronology that had me wondering exactly what the hell happened, really, for real.
And what happened was that a young boy was convinced of several ugly, sad, and self-destructive delusions, and was never once given respite from his horribly deceptive life, even right up to the end, when so many things could have gone right, but nothing did.
Maybe it's just because I've had a hell of a year, but I didn't really feel grateful for having read the book, after it slimed me with negativity and hopelessness.
The writing was not bad, and was actually pretty capable, but unfortunately for Wallace, I was not in the frame of mind at all to find the journey of reading this book at all valuable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2007
read this a short while ago, picked it up because it seemed like something that should be picked up by someone who loves robertson davies and took a history of magic class... and who doesn't adore "big fish" (the movie, not the book, which i (!) haven't read)? this one is really lovely. there seem to be a lot of complaints about how it isn't "big fish," but i think that is as tender and insightful about the love and loyalty between siblings here as he was tender and insightful about parent/child love in "big fish." definitely not the greatest book i've ever read but so pretty. nicely ambiguous, too. and not to give anything away, but it completely captures the way children perceive the events of their lives as absolutely epic adventures.
November 28, 2007
This book was not exactly what I expected--which, I suppose, is what you should expect from a story about magicians.
Henry Walker, the magician in question, works at a traveling circus until he his accosted by some unfriendly locals. In his absence, his circus freak friends all tell their version of Henry's life, leading to quite a few contradictions and the requisite plot twists. It's complicated but not deep, and it sped along fast and enjoyably enough. My biggest problem was that the story Wallace told was not up to the story I had already created in my head (based on the title). Still, fun enough and a nice piece of escapist literature.
Henry Walker, the magician in question, works at a traveling circus until he his accosted by some unfriendly locals. In his absence, his circus freak friends all tell their version of Henry's life, leading to quite a few contradictions and the requisite plot twists. It's complicated but not deep, and it sped along fast and enjoyably enough. My biggest problem was that the story Wallace told was not up to the story I had already created in my head (based on the title). Still, fun enough and a nice piece of escapist literature.
September 28, 2007
I'm not quite sure what to say about the book. It was gripping, and I was grouchy to have to put it down to answer the phone or go to work, but parts of it made me angry. Some of the characters are so selfish that I had a hard time enjoying their points of view. I felt so sorry for Henry and yet, at other moments, I wanted to shake him and tell him to pay more attention to what was actually going on around him. I know at least that I enjoyed the book and Wallace's writing style, so I'm sure I'll like Big Fish.
July 30, 2020
This book was written as well as anything else I've read this year but I've never felt so uncomfortable with how an author deals with race. The main character is born white and pretends to be Black to improve his magic show and then after becomes Black permanently. What on Earth is that supposed to mean?
Perhaps the use of race in this book is more sophisticated than I was able to understand but please read a few of the 1- and 2-star reviews before diving in. Otherwise you might be like me and read a book that you regret.
Perhaps the use of race in this book is more sophisticated than I was able to understand but please read a few of the 1- and 2-star reviews before diving in. Otherwise you might be like me and read a book that you regret.
February 1, 2009
This was a very different book. The title sort of throws people off. I chose it because I really loved the creativity of Big Fish (the author's other book). This plot line was also very clever and imaginative, but the only reason I could only give it 3 stars was because it was kind of depressing. It was definitely not a feel good ending, but it was a very easy read (I think it took me 5 days) and an enjoyable enough book.
August 20, 2018
A fan of "Big Fish" the book and film, this story has a certain element of fantasy spun in a different manner. An astute storyteller, Daniel immerses the reader in a world of a traveling Chinese Circus whose magician appears to be Negro, unique that it was during the time. Unfolding slowly, we learn about the magician's history and how he came to be, a story unto itself. Several twists and turns and references to the Devil, this is enjoyable though not as much as Bloom's tale in "Big Fish".
August 18, 2007
Though the only book I have read by Daniel Wallace, this seems to fit into the Big Fish, non-linea style - truly a story told by many storytellers. It is at times very sad and dark, exposing the hard underbelly of life, while at others uplifting and funny. In the end nothing in the novel is what it seems, a pretty appropriate notion for a novel about the tumultuous life of a magician.
November 27, 2007
Henry is an intriguing character; his tragic story captured by people who passed through his life. It's an engrossing, mesmerizing read, compelling in its multiple voices and its circus setting. Daniel Wallace sets the reader firmly in a time and place. The writing is lovely. The lives I glimpsed in this novel haunt me now a week after finishing it.
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