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The Wanderlusters
Delilah has her dream job working as a diva for the globe-trotting and glamorous Cirque Obélisque, the world's most famous modern circus. When her husband abandons her and their daughter, her life turns upside down until Richard, a charismatic and charming performer, enters her life. But in this close-knit village where everyone knows everyone, does she dare love another?
The Wanderlusters is a backstage pass for a sneak peek at life behind the curtains of a travelling circus community, and how life on the road can make one stronger or tear one apart.
The Wanderlusters is a backstage pass for a sneak peek at life behind the curtains of a travelling circus community, and how life on the road can make one stronger or tear one apart.
360 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2016
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32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 24, 2017
Just finished reading The Wanderlusters. A story that takes place in Europe among the Cirque Obelisque. It kind of somewhat reminds me of Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love, which also has a circus theme. Like that book, it takes you into that world. The Wanderlusters has many relationship or relationship-interests among the characters, all confined to a very small world, a world to themselves. People of different nationalities, all living together, and omitting their wanderlusting vibes, and choosing their wanderlusting lifestyles. One of the stronger appeals is for readers that like to see relationships or potential relationships between characters, and how they interact with each other. Much of the writing takes you into their internal thought dialog as they relate to each other.
September 30, 2018
Who knew Singapore had amazing authors who could write non-singaporean novels! Absolutely loved reading this! Beautiful prose!
The authors explores the intricacies of relationships and life itself in a travelling circus without any gaps. And yet it doesnt read in a boring manner. The mini-plots are exciting, and the characters' personalities are so well elucidated. Almost couldnt put this down!
The authors explores the intricacies of relationships and life itself in a travelling circus without any gaps. And yet it doesnt read in a boring manner. The mini-plots are exciting, and the characters' personalities are so well elucidated. Almost couldnt put this down!
November 13, 2017
This book takes you head first into the nomadic and secluded world of circus-dwellers,
The Wanderlusters (as the title names them) who spend their lives roaming the world
showcasing their almost super-human talents to cheering and adoring audiences.
It is a very fascinating read. If you are the kind of reader who is fascinated by close communities,
and by the fragile and complicated dynamics that regulate them, then this book is for you.
Grace Chia takes you by hand and uses the story line as an excuse to explain what goes on
behind the stage of a large and successful circus, Cirque Obelisque (of course, a fictional Cirque du
Soleil). The lives of the main characters of the book all gravitate around the most powerful
character of all, the Cirque itself, who welcomes in its large belly the lost souls, the weirdos,
the outsiders, who find solace within a warm community ready to embrace them for what they are.
But, as for everything, the Circus gives and the circus takes: Part of the pathos of the book, is how
and whether the characters will be able to find a balance between the wanderlust and the need for stability.
It is refreshing to realise that after all, the people who inhabit the imaginary world of a circus
are not so different from all of us, common mortals. They eat, love, get drunk,
and fell pray of the same miseries as everyone else. There are a multitude of intriguing details
in this book about circus' life, which really help to bring the characters to life. The setting is
perfect, and laid out just at the right pace by the writer, in a way that pushes to reader to
eagerly read forward, because you want to know more. Go ahead and get it, and let the attraction
of the wanderer's life instill a spark of curiosity in you.
The Wanderlusters (as the title names them) who spend their lives roaming the world
showcasing their almost super-human talents to cheering and adoring audiences.
It is a very fascinating read. If you are the kind of reader who is fascinated by close communities,
and by the fragile and complicated dynamics that regulate them, then this book is for you.
Grace Chia takes you by hand and uses the story line as an excuse to explain what goes on
behind the stage of a large and successful circus, Cirque Obelisque (of course, a fictional Cirque du
Soleil). The lives of the main characters of the book all gravitate around the most powerful
character of all, the Cirque itself, who welcomes in its large belly the lost souls, the weirdos,
the outsiders, who find solace within a warm community ready to embrace them for what they are.
But, as for everything, the Circus gives and the circus takes: Part of the pathos of the book, is how
and whether the characters will be able to find a balance between the wanderlust and the need for stability.
It is refreshing to realise that after all, the people who inhabit the imaginary world of a circus
are not so different from all of us, common mortals. They eat, love, get drunk,
and fell pray of the same miseries as everyone else. There are a multitude of intriguing details
in this book about circus' life, which really help to bring the characters to life. The setting is
perfect, and laid out just at the right pace by the writer, in a way that pushes to reader to
eagerly read forward, because you want to know more. Go ahead and get it, and let the attraction
of the wanderer's life instill a spark of curiosity in you.
June 28, 2017
Curiosity level: “Better than The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern"
•
The circus embodies everything counterculture: Bohemian, alternative living different from the everyday commonplace lifestyle... at least that's what a besotted Joe thought.
•
Joe is an intellectual, independent philosopher who got stuck in the depressive routine of being married to a circus performer. What began as a head over heels romance with the Diva of Cirque Obelisque, quickly spirals out of control. She loves the adrenaline from performing; he is a reluctant stay-home dad.
•
When passion dies, Joe abandons his family to find freedom again. Wanderlusters is the ironic tale of how a circus (meant to bring people together) drives families apart: for in the circus, “Rice eaters stick together while potato eaters root for one another”.
•
Suitable for: People who are curious about the circus life, wanderlusters
•
The circus embodies everything counterculture: Bohemian, alternative living different from the everyday commonplace lifestyle... at least that's what a besotted Joe thought.
•
Joe is an intellectual, independent philosopher who got stuck in the depressive routine of being married to a circus performer. What began as a head over heels romance with the Diva of Cirque Obelisque, quickly spirals out of control. She loves the adrenaline from performing; he is a reluctant stay-home dad.
•
When passion dies, Joe abandons his family to find freedom again. Wanderlusters is the ironic tale of how a circus (meant to bring people together) drives families apart: for in the circus, “Rice eaters stick together while potato eaters root for one another”.
•
Suitable for: People who are curious about the circus life, wanderlusters
May 20, 2018
Detached.
It felt as though the key purpose of this book is to flaunt the author’s skill at constructing prose. But being an accomplished writer and one who can connect with readers through stories are two different things.
At times, the writing felt pretentious. In a technical sense, this book has all the substance of literature but at the core it lacks soul. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters despite their diverse backgrounds and stories. In face of their misfortunes, I read with a sense of aloofness to their plight.
Good writing aside, for a fiction to work for most readers, it either needs a compelling plot or endearing characters or at best, both.
Unfortunately, I tried my best but couldn’t find any in this book.
It felt as though the key purpose of this book is to flaunt the author’s skill at constructing prose. But being an accomplished writer and one who can connect with readers through stories are two different things.
At times, the writing felt pretentious. In a technical sense, this book has all the substance of literature but at the core it lacks soul. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters despite their diverse backgrounds and stories. In face of their misfortunes, I read with a sense of aloofness to their plight.
Good writing aside, for a fiction to work for most readers, it either needs a compelling plot or endearing characters or at best, both.
Unfortunately, I tried my best but couldn’t find any in this book.
January 27, 2019
Singapore’s literature scene has been impressive for a while now but that hasn’t stopped local authors from expanding their boundaries and experimenting with new genres and themes. Grace Chia’s first full novel, The Wanderlusters seems to call out to me by name alone – after all, my travel blog is also called WanderlustwithRovik. However, this story is about a lot more than just traveling – The Wanderlusters is about the circus, isolation, nomadicity and all the weird characters in between.
Read the full review here: https://magicinthespacebetween.wordpr...
Read the full review here: https://magicinthespacebetween.wordpr...
December 31, 2019
It was a great start with amazing set up. Chia really brought you to the circus, the lives of the actors and performers and into the seas of crippling depression. After a while it felt like only the story of Deliah and Jean developed into something concrete and could end off on the equally high note the whole book started off with. Everyone else just died or ran away bec they couldn't take the circus anymore. I mean, that's understandable but it just felt like the stories of the other characters were a little rehash of the same 2 or 3. But, that's just my take. Read it if you can
May 24, 2018
I read this in two days. Once I got into a world so unfamiliar to me - the characters, the scenarios - I did not want to leave. I felt like I was touring with Cirque du Soleil while being privy to Delilah's life. I was on her side from start to end. An entertaining read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews