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The Wednesday Tales #1
The Palace of Laughter
Miles Wednesday, orphaned, unwashed and living in a barrel, has never been to a circus before—but then the Circus Oscuro is no ordinary circus. There's a strange beast called The Null and an array of sinister-looking clowns, and when an unusual little girl with wings falls from a tower during the performance, Miles's life is changed forever. As Miles and Little embark on an extraordinary journey to rescue two friends who have been captured at the Palace of Laughter, they discover nothing less than the power of friendship and the gift of family.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2006
49 people are currently reading
1177 people want to read
About the author
Jon Berkeley
21 books48 followersJon Berkeley was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland and says he went to a school where "you were only allowed go to the bathroom if you asked in Irish." His love of art led him to study at the National College of Art and Design. From there he went to work as an illustrator in Hong Kong, Barcelona, London and Sydney.
Jon worked as an illustrator for twenty years before turning his hand to writing. He wrote Chopsticks in 2004, a story about the friendship between a mouse and a dragon, and his first novel, The Palace of Laughter, is in bookshops now! Jon currently lives in Spain with his wife and their five kids, five cats and a "small colony of stick insects."
Jon worked as an illustrator for twenty years before turning his hand to writing. He wrote Chopsticks in 2004, a story about the friendship between a mouse and a dragon, and his first novel, The Palace of Laughter, is in bookshops now! Jon currently lives in Spain with his wife and their five kids, five cats and a "small colony of stick insects."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
September 24, 2007
As much as it saddens me to say this, I can't give this book as good a rating as I'd like. If it were possible to give half stars, it's really a 2 1/2 star book, and it's a shame because it started off brilliantly. Miles, the protagonist, is hiding in a barrel with a stuffed bear named Tangerine and spying on a mysterious circus. The creepy circus element had so much potential, because isn't everyone just a little bit creeped out by clowns anyway? Throw that in with the orphan boy-makes-good plot line and it has at least the hint of a good story to come, but this book has too many spectacles going in too many rings. By the end of the book we've enountered lost angels, a phantom (talking) tiger, and uncovered a convoluted brainwashing scheme, not to mention a strange almost post-Apocalyptic gang of hoodlums that sound like the younger siblings of the crazy people from the Mad Max movies. It almost feels like the author felt compelled to make the book long in hopes that kids might take that into consideration along with the fanciful, colorful jacket and mistake it for a fantastical tale along the lines of a Funke or Rowling creation. The difference is, Rowling and Funke's plot twists rarely feel so gratuitous. In the end, only a forced deus ex machina moment is able to bring all of the bizarre events to something resembling a resolution, and we never do really figure out what the real story is with the tiger. There is something about the boy and his bear that moved me, but I'm afraid there's too much confusion to make it a good bedtime read-aloud (as a serial-type tale) for younger kids, and I think like older kids would be old enough to feel there's not enough payoff for the effort. It seems this is the first book of a series and I can only hope that the next installments improve on what has been begun here.
October 7, 2008
The Palace of Laughter is my favorite kind of children's book, the kind that reminds me why I spent such a large portion of my childhood holed up in my room reading books instead of outside playing with the other kids. It is the kind that whisks the reader away to a foreign but familiar and intriguing land, which the reader promptly decides is much more interesting than her own life and so desires to spend as much time in said world as possible. Luckily, this is the first of a trilogy, so readers who enjoy visiting the world of Miles Wednesday will have ample opportunity to return.
This is the story of Miles Wednesday, a lonely orphan runaway who quite suddenly befriends a talking tiger and a tiny 400-year-old angel and whose life just as suddenly becomes entangled in that of a traveling circus. When his small orange teddy bear (brought to life by the tiny angel) wanders into the clutches of an evil circus henchman, Miles is only looking for a way to be reunited with his stuffed toy, but he ends up finding a lot more than he bargained for ... friends, family, and much-sought answers. Of course, the road to these things is filled with more than a few trials and tribulations.
As an added bonus to those of us who have long since graduated elementary school, Berkeley's writing style is clever and lyrical, and I did not feel like an adult reading a child's book, but rather like an adult reading an immensely enjoyable, wonderfully entertaining, mysteriously compelling book. There are a few scenes which veer into seemingly aimless digressions, but luckily some of these puzzling interludes are resolved in the second book, The Tiger's Egg, which is also brilliant. This reader is anxiously awaiting the third and final installment.
This is the story of Miles Wednesday, a lonely orphan runaway who quite suddenly befriends a talking tiger and a tiny 400-year-old angel and whose life just as suddenly becomes entangled in that of a traveling circus. When his small orange teddy bear (brought to life by the tiny angel) wanders into the clutches of an evil circus henchman, Miles is only looking for a way to be reunited with his stuffed toy, but he ends up finding a lot more than he bargained for ... friends, family, and much-sought answers. Of course, the road to these things is filled with more than a few trials and tribulations.
As an added bonus to those of us who have long since graduated elementary school, Berkeley's writing style is clever and lyrical, and I did not feel like an adult reading a child's book, but rather like an adult reading an immensely enjoyable, wonderfully entertaining, mysteriously compelling book. There are a few scenes which veer into seemingly aimless digressions, but luckily some of these puzzling interludes are resolved in the second book, The Tiger's Egg, which is also brilliant. This reader is anxiously awaiting the third and final installment.
November 29, 2020
Having decided to re-read the Wednesday Tales from the beginning, it was so nice to read this story after so many years. This is in fact my 4th time re-reading The Palace of Laughter, and there was so much that I’d forgotten about since my last read! I will always love this book, and it’s one that I will always recommend!
January 15, 2020
I swear to God, I have to re-read this book. I somehow consider this one of my favorite childhood novels, but I can't even remember a thing that happened in here. Oh my!
August 8, 2018
When I picked this book up on a whim for .50 cents at a used book store, I had no idea that it would be one of the most heartwarming stories I've ever read.
Diving into The Palace of Laughter, I was a little bit apprehensive because it is so unlike the books I usually read. However, once I grew accustomed to the author's writing style, I found myself immersed in a beautiful world populated with wonderful, comedic characters.
The boy who is the star of the show, Miles Wednesday, is an orphan with no clue who his family is. He lives in an old barrel, with only an orange teddy bear for company. When a strange circus rolls into town and a talking tiger visits him in the dead of night, his life begins to change. He befriends a young angel who'd been kidnapped and forced to act as a "circus freak" for the Circus Oscuro, and together they embark on a harrowing journey to not only find their missing friends, but also to find the family they'd never had before.
Written in a style that I found to be somewhat reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events (but in a much lighter tone), Jon Berkeley's debut novel captured my heart in a way that I was honestly not expecting. It was at times deeply moving, and at others so funny that I either had a genuine smile on my face, or found myself laughing along with the characters.
Moreover, apart from having captivating heroes, this book also has interesting villains (that at times serve as the comedic relief in the story). All of these characters live in a world that is not so different from our own, and it is also incredibly rich and well developed.
This novel is a part of the Julie Andrews Collection, which "encompasses books for young readers of all ages that nurture the imagination and celebrate a sense of wonder" (www.julieandrewscollection.com). I completely agree that this book does all of those things, and it's a read that I would not only recommend to my friends in my age group (twenties), but that I would also recommend for younger readers. It's the first book in a series called "The Wednesday Tales", and I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for the rest of the series!
Diving into The Palace of Laughter, I was a little bit apprehensive because it is so unlike the books I usually read. However, once I grew accustomed to the author's writing style, I found myself immersed in a beautiful world populated with wonderful, comedic characters.
The boy who is the star of the show, Miles Wednesday, is an orphan with no clue who his family is. He lives in an old barrel, with only an orange teddy bear for company. When a strange circus rolls into town and a talking tiger visits him in the dead of night, his life begins to change. He befriends a young angel who'd been kidnapped and forced to act as a "circus freak" for the Circus Oscuro, and together they embark on a harrowing journey to not only find their missing friends, but also to find the family they'd never had before.
Written in a style that I found to be somewhat reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events (but in a much lighter tone), Jon Berkeley's debut novel captured my heart in a way that I was honestly not expecting. It was at times deeply moving, and at others so funny that I either had a genuine smile on my face, or found myself laughing along with the characters.
Moreover, apart from having captivating heroes, this book also has interesting villains (that at times serve as the comedic relief in the story). All of these characters live in a world that is not so different from our own, and it is also incredibly rich and well developed.
This novel is a part of the Julie Andrews Collection, which "encompasses books for young readers of all ages that nurture the imagination and celebrate a sense of wonder" (www.julieandrewscollection.com). I completely agree that this book does all of those things, and it's a read that I would not only recommend to my friends in my age group (twenties), but that I would also recommend for younger readers. It's the first book in a series called "The Wednesday Tales", and I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for the rest of the series!
April 15, 2008
I LOVED this book. Just a good read. Why are some of the best books about orphans?
December 13, 2018
Miles Wednesday es un chico huérfano de 11 años que vive solo en un tonel desde que se escapara del orfanato. Su vida cambiará cuando una noche llega al pueblo de Larde el Circo Oscuro, un circo distinto a otros ya que no llega al pueblo de día ni se anuncia mediante publicidad ni mediante altavoces. Cuando Miles se cuela para ver el espectáculo ve la actuación de una pequeña niña y queda fascinado por su actuación ya que mientras realiza su número acrobático casi se cae pero logra evitarlo gracias a sus alas. Después de la actuación Miles va en busca de la niña y descubre que los hombres del circo la tienen enjaulada por lo que decide liberarla. Los trabajadores del circo los descubren y a partir de aquí se desencadenarán distintos sucesos que les llevarán a conocer a un tigre que habla, pandillas de muchachos callejeros, al Nulo (una bestia), etc.
El libro en si está bien pero no me ha llegado a encantar quizás porque es un libro destinado más para un público infantil y juvenil y porque algunas situaciones que se plantean son muy extrañas. Lo que más me ha gustado es que la historia está llena de momentos divertidos y de situaciones estrambóticas que te hacen reír. Pero lo que más destacaría es el mensaje principal que transmite, el poder de la amistad. Lo que menos me ha gustado es que los personajes son muy planos, casi no tienen ningún desarrollo y me hubiese gustado saber un poco más sobre alguno.
“Una amistad vale por su intensidad, no pos su duración”
El libro en si está bien pero no me ha llegado a encantar quizás porque es un libro destinado más para un público infantil y juvenil y porque algunas situaciones que se plantean son muy extrañas. Lo que más me ha gustado es que la historia está llena de momentos divertidos y de situaciones estrambóticas que te hacen reír. Pero lo que más destacaría es el mensaje principal que transmite, el poder de la amistad. Lo que menos me ha gustado es que los personajes son muy planos, casi no tienen ningún desarrollo y me hubiese gustado saber un poco más sobre alguno.
“Una amistad vale por su intensidad, no pos su duración”
March 22, 2020
a book i remember reading when I was little. not an intellectually challenging read, but as fun and as engaging as I remember. nice to have a break from the information overload from corona, the shit of online classes, and the puppy training.
July 2, 2010
This is the story of a homeless boy, Miles, escaped from the local orphanage, and a little angel named Little, whom Miles helped to escape from the circus. They are on a quest to find the angel, Silverpoint, whom Little followed to earth and whom she needs to find in order to get back home. They know that Silverpoint is at the "Palace of Laughter," but they don't know where or what that is.
The story is somewhat dark. The circus people are the scary kind that give people nightmares, and they are dangerous, cold, and cutthroat. Although the book's intended audience is 4-7 grades, I think I'd be inclined to stick with the older end of that spectrum in buying or recommending the book to/for kids.
Philosophically, I like the ideas Berkeley introduces about angels, though I don't know that I buy into all of them. It was hard for me to blend the elements of fantasy into this story in my mind (talking animals again!), but, I found that in the end I liked the way it all fit together. I think I'd like to read the next book to find out what happens to Miles next!
Memorable quotes: "I am a Song Angel, and every language is an echo of the One Song, even the sigh of the wind and the groan of the mountains. Everything speaks. You just have to know how to listen."
"The One Song is the music that runs at the heart of everything. It keeps the world spinning and the stars shining. Everything that exists, every insect and rock and river and flower, has a name in the One Song. Love and Sorrow, Laughter and Anger and Courage all have their places too, and they must be kept in harmony. When one of these strands is taken out from the rest, that is when bad things happen, like a rope beginning to unravel. Each Song Angel must learn a part of that song. We keep it alive and guard it, and in the end we must each add our own name to it so that the Song keeps growing and the world keeps moving along its path."
The story is somewhat dark. The circus people are the scary kind that give people nightmares, and they are dangerous, cold, and cutthroat. Although the book's intended audience is 4-7 grades, I think I'd be inclined to stick with the older end of that spectrum in buying or recommending the book to/for kids.
Philosophically, I like the ideas Berkeley introduces about angels, though I don't know that I buy into all of them. It was hard for me to blend the elements of fantasy into this story in my mind (talking animals again!), but, I found that in the end I liked the way it all fit together. I think I'd like to read the next book to find out what happens to Miles next!
Memorable quotes: "I am a Song Angel, and every language is an echo of the One Song, even the sigh of the wind and the groan of the mountains. Everything speaks. You just have to know how to listen."
"The One Song is the music that runs at the heart of everything. It keeps the world spinning and the stars shining. Everything that exists, every insect and rock and river and flower, has a name in the One Song. Love and Sorrow, Laughter and Anger and Courage all have their places too, and they must be kept in harmony. When one of these strands is taken out from the rest, that is when bad things happen, like a rope beginning to unravel. Each Song Angel must learn a part of that song. We keep it alive and guard it, and in the end we must each add our own name to it so that the Song keeps growing and the world keeps moving along its path."
Read
January 23, 2010Miles Wednesday, the escaped orphan, lives in a barrel on a hill overlook the town of Larde. But that's OK, it's a large barrel, perched on its side. One night, completely unannounced, the Circus Oscuro comes to town and sets up below Miles's hill. Also making a visit is a huge tiger, who meets with Miles at the barrel and tells him (yes, I know, tells him) that he can smell a link with the circus on Miles. Smuggling himself into the space beneath the big top seats, Miles sees a young, angelic girl, called Little, making a tumble during a balancing act. Miles can have no idea that soon he is to have to rescue Little from the Circus, and lead her on a mission to the Palace of Laughter, one that starts out as an errand to reunite Little with her friend, but soon escalates into a quest to rescue much more than one person. He telling is just a delight, from the ever-so appropriate town and personal names, to the double-barrelled adjectives that are appended to Miles's name at the start of almost every chapter. It does not concentrate on cliff-hangers as such, but the urge to read and read until the perfectly balanced ending is ever-present.
Read
May 21, 2008The Boy has been searching for a new series featuring an alienated boy since the Gregor the Overlander series ended, and The Wednesday Tales is definitely high on the list, currently running hard against May Bird.
Alienated Boy with Tiger trumps Alienated Girl with Cat AND Ghost, and that is why this review is about the adventures of Miles and Little and you will have to wait another week or so for a review of May Bird and the Ever After.
Miles Wednesday is an escaped, renegade orphan who lives in a barrel, does odd jobs around the town of Larde to support himself, and is the sort of nice, polite kid most of us would help out just because we admire his spirit.
Sure, life is hard, and he lives in a barrel, but that's okay because he doesn't live in the local orphanage, which naturally houses the expected orphan-based laundry.
Read the Amazon blurb for the actual plotline.
Go ahead -- I'll wait, and rejoin you tomorrow for my bits.
Alienated Boy with Tiger trumps Alienated Girl with Cat AND Ghost, and that is why this review is about the adventures of Miles and Little and you will have to wait another week or so for a review of May Bird and the Ever After.
Miles Wednesday is an escaped, renegade orphan who lives in a barrel, does odd jobs around the town of Larde to support himself, and is the sort of nice, polite kid most of us would help out just because we admire his spirit.
Sure, life is hard, and he lives in a barrel, but that's okay because he doesn't live in the local orphanage, which naturally houses the expected orphan-based laundry.
Read the Amazon blurb for the actual plotline.
Go ahead -- I'll wait, and rejoin you tomorrow for my bits.
August 2, 2017
I read all of this series, and let me tell you, it was worth the read.
The story is about a boy who's last name is Wednesday (because of the day he arrived at the orphanage) and how he becomes involved with a song angel and a carnival that is complicated to say the least.
On the way he meets people that are good, bad, and off putting- and learns about the parents he lost, the person he is, and the world that he lives in with all it's magic and mystery.
I love that this book is a little bit scary, a little bit magical, and full of things that are worth thinking about in the grand sense and the small. Can people be saved? Can you share life? Is it possible to steal someone's existence? What makes a good or bad person? What does it mean when your time is up? Are you excused from right or wrong if you are "just doing your job"?
The story is about a boy who's last name is Wednesday (because of the day he arrived at the orphanage) and how he becomes involved with a song angel and a carnival that is complicated to say the least.
On the way he meets people that are good, bad, and off putting- and learns about the parents he lost, the person he is, and the world that he lives in with all it's magic and mystery.
I love that this book is a little bit scary, a little bit magical, and full of things that are worth thinking about in the grand sense and the small. Can people be saved? Can you share life? Is it possible to steal someone's existence? What makes a good or bad person? What does it mean when your time is up? Are you excused from right or wrong if you are "just doing your job"?
November 19, 2024
This was one of those books that chose me instead of me choosing it.
A cold Winter's afternoon brought The Palace of Laughter to my fingertips and it was the perfect read for an afternoon curled up by the fireplace with a mug of hot tea.
Miles and Little are both wonderfully written characters. Jon Berkeley excels at portraying them, along with the murk and magic and shadowy sense of morals that works so well in a circus tale.
Little is literally a golden light that shines down into Miles' dismal life and I love the natural friendship that develops between them along their hair-raising quest. It starts off as simply a vehicle to escape their own demons, but soon turns into a powerful story about facing them. Loved it.
A cold Winter's afternoon brought The Palace of Laughter to my fingertips and it was the perfect read for an afternoon curled up by the fireplace with a mug of hot tea.
Miles and Little are both wonderfully written characters. Jon Berkeley excels at portraying them, along with the murk and magic and shadowy sense of morals that works so well in a circus tale.
Little is literally a golden light that shines down into Miles' dismal life and I love the natural friendship that develops between them along their hair-raising quest. It starts off as simply a vehicle to escape their own demons, but soon turns into a powerful story about facing them. Loved it.
May 11, 2019
I moved around a bunch as a child, I remember reading this as a class back in the day. My teacher actually gave me our class copy due to the fact that I was going to move, for the billionth time, before completing it. I will never forget that teacher and how much this book was comfort to me as a child during those harsh times <3
February 2, 2017
It was awesome. It showed what one would do for a friend.
February 1, 2025
I loved this series as a teen. My friends and I were obsessed with this series.
March 17, 2019
This is one of those books which I have had on my shelf for absolute YEARS (I'm talking 10 years easy) however with the arrival of newer more exciting books this one kept getting pushed back until when I looked at it at the end of last year and realised I had absolutely no idea what it was about. So I figured it was eventually time to pick it up or I had to get rid of it, I couldn't just keep putting it off forever.
In this book we follow Miles, a young orphan who lives in a barrel. One night a circus comes to town and his life is changed forever. He is visited at night by a tiger who intrigues him enough to visit the circus, there he meets a tiny girl called Little and his life is changed forever as they have to prevent an evil plot to overthrow the land.
Ok so lets be honest, I definitely was no longer the intended age group of this book and I certainly wasn't overjoyed to be reading it (I had owned it for over 10 years). Therefore I had pretty low hopes going into this book. At the start I did struggle to get into it (I could only manage about 20 pages or so at a time which is ridiculous considering it is big text designed for teens/children) however after about 60 pages I did start getting into it and the pace did dramatically increase.
The story was definitely interesting and I do think teens will love it (with rebel gangs, evil circus people and a little bit of magic thrown in). It was definitely a fun and enjoyable read however I was just a bit too old for it. I think if you enjoyed the circus element of The Night Circus then definitely pick this one up, there is a lot of backstage circus bits going on as well as an overall plot to overthrow important people in towns. There are some tense bits where you definitely think the tiger is going to eat someone or Miles is going to get caught but ultimately it is an enjoyable read.
I don't want to go into too much detail without spoiling the plot. It is definitely for a younger age group (more for early teens/young children) but I think can still be enjoyed into late teens. There are a lot of circus elements in this so if you are a fan of the circus you should give this one a go. Also there is magic with talking animals and people with magic wings that allow them to fly. There is also (which I thought particularly cool) angels that control storms! I really enjoyed reading about that aspect of the book and definitely think there could be a spin off where the author goes into more detail about the world and the ins and outs of it.
Overall I did enjoy the book, it was a little young for me but don't let that put you off. It can still be enjoyed by all. There are angels, talking tigers and evil people! I would recommend this book but go into it expecting lighthearted children's fun, not a serious book about a adult evil plan.
In this book we follow Miles, a young orphan who lives in a barrel. One night a circus comes to town and his life is changed forever. He is visited at night by a tiger who intrigues him enough to visit the circus, there he meets a tiny girl called Little and his life is changed forever as they have to prevent an evil plot to overthrow the land.
Ok so lets be honest, I definitely was no longer the intended age group of this book and I certainly wasn't overjoyed to be reading it (I had owned it for over 10 years). Therefore I had pretty low hopes going into this book. At the start I did struggle to get into it (I could only manage about 20 pages or so at a time which is ridiculous considering it is big text designed for teens/children) however after about 60 pages I did start getting into it and the pace did dramatically increase.
The story was definitely interesting and I do think teens will love it (with rebel gangs, evil circus people and a little bit of magic thrown in). It was definitely a fun and enjoyable read however I was just a bit too old for it. I think if you enjoyed the circus element of The Night Circus then definitely pick this one up, there is a lot of backstage circus bits going on as well as an overall plot to overthrow important people in towns. There are some tense bits where you definitely think the tiger is going to eat someone or Miles is going to get caught but ultimately it is an enjoyable read.
I don't want to go into too much detail without spoiling the plot. It is definitely for a younger age group (more for early teens/young children) but I think can still be enjoyed into late teens. There are a lot of circus elements in this so if you are a fan of the circus you should give this one a go. Also there is magic with talking animals and people with magic wings that allow them to fly. There is also (which I thought particularly cool) angels that control storms! I really enjoyed reading about that aspect of the book and definitely think there could be a spin off where the author goes into more detail about the world and the ins and outs of it.
Overall I did enjoy the book, it was a little young for me but don't let that put you off. It can still be enjoyed by all. There are angels, talking tigers and evil people! I would recommend this book but go into it expecting lighthearted children's fun, not a serious book about a adult evil plan.
August 7, 2018
Actually ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Miles Wednesday, orphaned, has escaped the orphanage for the 7th time & is living in a barrel when the Circus Obscuro comes to town. Meeting up w/ a very hungry magical Tiger, Miles goes down to the circus w/ a gift of bones for the Tiger, but the tiger is nowhere to be found.
Sneaking inside to see the show, Miles watches as a little girl, Little, balances up high then falls, miraculously using her wings to safely alight. When Little is finished, Miles watches as she is tied up & locked up. Little is a prisoner of the Circus Obscuro & will remain so as long as they have Silverpoint (an angel of sort) performing for them. Without Little, Silverpoint would desert the Circus Obscuro.
Reminiscent of: "Heck", ""The Faerie Door", & "Uncommon Goods"
After Miles releases Little, they set off on the long journey w/ the Tiger to find & Silverpoint & set him free.
This was a very well written & for-the-most-part (some parts I skimmed) interesting book. Magic, Fantasy, Tigers, Faeries (of a sort), Angels, good people & bad people all in one story.
I enjoyed the book & read in it 1 day... I'm not sure as I am up to reading book two, as this was a long story, and I skimmed a small portion of it.
Miles Wednesday, orphaned, has escaped the orphanage for the 7th time & is living in a barrel when the Circus Obscuro comes to town. Meeting up w/ a very hungry magical Tiger, Miles goes down to the circus w/ a gift of bones for the Tiger, but the tiger is nowhere to be found.
Sneaking inside to see the show, Miles watches as a little girl, Little, balances up high then falls, miraculously using her wings to safely alight. When Little is finished, Miles watches as she is tied up & locked up. Little is a prisoner of the Circus Obscuro & will remain so as long as they have Silverpoint (an angel of sort) performing for them. Without Little, Silverpoint would desert the Circus Obscuro.
Reminiscent of: "Heck", ""The Faerie Door", & "Uncommon Goods"
After Miles releases Little, they set off on the long journey w/ the Tiger to find & Silverpoint & set him free.
This was a very well written & for-the-most-part (some parts I skimmed) interesting book. Magic, Fantasy, Tigers, Faeries (of a sort), Angels, good people & bad people all in one story.
I enjoyed the book & read in it 1 day... I'm not sure as I am up to reading book two, as this was a long story, and I skimmed a small portion of it.
June 13, 2020
I read this for the first time when I was maybe 10 or 11 and all I really remembered was that there was a tiger and a little angel girl and that she sings her song at the end as a sacrifice and that it made me cry. I just remembered that it touched me deeply. So 10 years later I finally get around to reading it again. And I'm pulling myself as deep as I can into the story, just waiting for that emotional ending. And it really didn't come atall.
I just feel like so many aspects of the story could be their own standalones, especially the strange world of the halfheads, gnats and stinkers. I'm just left feeling a little...lost. So many wonderful aspects but all thrown in together.
Anyway, I'm conflicted. Because if I'd rated this book when I first read it a decade ago I'd have given it 4 or 5, but as an adult its alot more middle-of-the-road. But it's a children's book in the end. But Goodreads is for adults.... I don't know.
Also what the hell was that strange shadow figure trying to lull them to their doom?
I just feel like so many aspects of the story could be their own standalones, especially the strange world of the halfheads, gnats and stinkers. I'm just left feeling a little...lost. So many wonderful aspects but all thrown in together.
Anyway, I'm conflicted. Because if I'd rated this book when I first read it a decade ago I'd have given it 4 or 5, but as an adult its alot more middle-of-the-road. But it's a children's book in the end. But Goodreads is for adults.... I don't know.
Also what the hell was that strange shadow figure trying to lull them to their doom?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2018
Miles had been left at an orphanage since birth, he did not like living there so he would live in a barrel and would work for food. One day the circus came to town and he had an encounter with a tiger who told him he smelled like circus folk. Miles decided to sneak into the circus to get more answer from the tiger. Instead of finding the tiger he found a little girl named little. Who tells him a tragic story. Miles decides to help little find her friend. On the journey to find this friend the encounter different type of people and dangers. This book would be a great read if it was written better I had a hard time getting into the story. The author over explains the scene which makes the book drag on. The characters are great but the story just fell flat for me.
July 24, 2018
Miles witnesses a girl with wings within the mysterious Circus Oscuro and leaves the comfort of his barrel in the woods to help her find a lost friend. Their journey will take them through the wondrous and dangerous as they face liars, cheats and perilous secrets and attempt to not only save the town, but stick together no matter the trial! Berkeley delivers an imaginative and heartwarming tale with this entertaining novel that will have young readers laughing and whooping the whole way through. Get lost in the strange and magical with this energetic adventure!
June 27, 2020
This was my favorite book in elementary school, so I revisited the book to see if it still held up. And yes it does! I'll say this, you have to remember that its a kids book, so I gave a couple really solid eye rolls throughout the book over some of the scenarios. But Once you put yourself in a bit of a childlike mindset, its an incredibly enjoyable book! The writing is good, the characters are cute, and the story is interesting! This book has joined my bookshelf again and I hope one of my little cousins will want to borrow it from me!
January 4, 2021
I I were a child again, I would love this book...but as an adult I struggled to finish it, just as I struggle now to see k-dramas, their romantic nature makes me puke. It was a lovely story, very well translated in Romania and the story was not boring, quite interesting...The author had some imagination. I think I am not old enough to read fairytales again...that's sad, being an adult is sad. I love the art...it had beautiful pictures...Very cute.
December 17, 2017
Entertaining, adventurous, fun and touching. A little dark and creepy, but a lot weirdly cool, too. I really enjoyed the characters and found myself totally engaged in this juvenile/middle grade fiction book that I randomly picked from the Goodwill book shelf because the cover intrigued me. You can't convince me that judging a book by its cover is never a good idea :)
April 13, 2019
I was enjoying this book for the most part, because it was about the circus and it was a little dark. As I was getting toward the end, the book skipped from page 392 to page 25 then from page 56 to page 425. I was disappointed I couldn't read the majority of the ending, and I think I would have given the book a higher rating if I could have.
June 28, 2019
3.5. There were sections of this book that did indeed capture the imagination, and then there were others that felt wholly unnecessary. Most of the first half and much of the denouement could have been cut down to make the book a much more reasonable length to its target audience. Sometimes the writing style was charming and at other times it felt condescending.
April 10, 2020
I bought this book when I was a teenager and never read it. Decided to give it a try. I’m too old for it now, but a magic circus is always interesting, right? Eh, not so much. It was dark and weird and I never really cared that much about the characters. Am I getting heartless in my old age or did it just fall flat?
September 30, 2023
What a fun read! Jon Berkeley is an amazing writer. The book read with a nice fast-paced but smooth flow with lots of fantasy adventure to it! I plan to pickup the other 2 books in the series to find out what happens next to Miles Wednesday. This is a perfect read for young readers with a coming of age feel. I'd love to see this developed into a movie or short series.
March 28, 2018
Adventure, star angels, and a mysterious orphan. Perfect for the reader who loves these piled on in a winding plot that gets more complex as the tiger appears and vanishes. Most twists are unwound by the end.
July 28, 2018
I give that book 2 stars
Because:
1. It is very slow in the action.
2. It goes a lot into detail and descriptions.
A book that has a good worldbuilding and also a good imagination, but I think it was a waste of time.
Because:
1. It is very slow in the action.
2. It goes a lot into detail and descriptions.
A book that has a good worldbuilding and also a good imagination, but I think it was a waste of time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews