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The Juggler
Beran, a medieval peasant, longs to become the world's greatest juggler, and his blind ambition leads him to make the ultimate sacrifice, selling his soul to the devil, who has offered him incomparable juggling skills. Reprint.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 13, 2018
Would you look at that cover? Early 2000s summed up in one perfectly horrendous photoshop.
I have fond memories of this book from when I was a kid, and it's been on my TBR for a good while, since the next manuscript I'm planning has a "deal with the devil" inspiration. Alas, it didn't live up to my expectations, mostly because of the distance of the third POV. There's a lot of dated-feeling "telling, not showing" here, which I don't mind in moderation, but becomes sort of staid and plodding after a while. Don't expect to be in the MC's head or to really smell/feel/taste the setting. This isn't to say that Morressy is a bad writer--he just reserves the really visceral stuff for a few select passages, whereas modern YA is abundant with it. For example, I'll applaud the descriptive passage right at the end of the book (pg. 248-249), when the old man's true form is revealed. Beautiful prose--love it.
As I'm thinking this book over, I'm drawing tonal connections to The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both are understated, same approximate setting, though Giant is much more magical, as well as more adult. So if The Juggler spoke to you, perhaps give that one a try too.
I have fond memories of this book from when I was a kid, and it's been on my TBR for a good while, since the next manuscript I'm planning has a "deal with the devil" inspiration. Alas, it didn't live up to my expectations, mostly because of the distance of the third POV. There's a lot of dated-feeling "telling, not showing" here, which I don't mind in moderation, but becomes sort of staid and plodding after a while. Don't expect to be in the MC's head or to really smell/feel/taste the setting. This isn't to say that Morressy is a bad writer--he just reserves the really visceral stuff for a few select passages, whereas modern YA is abundant with it. For example, I'll applaud the descriptive passage right at the end of the book (pg. 248-249), when the old man's true form is revealed. Beautiful prose--love it.
As I'm thinking this book over, I'm drawing tonal connections to The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both are understated, same approximate setting, though Giant is much more magical, as well as more adult. So if The Juggler spoke to you, perhaps give that one a try too.
April 26, 2024
3.5 stars, Metaphorosis reviews
Summary
Born a peasant, Beran sees a juggler perform at a local fair and decides to become one himself. His drive for perfection sees him make an unfortunate deal with the devil.
Review
The Juggler is an odd book that never quite finds its place. Unlike many of Morressy’s other books, this is not straight second world fantasy, but historial, Earth-based fantasy. It’s an effective character portrait of a young man making his way, but eventually shifts into a morality play.
The actual deal with the devil is oddly underplayed. Beran has little real need to make the deal, and we don’t really see enough of what drives him to do it. Once he does, the deal itself doesn’t really make impact on the story (though Beran’s new skills do). When he at last reconsiders, the mechanism through which he considers himself free doesn’t really hold much weight.
While Morressy clearly was set on making as accurate a portrait of the times as he reasonably could, I found the Earth setting something of a distraction, and frankly felt the story would have been better off in a setting less relentlessly tied to Christian beliefs and values. The resulting mix is neither simple historical fiction nor straight fantasy, though it’s much more the former.
It’s interesting to follow Beran through his trials, and he’s an engaging character, but he soon becomes a somewhat distant one, and the book a slightly more intellectual than emotional experience. Interesting, but not as intriguing as Morressy’s Iron Angel trilogy.
Summary
Born a peasant, Beran sees a juggler perform at a local fair and decides to become one himself. His drive for perfection sees him make an unfortunate deal with the devil.
Review
The Juggler is an odd book that never quite finds its place. Unlike many of Morressy’s other books, this is not straight second world fantasy, but historial, Earth-based fantasy. It’s an effective character portrait of a young man making his way, but eventually shifts into a morality play.
The actual deal with the devil is oddly underplayed. Beran has little real need to make the deal, and we don’t really see enough of what drives him to do it. Once he does, the deal itself doesn’t really make impact on the story (though Beran’s new skills do). When he at last reconsiders, the mechanism through which he considers himself free doesn’t really hold much weight.
While Morressy clearly was set on making as accurate a portrait of the times as he reasonably could, I found the Earth setting something of a distraction, and frankly felt the story would have been better off in a setting less relentlessly tied to Christian beliefs and values. The resulting mix is neither simple historical fiction nor straight fantasy, though it’s much more the former.
It’s interesting to follow Beran through his trials, and he’s an engaging character, but he soon becomes a somewhat distant one, and the book a slightly more intellectual than emotional experience. Interesting, but not as intriguing as Morressy’s Iron Angel trilogy.
October 3, 2012
A fantasy that really felt as if it were set in the middle ages. The fantasy element is light, but that makes it all the more fantastic when it happens.
June 25, 2010
This book is actually very good, and to be honest, I enjoyed the first cover that came with the novel.
The entire dynamic of what is good and what is evil and the choices that we make as individuals when we're trying to be successful at living...
Well... let's just say I enjoyed the book. ;)
The entire dynamic of what is good and what is evil and the choices that we make as individuals when we're trying to be successful at living...
Well... let's just say I enjoyed the book. ;)
July 14, 2008
Set in medivial times, it is a story of a jugglers struggle between God and the devil. Didn't quite like it because of the dark medivial outlook on religion.
October 7, 2009
Neat little "sold my soul to the devil" story with some interesting details about medieval life. It'd be safe for younger readers.
January 9, 2013
You've got your medieval times, your magic, your good vs. evil in Satan form; mix it all together and you've got some entertainment in novel form.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews