Comments on: The Circus Came to Town

By: Yasmin

Yasmin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:58:31 +0000

Okay…I enjoyed your review…it was very honest and candid. Guess what…I still want to read the book…your review did what it was supposed to do for me…it piqued my interest…another book for the ever growing TRP…sigh. I guess I could have worse vices…lol.

By: J. Kaye

J. Kaye — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:26:37 +0000

I’ve been on the fence about reading this book. Just about everyone I know who read it has raved about it. Me? Like a psychic, I get a bad feeling. When you posted “It was a decent ending, but I didn’t find it that surprising nor all that fulfilling. Overall, the book was a bit predictable and I got bored…” Key word there is “bored”. I just have a feeling that I won’t be able to stay with the book. I’m passing on this one. Thank you for your honestly. Makes my decision feel right.

By: A Novel Menagerie

A Novel Menagerie — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:10:00 +0000

Lisa & Anna:

Maybe it just was that I had too may pre-conceived thoughts about this book before I read it. The story is a good one and it was a very good book.

I agree with Lisa’s comment on the amount of research that went into the novel. The author discusses it at the end of the paperback, in depth. I mentioned that in my review. I also agree with Lisa’s comment on the “nature of memories.” I find that my long term memory is, in fact, sometimes 100X more vivid than my short term. That must have made for an interesting discussion.

I suppose I could upgrade my rating of the read, but that was honestly how I felt at the time of the review. When I compare this to some of my “favorites,” I can’t say that I “loved” it. But, I most certainly liked it and I would recommend it to friends/family for a read. In fact, I’ve already recommended it already.

Thanks for your true, honest opinions about my review. I’ll use your thoughts to give myself a more well-rounded perspective in the future. I wish, wish, wish that I was in a book club. I just don’t know enough readers like myself.

Have a great Saturday.

Sher

By: lisamm

lisamm — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:44:00 +0000

We read this for my book club in July 2007. I went into it with no expectations at all and I loved it.. LOVED it. In fact, it was unanimous, which rarely happens at book club- everyone thought it was great. I thought the ending was perfect! We had a great meeting, talking about the nature of memories, the treatment of the elderly, nursing homes, the depression, the circus, the amount of research that went into the novel, etc. etc. Personally I would tell people to believe the hype! Or maybe, don’t listen to the hype at all, and then your expectations won’t be over the top.

By: tammywiz

tammywiz — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:17:44 +0000

Nice blog. I’ll be back to visit again.

Funny, I just posted a review about Water for Elephants yesterday. I agree with you post about the ‘hype’. I was overall impressed with Gruen’s writing, but the story left me feeling quite sad.

By: Shana

Shana — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:47:17 +0000

August sounds like a very bad man.

I still want to read this one.

I know what you mean about those ‘hyped up’ books. Expectations, expectations.

By: Heather

Heather — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:48:30 +0000

I’m glad you somewhat enjoyed this novel… I’m one of those people that falls into the category of hyping it up, because I LOVED it… I completely agree with you though, when books are hyped up so much, more often then not, they cannot live up. Sorry that happened to you with this one!