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Title: A Son of the Circus by John Irving ISBN: 0-345-38996-4 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 30 August, 1995 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.76 (82 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Double lives
Comment: I try to cut authors some slack wherever possible, so I'm giving A SON OF THE CIRCUS four stars rather than three, but it's really more like three and a half. John Irving seems irresistably drawn to transsexuals, yet his portrayals of them continue to be some of the silliest and least convincing I've read. I'm not looking for political correctness, but I do appreciate characters I can believe in. Fortunately, A SON OF THE CIRCUS does have some. The protagonist, Dr. Daruwalla, is well-drawn and likeable. His informally-adopted movie star "son," John D. (a.k.a. Inspector Dhar), is intriguing. Nancy, a displaced American married to a Bombay policeman, is heartbreaking.
Among other things, this is a book about twins, and Irving uses "twinning" in interesting ways throughout the story: several characters are referred to by more than one name; the real crippled boy Ganesh is mirrored by a similar character in Dr. Daruwalla's screenplay. Dr. Daruwalla himself lives not one but two double lives -- as a respectable orthopedic surgeon and a writer of trashy cop movies; as an immigrant in Toronto and a not-quite-Indian in Bombay.
This novel disturbed me and I have found myself thinking about it quite a bit in the few days since I finished it. If you're the sort of reader who believes these are good things, you may well enjoy it too.
Rating: 5
Summary: Irving's Best - A Creative Wild Ride
Comment: I read this book when it first came out, and was buying a copy for a friend when I noticed how mixed Amazon's reader ratings were. I was shocked, as I truly believe this to be Irving's finest book yet. Everything that is intriguing, outrageous and wonderful about Irving's intense writing style and ultra-creative story-telling abilities is epitomized in Son of the Circus. It is not necessarily an easy read, as Irving presents a LOT of information for the reader to digest (there are dozens of quirky characters and several subplots). With that in mind, if you feel up to the task, it is more than well worth the effort.
While reading this book, I was constantly aware of the author's genius. His ability to conceive and weave together intricate plots and carefully constructed characters into a cohesive, wildly entertaining story is mind-blowing. Irving's previous books (Owen Meaney, The Cider House Rules, Garp, Hotel New Hampshire, etc.) and the subsequent Widow For One Year are all excellent reads, but all much tamer and far less intricate than the grand spectacle of Son of the Circus. It is truly an amazing feat of fiction - a wonderful book with as many twists, surprises, and glimpses of the bizarre as one could ever hope for. Irving's beautiful writing, outstanding background research, and vivid imagination make for a truly original story that haunted me for months after reading it. Several years after reading it, I still harbor strong memories of Son of the Circus(and I have read dozens of books in the interim).
This is a book to be read carefully - it makes an excellent vacation read, when the proper amount of time and attention can be paid. If some of the other reviewers of Son of the Circus were disappointed with it, I suggest that they return to it and read every word with care - perhaps then they will understand John Irving's gift and what an intelligent and interesting book Son of the Circus is. Don't miss it - books like this don't come along very often!
Rating: 5
Summary: AUDIO TAPE ALL THE WAY
Comment: Have wanted to read this book for some time, but unable to do so because of poor eyesight. I finally wised-up and purchased the audiocassete. WOW. The narrator does an unbelievable job. David Colacci's voice complements Irving's words beautifully. If you have enjoyed this book, do yourself a favor and listen to the audiocassete. I'll live with these characters for a long,long time. Take me away John Irving, take me away.
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Title: The 158-Pound Marriage by John Irving ISBN: 034536743X Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 14 July, 1990 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Water-Method Man by John Irving ISBN: 0345367421 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 13 June, 1990 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: A Widow for One Year by John Irving ISBN: 0345424719 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 23 March, 1999 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving ISBN: 034540047X Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 30 August, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Setting Free the Bears by John Irving ISBN: 0345367413 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 30 May, 1990 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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