As much as I wanted to love this novel, unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

There is something so frustrating about a story that is so close to being satisfactory but doesn’t quite make it. The Circus Rose is a perfectly serviceable retelling, I imagine, but doesn’t have the emotional substance to make an impact. I love retellings of classic fairy tales, especially when an author takes creative license and makes the story their own. If anything, the author definitely did succeed in making this a very unique retelling of Snow White and Red Rose. Actually, I wouldn't even consider it a retelling because it took elements of the original story but it was truly different.

This may be a great read for others but unfortunately I could not get into the story. The writing was good but nothing was catching my attention. I could not become interested or invested in the story or the characters no matter how hard I tried. I finished this novel because I'm stubborn, but if I was to set down a novel unfinished, that would have definitely been the case with this one.

I hope others enjoy this more than I did because the premise of the story is good and the cover is beautiful but for me...meh.

I really wanted to like this book. The cover is what initially drew me in, but the premise of a magical circus going up against corrupt religious clerics really had be intrigued. Ivory and Rosie have grown up on different sides of The Circus Rose, Ivory a stagehand, and Rosie a performer, both daughters of the bearded lady who serves as the ringmaster of the traveling Circus Rose. The Circus Rose comes back to the city of Port End after years on the road. It's expected to be a blockbuster event, but when a devastating fire destroys the circus tent and injures the performers, Ivory must pick up the pieces. Soon, members of The Circus Rose go missing, and Ivory finds herself and her circus family the target of angry religious clerics, and Ivory must put a stop to their schemes if The Circus Rose has any chance of surviving. 
This book is definitely a strange one. I really liked how the bond between family, both those who share blood and the family we choose for ourselves, makes up the heart of this book. Everything Ivory does is motivated from that place. I also thought the worldbuilding and the atmospheric prose were really great too. There is also a lot of representation in this book. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly care for this book. I felt confused reading this more than once. Also, I found the pacing and the events of the plot left much to be desired. It felt disjointed at times. Most of the time I had no idea what was going on. The way the author attempts to alternate between the narrative style of Ivory and the poetic style of Rosie just didn't work for me. Nothing happened in this book that made me feel like I was loving it. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

This was just so disappointing. I was so intrigued by it at the beginning. The writing was so flowery and beautiful it drew me in. But once we hit the midway point I was so lost and confused and therefore bored. I wasn't a fan of the androgynous terms for the non binary character. It wasn't a common pronoun and it just gave off the air of "not like other queer books". I did love the bear though!

I absolutely adore this author but I DNF this book. I really struggled to get interested in the story line or the characters. It really fell flat for me.

This was an interesting read. I did enjoy the two different point of views but they meshed together a bit messily. I loved the bear of course. I enjoyed that the two sisters were so different and complex but I can't say I loved either of their characters. Overall this book left me feeling a bit confused at times.

I was not pleased with this story. It was chaotic and disjointed, it didn't read well. I liked the circus aspect as well as the fairytale vibes. The plot was okay at times but lacked order which made it tedious to follow along. I feel like this could of been so much more it just turned out to be messy. It wasn't an enjoyable read.

The Circus Rose by Betsy Cornwell is a queer young adult retelling of one of the most popular fairytales of modern times: the cautionary tale of Snow White. When it was described as ”perfect” in the description I had no idea it would not only meet my expectations but surpass them, too, bringing a renowned story bang up to date and endearing it to the minds of a whole new generation and important minority. I tend to pick YA reads carefully but I would say if you're a fairytale fiend this is a wonderful read from start to finish as it encapsulates all that makes the original so mesmerising but the author manages to also make it her own and so very unique. It’s the bewitching, potent mix of social commentary, thrills and danger, engaging characterisation and a rather hefty slice of enchanting escapism that had me riveted from the moment I picked it up.

Cornwell hasn't shied away from infusing the story with bold, timely, ripped from the headlines issues but addresses them all in such a subtle and intelligent fashion that everything works so beautifully; often heavy, preachy topics are approached with a refreshingly deft and subtle eye and that's just one of a multitude of reasons why this culminated in such an intense, compulsive and gripping read. Never once did these topics dilute the fun and magical aspects of this superbly written piece.

It was also a pleasant surprise for a YA retelling to actually weave a more detail-orientated narrative than the original as that is not usually the case at all. I absolutely devoured this akin to Snow White taking a tender bite out of her poison apple and cannot recommend it highly enough to young adult fantasy fans who appreciate sophistication and interplay between real-world themes and those who revel in the mysterious allure brought about by beguiling fairy tale worlds both old and new. There is certainly much to love and sink your teeth into here, and if this tickles your fancy Ms Cornwell has penned a few other retellings in the same vein as this; that's exactly where I am heading right now. Exquisite. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Clarion Books for an ARC.

You know when I see "circus meets fairy-tale retelling" I'm picking that book up immediately. 

However, this was just okay. I really enjoyed the circus atmosphere and the love between the sisters, but outside of those elements, the world-building was a bit slim. There are hints of some really cool ideas here, such as the lore & magic of the Faeries, airships and steampunk technology, and the cult-like church, but none of it is super fleshed out. The plot also really accelerates and is resolved within the last 20 pages. It all just seemed like more of a sketch than a full-on book.

One thing that also took me out each time is Cornwell's invention of new pronouns. I of course don't care that Tam and the Fey are non-binary, but the constant switching between "fe" and "fer" honestly made things more confusing than if Cornwell just stuck to "they." Wondering if other people felt differently, though.

Once I read about this book I could not wait to read it. I liked the writing style. It was beautiful and with the alternating styles of the chapters. One character's POV is written in poetry, which i found interesting. Yet, this book did not work for me. The plot seemed to wander and nothing seemed to happen for most of the book. It's the writing style and interesting location that causes me to give it the rating that I have given it.

A progressive retelling of the Snow White and Rose Red fairy tale, this updated version has the two sisters living their lives under the Big Top: Rose, the performer, a highwire acrobat, and her sister Ivory, a back stage jack of all trades. 
The story is told in alternating chapters between the two girls, Ivory’s a traditional narrative while Rose is written in poetic stanzas. 
Writer Betsy Cornwell has taken the typical archetypes of the circus: the bearded lady, the acrobats, and added a mythical element with a character known as a fey, a magical creature who is in modern terms non binary, and here uses pronouns, fe and fer. When the circus arrives to the village the girls were born in, it’s presided over by the The Brethren, a religious order who lashes out at anything that doesn’t fit their conservative worldview. And when a destructive act threatens to destroy not only the physical circus, but the lives of its members, the girls must band together to fight back and reclaim what’s theirs. 
Cornwell has written a sweet retelling that gets credit for presenting both gender and same sex attraction as just part of the fabric of the story and not the issue of it. 
To me it’s solidly aimed at the middle schoolers ages twelve to fourteen, or sophisticated elementary school kids in fifth or sixth grade.

I really wished I would have loved this book, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I loved how diverse and inclusive it was, but I felt some magic missing, and the poetry parts didn’t feel like poetry, but like broken  sentences, which made it hard to connect to Rosie.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. The writing was lovely, but I just couldn't ground myself in the story and world, and I knew by the 50-page mark that this book just wasn't going to work for me.

I loved the concept of this story! The writing was beautiful and atmospheric. The setting was compelling and mysterious. It’s told from alternating POV - Ivory and Rosie. I had a really hard time connecting with Rosie’s POV as it was told in poetry. The poetry didn’t really seem to flow... it felt more like thought fragments and sentences chopped in half. Ivory’s perspective was easier to connect to and is where most of the story is told but, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I *need* dialogue. The vast majority of this was narrative and description, which was beautifully written, but made it hard for me to focus. ⁣
I loved the openness and exploration of the characters in regards to their sexuality and relationships. I did feel that the world building was a bit lacking, making it hard to understand where some people where coming from and how things worked in their world. Finally, the ending felt a bit rushed.⁣
Personally, I felt major The Night Circus vibes from this book. I didn’t dislike it by any means, it just wasn’t for me. ⁣

First things first, this book was a wild ride. Upon reading the description, I did not expect so many things to be happening all at once. Other than the main setting being the Circus, I was a little confused on the setting and had a tough time visualizing what the scene should look like. With mention of airships and aerograms, with the mixture of the circus life, I thought maybe I should be thinking steampunk, but I'm not entirely convinced of that. The point of views of both Ivory and Rosie are by far, my favorite part of this book. It sheds light on the personalities of both girls. You have Ivory, the serious and intellectual twin, retelling the events at face value. Then, Rosie, with a performers heart, it's only natural that her point of view be told in the form of poetry. Speaking of the poetry, it was absolutely beautiful to read. I enjoyed reading Ivory's tales, but I couldn't wait to soak in the poetry in just about every other chapter. Bravo to the writer for making me feel with Rosie, every time I read her chapters. The writer also found a unique way of conveying love and it's many forms. The character of Tam, the Fey magician is portrayed as neither a male or female, and pronouns such as fe, fer are used. Tam's character was written perfectly. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am happy to have been along for the adventure of The Circus Rose and it's troupe, and family.

Twins Ivory and Rosie grew up traveling in their ringmaster mother's circus, and although Rosie adapted to the spotlight, Ivory much prefers the stagehand way of life, unseen in the shadows. After years on the road in the distant faerie lands, the Circus Rose is back home in Port's End, where many things have changed. The fundamentalist Brotherhood, although removed from their place in the government, continues to grow on the streets. With hatred for all that is different and magical brewing, Rosie and her androgynous fae partner Tam struggle to find their place in a new society that condemns them. When disaster strikes and the circus and everything else seems to be falling apart, Rosie is forced to take charge, even if it’s all an act. After all, she grew up watching her peers perform.

I really loved the themes of social equality and justice in this novel, as well as the amazing romance between Ivory and Tam. Tam (fe/fer pronouns, because they're fae) is such an interesting character in that fe is so used to being loud and proud with fer relationships back in Faerie, only to come across the sea to a totally unwelcoming community of religious monks who tout holiness while operating an entire underground agenda. Ivory on the other hand is shocked by the change in her home, all the while she is trying to get to know her father who is now back in the picture. Polyamory is another aspect of this novel, as Mama had Rosie and Ivory from two different men, and when the fathers come back into the picture, it poses an odd dynamic for Ivory and Rosie, although the prevailing theme is that love wins out in the end.

On the other hand, the beginning 3/4's of the book were very slow for me, and the actual climax didn't come till very late in the book. I would have liked some more buildup to the action, but the perspective shift from Ivory's prose to Rosie's poetry kept it interesting enough to keep me reading. Other than pacing, I really loved all of the themes of family, love, and community in this novel as well as how it touched on severe anxiety/depression through Rosie's poetry. It's definitely worth the read, especially if you like Circuses, steampunk themes, and emotional support Bears!

Unfortunately I struggled to get hooked on this book, so I ended up not finishing it very early into the book. For that reason, I will not be posting a review on my blog or social media.

I read the blurb of the novel and I found it interesting and, at the beginning, it really was, but as I went on I found myself losing interest in the story and the characters. The story is told from two points of views, two sisters, twin step sisters to be precise. While Ivory’s story is well-written and flows easily, I couldn’t engage with Rosie’s perspective that it is told in poetry form and, sometimes, it is not very clear. I liked the circus and magic atmosphere and the ending was satisfying. It was not what I expected or I hoped for, but, all in all, this was a nice read.

If there's one thing I love more than a retelling it's a queer retelling - and having had some misses with queer fiction in the recent months I was trepidatious going into this book. I was expecting there to be a background F/F relationship and not much else. 

Boy was I wrong. 

I'm going to start with the one thing that really bothered me about this book  - and yes it is the fae. Now those who've been around for a while know I tend to not enjoy the fae in books - in this instance it wasn't the presentation of the Fae that bothered me. In this case, it was the fact that it took a good amount of the book for it to become apparent that the fae existed, were an understood aspect of society and had real magic. I was reminded of how I felt about Sanctuary and how it takes a while to get the point across that magic is real and understood in normal life. It's a small worldbuilding detail in the grand scheme of things - but I feel it's something you should know from right at the start of the book - not something you should suddenly discover several chapters in. It's possible that is on me - maybe I missed a reference earlier in the book but that was the one little 'hm' moment I had. 

Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's worth saying, I can't speak to the representation of Rose as neuro-atypical - it didn't hit any red flags for me but it'll be interesting to hear some own voices reviews of this book. Rose's perspectives in the book are written in verse, which I found an interesting way of representing the character, it also moves the plot along in a surprisingly effective way. 

I won't lie, this book made me cry. And not just once. This book went to emotional places I genuinely wouldn't have expected - the ending is beautiful and I would say maybe just read it for the ending alone?

But the rest of the book is good too! I liked that the book explored the Fae as non-binary, using Fe, Fae, Fem pronouns - which is consistent throughout the book. It felt like this book was written with intersectional intent and I appreciated that. 

This isn't just the simple circus book I had thought it would be - there's a lot of nuance and....I don't have the words - there's a lot more to this book than I ever would have thought and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it (waiting on ownvoices reviews obviously). 

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

The Circus Rose publishes June 16th

For a book I read in a single sitting, I’m not sure how to feel about The Circus Rose. I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in, and I’m largely familiar with Red Rose and Snow White fairy tale from Anna-Marie McLemore’s Blanco y Roja, but this was definitely an interesting tale. I liked how Rosie’s chapters were poems and Ivory told her chapters in prose, and the ways their two perspectives wove together. I don’t think the mystery of what was happening was surprising, but I do think it was well woven into the story. My favorite part of this book is probably how utterly queer it all is. Rosie is a lesbian, and there’s no stress around it because she is who she is. Ivory is used to only being attracted to guys, but meeting Tam who is neither man nor woman she can’t deny fers beauty or appeal. Their mother loved two men and couldn’t choose, and between the time they tried to make her choose to today they’d developed a relationship and proposed to Angela. This book is mostly just…odd, I think. I liked some aspects and it was an easy read, but it was also almost lackluster?

I fell in love with the first few chapters of this one. My goodness that packed a punch that I will not soon forget. But after those first few chapters this one started losing steam and momentum. I have to say that I actually fell asleep while reading this one.  I feel that this book needed some kind of twist or something to keep it going through the almost 300 pages.  I slogged through them since I don't DNF and I am not happier for it.