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annarella's review
5.0
It's the first book I read by this author and it was a great discovery.
I loved this book, the mix of genres and the style of writing.
The plot was enthralling and entertaining, it never bores and you cannot put the book down.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Polis Books and Netgalley for this ARC
I loved this book, the mix of genres and the style of writing.
The plot was enthralling and entertaining, it never bores and you cannot put the book down.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Polis Books and Netgalley for this ARC
patbecker's review
5.0
I love this book so much! Someone please make a movie out of this one.
Steph Post gets better and better with each novel and I can't wait to see what she does next. With Miraculum, think of a cross between Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked this way Comes and Gruen's Water for Elephants, then add that Steph Post magic and you have Miraculum. The characters are finely drawn and the plot increasingly suspenseful. Every time I thought I knew where this story was going, Post surprised me. One thing I especially loved about this book was its visual imagery: Ruby is a strong yet vulnerable character, oddly enough, and she is as real as anyone you know. Daniel Revont is the mysterious stranger who enters the carnival world Ruby inhabits and he, too, is sharply written. I loved every moment of this book!
Full disclosure: I was provided an advanced copy by the author for review.
Steph Post gets better and better with each novel and I can't wait to see what she does next. With Miraculum, think of a cross between Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked this way Comes and Gruen's Water for Elephants, then add that Steph Post magic and you have Miraculum. The characters are finely drawn and the plot increasingly suspenseful. Every time I thought I knew where this story was going, Post surprised me. One thing I especially loved about this book was its visual imagery: Ruby is a strong yet vulnerable character, oddly enough, and she is as real as anyone you know. Daniel Revont is the mysterious stranger who enters the carnival world Ruby inhabits and he, too, is sharply written. I loved every moment of this book!
Full disclosure: I was provided an advanced copy by the author for review.
rozereads's review
4.0
3.5 Stars
Liked the 1920s circus/carnival setting -- but a little too fantastical for my tastes. (Loved Night Circus though!!!)
Liked the 1920s circus/carnival setting -- but a little too fantastical for my tastes. (Loved Night Circus though!!!)
kleonard's review
1.0
Less a miraculum than a slightly over-stuffed novel in which not much happens. Ruby, tattooed by a stereotypical and offensive "vodoo" woman and covered in symbols that protect her from supernatural evil, works as the snake charmer in a carnival owned by her father, who is incompetent are barely shows up in the book, and another stereotype, the noble savage, an African man whose knowledge of everything is unsurpassed. Ruby has a friend, January, who dances in the "cootch show," and an on-again off-again boyfriend who is pretty useless and doesn't play much of a role. When Daniel, an ancient immortal evil, joins the carnival to entertain himself by causing evil chaos, Ruby is the only one immune to his powers of suggestion. When he causes multiple deaths and the carnival burns down, taking Ruby's father and January with it, Ruby decides her destiny is to fight Daniel. Accompanied by the useless boyfriend, Ruby and Daniel have a stare-down that is the most boring climax of any book I have ever read. Daniel is defeated. Ruby lives. The boyfriend remains useless.
The author hints at things she never develops, or drops altogether. In the first few chapters, there are references to Ruby seeing things others don't. This apparently turns out to be that she can tell when people are untrustworthy. Not so much seeing in a supernatural way. We read about Ruby's long-dead mother, but she ends up not being terribly important. We read about arcane books, one of which turns out to be kind of useful but not very interesting. the trappings of the carnival are present, but there are no interesting characters and none of those who survive develop at all. I'd have liked it better if Ruby and January had teamed up to stop the immortal evil. Or if she had become apprenticed to the owner of the arcane books and they had worked together. But nope, Ruby is special and capable only because of a mixed-race woman who gave her magic tattoos (and who is killed off in a gruesome fashion by the immortal evil). Ultimately, this is a story in which white folks triumph, the black folks mostly get killed, and women are reduced to being skin.
The author hints at things she never develops, or drops altogether. In the first few chapters, there are references to Ruby seeing things others don't. This apparently turns out to be that she can tell when people are untrustworthy. Not so much seeing in a supernatural way. We read about Ruby's long-dead mother, but she ends up not being terribly important. We read about arcane books, one of which turns out to be kind of useful but not very interesting. the trappings of the carnival are present, but there are no interesting characters and none of those who survive develop at all. I'd have liked it better if Ruby and January had teamed up to stop the immortal evil. Or if she had become apprenticed to the owner of the arcane books and they had worked together. But nope, Ruby is special and capable only because of a mixed-race woman who gave her magic tattoos (and who is killed off in a gruesome fashion by the immortal evil). Ultimately, this is a story in which white folks triumph, the black folks mostly get killed, and women are reduced to being skin.
oroplatamyta's review
5.0
Who knew that a carnival can be a place of creepiness and despair! All the fun and games disappear when a death of a "geek" (someone who bites of chicken heads) disrupts the way of life of Rose and her friends, a man returns to their lives, and a mysterious figure who takes the place of the former geek. It all becomes a battle of suspiciousness and trust, and ultimately of good and evil in a setting that should bring us joy and laughter. Author Steph Post has excellently played out each major character and created a chilling setting with accurate historical details. Prepare to be amazed beyond the usual carnival acts. This is one book you won't be able to put down.
singerofstories's review
3.0
Miraculum was quite the magical ride! Really, it was more than that. There was magic, mythology, mysticism, and so much mystery! The setting of the carnival isn't as central to the book as I expected. Our main character, Ruby, is a snake charmer. Basically a second-rate act who is cast aside for the most part. The carnival is falling apart throughout the book. There isn't much splendor or marvel to the Star Light Miraculum. I found it to be a little disappointing.
What I did like, was the ancient history and mythology woven into the story. Samuel's books and the hoodoo magic of the bayou held . Plus the interjections from throughout time every few chapters. These I found so fascinating and looked forward to reading. I loved how these fueled the story. I wish that the characters were as fiery. I felt no connection to them. Not a one.
My final thoughts on this book: it was certainly a slow burn. I didn't mind in the beginning because I thought things were interesting and I wanted to know where things would go. Then the fiery interjections would come in a move things along a bit. I was so determined to do my duties as an ARC reader so I stuck with the slow reading, but the ending was very good I thought. It wasn't quite the battle I expected it to be, but of course, good pretty much won out so I was ultimately satisfied.
What I did like, was the ancient history and mythology woven into the story. Samuel's books and the hoodoo magic of the bayou held . Plus the interjections from throughout time every few chapters. These I found so fascinating and looked forward to reading. I loved how these fueled the story. I wish that the characters were as fiery. I felt no connection to them. Not a one.
My final thoughts on this book: it was certainly a slow burn. I didn't mind in the beginning because I thought things were interesting and I wanted to know where things would go. Then the fiery interjections would come in a move things along a bit. I was so determined to do my duties as an ARC reader so I stuck with the slow reading, but the ending was very good I thought. It wasn't quite the battle I expected it to be, but of course, good pretty much won out so I was ultimately satisfied.
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