A traveling carnival displays a whole host of cryptids,
from minotaurs to oracles to werewolves. Humans fear
cryptids, and anyone deemed to be "not human" is stripped
of all of their human rights. Delilah Marlow's boyfriend
surprises her with tickets to Metzger's Menagerie, never
knowing that his gift would turn Delilah's world upside
down. Now, Delilah finds herself on the other side of the
cages of the MENAGERIE. Will Delilah succumb to captivity
as she struggles to understand who or what she is?
Rachel Vincent kicks off her new series with a dark,
sometimes quite disturbing tale that paints a picture of
a divided world imprisoned by fear. The world building is
spectacular, almost too well done in fact, as it is at
times difficult to read through some of the brutal
tortures the cryptids must endure. The violence isn't
gratuitous, however, as it's imperative to show us the
harshness of captivity and the stark divide between
humans and cryptids.
Delilah has skyrocketed to my list of top heroines! Her
inner strength and fortitude in the face of such horrors
is nothing short of heroic. I raged in anger at the sheer
injustices right along with Delilah as Rachel Vincent
carefully draws the reader into this dark and fearful
world before showing us a glimmer of hope. Delilah
doesn't back down, even when her own well-being is at
stake, and I love seeing her challenge the status quo as
she refuses to judge based on genetics or appearance
alone.
And oh, the mystery of Gallagher! Gallagher is one of
Delilah's jailers but he seems very different from the
much crueler Ruyle. I love how Rachel Vincent drops
little hints and clues as to the underlying story as the
unveiling is simply brilliant.
MENAGERIE is stunning! Rachel Vincent crafts a bleak,
forbidding, and downright disturbing world and shows us
the hope that transcends the darkness. I can't wait to
see how the Menagerie series progresses as Rachel
Vincent once again shows us why she's one of the best
writers out there! I admit I was a little skeptical about
a book focused on a traveling MENAGERIE, but Rachel
Vincent has made a believer out of me! I highly recommend
MENAGERIE if you like your stories on the dark side.
From New York Times bestselling author Rachel
Vincent comes a richly imagined, provocative new series
set
in the dark mythology of the Menagerie…
When
Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival,
Metzger's
Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-
ordinary
world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she
discovers
a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her
human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in
her
black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly
possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to
"perform" in town after town.
But there is
breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque
reality
of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he
is
cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids,
minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but
they
share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity.
And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her
fellow
menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she
never knew existed.
Renowned author Rachel
Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic
and
startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful
tale.
"Blood Bound offers a little something
for
everyone: a convincing magical system for urban fantasy
fans; for romance readers, a love that time and distance
can't break; and a twist-and-turn plot for mystery buffs.
Readers looking for a light and fluffy ride should go
elsewhere."
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