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There are currently 36 member reviews
for The Book of Speculation
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Jennifer F. (Saratoga, CA)
Suspenseful read
Circus characters, tarot cards, and mysterious events combine to make this book just interesting enough to keep reading. Although not Water for Elephants, The Book of Speculation provides a peek into the tent of circus characters and pulls the reader along to uncover the mystery that lurks in the genealogy of the main characters and wreaks havoc in their lives.
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Erica M. (Chicago, IL)
A struggle to decide my opinion of the book
I felt the book was well-written from the perspective of the different story lines developing and connecting with one another, but I never really found myself enjoying the book. I think it was because I never connected with any of the characters, so I never cared what happened to any of them. The author did a lot with analogies and symbolism, which is why I thought the writing style was good, but the story that developed never drew me in.
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Nikki M. (Fort Wayne, IN)
Great beginning, disappointing ending...
The beginning of the book drew me in right away. Both storylines were fascinating. As the story progressed, and tarot cards/mysticism became more prevalent, I began to lose interest. The ending was a bit too far-fetched for me.
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Teresa R. (Evansville, IN)
Magic, mysticism, and mystery
Really liked this book! This book includes a librarian, a circus, and mermaids! Loved the way the author jumped from the present to his relatives in the past. I thought the story stalled a little here and there, but I really enjoyed.
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Esther L. (Newtown, PA)
Weird and Wonderful
I don't mind immersing myself in a book that is a little bit magical and wonderfully weird! Fortune tellers, mermaids, doomed lovers, a family curse, and ocean storms preceded by thousands of horseshoe crabs. I will not be recommending it to my book club, an unadventurous bunch that hated my selection of The Night Circus!
I found it very interesting that the author studied book binding and offered her manuscript to publishers as replicas of the antique book that Simon receives in the novel. What a way for her to get notices. Wouldn't it have been fun and an adventure to read such a book!
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Norman G. (Washougal, WA)
Speculative
Unsure of all the reasons why, but I did enjoy this read even though it played too much to the fantastical for my preference. The bother's, sister's, bookseller's and neighbor's stories all wove together well and keep the story's pace moving briskly. I could have done without the crabs and the preponderance of the tarot cards, but others may appreciate these facets. The revealing of the interlocking pieces satisfied though.
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Dorothy H. (Folsom, CA)
Book of Speculation
I liked the story that connected current and past families and how they were connected in the early deaths of women. The chapters are either current or in the past. I also liked the history of early traveling side shows.
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