The first chapter was not for me. I don’t know how it would drive the rest of the story and I’m not interested in finding out. DNF.

Honestly, I did not finish this book. I got it hoping it would be a guilty pleasure book, but it was not done tastefully.

Upsettingly, i was really disappointed by the book. The premise sounded interesting but it failed to deliver on several levels. I wanted so much from it but sadly the plot and the characters did not live up to the expectations.

I'm extremely grateful to have received this book for review, but it just wasn't for me. I don't think the synopsis of this book really matches the content.

Thanks, but going to give this one a pass based on the overwhelmingly negative reviews on GR and Netgalley.

The Amazon description for "The Dark Circus" sounds very little like the book I read. Yes, L was raised in a circus, and yes there is debauchery, and yes, the male protagonist's name is Elías. But that's about it.

The blurb makes this sound like a heavy-weight novel that will keep you on the edge of your chair with its dark mystery and sensuality. It kept me on the edge of irritation with questions like why is the word "goddess" used 17 times to describe L? Why is Elías given such a short time to find the lost relic when it take months to plan a pontifical visit? What is the harm, really, if the relic is not found before the pope pops in?

This is a trivial book and for once I don't think that it is a weakness in the translation. I think the thing is just poorly written.

I received a review copy of "The Dark Circus" by Ana Ballabriga and David Zaplana, translated by Michael Meigs (AmazonCrossing) through NetGalley.com.

This book is not what I was expecting at all... The "dark circus" that is in the title and on the cover is not the focal point of the novel. It's barely even mentioned, actually. I don't normally read this type of book and it just did not hold my interest. I gave up halfway through.

I'm sorry to give such a negative review but this was just too disturbing and overtly sexual for me and not really about a circus so I can't give it a favourable review. I won't put on GR as I don 't want to influence other readers.