Unlike anything I have read before... it starts like a western with clowns. It is utterly and completely written in the style but I couldn’t get into it. Maybe it just wasn’t my kind of weird. I don’t like westerns and clowns creep me out.

I have to say that this book is one of the strangest I have read in a long time and I really loved it. It's about a guy called The Stranger and his quest to find a flower that will save his sick son. The story flips back and forth between his time in the Escapement. and his time in the real world. The Escapement. is awesome. It has clowns and cowboys and scary stuff lurking about. On his journey, he meets several interesting people like the Conjurer, the Kid, and some seriously deranged carnies. I loved the Escapement world, it was so unique and disturbing at times. The flipping back and forth between worlds kind of confused me at times but the story, the crazy world, and the great characters make up for it. I would love to read more about this place and the clowns. There are so many cool possibilities that I hope the author writes more. This book is really something special.

In The Escapement, a father with a sick child becomes the Stranger in a parallel reality. The Escapement reminds him of that time he took his child to see the clowns. And just like in the real world, not everyone likes clowns….

Escaping reality
The Stranger tries to escape reality as the health of his terminally ill child deteriorates. The places he encounters on his journey resemble the phases he goes through while dealing with his son’s illness. The connections to The Waiting Place and The Hole are most obvious, but let’s not discount the journey, the catastrophes and the encounters with certain people. All that untapped time – a huge silence waiting under the ground – and the time loops are a great contrast to the time slipping by in the hospital room.

The worldbuilding is outstanding. Lavie Tidhar drew inspiration from fairy tales, the Epic of Gilgamesh and many other sources for the Flower of Heartbeat, locations and characters.

Narrative
The events of the Stranger’s journey are told in a very factual and rational way rather than an emotional one. I was expecting and hoping for more mystery and wonder in the early chapters. Instead, the setting is clearly explained, too clearly for my taste. The Stranger understands the inner workings of the world, with its mazes, shifting geographical patterns, and curved roads too easily.

Many other characters tell their stories, taking time away from the Stranger’s story. He does not seem focused on his goal of finding the flower that will heal his child, although he thinks about it from time to time.

I understand the parallels that are drawn, but I do not feel emotionally involved in the father’s story. I feel sadder for the slaughtered and enslaved clowns. The father seems distant, which is understandable because his journey – both in the hospital and the Escapement – has been long. I still don’t know if I find the blending of realities too subtle or not subtle enough.

Conclusion
The Escapement did not impress me. I enjoyed reading about the world and imaginary locations, but the story of the father/Stranger just didn’t work for me. I can’t feel the father’s struggle and his son remains faceless. This book doesn’t feel like the subtle blend of realities or the deep contemplation of running away from grief and reality that I expected before I started this book. I miss the mystery and excitement of not knowing something and figuring it out. I was hoping for something different and I’m still hoping for another story set in this interesting place called the Escapement. It ended up being a fascinating world with no compelling characters, more of a showcase than a story.

This has to be read to be appreciated. No review could do it justice. It caught my eye, as I am a fan of all things circus/carnival related. I got so much more than I had hoped for. Dark, sad, beautifully written and full of references (subtle and not so subtle) that will make you smile when you catch them. Elements of this story have been pulled from sources far and wide, but they come together uniquely to create a world worth escaping to...and from.