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Reading this makes me feel as if I am in the novel. I feel like I am the one attempting to digest and work out the ulterior motives at play.
HIs use of detachment from the ulterior motives of the ‘Circus' allows the reader to fully grasp the ‘left in the dark' attitude of the protagonist and Liz. The presentation of those on the other side as friendly and comrades presents the disenfranchised agent perfectly.

One of my favourites, Le Carré does it again.

Criticims of this book often are that the novel is too high on substance rather than content. Frankly, I find this a rather redundant viewpoint.

Plascencia's style allows the substance of the novel to be explored in an unconventional and different way. The baby Nostradamus for instance being blacked out instead of saying ‘he didn't speak' allows the reader to infer their own image of the text.

I recognise to some aspect the self-fulfilling nature of placing himself as the main character but the evolution of the novel and exploring the relationship between not only characters and the page but the novelist, their real life and the page is a dynamic often left unexplored.

I found this novels characters separate and endearing, leaving one desiring to know what happens to every single one of them. The confusion that exists is designed to challenge us and challenge the way we interpret novels.

A thoroughly enjoying and different read.

Not normally a big romance guy but wow this book was good.

Fascinating character depth which at first seems just like ‘hotshot New Yorker goes to small town' but actively distances itself from the trope. Nora's high-flying publishing career gets put on hold for her summer vacation with her sister. The novel charts the development of her sibling relationship and deals with her love life in a way which at no points seems unrealistic or ‘too magical'.

I read it in one sitting as every character mentioned is intriguing and almost reads as a mystery as you await to uncover new details. At every point the reader feels a sense of discovery, leaving no sense of a wasted page or paragraph.

I will be waxing lyrical about this book to my reading friends trying to seem niche and interesting about a book which was voted the best romance book on GoodReads, but for bloody good reason too!