I read "An Inconvenient Wife" by the author, and "Bone River" repeats some of the same themes but uses a wildly different setting. This time, Leonie's new-found awareness of her self is reflected by the wildness and unpredictability of the place where she lives. She's a wonderful character, and the author does a great job maintaining enough twists and turns to keep me reading. The Pacific Northwest is a character in itself, and adds to the atmosphere of tension and mystery.

I did not want the story to end! Celia and Marco are sympathetic characters manipulated by two men to compete in a show of magic. From the tents of the performers to the smell of caramel, Morgenstern brings the Circus alive as a separate, unique character. Wound through the story is a feeling of subtle menace that kept me reading. I was reminded of Peter Straub’s novel Shadowland, Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, and the magical realism of Latin American literature. Older teens and adults will find this a fascinating read. A possible book club selection, too.