Pilo Family Circus - First Real Introduction To Bizarro Horror

     So the main reason I created this blog was so that I could share the books I had read and recommend them.  I had been lurking in a horror group on Goodreads the last couple days and because of that gained some insight as to good books for myself to read based on my previous preferences.  Somewhere along the way I encountered a substantial amount of praise for Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliot.  It was this unabashed praise combined with the strange synopsis of the book that made it nearly impossible for me to pass up.  Luckily the purveyors of these opinions did not let me down and I shall continue to delve headfirst into unfamiliar waters.
     The first thing that really struck me about this story was how easy it was to relate to the story of the main character despite the fact that the events are so bizarre to the point of making a significant disconnect with the reality that we hold so dear.  I believe it was the author's ability to enable me to put myself in the shoes of Jamie, the protagonist throughout the immensely strange events that really drew me to read the book even more. 
     Secondly Elliot understands that there are more characters than the main one who's presence has a profound impact on the story as a whole.  The majority of the events are told from the perspective of the Jamie, but in the interest of not subjecting the reader to his narrow frame of reference there are passages that occur with other characters that are of substantial importance to the story.  These characters are fleshed out enough such that the reader can easily decipher their motives and personality and they personally can feel when those characters are undergoing some level of stress or unusual experiences. 
     The setting is yet again a boon to the skills of Elliot as he does a masterful job of providing just enough information for the reader to follow what is happening during the story while holding enough that later events can still be surprising to behold.  Jamie's house that he shares with his roommates and his life prior to the Circus are peppered with atmosphere and mood that draws from his own personal senses of where he's at in that time in his life.  The circus itself is given an air of mystery throughout, and though a sense of understanding is gained through the descriptions there is always a trick hiding somewhere. 
     I feel as though the most important facet however is the amount of imagination that is shown throughout.  As someone who had not been accustomed to bizarro fiction it was truly a treat to see the various humans and humanoids who called the circus their home.  Their hopes and dreams are shown in such a way that the reader hardly bats an eye when the means to their respective desired end involve concepts outside of the usual realm of discourse.
     This story is a great exploration of a dark carnival world, where the carnival is even sometimes shown in a more positive light than the world outside.  Along the way the reader is kept turning the pages at a torrid pace as they attempt to stay up with the events that eventually lead to its apt and satisfying conclusion.  I would highly recommend this book to anybody with an open mind and who leans even slightly towards the horror categories in their entertainment choices.

5/5