Menagerie

by Rachel Vincent

Overview

A young woman makes a shocking self-discovery when she visits a traveling carnival in this dark contemporary fantasy by a New York Times bestseller.
When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus big-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.
But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions" —mermaids, minotaurs, griffins and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.
Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale.
Praise for Menagerie
"Well-paced, readable, and imaginative." —New York Times Book Review
"Delilah is magnificent in her defiance of injustice, and the well-wrought background for her world sets the stage for her future adventures in this captivating new fantasy series." —Publishers Weekly
"A dark tale of exploited and abused others, expertly told by Vincent." —Library Journal, starred review
"Vincent summons bold and vivid imagery with her writing, especially with the otherworld aspects of the carnival." —Kirkus Reviews
"Vincent creates a fantastic world that is destined to pique your curiosity . . . As Delilah Marlow slowly uncovers a side of herself that she never knew existed, you'll sympathize with her . . . desperate to see her succeed." —RT Book Reviews, Top Pick

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781460399002
Publisher:	MIRA
Publication date:	08/16/2023
Series:	Rachel Vincent's Menagerie Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	480
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent loves good chocolate, comfortable jeans, and serial commas. She's older than she looks and younger than she feels, but is convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan. Now absorbed in the dark, tangled loyalties of her UNBOUND world, as well as the travails of a teenage banshee in her SOUL SCREAMERS world, Rachel can be found online at www.rachelvincent.com or urbanfantasy.blogspot.com.

Editorial Reviews

"Vincent's a pro.... Unputdownable!" -Kirkus Reviews on The Stars Never Rise

"Well written, fresh, charming, great voice-Buffy meets Cat People. I loved it, and look forward to much more in the future from this talented author."

-New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham

"Compelling and edgy, dark and evocative, Stray is a must read! I loved it from beginning to end."

-New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter on Stray

"This is the kind of book that ups the ante in teen literature. The characters are true to life in a way not often captured by YA authors; Vincent writes dialogue as if she spends her days haunting the hallways of her local high school. The love triangle is fantastic... This plot is driven by more relatable impulses: love, friendship, jealousy."


-RT Book Reviews on My Soul to Steal

"Vincent does a nice job of balancing all the various species of character...with dollops of humor and enough backstory to keep readers new to the series engaged, without dousing the pace for those already in the know."

-Booklist on If I Die

"A well-thought-out vision of werecat social structure as well as a heroine who insists on carving her own path, even if it means breaking some of her society's most sacred taboos."

-Library Journal on Rogue

"Blood Bound offers a little something for everyone: a convincing magical system for urban fantasy fans; for romance readers, a love that time and distance can't break; and a twist-and-turn plot for mystery buffs."

-Shelf Awareness on Blood Bound

From the Publisher

2015-07-15
This novel begins a dark and moody new series set among circus freaks and cryptids. In Vincent's story, the creatures from various world mythologies are very real. Werewolves, sphinxes, Minotaurs, and many others populate the pages. But the main character, Delilah, is one of the most puzzling, because she lives most of her life convinced she's human. Only when a vicious act sparks her instinctive violent reaction does her true nature reveal itself: she is a most rare cryptid. The response by law enforcement is swift and brutal. She's declared nonhuman, stripped of all rights, and sold as property to a traveling carnival. Over the course of several weeks, she's caged, brutalized, and terrorized. However, with the help of her handler, Gallagher, she also discovers the truth of her nature and gets the chance to blaze a path to aid her fellow cryptids. Delilah is an intelligent protagonist who's easy to root for, especially as so much seems set against her. There is extraordinary injustice in this world. Cryptids are legally property, and they're treated horribly by nearly all humans, enduring a miserable existence only they can understand. Vincent summons bold and vivid imagery with her writing, especially with the otherworldly aspects of the carnival. There are many named characters and many mythologies to catch up on, which slows the pace somewhat. The shifting point of view can be jarring, since Delilah tells her story in the first person, while all the other narrating characters are presented in the third. And while the ending is suitably bombastic, it feels more like a pause before the already-scheduled sequel. Fans of paranormal fiction and of Vincent's previous work (The Stars Never Rise, 2015, etc.) should enjoy the unusual premise of the novel, but the violence throughout may limit its appeal.

Kirkus Reviews