Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliott

[Eggplant]

One week after I finished this book, I completely fell in love with it. The entire reason I chose to read Pilo Family Circus is Katherine Dunn does a very kind foreword and I have enjoyed her writing quite a bit.
This book does a great job of keeping you in limbo- a delightful place to be. I don't like scary books that rely on grotesquely described acts, disgusting images that can never really leave your brain. I do however like a heck of a lot of edge and suspense. Will Elliott does it right with all the impossibly possible underworldliness.
Poor Jamie is forced by demented clowns to audition for a circus. Jamie is a nice guy but you know what they say, "the nicer the guy, the meaner the clown." JJ is certainly not a nice clown and he and Jamie battle each other, morning to night. The performers in the circus battle each other with pranks and cruelty and pain. The whole time there is an undercurrent of rebellion that only pure chaos can smack into being.
This story is dark and juicy and hilarious. I absolutely loved it and believe it's for everyone. If anyone else has read it, I'd be delighted to discuss.