Evan is foster care child, bouncing around from home to home pretty much ever since she was born. There have been good placements and bad ones, but this latest one (number eight) is pretty much the worst. So when she is called a freak and then says the magic words, Evan is approached by Compere, the Ringmaster of the Mumbo Jumbo Circus, about becoming part of the traveling show. That is when the adventure starts, because the circus possesses magic that Compere's Uncle, owner of a rival circus, will stop at nothing to possess. Not to mention the Ju-Ju gives donvrai, true gifts, the power to express themselves. Evan's gift is that she can speak to horses by reading their minds - problem is she's terrified of them. But with a traitor among the ranks and a devastating loss of something key to the show, it might be up to Evan to save Mumbo Jumbo with her amazing act. Along with help from the Pickled Punk (the Panhandle Prophet), the elephant boy, the Circus' teenage cook and some illusionist shifting polar bears Evan might be able to do something important and find something even more special along the way - a family to call her own, ragtag as they may be. I have almost no experience with books set in circuses, magical or otherwise. The closest I can come to that is The Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando. I got a lot more than I expected. Jane George has a gift with words and from the very beginning when Evan is being knocked around by her hillbilly foster parents, she painted a picture that was so real I could see it in my mind. Once she meets up with the Mumbo Jumbo folk and gets caught up in their problems and joys, there really is no turning back. There is a budding love triangle between Evan, Wally (the cook) and Johnny (the elephant boy) but it is very tame and it becomes quickly apparent who she actually has feelings for. The everyday struggles of a dying circus, the camraderie between the performers and the magic of the show itself definitely cam across in technicolor for me as a reader. Evan's wonder is easily shared and I became very invested in the fate of the circus and everyone involved in it. The addition of the talking elephant Solly, and the jarred but sassy, prophetic Pickled Punk (another term for a human fetus preserved in formaldehyde and used for a sideshow attraction), the polar bear shifting Nanurark family and a host of other colorful characters only added to the richness of the story. The plotline involving the evil uncle, Shock Jacques, could have been less stereotypical but it never fell too far into predictable villain tropes to be truly annoying. The revelation of what the Ju-Ju actually was fit perfectly into the setting of the story and was hilarious. Overall, a wonderful coming of age tale set in a magic circus that I would love to visit. Definitely one of a kind! :)VERDICT: 5/5 Stars*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available online in ebook format, or maybe even at your local library.* I really enjoyed this book. Jane George creates a compelling and sympathetic character in Evan. I was sad for her when she was sad and cheered for her when she managed to stand up for herself. The conflicts felt real and scary, and I really loved how magic was woven seamlessly into the fabric of the story. George's writing is vivid and compelling. Is there a book 2 in the works?! A bonus to the Nook version I read on my iPhone: George's color whimsical art that complements the story so well. I look forward to reading more from you, Jane!
What do You think about The Mumbo Jumbo Circus (2011)?
Didn't realize it was a 14yr old + book. Reads like a tween book.
—nickynack
An enjoyable book, easy to read and fun!!! Thank you!!!
—ABC
Great young adult read. I recommended it to my son.
—Anton
