Miles is an orphan who lives in a barrel. At least, until Circus Oscuro comes to town. Arriving in the dead of night, something about it seems a little.... off. But its big top and quirky cast promise a night no one will forget. To Miles, who has never been to a circus, it's the ultimate attraction, especially after he meets a tiger. But to Little, a girl with wings, the circus isn't nearly so appealing. Soon Miles and Little are on the road, chasing the circus in the hopes of rescuing friends trapped within the mysterious Palace of Laughter.The tiger was my favorite character in the book. He has a tiger's way of looking at life---that he's the biggest, baddest thing in it, so nothing bothers him much, but he is always alert to the next meal. His comments constantly leave Miles wondering if the cat has a very dry sense of humor or if he really isn't joking. And his actions at the end of the book prove he's grown at least a little fond of Miles, whatever he says.Miles is such an endearing hero---charming, clever, and loyal. Whether he's scrounging for an opportunity to get into the circus or playing Pigball with the Stinkers, his quick mind comes up with amazingly sideways solutions. (Sometimes that cleverness gets him into trouble with the tiger.) Little herself has a fascinating history and identity that unfolds bit by bit as she and Miles journey together. She, too, sees life from a very different perspective; but with as much as she has to teach Miles, she also has a lot to learn. Earth is a strange place for the girl from the sky.And at the heart of all of these, of the entire story, is the circus. The lights, the music, the performers, the animals, the ringmaster---the circus in all its splendor, and the circus as a force for evil. Interestingly, the story of the circus is tied in with the story of two ringmasters. One treats performers and animals like family and runs his circus to bring joy to ordinary people. One treats his performers like slaves, abuses his animals, and cons his audience into losing all their joy.I was rather puzzled by the random appearance of the Sleep Angel, which never really got an explanation. He shows up too often to be something that Miles accidentally trips over, but why would he have it out for Miles or Little? But, given that there are sequels, it is possible the reason will be revealed in a later installment.Overall this is a strong story with a lot of depth and heart. The end wraps up this story but leaves the door wide open for future adventures. I rate this book Recommended.
The Palace of Laughter is my favorite kind of children's book, the kind that reminds me why I spent such a large portion of my childhood holed up in my room reading books instead of outside playing with the other kids. It is the kind that whisks the reader away to a foreign but familiar and intriguing land, which the reader promptly decides is much more interesting than her own life and so desires to spend as much time in said world as possible. Luckily, this is the first of a trilogy, so readers who enjoy visiting the world of Miles Wednesday will have ample opportunity to return. This is the story of Miles Wednesday, a lonely orphan runaway who quite suddenly befriends a talking tiger and a tiny 400-year-old angel and whose life just as suddenly becomes entangled in that of a traveling circus. When his small orange teddy bear (brought to life by the tiny angel) wanders into the clutches of an evil circus henchman, Miles is only looking for a way to be reunited with his stuffed toy, but he ends up finding a lot more than he bargained for ... friends, family, and much-sought answers. Of course, the road to these things is filled with more than a few trials and tribulations. As an added bonus to those of us who have long since graduated elementary school, Berkeley's writing style is clever and lyrical, and I did not feel like an adult reading a child's book, but rather like an adult reading an immensely enjoyable, wonderfully entertaining, mysteriously compelling book. There are a few scenes which veer into seemingly aimless digressions, but luckily some of these puzzling interludes are resolved in the second book, The Tiger's Egg, which is also brilliant. This reader is anxiously awaiting the third and final installment.
What do You think about The Palace Of Laughter (2006)?
This book would make such a good children's movie. The whole way through I was picturing scenes from the book that would perfectly translate onto the big screen. Though knowing my problem with adaptations there is a strong chance that I would have a problem with it. That aside I still think this book would make a perfect movie. The characters are fully animated and instantly likeable - apart from the villains, who like in every good children's book, are instantly dislikeable; creating very clear sides for both good and evil, and then throw in a wise a magical tiger, and you get the perfect recipe for a great children's book. Despite being older now and knowing the format - that good will reassuringly triumphing over evil, this book was still enjoyable. As the journey to this final victory had some unexpected twists and turns, causing the book to be fast paced and an enjoyable easy read. This book is not deep or insightful. I did not come away feeling changed or enlightened, and yet I still enjoyed my time reading it; and sometimes that is all you want from a book. An enjoyable experience. Ultimately this book is for children or older readers who are still open to the magic and mysteries of childhood.
—Reilly Windsor-Daly
This story began when Mr. Berkeley, a noted illustrator, strolling with his dog in Barcelona asked himself, ‘What would be the story of a character named Silverwing be like?’ Now we know.From his vantage point Miles Wednesday can see the mysterious Circus Oscuro arrive. In the middle of the night he is approached and spoken to by a huge tiger setting the scene for this dreamy tale. Miles goes to the circus and sets into motion a grand quest to help a delicate winged creature named Little find her way home. Taught pacing, fascinating and complex characters engage us in this first novel in the Wednesday series.
—Claire
As much as it saddens me to say this, I can't give this book as good a rating as I'd like. If it were possible to give half stars, it's really a 2 1/2 star book, and it's a shame because it started off brilliantly. Miles, the protagonist, is hiding in a barrel with a stuffed bear named Tangerine and spying on a mysterious circus. The creepy circus element had so much potential, because isn't everyone just a little bit creeped out by clowns anyway? Throw that in with the orphan boy-makes-good plot line and it has at least the hint of a good story to come, but this book has too many spectacles going in too many rings. By the end of the book we've enountered lost angels, a phantom (talking) tiger, and uncovered a convoluted brainwashing scheme, not to mention a strange almost post-Apocalyptic gang of hoodlums that sound like the younger siblings of the crazy people from the Mad Max movies. It almost feels like the author felt compelled to make the book long in hopes that kids might take that into consideration along with the fanciful, colorful jacket and mistake it for a fantastical tale along the lines of a Funke or Rowling creation. The difference is, Rowling and Funke's plot twists rarely feel so gratuitous. In the end, only a forced deus ex machina moment is able to bring all of the bizarre events to something resembling a resolution, and we never do really figure out what the real story is with the tiger. There is something about the boy and his bear that moved me, but I'm afraid there's too much confusion to make it a good bedtime read-aloud (as a serial-type tale) for younger kids, and I think like older kids would be old enough to feel there's not enough payoff for the effort. It seems this is the first book of a series and I can only hope that the next installments improve on what has been begun here.
—Susan
