Geek love

Geek love / Katherine Dunn, 347 pgs.

One of the oddest books I've read in awhile.  A dysfunctional family tale of a freak-show/circus family who looks down on the "norms."  Al and Lil have creating an amazing family. Arturo or Aquaboy who has flippers instead of limbs.  Siamese twins Ellie and Iphy, albino dwarf Oly, and baby brother Chick who looks normal but can move objects with his thoughts.  They make their living as traveling carnys but when Arturo takes over running show, they add his side job of starting a religion.  When I child is born with only a tail, she is sent off to live in an orphanage.  You have to have something more special than a tail to hang with this crowd.  I could write another thousand words summarizing the plot of this book but think you might be getting the picture that it is a little odd.  Certainly something that will get you thinking about the nature of a family, love and what is means to be normal.  In reading the reviews on Goodreads, I've never seen so many one starts and five stars.  Strong feelings all around.  I'm glad I read it but not sure who to recommend it to.  Not your average dysfunctional family story which I guess makes it above average.

The Museum of Extraordinary Things

The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman 368 pp.

Coralie lives with her father, Professor Sardie, in the museum of the title. The museum is little more than a Coney Island freak show in which web fingered Coralie is exhibited as a mermaid. Coralie's life centers around the museum and the few places she is allowed to go with the family housekeeper. She is essentially held prisoner by her father. Her life begins to change with the entrance of Ezekial/Eddie Cohen, a photographer whose life has been changed by witnessing the Triangle Shirtwaist fire who is searching for a girl missing from that factory before the tragedy occurred. Both Coralie and Eddie are transformed by the events of their lives and the discovery of the evils perpetrated by the Professor, and those responsible for the Triangle tragedy, the rampant corruption of New York in 1911, as well as the magic of the Dreamland amusement park on Coney Island. This story is engaging and richly detailed. Even the descriptions of the horrible parts of the story are well done. It is gritty and awful and beautiful.