The conjoined stories of Olympia’s quest to anonymously save her daughter from mutilation and the story of the Binewski family, a story that took me by the hand through the tent flaps into their lives, and life in a travelling carnival as it spirals toward a twisted denouement, will grip you in their mutated flipper-like hands until you have turned the final page. Geek Love is dark, disturbing and (if you are of a gentle, sheltered disposition) distasteful tale that filled a freak-show shaped hole in my heart. The Jim Rose Circus as brilliant as it was did not count as that was pure showbiz hucksterism. She is a bald, hunchbacked, albino dwarf.įreak Shows have been out of fashion for a long time, there is a part of me that always wanted to go and see a traditional show (I still do). Their story – by turns shocking, tender, touching and cruel – is narrated by their sister, Olympia. The modern form and the popular use with reference to circus sideshow “wild men” is from 1946, in William Lindsay Gresham’s novel “Nightmare Alley” (made into a film in 1947 starring Tyrone Power).Īrturo the Aqua Boy is a limbless megalomaniac, Electra and Iphigenia are musically gifted Siamese twins with a penchant for prostitution and Fortunato is possessed if strange telekinetic powers. carnival and circus slang, perhaps a variant of geck “a fool, dupe, simpleton” (1510s), apparently from Dutch gek or Low German geck, from an imitative verb found in North Sea Germanic and Scandinavian meaning “to croak, cackle,” and also “to mock, cheat” (Dutch gekken, German gecken, Danish gjække, Swedish gäcka).
On the plus side if they ignore reading the blurb on the back cover (that blurb is fantastic – do not skip it) it will not be long before their preconceptions are destroyed and they realise that they are caught up in: This character sees the humanness in each of.I am sure that when many people hear or see the title Geek Love their thoughts will immediately turn to: Lillian Hinchcliff Binewski (Crystal Lil) This character, who has a tiny tail, is sent to a convent at the age of two. This character is a lone, solitary figure who lives off of a family fortune that funds "projects" to modify women. The wheezing music from the empty, motionless rides in a soggy, rained-out afternoon midway always hit my chest with a sweet ache. A carnival in daylight is an unfinished beast, anyway. These characters are Siamese twins who possess a talent on the piano as well as a keen sexual power. 20 of the best book quotes from Geek Love. Elektra and Iphigenia Binewski (Elly and Iphy) This character appears fully normal on the outside but is considered the most powerful and most sensitive Binewski family member. Arturo Binewski (Arty)īorn with flippers instead of hands and feet, this character attempts to cover up his insecurities by becoming overly controlling of everyone and everything else around. This character, an albino hunchback dwarf, is the narrator of the story.
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