The Pilo Family Circus

Endlich mal wieder eine Horrorstory, die mein Kopfkino amtlich zu Liegestütz und Zehnkampf angeregt hat! Straff und auf den Punkt erzählt, Kutteln und Blut schwungvoll aber fein dosiert so geschildert, dass die eigene Phantasie gepflegt über die Stränge schlagen kann, verpackt in einem schön schrägen Setting, das ein wohltuend haarsträubendes Gegenstück zum grassierenden Romantic-Hochglanz-Horror-Schlönz ist.

Und ja, Clowns sind Arschlöcher. Und Schlimmeres...

That was way too much fun! I WANNA GO TO THECIRCUS!
Omg, These characters are all liquid gold. I want to befriend them all, especially the evil ones. I enjoyed the plot, it wasn't predictable, which is always a pleasant surprise!
With the latest Clown social media craze, I figured there was no better time to read this then RIGHT now. So glad I picked this up and gave it a go. This story will live in my heart forever, and I encourage anyone who is a freak, is into the darker side of things, to pick this up ASAP. You will not regret it!

Jamie's life might not exactly be great to begin with, but it takes a decided turn for the worse after an accidental run-in with some evil clowns. Very evil clowns. Who, disturbingly, take a liking to him and decide to recruit him for their freakish supernatural circus.

One might want to call this a dark comedy or a comedic horror story, but I really don't think either description quite captures the feel of the book. It's not really a combination of horror and comedy so much as it seems to sit at the exact spot on the continuum of absurdity where horror and humor overlap. It didn't generally provoke anything as strong as gooseflesh or guffaws from me. But for much of the time it gave me the truly surreal feeling of reading something show more simultaneously funnybone-tickling and creepily appalling... or perhaps alternatingly so, in much the same fashion as an optical illusion switching back and forth between looking like faces and a vase. The story is fairly entertaining, too, in a weird, brutal sort of way, even though I did have an issue or two with the ending.

I usually hesitate to say things like this, but I think I might really enjoy seeing this adapted into movie form, if it were done with the right sensibility. It's already got a certain odd cult-film feel to it, and I'd love to see what a cast of talented actors could do with the clowns. show less

This is an odd little book. Who doesn't find clowns just a tad bit creepy. This book draws you in from the beginning with it's scenes of psycho, killer clowns. Once part two kicks in we're whisked away to the Pilo Family Circus, a deranged place where our protagonist begins to fit right in. This is a novel, that you're never quite sure which way we're heading, but you'll enjoy the trip there nonetheless. Expect violence, a bit of non-explicit sex, and plenty of head games in the pages. Nothing seems out of place. I was a bit worried, once we arrived at the circus that this would turn into a dreamy, psychotic place where it would be difficult to follow, but I was rewarded with a story that was easy to read and understand. One show more disappointment I had was the ending did wrap up a bit too quickly and cleanly leaving quite a few threads hanging. Not sure if this was too increase the mystery or to pave the way for a sequel.

This book was set in Australia and I've got to say that I was a bit nervous starting this. When I read books by authors from outside the US (mostly British) I tend to find the subtle differences in language and sentence structure difficult to follow at times. It's a subtle thing and hard to truly explain, I just find British books hard to read and enjoy. I was expecting the same from this one. But I have to say that this was an easy read and other than a few town names I didn't realize I was reading a book set elsewhere. Some may find that a negative, but I was happy. For me, the book became much more accessible. Truly enjoyed this one. show less

Jamie is living his ordinary life, working his thankless job, and for some reason living with room mates who treat him badly and steal his food. Those days are coming to an end after Jamie has a strange experience with a clown that he nearly runs down with his car. After witnessing something he will wish he could unsee, Jamie steals a pouch left behind by a clown and with that he seals his fate. Now they want him for their twisted circus and joining up is not voluntary.
I loved this book from start to finish. It's creepy from practically the first page before we even get to the actual circus and meet an unforgettable cast of characters. I've already bought the sequel!

A book that can be enjoyed on many levels and should strike a shiver up the spine of even those who do not find clowns sinister, the Pilo Family Circus is an excellent and absorbing read.
Jamie, concierge at a Brisbane club, is abducted by sadistic clowns and forced to join a circus in an alternative world where little is as it seems: he is paid with the shards of human souls, the face paint he wears transforms his morality, and the penalty for transgression is worse than death.
Family Circus can be read as a parable, an allegory, or a straight-forward disturbing story: it is a multi-layered book, but one which can be appreciated as deeply, or as superficially, as desired.

I read this a few years back when it won the ABC inaugural fiction award. It's truly original and if you ever found clowns just that bit too weird to pass as humorous, this book will reinforce that impression forever. The book itself is oozing with humour; I found it extremely funny, and it had some brilliant character descriptions. I'd go as far as to say I've not read anything quite like it - it's macabre in a less than obvious way, contemporary, stylish. It lagged a bit for me mid-way, but never lost me. Honestly, I had a wail of a time reading this book.