The Aerialist: A Novel (Sewanee Writers' Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)THE AERIALIST begins ordinarily enough - with two hapless guys, one who dodges responsibility and the other dying of cancer, taking a joy ride in a car that's obviously a murder scene - but once this novel gets going, it takes an extraordinary leap. Gary joins a circus by whim and by accident, and later pulls his buddy Dave aboard. What they experience there (particularly what Gary, our narrator, does) becomes something both larger and more gritty than a circus show. Schmitt takes his readers through Gary's various jobs in the circus as well as describing a variety of others, giving me the impression, whether false or not, that Schmitt knows his material. From bull prodder to aerialist, Gary becomes the circus with all its quirks and desperate moments, its glitz and its manure, the odd comraderie behind the scenes as well as the machinations that make the audience ooh and aah. Gary and the supporting characters are well-drawn and compelling in their off-beat ways.
This debut is a literary gem. Its originality, well-written prose, and the deftness with which the characters are drawn will assure Richard Schmitt of a solid following.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Aerialist: A Novel (Sewanee Writers' Series)

Click here for more information about The Aerialist: A Novel (Sewanee Writers' Series)