Misty Circus (HC)

Misty Circus is a nice little Gothic piece by Victoria Francés, an artist renowned for her gorgeous paintings and enticing stories. I instantly fell for Misty Circus when I glanced at the cover and noticed a sad harlequin, and I immediately was reminded of my love of  Pavarotti’s sad clown.

Misty Circus begins with a boy named Sasha that lives in Paris. His father, Casimir Poupon, is a mime that works in an old theater in the city. Sasha, infatuated with his fathers performances and theater, devotes himself to the arts and his parents. This close knit family eventually encounters an obstacle that tears them apart and changes Sasha’s life. He begins a new journey where he finds new friends and great threats.

The alluring illustrations and dark fantasy were this book’s strong points. The illustrations were so overwhelming that I found  myself distracted from the story itself at times. Victoria Francés makes great use of the illustrations by adding a dark atmosphere that seems to fit the fear, loneliness, and sadness that she is trying to convey, and it works. The big, teary eyes are the character’s greatest strength; I felt as if I were responsible for every tear that fell down Sasha’s face and could only read on, waiting to see what would happen next.

This charming little book may be for kids, but, considering what Sasha goes through, I would have to say that this is a book that almost anyone can relate to. It’s hard trying to keep from spoiling too much of this gorgeous tale of love and misfortune. Take it from me: this tale is worth not missing out.