Curious Toys | 
panIf anyone needs me, I will be scrubbing this book out of my brain.
For how beautifully the author tried to write queerness, it was ruined by the end. Pin and Glory‘s relationship was potentially the only thing I liked about this book.
I was never anything but indifferent toward our MC, Pin. Henry is a no, Charlie Chaplin appearing is a no, and our villain? A MASSIVE FUCK NO.
The metaphor of men seeing young girls as “toys” just didn‘t hit.
pickStarting & finishing this one today apparently. Summer 1915, Chicago is sweltering & the Riverview amusement park has never been busier. Pin keeps herself busy & out of trouble running errands for park workers until one day she sees a man & a women embark on a ride but only one come out. The truth of what happened will shock everyone, lead to the unraveling of secrets, & have everyone asking “who next?” A good, dark historical mystery.
so-soNot quite my cup of tea, plot wise. Hand did a wonderful job with the time period & the setting but the crimes left my stomach turning over more than I'd like.
pickProbably closer to a so-so but I‘m feeling generous today.
Wonderfully atmospheric but it didn‘t really take off storywise until about 100 pages in. It‘s this month‘s book club pick for my local indie which is why I didn‘t bail. This felt like a book that may be better as a film. 3⭐️
pickThis book had a really good description of the setting, which is an amusement park in 1915 Chicago. I actually learned about quite a few things from that era while reading this book, which is a bonus for me. Otherwise, this is a typical murder mystery novel, but it features a lot of characters from that era - Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, and Henry Darger figure prominently throughout.
pick
4.5 / 5.0
An energetic, enthralling historical thriller, set in an amusement park, with a wide diversity of characters and behaviors, I totally loved this book. I found myself quickly invested in Pin, the pace of the story and detailing were well done. One to recommend!
“With a grimace she replaced the mustache. Being a boy meant freedom; being a man meant joining an army of monsters and dingbats.“
“One would have to come from a terrible place to imagine living in a shack at an amusement park as an improvement. But then Living Hell is such a place.“
What an intriguing and exciting beginning.....based loosely on the life of Henry Darger, an outsider artist and novelist (fascinating guy, check him out) and based in the Chicago area at the Riverview Amusement Park. Pin, a young orphan girl, disguised herself as a boy to get work and live with less fear, until she is witness to a murder. So far, I'm 100 pages in and loving it!!
Has anyone read this or anything by Elizabeth Hand??
Read Curious Toys yet? Check out the acknowledgments when you finish—you‘ll see my name. 🥳 Carla Hufstedler, dat‘s me. Right there next to the wonderful editor Ellen Datlow.
Happy Saturday! I am getting ready to start CURIOUS TOYS - it looks so fun! What are you reading this weekend? 🧸🎮🚀
