3.5 stars. This is a really tricky book to review. The plot is simple, and generally plays second fiddle to the exploration of character and identity for the main character, Micah Grey. On my edition of the book, the blurb doesn't specify that Micah and Iphegenia "Gene" Laurus are the same person, but you find this out pretty early on and it's in the revised description on here. The circus personalities and acts, many with secrets of their own, both reflect and influence Micah's inner struggle to come to terms with who he/she is. 
 I suppose you could call the plot something of a slow burn, though it barely simmers for most of the book and only explodes into life in the last few chapters. Despite that, I never found myself bored - the characters and their relationships, especially Micah, were enough to drive the story, plus the little hints of mystery and conspiracy scattered throughout. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with the ending, although it was good to see Drystan come into his own - he's a brilliantly ambiguous character - and I liked the way the author didn't pull any punches when it came to the fates of the characters. Too little of the mystery was resolved, leaving very little idea where the plot is headed for the rest of the trilogy (I think it's a trilogy?) 
 The descriptions and Micah's inner monologue were well-written, although I did find the dialogue a little clunky in places, and the gritty nastiness of the world and many of the characters was fantastically drawn. I never felt the circus performers in all their shapes, sizes and freakishness (including Micah's own issues) were thrown in for shock value, which was something I had initially worried about from what I knew of the book and its topics. 
 Overall, I enjoyed this and I will definitely be continuing with the series.